North American Ag Spotlight

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Would you like more ESG on your RFID? In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak hears what R-Calf CEO Bill Bullard sees as the down side of adopting RFID technology on US cattle herds. Like anything that starts out as a good idea, this could lead to the possibility of ranchers losing control of the cattle industry, and being told how to ranch. Bullard points out that we are in a cattle industry in which the four largest packers control 85% of the fed cattle market. Clearly, if these behemoths colluded to deny market access to anyone who didn’t meet whatever standard they collectively imposed, then those producers would be relegated to selling their cattle to the 15% of the market that is not controlled by the largest packers. Bill Bullard joined R-CALF USA as the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer at national headquarters in Billings, Mont., on April 9, 2001. Bullard has testified on behalf of R-CALF USA members before Congress and executive branch agencies, has managed numerous lawsuits on behalf of the organization, and is the organization’s registered lobbyist. Bullard, formerly a cow/calf rancher in Perkins County, S.D., served as the Executive Director of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission from 1995-2001. He has a B.S. in Political Science from Black Hills State University and completed a year of graduate studies at the University of South Dakota. The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) represents the U.S. cattle and sheep industries in trade and marketing issues to ensure the continued profitability and viability of independent U.S. cattle and sheep producers. R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America), is the largest producer-only membership based organization that exclusively represents U.S. cattle and sheep producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA’s membership of more than 5,000 consists primarily of cow-calf producers, cattle backgrounders, and feeders. Its members are located in 43 states, and the organization has many local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations, along with various main street businesses as associate members of R-CALF USA. R-CALF USA began in 1998 when 3 independent cattle producers launched an anti-dumping lawsuit against trading partners Canada and Mexico accusing them of exporting their products below market prices and production costs in the U.S. The group successfully convinced the U.S. Department of Commerce to implement anti-dumping tariffs against Canada. A year later, R-CALF USA was officially formed into an membership based organization. Since its inception, R-CALF USA has profoundly impacted the U.S. live cattle industry. In an industry dominated by 4 meatpackers controlling every aspect and unjust trade agreements, R-CALF USA quickly rose to become the national voice for independent cow-calf producers and feeders across America. R-CALF USA is the single largest producer-only organization fighting to bring back mandatory country-of-origin labeling, fighting to stop anti-competitive and unjust practices by the packers, to prevent high-risk imports from countries with disease outbreaks, fighting to allow U.S. cattle producers to promote their USA beef within the beef checkoff program and make the program voluntary. Learn more about R-CALF at https://www.r-calfusa.com/ or call 406-252-2516. #farm #farming #agriculture North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Biden’s WOTUS Veto: What’s next, with Congressman David Rouzer In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak gets an update from Congressman David Rouzer on the #WOTUS ruling and President Biden's recent veto. Congressman David Rouzer proudly represents North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District, stretching from the beautiful coastline of Southeastern North Carolina west to the small-town, agricultural communities around Lumberton and Fayetteville. Elected to the United States Congress in 2014, David is beginning his 5th term in the U.S. House of Representatives. David serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where he currently serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. He has served as a ranking member or chairman of a subcommittee on both since his first day in office, which has enabled him to better address the unique needs of his district and state. He is a member of a number of caucuses in Congress including as a founding member of the Primary Care Caucus and the Supply Chain Caucus, as well as co-chairing the United Kingdom Caucus. Prior to Congress, David formed his own business doing consulting and sales work, predominately in the agricultural arena. His public service includes two terms in the North Carolina Senate representing Johnston and Wayne counties (2009-2012) where he was consistently ranked as one of the most effective pro-business legislators. David also served as assistant to the dean and director of commodity relations for the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at NC State University in between two stints with U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, where he started out as a legislative assistant and later served as senior policy advisor. He was also senior advisor for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole. In 2005, he took a senior level appointment at USDA Rural Development and helped manage a program level budget of more than $1.2 billion and a loan portfolio of more than $5 billion in investments in rural America. David has garnered a number of awards during his career for his work in each of these capacities as well as a Member of Congress. David, a Southern Baptist, was raised in Durham and spent his summers working on the family farm just outside of Four Oaks, N.C. The money he earned those summers enabled him to pay his tuition at N.C. State University where he graduated with three degrees in Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Economics, and Chemistry. He is also a graduate of The Fund for American Studies. David resides in Wilmington, N.C. Learn more about the issue at https://rouzer.house.gov #farm #farming #agriculture North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Thinking Outside the Box When it Comes to Farmland & Farming In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Chris Morris of LandFund Partners about what they offer producers and investors in the Mississippi River Valley, creating new options for farm succession and farm management. LandFund Partners (LFP) is a farmland investment company focused on buying and managing high quality farmland in the Mississippi River Valley. The land is leased to preferred family farm operators throughout the region. Founded back in 2013 by John Farris and Chris Morris, LFP now owns over 35,000 acres across the Delta. LFP seeks to utilize regenerative farming techniques on its farms and works alongside its farming partners to do what's best for the soils and the environment. Chris Morris is a founding member of LandFund Partners where he serves as President and COO. Chris grew up in a