AgraSight 🌾 Newsletter Feb 28/2021
Agribusiness strategy, market, and tech news for industry professionals and our community.
INTRODUCTION:
Welcome to this week’s newsletter. First, I just want to start off by saying thank you to all the farmers, industry leaders, scientists, and everyone in between. I have always appreciated the passion everyone in this industry shares to provide food for our local communities and the world.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me by replying to this email, or emailing agrasight@gmail.com.
This week’s table of contents:
3 Ag Jobs of the Week.
Agribition Releases Top 50 Industry Leaders List.
ATP Nutrition Introduces ATP Academy.
Biden Looks to Pay Farmers.
Corteva Agriscience Discontinuation of FeXapan.
McCain Foods Invests in Vertical Farming Firm.
Protix raises $19m for international expansion.
Growmark Launches myFS Solution Center Grower Portal.
MustGrow Confirms Crop Protection Approach.
1. Our 3 Ag Jobs of the Week.
Pattison Grian is looking for a General Manager (North Battleford, SK)
Seniority level: Executive
Industry: Automotive, Machinery, Retail
Employment type: Full-time
Job functions: Sales, Business development
Cargill is looking for a Market Development Agronomist (Winnipeg, MB)
Seniority level: Associate
Industry: Chemicals, Food & beverage, Food production
Employment type: Full-time
Job functions: Research, Analyst, Information technology
FarmersEdge is looking for a Business Development Associate (Winnipeg, MB)
Seniority level: Entry level
Industry: Marketing & advertising, Information technology & services, Computer Software
Employment type: Full-time
Job functions: Business development, Sales
2. Agribition Releases Top 50 Industry Leaders List - The Western Producer
In celebration of Canada’s Ag Day, a top 50 list of our industry leaders are compiled via nominations submitted across the country and cut down to a top 10 finalists, who are then placed into 5 categories by a panel of judges.
Panelists include, but not limited to:
Industry leader Kim McConnell, Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Mary Robinson, former Maple Leaf senior vice-president Rory McAlpine, and Claude Lafleur, a Quebec-based consultant, and agricultural economist.
Top 10 Mentors:
Scott Exner, Calgary; Bill Greuel, Regina; Stephen Hughes, Longview, Alta.; Peter Johnson, Ingersoll, Ont.; Alanna Koch, Edenwold, Sask.; Tim Lambert, Ottawa; John Phillips, Arlington, P.E.I.; Jeff Reid, Kanata, Ont.; Robert Saik, Olds, Alta.; and Anne Wasko, Eastend, Sask.
Top 10 Upstarts:
Sandi Brock, West Perth, Ont.; Shaun Haney, Lethbridge; Jill Harvie, Olds, Alta.; Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel, Mossbank, Sask.; Kim Keller, Melfort, Sask.; Brett McRae, Brandon; Todd Ormann, Olds, Alta.; Jess Verstappen, High Prairie, Alta.; Alex Villeneuve, Olds, Alta.; and, Charlotte Wasylik, Vermilion, Alta.
Top 10 Innovators:
Joy Agnew, Olds, Alta; Wade Barnes, Winnipeg; Chantelle Donahue, Biggar, Sask.; Viren D’Souza, Peterborough, Ont.; Jean-Martin Fortier, Saint-Armand, Que.; Matt Hughes, Kelly’s Cross, P.E.I.; Myles Immerkar, Rocky View County, Alta.; Kee Jim, Okotoks, Alta.; Brian Olson, Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask.; and Maggie Van Camp, Blackstock, Ont.
Top 10 Deal Makers:
Murad Al-Katib, Regina; Terry Curley, Norboro, P.E.I., Jeffrey Fitzpatrick-Stilwell, Toronto; Dennis Laycraft, Calgary; Sebastian Leveille, Montreal; Garth MacDonald, Kindersley, Sask.; Bob Mazer, Brandon; Mike Medeiros, Osgoode, Ont.; Ray Price, Acme, Alta.; and Jean-Marc Ruest, Winnipeg.
