Conterra grows with new relationship manager in NW Ohio

DES MOINES, Iowa — In a step to expand agriculture financial services to producers from coast to coast, Conterra Agricultural Capital has brought on a new relationship manager. Jackie Mosier has been hired as vice president relationship manager, serving customers in Illinois and the Great Lakes region.

Mosier spent more than a decade with the Farm Credit System, where she worked in multiple capacities. Immediately prior to joining the Conterra Ag team, she worked as a senior financial analyst for Rabo Agrifinance, focusing on dairy, poultry, and grain operations. In addition, she raises certified Angus cattle outside Haviland, Ohio, with her husband and two daughters. She also operates a grain storage facility sales business.

The addition of Mosier to the team of ag lending specialists will help Conterra provide ag loan servicing, alternative lending, and asset management to farmers, ranchers, and members of the agribusiness community in a new geography.

Marrone appoints Driver as Great Lakes territory manager

DAVIS, Calif. — Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., an international leader in sustainable biopesticide and plant health solutions, announced the appointment of John Driver as U.S. Great Lakes Territory sales manager.

He brings more than 19 years of agriculture technology and portfolio sales experience to Marrone Bio, having been in a number of business sales roles of increased responsibility with BioSafe Systems, Tri-Turf, Winfield United Solutions, and Agrium Advanced Technologies.

Driver has a bachelor of science degree in environmental conservation from Northern Michigan University. Additionally, he attended Michigan State University, where he graduated with honors in turf and horticulture crop management.

Naig hires new assistant state veterinarian for Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced Katie Rumsey, DVM, has been hired as an assistant state veterinarian at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Rumsey will support State Veterinarian Dr. Kaisand and will oversee companion animal regulatory programs. A second assistant state veterinarian will focus on production animal programs.

Rumsey has more than 14 years of experience in small-animal medical care and surgical procedures. She is accustomed to consulting with animal owners on preventative health, medical care, behavior issues, and husbandry practices. She is a graduate the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and recently completed a Master of Public Health degree through the University of Iowa.

Farm Credit Mid-America announces board election results

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Farm Credit Mid-America (FCMA) announced that stockholders elected four agriculture growers and producers to the cooperative’s board of directors.

Only customers with voting stock were eligible to vote – customers purchase voting stock at the time of their loan origination. Owner-customers elected to the board “Doc” Cottingham of Attica, Ind., Todd Clark of Lexington, Ky., Andrew Wilson of Somerset, Ohio, and Brandon Robbins of Cookeville, Tenn.

Cottingham is a fifth-generation farmer, raising corn and soybeans on 1,150 owned and 1,350 rented acres, with his son. Clark is a first-generation farmer who raises burley tobacco, hemp, alfalfa hay, and grass hay, along with beef cattle, poultry, and sheep on 2,000 acres.

Wilson is a fourth-generation farmer, raising corn, soybeans, wheat, and forages. He is a contract swine grower, beef cattle producer, and sells freezer beef. Robbins is part of a family farming operation, raising beef cattle and hay on 1,150 acres, and owns and operates Mountain Farm International, LLC, an ag equipment dealership.

All but Clark will serve four-year terms; he will serve a three-year term. Following that, future directors from Kentucky will serve four-year terms. Board-approved structure changes voted on in late 2018 created the one-time term change for this seat.

Director picked for National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chair of the Organizational Council of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Eowyn Corral announced the selection of the organization's new director. Sarah Hackney, NSAC's former Grassroots director, was the Council's unanimous choice for the position.

Hackney assumed the role fully in mid-July. She spent nearly eight years as Grassroots director, working with member organizations and allies to empower and mobilize grassroots food and farm voices for the coalition’s national policy campaigns.

Hackney came to NSAC in 2011 after serving as executive director of a rural Oregon-based farm and food nonprofit and holds a B.A. in environmental studies from Dartmouth College.

Syngenta’s #RootedinAg contest finalists announced

GREENSBORO, N.C. — After a record number of entries, Syngenta is proud to announce the three finalists in its annual #RootedinAg contest. These finalists, who will each receive a mini touch-screen tablet, will now compete for the grand prize – $500, plus a $1,000 donation to the winner’s favorite local charity or civic organization.

The voting period for the contest, now open on the #RootedinAg Contest page, also gives anyone who casts a vote the chance to win a $50 American Express gift card through a special drawing.