rural community in Kentucky where he was around and exposed to farming at an early age. Mr. Morris received his Bachelor of Science degree in Financial Economics from Centre College, in Danville, KY, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude. While at Center, Chris studied investment theory and alternative investments, which lead him to identifying farmland as an excellent asset to compliment the typical stock and bond portfolio. Mr. Morris started his career at Commonwealth Economics, a regional economic and financial consultancy. Mr. Morris has been recognized as one of Nashville’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Nashville Business Journal and Top 30 Under 30 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He is active in the Nashville non-profit community and is a past Chairman of the Phoenix Club of Nashville. Mr. Morris has attained the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation. Learn more about LandFund Partners at https://landfundpartners.com/ #farm #farming #agriculture *** North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - The BeSure! Mission with Growing Matters In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Jeffrey Smith & Caydee Savinelli of Growing Matters. Growing Matters is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to scientific discourse on the stewardship, benefits and alternatives of neonicotinoid insecticides in North America. Today we talk about the importance of neonics, what the industry could look like without them, and farming best practices when it comes to crop protection. Jeffrey Smith currently serves as Manager of Industry and Government Relations for Valent U.S.A. LLC where his primary responsibility is to develop partnerships with allied commodity and trade associations to advance policies supporting grower access to new crop and yield enhancement tools. Jeff also works with Federal and state regulatory agencies and legislatures on industry wide pesticide issues. Prior to his current role, he was a Field Market Development Specialist responsible for developing crop protection products row crop and specialty markets throughout the Midwestern, Southwestern and Southeastern United States. Jeff also has experience in the retail sector of the industry, starting his career with Gold Kist, Inc. Combined, Jeff has over 30 years of experience within the crop protection industry. Recognizing the importance of grower led coalitions to protect access to pesticides, Jeff has coordinated with allied stakeholders and industry peers to create and manage several consortiums dedicated to defending classes of chemistry under scrutiny by environmental activists. In addition, Jeff works through CropLife America on pesticide issues including the Endangered Species Act in addition to Federal and state legislation. Jeff earned his B.S. and M.S. Degrees from Clemson University in Agronomy with Emphasis in Weed Science. Caydee Savinelli is the Syngenta U.S. Stewardship Team and Pollinator Lead. In this role, she leads a team with goals of advocating, educating, and collaborating for stewardship of Syngenta products to provide farmers and golf and landscape professionals a variety of tools to control important pests. The team provides a catalyst for change through Sustainable and Responsible Business and Good Growth Plan initiatives. Some of the main areas of the stewardship team’s focus are environmental issues, endangered species, pesticide safety education and pollinator and biodiversity conservation initiatives. Caydee has focused on pest management, product development and crop protection throughout her 38-year career and has worked in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Caydee holds a Ph.D. in Entomology with a minor in Crop Science from North Carolina State University, a M.S. in Entomology from The Pennsylvania State University and a B.A. in Biology from Gettysburg College. Agriculture and horticulture are key to nourishing families and communities. Feeding a growing population, enhancing the beauty of our surroundings and a sustained commitment to environmental protection are fundamental needs that matter. Crop protection products, both natural and synthetic, are important tools that protect plants from tough and invasive pests that can devastate crops and urban landscapes. Growing Matters is funded by a consortium of companies committed to open and healthy scientific discourse on stewardship, benefits and alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides in North America. Consortium members include Bayer, Syngenta, Valent U.S.A., BASF, & Mitsui Chemicals Agro, Inc. The BeSure! campaign is also supported by Gowan Company and PBI Gordon Corporation. Go to www.GrowingMatters.org for information, reports, videos and infographics on the benefits of neonicotinoid insecticides. Deciding how to manage weeds, insects & diseases that routinely attack crops and landscapes is just one of many decisions farmers & applicators must make each season. When choosing crop protection tools, both effectiveness & potential impact on the environment must be considered. Protecting bees and other wildlife is a major part of good stewardship practices and is why Growing Matters launched BeSure!, an initiative to support growers and applicators in accomplishing this important goal. Learn more at https://GrowingMatters.org or https://growingmatters.org/besure #cropprotection #farming #neonicotinoids North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Making Sense of the Biologicals Market with WinField United In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak sits down with Jon Zuk, crop protection product manager with WinField United to talk about the biologicals market and it's role in modern agriculture. WinField United is the seed, crop protection products, agricultural services and agronomic insights business of Land O’Lakes, Inc. As an industry leader, WinField United focuses on meeting the needs of nearly 1,300 locally owned and operated cooperative and independent agricultural retailers and their grower-customers across the United States. Through data-backed, insight-driven agronomics, operational excellence and sustainable solutions delivered under the WinField United brand, the business helps retailers successfully meet farmers’ needs. Jon is based in southeastern Minnesota and grew up working on a dairy farm near Willow River, where he was immersed in agricultural systems and science from an early age. His passion for providing high-quality care for his animals, crops and the environment led him to study the chemical and molecular systems in plants and animals, earning Bachelor of Science degrees in chemistry and biology from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Jon later went on to earn a Master of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Iowa. In his role, Jon uses his 14 years of experience as an agronomist to focus on understanding the complexities of protecting crops from pests and diseases, and recommending sustainable solutions that benefit farmers. From planting to nutrient application methods to harvest yield, Jon specializes in seed selection, crop nutrients and crop protection