Top 10 Designated Hitters:
Gordon Bacon, Winnipeg; Shannon Benner, Perth, Ont.; Marc Bieler, Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, Que.; Robert Black, Ottawa; Cyr Couturier, St. Johns, N.L.; Jean Fontaine, Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.; Stephanie Hamelin, Montreal; Pierre Lampron, Saint-Boniface, Que.; Marty Seymour, White City, Sask.; and Alison Sunstrum, Airdrie, Alta.
Here are two quotes from GM chairperson and CEO, Mary Barra, that I love and relate to this section involving these industry leaders who have demonstrated their impact by acquiring nominations from their colleagues.
“If we win the hearts and minds of employees, we’re going to have better business success.”
“What I always say is, ‘Do every job you’re in like you’re going to do it for the rest of your life, and demonstrate that ownership of it.’”
3. ATP Nutrition Introduces ATP Academy - ATP Nutrition Ltd.
Due to Covid-19 halting the in-person Nutrient Summit this season, ATP Nutrition has been focusing on an on-line approach this year to keep providing information to agronomists and anyone looking to learn more about plant nutrition, biostimulants, and analytics.
Joining the ATP Academy provides:
Get access to FREE agronomically focused courses.
Track your progress and earn CCA / CEU credits through your individual profile.
Learn from leading academics and industry experts around the world on relevant topics.
Access an expanded library of resources - educational videos, support tools, and agronomic updates.
Earn SWAG while you learn!
Launching March 1st. Follow the link attached to the underlined heading above to register and receive on-going updates for new courses and related content.
4. Biden’s Climate Change Strategy Looks to Pay Farmers to Curb Carbon Footprint - CNBC
The US president wants to challenge farmers to lead and set an example for others when it comes to offsetting greenhouse gas emissions to help battle our global climate crisis.
Key Points:
Biden administration is looking to steer farm aid from the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation to encourage carbon emission reductions on farms.
By adapting more “regenerative practices,” experts estimate that American farmers can sequester a large enough portion of emissions to avert a climate catastrophe.
Loren Poncia is a recent adapter of the Marin Carbon Project and has created a carbon positive ranch with the implementation of rotation cattle grazing systems, allowing grass and soil to regenerate, applying compost to pastures, and planting chicory to aerate soils.
In the U.S. alone, agriculture accounts for more than 10.5% of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, according to the estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency.
As a result, the Biden administration now wants to steer $30 billion in farm aid money from the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation to pay farmers to implement sustainable practices and capture carbon in their soil.
It seems to be a win-win situation for farmers as Loren stated in the article. Farmers would be doing themselves a favor x2. The rising climate has cost them money, time, and land… thousands of acres have fallen victim to what is stated as “the worst decades-long drought ever seen in the past millennium.” additionally, these participating farmers will be rewarded with long-term soil health and more resilience, generating better annual yield averages, even when weather conditions are rough.
Of course in a situation where farmers are looking to change the way they are operating and most will likely require education and assistance, we can see an opportunity for a new market.
Chris Harbourt, global head of carbon at Indigo Ag, said the company is working with growers to address financial barriers during the transition and provide education on implementing regenerative agriculture practices, like planting off-season cover crops or switching to no-till farming.
Additional reading if interested: Biden’s climate agenda will face big obstacles with evenly divided Senate
5. Corteva Agriscience Discontinues FeXapan Herbicide - Corteva Agriscience
Corteva Agriscience announces FeXapan herbicide will be discontinued to focus energy elsewhere
Corteva’s official statement:
“We continue to see strong demand and broad adoption of Enlist technology for seed and Enlist herbicide crop protection solutions. This decision allows Corteva to focus customer and applicator training, sales, and distribution resources on our leading Enlist weed control system.
Our commercial team will continue to support our customers who have selected Roundup Ready 2 Xtend technology from a Corteva seed brand. Those customers may use dicamba herbicides offered through other brands, while still accessing other soybean herbicides from Corteva and benefitting from the strong yields of Corteva brand dicamba-tolerant soybean products.”