The competition, which began in March, invited growers and other ag professionals to describe the person who most inspired their agricultural roots. Syngenta will feature the winning story in an upcoming issue of its Thrive magazine.

The 2019 finalists are: Kathleen Sylvia Kelley Amaral from Griffin, Ga., graduate research assistant with the University of Georgia; Krista Swanson from Oneida, Ill., a farmer and research specialist in agriculture policy with the University of Illinois; and Tammy Wiedenbeck from Lancaster, Wis., a farmer/co-manager of Riverview Farms and field rep/social media coordinator at Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Assoc.

Online voting, along with the judges’ scores, will determine the grand prize winner. Voting ends August 30, with Syngenta announcing the winner this fall. For more information and to vote for your favorite finalist written entry, go to the #RootedinAg contest page at www.SyngentaThrive.com/contest

Crouch announces FCC appointment for Indiana’s Rudd

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch announced that Scott Rudd, the director of broadband opportunities for the state of Indiana, was appointed to the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, which is housed under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

FCC Chair Ajit Pai appointed various individuals from across the country who work on broadband related issues to come together and address the digital divide in the United States. The committee will address the following:

•How to best improve broadband infrastructure before a disaster occurs and how to use strategies during and after the response to a disaster to minimize broadband network downtime

•Find ways to encourage the deployment of high-speed broadband infrastructure and services to low-income communities

•Make job skills training and development opportunities more widely available

Hellmich promoted to director of Indiana Nature Preserves

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Ronald Hellmich, who has worked in the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Nature Preserves for more than 32 years, the last 25 of them full-time, was recently promoted to the position of division director.

For the past four years, the Greensburg resident has served as coordinator of the Indiana Natural Heritage Data Center of DNR Nature Preserves. Before that, he served as data manager for the center for 20 years.

Hellmich holds a J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, a master’s degree from its School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from Ball State University. He started his DNR Nature Preserves career as an intermittent employee in 1987, while a junior at Ball State. Hellmich replaces John Bacone, who retired in January.

Michigan’s Vestaron hires Patel as chief operating officer

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Ash Patel is the most recent hire, as Vestaron continues to round out its corporate leadership team and fulfill its mission of revolutionizing the agricultural insecticide landscape.

As an accomplished operations director with more than 23 years of experience leading manufacturing, engineering, capital projects, supply chain, and IT/automation systems, Patel is the ideal leader for this role. With the recent commercialization of Vestaron’s first peptide-based bioinsecticides, the company was seeking someone who can help it meet increasing volume requirements while streamlining and reducing risk in the manufacturing process.

Patel joined the team on June 12, shortly after the organization announced its Series B funding, and completes the corporations’ senior executive team. He will oversee all of Vestaron’s manufacturing and supply chain operations, including associated regulatory processes, throughout the globe.

Crouch and FSSA honor Golden Hoosier award recipients

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, in collaboration with Indiana Family and Social Service Administration’s Division of Aging, announced 23 senior citizens received the 2019 Golden Hoosier award this year.

The award began in 2008 and annually honors Hoosier senior citizens for their years of service and commitment to the state. The 23 recipients attended a June ceremony at The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, which celebrated their achievements.

Among the recipients is Stanley Madison of Lyles Station. Nominated by Eric Heidenreich, Madison is a visionary leader of a devoted group of volunteers who’ve invested much of their time, talent, and treasure into saving and restoring Lyles Station, the only historic rural black settlement still standing in Indiana.

Madison, founder and chair of the Lyles Station Historic Preservation Committee, is a fifth-generation farmer. He, along with other remaining Lyles Station residents, have dedicated themselves to preserving the legacy of the freed Tennessee slaves who founded the Gibson County farming settlement in 1849.

Their extraordinary efforts in enlisting local, state, and federal support led to the restoration of the historic Lyles Station schoolhouse, which now operates as a museum and heritage learning center that tells the story of rural African-American life in the 19th and 20th centuries.

USPOULTRY’s 2020 Environmental Excellence competition

TUCKER, Ga. — The U.S. Poultry & Egg Assoc. (USPOULTRY) is accepting nominations for the 2020 Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award. The award recognizes exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.