solutions. Learn more about WinField United at - www.winfieldunited.com #biologicals #farming #agriculture North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Can All Your Farm Equipment Speak the Same Language? In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak learns about the drive for compatibility in farm equipment electronics with Ryan Milligan, the Deputy of Marketing and Communications for the AEF & the Business Dev. Manager for Powell Electronics. The Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) is an independent organization founded in 2008 by seven international ag equipment manufacturers and two associations. Today eight manufacturers and three associations are working as core members together with 300 general members. They work to improve cross-manufacturer compatibility of electronic and electric components in agricultural equipment, and to establish transparency about compatibility issues. Implementing international electronic standards is a cornerstone of their work. AEF encourages the development and implementation of new technology. While the AEF’s intention is to enable mutually beneficial links between companies, the effort is first and foremost directed at their farming customers, i.e. to make work easier for them and to provide them with economic benefits. Ryan Milligan has over 15 years’ experience in the electronics connector industry coupled with an MBA from Drexel University. Ryan is well versed in developing go to market strategies and connector product solutions, and is an expert in sensing and connectivity for ISOBUS applications and more electronic solutions for Agricultural machinery. Learn more about AEF at https://www.aef-online.org/home.html #farmequipment #farming #agriculture ### This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com. Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Move Over Sugar Cane, Florida has a Sweet New Crop! In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak sits down with Ricardo Reyes who serves as Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing, Quality, and R&D for Heartland Food Products Group, owner of the iconic Splenda® Brand. Ricardo shares the story of their stevia farm located in Central Florida. It all started over 20 years ago when they began investing in the natural breeding of stevia plants. Plant A and Plant B are cross-pollinated by bees and their seeds are tested for strong agricultural properties and, of course, the sweetest and best tasting sugars, called glycosides. The process is repeated until they had the best stevia plants and the best-tasting combinations of stevia glycosides, sweet and without bitterness. They then take cuttings from those mother plants and propagate them over and over again, growing roots from the cuttings, creating more versions of the same plant. This gives a consistency of sweetness from acre to acre. An all-natural process, without genetic engineering. Ricardo is an experienced Food Processing Engineer, holds a Master of Science in Product Design and Development from Northwestern University, and is a noteworthy leader in the food & beverage industry. Ricardo’s passion to help people reduce sugar has led him to develop the best-tasting Splenda products and the innovative farming process at Splenda Stevia Farms. Included in his areas of expertise are sugar reduction, coffee processing, and thermally processed beverages, of which he is credited with holding two patents, one for a unique coffee cold brew extraction process and one for a heat exchanger design for aseptically processed purees. Over recent years, Ricardo’s leadership over Manufacturing and R&D has expanded the Splenda® Brand beyond sweeteners into other product lines, including Splenda Coffee Creamers, Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes, Splenda Sweet Teas and more. Based outside of Indianapolis, Heartland Food Products Group is a global leader in the production of low-calorie sweetener products, creamers, beverage concentrates, coffee, and nutritional drinks. Heartland is on a mission to help people live happier, healthier and longer lives by making it easier to reduce sugar through its delicious, low-calorie sweeteners. The Splenda® Brand is the most recognizable and iconic low-calorie sweetener ("LCS") brand in the world, having sold more than 100 billion yellow packets since its launch in 1991. Today, the Splenda Brand is the clear #1 LCS brand in the USA. Splenda is the name for great tasting, low calorie foods and beverages. Its line features a range of products including low-calorie sweetener products, natural sweeteners such as Splenda Stevia Sweeteners and Splenda Monk Fruit Sweeteners, Splenda Coffee Creamers, Splenda Diabetes Care Shakes, Splenda Sweet Teas and more. To learn more, visit Heartland at www.heartlandfpg.com and Splenda at www.splenda.com. Learn more about #farm #farming #agriculture North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Eliminating the Cultural Divide Through Agricultural Exchanges In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak agriculture diversity, travel, immigration & migrant workers with TCTS Global LLC CEE Orlando Gil. A native of Venezuela, Orlando came to the United States to further his education. He attended Oklahoma State University and received B.S. degrees in Animal Science and Agronomy back in 1983. Orlando owns and operates “TCTS Global LLC”, a consulting company that assists businesses “bridge the gap” with the Latino workforce in the agricultural and food related industries as they meet their needs for professional and skilled labor. Orlando’s experience in the agricultural industry includes a variety of positions in training, recruiting as well as production areas. His corporate work experience includes working as Recruiting Director and Training Manager for Kerber Companies in NW, Iowa. Before relocating to Iowa, Orlando was a Training Production Manager for Seaboard Foods, one of the country’s top 10 integrated pork producers and processors, while at Seaboard Foods, he also managed a 13,225 sow - farrow to wean swine operation in Beaver County, Okla. Orlando was also employed by PIC (Pig Improvement Company), an international genetic breeding stock company, where he held a variety of training and customer support positions in Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Orlando is a certified PQA and TQA advisor and helps support the Pork industry’s efforts to maintain a safe, high-quality supply of pork. Prior to joining PIC, Orlando worked in the restaurant industry and owned and managed a restaurant in Stillwater, Okla. As a speaker, Orlando has delivered international talks, workshops and webinars in Mexico, Nicaragua, Brazil, Venezuela, Canada, and the U.S. Orlando’s topics have to do with employee development, engagement, and retention. In addition to Orlando’s involvement in volunteering for committees and task forces for the NPB, the IPPA, and the NPPC, Orlando has over 30 years of swine production experience. In the past, he has managed farm operations ranging from 600 sows to 13,225 sows. In addition, Orlando managed multiple wean to finish sites, and held positions in HR, recruiting & sales. Orlando’s activities