6. McCain Foods Invests Another $30-Million in Vertical Farming Firm - The Globe and Mail
GoodLeaf plans to build and commission two slightly larger vertical farms this year, starting with the first in as early as a month and a half.
“We expect to break ground on the first farm in the next 45 to 90 days," said Barry Murchie GL CEO
GoodLeaf Farms wants to set up shop in Eastern, and Western Canada. GL mostly supplies their products within a two-hour drive of their 45,000-square-foot facility in Guelph. I imagine they look to run a similar system in their new locations. (I could not find any information on possible locations)
Why would a company like McCain, more commonly seen in the frozen aisle of your local marketplace, get out of it?
Peter Dawe, McCain Chief Strategy Officer explains "his company is eager to gain experience with fresh produce. For us, this hit all the consumer trends: less waste in the refrigerator, less time spent on the road, fresher, tastier!"
Canadian markets are mainly stocked with imported leafy greens from the US. Vertical farms can change that by enabling growth year-round. This will cause a significant drop in farm-to-plate kilometers.
7. Insect protein startup Protix raises $19m for international expansion - Ag Funder
Protix is a feed startup primarily focused on black soldier fly protein for use in animals and aquaculture. providing to 13 different countries product vary from poultry feed, pig feed, specialty pet foods, and their own egg brand, OERei, serving as an important marketing piece.
“The goal is to show the potential and to excite the consumer. We want to truly bring the narrative of this innovative new source of nutrition that can vastly change health and the supply chain directly to the consumer.”
Fueling Protix’s growth is a $45 million production facility spanning 14,000-square-meters. Monitored and automated with sensors much like in vertical farms to provide complete control over the environment.
“There are a lot of press releases and PowerPoints out there of companies announcing an expansion. But [the Bergen facility] is actually now fully operational at full-scale capacity,”
“This is our basis for rollout internationally. We are very confident we can build even three to four times bigger and bring it to 100% operation.”
8. Growmark Launches myFS Solution Center Grower Portal - Ag Web
MyFS is a web-based platform also accessible by smartphone in an app format is designed to extend the relationship customers have with their trusted advisers. It will provide initial features for communication, transactions, and business. In addition Growmark has enabled GIS layers in the system so customers can look at field level data. More features to be added in the following months to improve ordering functionality and field planning tools.
“This gives the opportunity for customers to interact with employees at the local member company wherever, however and whenever they chose.”
“When we say whenever, for instance, we use the example, of customers calling a trusted advisor in the morning, and in the afternoon they stop by a location. In the evening, they are online using the platform and online tools to interact with the company."
9. MustGrow Confirms Positive Soil Health and Ecological Impact of its Plant-Based Crop Protection Approach - MustGrow
MustGrow Biologics Corp. (CNSX:MGROF) is an agriculture bio-tech company developing and commercializing a natural biofumigant fertilizer. They are focusing on providing natural-based biological solutions to replace synthetic chemicals used in high value crops such as fruit & vegetables. They have patented mustard-derived technology with potential to disrupt the global Ag pesticide market, currently $65 billion USD.
MustGrow Biologics Corp. is pleased to report third party confirmatory studies that the active ingredient in MustGrow’s mustard plant-based technology, Allyl Isothiocyanate (“AITC”), has a positive impact on soil health, contributing to the environmental and ecological security of both our plant-based food supply and the planet. Application of natural AITC returns organic plant material to the soil through its pre-plant treatment process as a potential alternative to using synthetic chemicals.
Key points:
App. of AITC as a biopesticide returns plant material to the soil.
AITC improves the environmental and ecological security of our planet .
AITC dissipates from the soil quickly, avoiding long-term toxicity to micro-organisms.
AITC creates a healthy microbial ecological environmental for soil, increasing beneficial bacteria.
Thanks for reading this weeks newsletter. Thank you again, to all of our Canadian farmers and agriculture workers.
Have a great Sunday,
-Austin