Those eligible for the award include any family-owned poultry grower or egg producer supplying product to a USPOULTRY member or an independent producer who is a USPOULTRY member. Nominations are due Oct. 31.

Nominations may be made by a USPOULTRY member, an affiliated state poultry association, or by a poultry or egg producer that grows poultry or produces eggs for a USPOULTRY member. Each integrator or egg processor may nominate two growers or producers for each processing facility in each state that they operate.

All semi-finalists will receive a trip that covers travel expenses and hotel accommodations for two nights to the 2020 International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Ga. Each will also receive a Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award sign to display near the entrance of their farm.

Each regional winner will also receive a $1,000 cash award. In addition, the farm for each regional winner will be spotlighted on USPOULTRY’s website. Competition details are available at www.uspoultry.org/environment

ASA seeks nominations for annual soy recognition awards

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The American Soybean Assoc. (ASA) wants to recognize exceptional soy volunteers and leaders. During ASA’s annual awards banquet, individuals will be recognized and honored for state association volunteerism, distinguished leadership achievements, and long-term, significant contributions to the soybean industry.

The Recognition Awards categories are: Outstanding State Volunteer, Distinguished Leadership, and the Pinnacle. All nominations must be received online, no later than Oct. 14. No nominations by telephone, email, or fax will be accepted.

A judging committee will be assigned to make the final selections. Recipients will receive their awards at the ASA Awards Banquet on Feb. 28, 2020, in San Antonio, Texas, at the Commodity Classic.

Nominations sought for Indiana CCA of the Year honor

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Consider nominating a qualified certified crop advisor (CCA) you employ or know for the Indiana Certified Crop Adviser of the Year award. This will recognize an individual who has performed superior service for their farmer clients in nutrient management, soil and water management, and pest and crop production.

The award will be presented at the Indiana CCA Conference on Dec. 17-18 in Indianapolis. The nominator, if not the nominee’s employer, that submits the winning application will receive $250 and the winner will receive $1,500. In addition, the winner will be nominated for the International CCA Board for consideration for the International CCA of the Year Award, with an honorarium of $2,000.

To be considered, a CCA must be certified in Indiana and nominated by a client, a colleague, or the employer of the CCA who knows their qualifications. Indiana Farm Bureau must receive the nomination by Oct. 31. If you have any questions, call Justin Schneider at 317-692-7835 or Quentin Rund at 800-387-1283.

Tallman hired as new leadership for Indiana Grown program

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The state’s Indiana Grown program is under new leadership, with the promotion of Heather Tallman to program director. Tallman, who previously served as Member Development Program Manager, has been with the state’s agriculture department since 2017 and has more than a decade of food media and local agriculture marketing experience.

Prior to joining the department, she created and founded her own food media company, Kitchen Sink Media, Inc., which helped brands and businesses with content creation, social media, product placement, and promotion. Through creating her own food-centric network, she has gained experience in blogging, broadcast appearances, and cooking demonstrations.

As program director, Tallman will be responsible for overseeing staff and the overall direction of the initiative. She will also serve as liaison and spokesperson for the program, and will work with the agriculture industry, and other partners, to develop new opportunities for Indiana Grown and its members.

Working alongside Tallman is Dana Kosco, who has been with Indiana Grown since 2017 and recently transitioned into a new role as marketing and communications manager. Along with managing the communications efforts for the program, she is taking on additional responsibilities to include running the Indiana Grown Marketplace at the Indiana State Fair, coordinating with the media, and implementing a digital and graphic content strategy.

Previously, Kosco was the Girls Nation Program Manager for the American Legion Auxiliary. She is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in business management from the Krannert School of Management.

Michigan Ag Information Network announces new broadcaster

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. — The Michigan Ag Information Network (MAIN) is proud to introduce Ashley Davenport as its new in-state farm broadcaster. She will become the face and voice of this growing radio network.

Davenport will be based in the Kalamazoo area and will travel the state covering news, attending events, and connecting with farmers. She was most recently with Farm Journal Media as producer of the AgriTalk programs. She is well-versed in the issues facing agriculture today and understands the importance of keeping producers informed.

Davenport will also bring a new dimension to MAIN. With her Purdue University master’s degree in strategic communications, she will develop and implement a social and digital media strategy for the network. In addition, she will assist with web and social media channels for MAIN’s sister network, Hoosier Ag Today.