include membership in the Knights of Columbus, the Shelby County Nicaragua Partners, and St. Michael Parish. He is also an active contributor to the National Pork Board, the Iowa Pork Producers Association, and the National Pork Producers Council. As a certified PQA Plus and TQA advisor he helps support the Pork industry's efforts to maintain a safe, high quality supply of pork. Orlando and his wife, Ana, live in Harlan, Iowa. Orlando and Ana have two sons, Garrett, 30 and Tanner, 27 who both reside in Stillwater, Oklahoma." TCTS Global is a consulting firm that helps companies involved in agriculture and food related industries bridge the communication and training gaps with Latin American and global talent. As TCTS Global bridges these gaps, companies meet their need of highly qualified and professional talent. Their services help companies achieve their production improvement goals and offer a solution to the growing demand for qualified talent. Since 2001, TCTS Global has expanded into other areas related to leadership development, training and cultural experiences. Since 2008, they have been developing talent with thier Professional Enhancement, Leadership development, and Cultural Exchange programs. TCTS Global Mission: To develop talent... We live our mission on a daily basis by focusing on having a positive impact on each individual we interact with. https://www.linkedin.com/company/tcts-global/ https://www.facebook.com/tctsglobal/ Tiktok: @tctsglobal Learn more about TCTS Global at https://tctsglobal.net/ #farm #farming #agriculture North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Cybersecurity Risk and the Food Supply Chain In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak discusses cybersecurity risk and the food supply chain with Eracent founder Walt Szablowski. Walt Szablowski is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Eracent and serves as Chair of Eracent’s subsidiaries (Eracent SP ZOO, Warsaw, Poland; Eracent Private LTD in Bangalore, India, and Eracent Brazil). Cyber attacks are becoming more common and the stakes are high! JBS USA confirmed it paid the equivalent of $11 million in ransom in response to the criminal hack against its operations. In consultation with internal IT professionals and third-party cybersecurity experts, the company made the decision to mitigate any unforeseen issues related to the attack and ensure no data was exfiltrated. The FBI stated this is one of the most specialized and sophisticated cybercriminal groups in the world. The company spends more than $200 million annually on IT and employs more than 850 IT professionals globally. In other industries the lack of a cyber security plan has big consequences, for the first time since 9/11, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on January 11, 2023, had to issue a nationwide ground stop in the United States. In the outage that lasted 11 hours and 50 minutes, a total of 10,563 flights were delayed, while more than 1,300 flights were canceled, as reported by FlightAware. Although the FAA eventually confirmed that the outage was caused by a data file, related to the Notices to Air Missions (NOTAM) system, that was unintentionally damaged by a contractor who failed to follow procedures and was not caused by a cybersecurity breach, it raises plenty of questions and has understandably triggered panic across the nation. This incident raises questions about the security of a government agency’s software system – not only to implement measures to prevent human error but also to guard against cyberattacks. Szablowski recognizes the necessity of the right processes and the importance of discovering the data, defining the network, and putting them in the processes. “Eracent has all the systems one needs to effectively put these processes in place,” concludes Szablowski. Eracent helps its customers meet the challenges of managing IT network assets, software licenses, and cybersecurity in today’s complex and evolving IT environments. Eracent’s enterprise clients save significantly on their annual software spend, reduce their audit and security risks, and establish more efficient asset management processes. Eracent’s client base includes some of the world’s largest corporate and government networks and IT environments — the USPS, VISA, US Airforce, British Ministry of Defense — and dozens of Fortune 500 companies rely on Eracent solutions to manage and protect their networks. Visit https://eracent.com/ #farm #agriculture #cybersecurity North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Contradictions & Conflicting Goals in Food & Energy Policy In this week's North American Ag Spotlight the President of American Agri-Women Heather Hampton+Knodle joins Chrissy Wozniak in the first discussion in a series about ag policy. Heather has agreed to be on the show every six to eight weeks to give us an update on what's happening in Washington and across the US in terms of ag policy, how it impacts the agriculture industry and how we can help. This Ag Spotlight episode addresses Contradictions & Conflicting Goals in Food & Energy Policy, identifying areas that need more clarity and what action can be taken on behalf of the public. Heather Hampton+Knodle grew up working on her family’s farm near Windsor, Illinois and continues to farm with her husband Brian and their four children in Montgomery County where they grow corn, soybeans, winter wheat and black Angus cattle. Their use of technology informs their efforts to apply regenerative practices across their farm and capture data to improve management. Heather earned her bachelors in agriculture news/editorial with emphasis in geography and economics and the equivalent of a minor in Russian language and area studies from the Univ. of Illinois, including an academic year at the University of Nottingham, England and exchange with St. Petersburg Agricultural Institute in Russia. Her masters work in post-socialist privatization was at University of Illinois Springfield as she launched her communication consulting business that quickly evolved into association management. Heather has served as Executive Director for the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association and statewide organizations in Illinois as well as the volunteer President of Illinois Agri-Women. She was the founding chairman of the public-private Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and the $250 million, 11-county bond authority Central Illinois Economic Development Authority. In her time as an elected official on the Montgomery County Board, she helped leverage $6000 in coal royalty funds into a more than $15 million privately-funded fiberoptic to the premises buildout. She has been appointed by four governors to serve on the Illinois Governor’s Rural Affairs Council and was reappointed in 2021 by the Federal Communications Commission to serve on the Precision Agriculture Task Force and chair the Examining Current and Future Connectivity Demand Working Group. Heather also serves as Farm Journal Foundation’s Lead Farmer for Illinois to advocate for agricultural research investments and training for smallholder farmers in developing countries. American Agri-Women are women from farms, ranches and agri-business forming a nationwide coalition of state and commodity affiliates and at-large members with a mission to provide networking and leadership development opportunities as we educate each other and the public about issues impacting our ability to feed, fuel and clothe our country and others around the world. Learn more about American Agri-Women at https://americanagriwomen.org/ #farm #farming #agriculture North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com This episode is sponsored by Fastline - A LEADER IN FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Visit https://agr.fyi/fastline Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Keely Wachs, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ProducePay, about their tech platform that matches growers with buyers. Keely outlines how they help with cashflow when its needed most. Keely is passionate about leading global teams to develop and execute creative and strategic marketing, communications sustainability and social impact efforts for ProducePay. Founded by Pablo Borquez Schwarzbeck, a fourth-generation farmer, ProducePay is transforming the fragmented produce industry into a more connected and sustainable movement. ProducePay gives farmers unprecedented access to the market, financial solutions, and trade protection they need. Buyers and consumers receive fresher produce more efficiently, knowing it is grown and delivered in responsible ways. This simplified and empowering approach is helping to eliminate over 50% of economic and food waste, while creating value for everyone involved. Learn more about ProducePay at https://producepay.com ### This episode is sponsored by Fastline - A LEADER IN FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Visit https://agr.fyi/fastline North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak speaks with the Communications Manager of ECHO Global Farm, Danielle Flood about the passion behind the Fort Myers demo farm. She explains the reach that the farm has around the world, and how they empower farmers with the tools and info they need to grow food successfully. Danielle has traveled to more than 20 countries while championing agricultural development through hands-on training and knowledge sharing. For more than four decades, ECHO has been equipping and empowering hungry families with knowledge and the life-giving grace of God. We’ve impacted millions of lives by teaching small-scale, sustainable farming methods so families can provide for themselves and their communities. By tackling hunger at the source, we’re growing hope from the ground up. ECHO introduces sustainable plants, techniques, and technologies to farmers around the world who are struggling to feed their families. We go out into the world to provide training and resources that empower small-scale farming families to thrive. Learn more about ECHO at www.echonet.org ### This episode is sponsored by Fastline - A LEADER IN FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Visit https://agr.fyi/fastline North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to ERD's Glenn Flaherty about the memorandum of understanding that was decided on early this year between The American Farm Bureau Federation and John Deere that ensures farmers’ and ranchers’ right to repair their own farm equipment. He gives his advice to producers and offer's his company's services when they need help with electronics repair. Earning a degree in both Electrical Engineering and Philosophy may seem incongruous to most people, but it makes perfect sense to Glenn Flaherty, president, and owner of ERD, LTD., Inc. Glenn has employed this unlikely marriage to create a highly successful industrial electronic repair business. Combining his extensive knowledge of electrical concepts and physics with superb critical thinking skills, Glenn has pushed ERD to the forefront of the technical services world. These qualities are essential in the diagnosis and repair of aging legacy electronic equipment for which OEM support and/or documentation no longer exist. ERD's electronic repair/refurbishing process is simple and effective. With twenty plus years of experience in refurbishing legacy and new electronics, they are the repair center of choice. Their global leading 3-year warranty is backed by their technical group averaging over 20 years of electronic refurbishing experience. Over the years they have repaired more than 4,500 OEM product categories. ERD is proud and privileged to be a recipient of the U.S. Presidential “E” Award. This prestigious award is given each year in Washington DC to less than 100 organizations across the country for excellence in exporting. Extending the use life of electronics is a win for everyone because the process reduces waste in global landfills and eliminates the need to buy expensive new equipment. Learn more about ERD at https://www.industrialrepairstore.com/ Check out ERD's educational YouTube channels here: https://www.youtube.com/@erdltd/featured https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfiCScGXEhR_XGCEFdOd5Vw https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEbloBp7JD5O_I71EdrdRw North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by Fastline - A LEADER IN FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Visit https://agr.fyi/fastline

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Trevor Williams about his podcast The Farm Traveler. He recounts how he started the podcast, and what he's learned over nearly 200 interviews with farms and agribusiness professionals over the years. Trevor is a former FFA State officer and Florida Ag teacher, he has been podcasting the podcast for 3 years as well as all the content for the YouTube channel. Farm Traveler is a podcast and YouTube channel that focuses on showing how consumers can connect with farmers through agritourism, direct-to-consumer products, and more! Learn more about the Farm Traveler at https://thefarmtraveler.com North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by Fastline - A LEADER IN FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE. Visit https://agr.fyi/fastline

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - "Fastline President shares insight into big iron trends for 2023" In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak learns about how Fastline is evolving to serve the agriculture industry in a modern way, and about the important trends in the new and used equipment market. The President of Fastline Marketing Group Dean Barke shares his insight into where we're headed this growing season. With more than 40 years of experience, Fastline's commitment to the agricultural industry, it's customers, and farmers is unparalleled. With Fastline Print, Fastline.com, and Fastline Digital, they offer integrated marketing solutions for the evolving agricultural community. Simply put, no one else has their combination of audience and wide array of marketing tools. Learn more about Fastline at https://www.fastline.com North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by Fastline - A LEADER IN FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Visit https://agr.fyi/fastline

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak sits down with Ben Burr, Executive Director of Blue Ribbon Coalition to talk about property rights issues popping up all around the country. These issues are not only affecting farms, but also people who own rural property in remote areas, and those who enjoy recreational activities in the great outdoors. Ben explains the issues and gives advice on how to move forward. He stresses the importance of fighting the overreaching policy that is causing this. Ben Burr has been with the organization for almost two years, is familiar with the organization’s current portfolio of work. He has been building relationships with the network of allies that have been integral to BRC’s success and he brings a depth of experience that serves BRC well. He has been engaged in public land policy since he was a teenager working for a helicopter logging operation. He grew up in Utah where he learned to enjoy all forms of outdoor recreation. He spent seven years working in the U.S. Senate as a digital media specialist. Prior to joining BRC, he was working as private public land consultant. The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes responsible use of natural resources, a strong conservation ethic, and expanded recreation access for all public land users. It has been working to fulfill this mission since 1987, and it has successfully protected access to millions of acres of public land, thousands of miles of roads, and recreation opportunities for a wide range of recreation users. BRC is uniquely positioned to continue advancing the interests of its members through strategic legal work, aggressive engagement in administrative actions, effective education programs, and a strong commitment to the benefits that come to individuals and families from getting out and enjoying the great outdoors. Learn more about Blue Ribbon Coalition at https://sharetrails.org North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

This week North American Ag Spotlight's Chrissy Wozniak speaks with American Farm Bureau Federation's Courtney Briggs. Courtney is American Farm Bureau’s Senior Director of Government Affairs, and she shares what's happening in Washington with the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) ruling and why it matters to every producer! Courtney stated that, "the Trump administration drew a bright line to protect farmers property rights, but now the Biden Administration has repealed the NWPR and put forward their troubling version of the rule." AFBF is challenging the new Waters of the United States rule. AFBF joined 17 other organizations representing agriculture, infrastructure and housing, as well as county and state Farm Bureaus in filing suit. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall stated “Farmers and ranchers share the goal of protecting the resources we’re entrusted with. Clean water is important to all of us. Unfortunately, the new WOTUS rule once again gives the federal government sweeping authority over private lands. This isn’t what clean water regulations were intended to do. Farmers and ranchers should not have to hire a team of lawyers and consultants to determine how we can farm our land. “The new rule is vague and creates uncertainty for America’s farmers, even if they’re miles from the nearest navigable water. We believe a judge will recognize these regulations exceed the scope of the Clean Water Act, and direct EPA to develop rules that enable farmers to protect natural resources while ensuring they can continue stocking America’s pantries.” Read the lawsuit here - https://www.fb.org/files/3-2023-cv-00020_(0001)_COMPLAINT_against_Lieutenant_General_Scott_A._Spellmon_Michael_L._Connor_Michael_S._Regan_U.S._En.pdf Learn more about the issue here - https://www.fb.org/news-release/afbf-files-legal-challenge-to-new-wotus-rule North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Case IH's Kendal Quandahl about The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy, the industry’s first driverless spreader. Kendal is the Case IH Precision Technology marketing manager in North America, specializing in harvesting, hay & forage and specialty crops. In her seven years with Case IH, all has been dedicated to the precision space — spending five years training dealers and customers how to incorporate precision into their organization. Growing up on a family farm in Iowa and understanding the needs of farms comes naturally. Kendal is still an active member of the family farm and currently lives near St. Louis, Missouri. The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy, the industry’s first driverless spreader, gives you unmatched power and flexibility in the field. Whether you’re running a multi-machine operation, mapping a field for the first time, or managing operations remotely, the Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy gives you consistent spreading success. This unbeatable blend of proven iron and autonomous innovation bridges the gap between traditional iron and multipurpose driverless power platforms. Raven brings its iterative technology stack to a best-in-class combination applicator to make Level 4 supervised autonomy more accessible. The best-in-class combination applicator can be run in both autonomous mode and manual mode. This allows an operator to start a mission by driving the Trident to a field, establish the boundaries with the intuitive Viper® 4+ display, then set up the autonomous mission and take care of other job duties while in the cab. Alternatively, the operator can exit the cab and tend to other duties. This autonomous capability also allows you to facilitate a multi-machine operation with one operator. Get tasks done more efficiently by monitoring the autonomous Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy from the cab of another machine using Viper® 4+ and Slingshot® Job Sync. The merging of iron and technology allows you to drive in sync with the autonomous Trident, monitoring the autonomous spreading mission from the cab of another machine — covering acres more efficiently. Case IH is a global leader in agricultural equipment, committed to collaborating with its customers to develop the most powerful, productive, reliable equipment — designed to meet today’s agricultural challenges. With headquarters in the United States, Case IH has a network of dealers and distributors that operates in over 160 countries. Case IH provides agricultural equipment systems, flexible financial service offerings and parts and service support for professional farmers and commercial operators through a dedicated network of professional dealers and distributors. Productivity-enhancing products include tractors; combines and harvesters; hay and forage equipment; tillage tools; planting and seeding systems; sprayers and applicators; and site-specific farming tools. Learn more about the Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy at https://caseih.com North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Don’t Tell Farmers How to Farm, with Jake Leguee In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak visits with third generation farmer Jake Leguee for a discussion about farm innovation and why top down government strategies are not as effective as producers collaborating & innovating to solve their own problems. Jake is from southeast Saskatchewan, Canada, where he farms with several family members, including his wife and 3 young sons. Jake is passionate about the agriculture industry and trying to share his farm's story to a broader audience to bridge the communication gap between farmers and consumers. He does this through his blog, A Year in the Life of a Farmer, along with speaking engagements and other opportunities to connect with people interested in where their food comes from. Jake is highly involved in the agriculture industry, currently serving as a director of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and as chair of the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition. Jake participates in advisory boards for companies such as Bayer and OCP and is a member of the Global Farmer Network. Leguee Farms is a third-generation grain, oilseed, and special crop producer from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada. We grow canola, durum, hard red spring wheat, lentils, peas, and flax. Our vision is to build a strong and enduring business for the fourth generation on our farm. We will do that by enhancing our soils, our families, our communities, and the agriculture industry. Here is a link to the charts and Jake's article that Chrissy mentions in the episode - https://thelifeofafarmer.com/2022/12/21/we-have-never-lived-longer-healthier-happier-lives/ Learn more about Jake at https://thelifeofafarmer.com North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Roseanne Crave of the 2nd Generation at Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese. She holds the position of Sales & Marketing Manager, and has a hand in many departments at Crave Brothers. She graduated in 2020 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with degrees in Life Sciences Communication and Environmental Studies and is a member of Les Dames Madison Chapter (a women's food and beverage professional organization). Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is located in Waterloo, WI. Having their own cheese factory and dairy farm where they produce award winning cheeses while producing renewable energy. They are a family company and produce Fresh Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Cheese Curds, and Farmers Rope String cheese which is available at certain grocery stores across the US and available for purchase on their online store. Their products have won top honors at local, national and international competitions. Learn more at https://www.cravecheese.com/.

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - Dairy Barn Design with Cow Comfort in Mind In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to VES-Artex Midwest Sales Manager and Key Account Manager Joel Hornby about dairy barn design considerations, keeping cow comfort as the first priority. Joel Hornby has been serving Dairy Producers and VES-Artex affiliates for 3 years as Midwest Sales Manager and Key Account Manager. Prior to this, he worked for a construction company building dairy facilities and installing equipment. With a combined 50+ years of experience serving the agricultural industry, VES and Artex merged in 2021. Today, VES-Artex is the premier global technology solutions provider for environmental systems in agricultural facilities around the world. Based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the home of the organization’s new Global Headquarters and Innovation Center, VES-Artex also leverages operations throughout the US, Canada, Latin America, and the rest of the world. VES-Artex is focused on animal well-being as the foundation for agricultural success while strengthening its capabilities to impact agricultural operational performance through connected technologies. This research-driven approach brings veterinarians, designers, product experts and dairies together to innovate intelligent barn systems that optimize animal well-being and drive sustainability for farms worldwide. Learn more about VES-Artex at https://www.ves-artex.com/ North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak speaks with the impressive young ag entrepreneur who has co-founded Lasso, Nicole Rojas. Lasso is a software platform that helps cattle farmers decrease their emissions and receive the recognition and real dollars they deserve by doing so. Lasso eases data management, recommends on-farm carbon reduction practices, automates verification and matches farms with funding. Nicole Rojas has experience across engineering, management consulting and international entrepreneurship. Prior to receiving her MBA from Stanford University, Nicole studied chemical engineering at the University of Michigan and worked at BCG in its Chicago office, where she helped kickstart BCG’s Center for Climate Action and launched the Chicago office’s first green team. She also served as Chief of Staff to the Chief Commercial Officer of a Chilean geoanalytics startup, Georesearch, where she led the Mexico launch in the company’s first international expansion. Nicole’s personal background growing up in Wisconsin down the street from dairy farms, as well her professional background across technical and commercial experiences has guided her passion for co-founding a company focused on tackling emissions in the cattle sector while supporting the farmers doing this work. Learn more about Lasso at https://agr.fyi/lasso

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak speaks with co-founder and president of Monarch Tractor, Mark Schwager. Mark shares more about the world’s first 100% electric, driver-optional, intelligent tractor, and about being Awarded California Energy Commission Grant for “Vehicle-to-Building Technologies for Resilient Backup Power". Mark has over a decade of experience leading manufacturing organizations and has developed over 16 million square feet of manufacturing space. Mark previously served as head of the Tesla Gigafactory, leading the project from concept phase to construction. He also led the operations planning team and built the business systems for Tesla's Fremont factory and led the manufacturing program for Tesla's collaboration with Toyota for the Rav4 EV. Released November 3, 2022 - SACRAMENTO, CA: Monarch Tractor and Farm Electrification Consortium Partners Awarded California Energy Commission Grant for “Vehicle-to-Building Technologies for Resilient Backup Power" Consortium, including Monarch Tractor, Gridtractor, Rhombus Energy Solutions, Current Ways, and Polaris Energy Services, will demonstrate On Farm Mobile Microgrids for intelligent bidirectional charging of electric tractors and support for critical electric loads during power outages Monarch Tractor, maker of the industry’s smartest, fully electric autonomous tractor, and its Farm Electrification Consortium partners have received a $3 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to accelerate electrification of agricultural equipment and demonstrate the ability of batteries in on-farm equipment to keep critical electrical loads running during power outages that are initiated with greater frequency due to wildfires. The consortium is comprised of Monarch Tractor, Gridtractor, Rhombus Energy Solutions, Current Ways, and Polaris Energy Services. "With grid shutdowns, hardworking farmers lose significant time, resources and money in a business where America’s growers already struggle to see the profits of their hard labor," says Praveen Penmetsa, CEO and co-founder of Monarch Tractor. "Our tractor's ability to provide exportable power and act as a mobile generator will help keep the lights on for California’s farms even when the grid is down." In addition to emergency scenarios, the consortium will develop and demonstrate technology to enable farmers to employ tractors to respond to conditions on the power grid by charging and discharging batteries to supply irrigation pumps and other on-farm loads in response to dynamic prices and demand response events. The consortium will develop hardware, software and communications technologies to link tractors and charging equipment to fleet operation centers and grid management systems. "Farm equipment electrification can not only provide dramatic savings for growers but enable them to take control of their energy," says David Meyers, CEO of Gridtractor. "For the grid, agriculture is one sector in California with the electrical infrastructure already in place to support rapid EV adoption. With the backing of the CEC, this project will support building, deploying and testing the technologies required to take advantage of that opportunity." “It makes all the sense in the world to make sure that these big investments we’re making on the transportation side also do double duty as grid reliability. And the amount of torque you need for a tractor, it’s perfect for batteries,” said Commissioner Andrew McAllister in the CEC August Business Meeting. "We look forward to trying the Monarch MK-V in the field and seeing how it works with the Rhombus charging gear and Gridtractor system. Cleaner, cheaper power for our equipment is a win-win for both our customers and California's agricultural industry, which produces at least one-third of the country's vegetables and two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts,” said Don Cameron, vice president and general manager of Terranova Ranch. Monarch Tractor’s award-winning MK-V tractor is transforming agriculture by combining electrification, automation, machine learning, and data analysis to enhance farmer’s existing operations, increase labor productivity and safety, and maximize yields to cut overhead costs and emissions. To learn more visit www.monarchtractor.com.

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak opens with a personal account of the days after Hurricane Ian devastated her community, and how Midwest Foodbank showed up when the community needed hope more than ever! Her local church @Cape Vineyard was stocked with food from Midwest Foodbank and other organizations, and was ready to serve the people fast! Joining her today to talk about the hurricane impact and how they embraced the opportunity to serve are two guests, Karl Steidinger, Executive Director of the Midwest Food Bank & Scot Buss, Marketing and Development Manager of the Midwest Foodbank, Florida. As a faith-based organization, it is the mission of Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief; all without discrimination. Their vision is to provide industry-leading food relief to those in need while feeding them spiritually. Their story started in 2003 when the Kieser family actioned their faith to share their blessings. They turned a shed on their family farm into a distribution site for local food pantries. Soon they realized the need was more significant, and there was room for growth. Thanks to the generosity of their donors, the valuable work of volunteers, and most importantly, the blessings of God, Midwest Food Bank now shares the blessings worldwide. Midwest Food Bank currently distributes nearly $36 million worth of food to over 2,100 non-profit organizations each month. This is done from our twelve locations in Illinois, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, New England, East Africa, and Haiti. Born in Central IL Karl grew up in a family of 5. After graduating high school Karl went to work as a delivery driver for a local Feed Mill. He married Carrie Steffen July 20 2003 and together they have 3 children. Karl and Carrie moved their family to Cape Coral FL in 2016 and began working at a local ministry for single mothers. In 2017 Karl joined MFB as Operations Manager and later that same year assumed the role of Executive Director. Karl enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, and shooting. “I feel blessed to be able to live out my faith in my occupation The MFB mission of, sharing the love of Christ while alleviating hunger and malnutrition and providing disaster relief, aligns well with my faith and I am grateful to be a small part of this fantastic organization.” Scot Buss found his calling when he started working in non-profit 5 years ago. He brings a business mind to the non-profit sector with over 25 years of sales experience. When he is not promoting #MFBFlorida, Scot coaches an Under-12 football team the South Naples Trojans. He also sits on a non-profit board and regularly volunteers his time serving underprivileged youth. Scot is so excited to be the Marketing and Development Manager at MFB Florida. He wants to be a "cog in the machine" that can end food insecurities in SW Florida. Learn more about Midwest Foodbank at https://midwestfoodbank.org.

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak hears from David Wallace about his new irrigation technology, the FarmHQ platform by CODA Farm Technologies. Founded by third-generation farmers from Washington State, CODA Farm Technologies is a growing agricultural technology company bringing remote monitoring and control to agricultural irrigation. Its first product, the FarmHQ platform, lets farmers use their smartphone and an easy-to-install device to remotely monitor and control irrigation reels and pumps in real time to save money and stress. A universal retrofit, it can be easily installed by the farmer on equipment of any make, model, and age and provides remote control and monitoring for farmers’ existing irrigation equipment. FarmHQ is currently being used in on irrigation systems on farms across North America. David Wallace is the CEO of CODA Farm Technologies, a growing agricultural technology company bringing remote monitoring and control to agricultural irrigation. David is a third-generation potato farmer from Skagit Valley, Washington. After growing up on the family farm, Wallace Farms, David received his B.S. in Chemistry from Whitman College and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to founding CODA Farm Technologies in 2020 with his brother Connor Wallace, David was a Data and Machine Learning Scientist at Amazon. Learn more about the FarmHQ platform at https://codafarmtech.com Today's video is sponsored by AMS Galaxy USA- bringing precision dairy equipment to the American farmer. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage. Learn more: https://agr.fyi/galaxy North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com