An agriculture engineer and digital agriculture executive, Nachtmann brings more than 25 years of international experience in digital farming, agriculture data interoperability, and value chain collaboration, including more than a decade leading digital initiatives at BASF Agricultural Solutions.

Matthias Nachtmann

“In Matthias, we have a Regional Director experienced in digital agriculture and familiar with our organization from his work at BASF,” says Brent Kemp, AgGateway President and CEO. “I’m excited the welcome him to the staff, knowing he’ll bring passion, expertise, and energy to our collaborative work.”

“AgGateway has a strong history of bringing the agricultural industry together to enable efficient data exchange and interoperability,” says Nachtmann. “Building on the foundation Conny has established in Europe, I see a tremendous opportunity to extend connectivity beyond traditional business transactions to the growing range of data needed across agricultural operations and value chains for efficient farm operation and sustainable productivity.”

“Matthias has great knowledge about data sharing developments and challenges in agricultural production chains and brings an enormous network covering agricultural industries, research institutions, and governmental bodies,” says Graumans. “I have known him personally for many years and I am very pleased that he will be leading AgGateway’s efforts in the region in the years ahead.”

From his early days cleaning out his family’s farm well to leading advanced water quality research through mass spectrometry, Dan’s career has significantly advanced nitrate isotope fingerprinting, regional groundwater tracking and global scientific collaboration.

Join Dan and host Frances Hayes as they reflect on his enduring legacy of environmental stewardship and international research partnerships.

The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska was founded with the mission to have a lasting and significant impact on achieving more food security with less pressure on scarce water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the research results to inform policy makers, and sharing knowledge through education and communication.

How to subscribe:

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube Music
• Spotify
• Pandora
• Libsyn
• Direct rss feed link

The eight selected projects represent more than $1.34 billion in total proposed investment, including approximately $573 million in proposed USDA funding, to strengthen domestic fertilizer manufacturing, reduce America’s dependence on foreign suppliers, and increase long-term fertilizer availability for American farmers.

“What this means is that 32 thousand farmers, farming over four million acres all across America, they’re going to have fertilizer at a lower cost and made by American hands right here in the United States of America,” said Vance at a campaign rally in North Platte, Nebraska.

The eight projects selected to move forward in the FIELDS funding process include:
TalusAg – Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Tennessee, Nebraska, Illinois, and South Dakota
Peace Valley – Florida
PCI Nitrogen – Texas and Oregon
Intrepid Potash – New Mexico
AdvanSix – Virginia
SUL4R-PLUS Illinois – Illinois
True Organic Products – California, Oregon, and Arizona
Agriculture Project Holdco – Kansas and Indiana

USDA economic analysis estimates that the additional production could reduce nitrogen fertilizer prices by 4.4% and potash prices by 5.3%, while increasing domestic nitrogen production by 3.7% and potash production by nearly 40% once the projects are operational.

During a press briefing on the announcement, Sec. Rollins admitted it will take some time before prices come down significantly. “We used to produce about 80% plus of our own fertilizer in America,” said Rollins. “Now we only produce about 50% of our own, so we think by the time we walk out of office will have shifted that 50% significantly higher, especially with some of these big capacity plants that were breaking ground and building. But I believe we’ll see a significant drop in fertilizer prices once the Iranian conflict is wrapped.”

Listen to the announcement from VP Vance and press briefing by Sec. Rollins below:
JD Vance announcement in Nebraska 4:19

Huma purchased the assets of California-based Gro-Power in 2024 after supplying the company with dry humates for many years. Huma has largely focused on the turf and ornamental market with Gro-Power branded products, based on heavy demand, but now is set to bring those products to farms across the United States.

“Using humates as our carbon-based platform, Huma continues to expand our footprint across multiple product applications,” says Fred Nichols, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Huma. “The Gro-Power line is an excellent complement to our full line of dry humate products, biostimulants and liquid nutritional products.”

Leading the integration of Gro-Power into the agricultural market is company veteran Michael Gardner, a former Huma regional sales manager who became General Manager for Gro-Power.

“Having spent over 25 years growing agricultural crops, as both a farmer and with Huma, I’ve seen the difference Gro-Power products make firsthand,” explains Gardner. “I’ve been in the farmer’s shoes, and I’m excited to offer new and existing customers additional technology, support and resources to optimize crop and soil health.”

Click here to learn more about Gro-Power.

The proposed HiFlex label expansion would double the maximum rate of bicyclopyrone growers are allowed to use each year to allow expanded options for customized, overlapping residual herbicide programs.

“Growers have told us they want flexible programs that allow them to better position active ingredients throughout the season based on their weed pressures and management practices,” said Syngenta Technical Product Lead Mark Kitt. “Once approved, the HiFlex label expansion would give growers the option to use Storen, Acuron or Acuron Flexi preemergence followed by a postemergence application of Acuron GT, which is not permitted on current labels.”

Storen users will have the flexibility to use up to 3.1 qts./A — 29% more than the current max rate of 2.4 qts./A.
Acuron Flexi users will have the flexibility to use up to 3 qts./A — 33% more than the current max rate of 2.25 qts./A.
Acuron GT users will have the flexibility to use up to 4.5 pts./A — 20% more than the current max rate of 3.75 pts./A.

Viriterra Inc., based in North Carolina, introduces Perseus SC herbicide, giving agricultural retailers and distributors a new source of pyroxasulfone, which the company producers at commercial scale as a vertically integrated basic manufacturer. It is supported by three manufacturing plants and more than 300 people across those operations.

“Distributors need to know who stands behind a product and who to call when they have a question,” said Jeff Tweedy, president and general manager of Viriterra. “With Perseus SC, they’re working with the manufacturer. We produce pyroxasulfone using a non-infringing process and give distributors direct access to our commercial and technical team. We want to earn their business with dependable supply and people they can reach.”

Perseus SC is a Group 15 herbicide formulated as a liquid suspension concentrate. It provides residual control or suppression of labeled annual grasses, sedges and broadleaf weeds, including Palmer amaranth, waterhemp and foxtail species. Labeled uses include preplant and preemergence applications; rates, timing and weed spectrum vary by crop and use pattern.

Learn more about Viriterra and Perseus SC in this interview with Jeff Tweedy.
Interview with Viriterra president Jeff Tweedy 6:56

Jeff Cecil at 2024 Syngenta Media Summit

Cecil brings more than three decades of experience with Syngenta and its legacy companies to the role. Most recently, he served as Head of Marketing for U.S. Crop Protection, where he helped shape commercial strategy, portfolio priorities and customer engagement efforts across the business. In that role, he helped align marketing, portfolio and commercial priorities to support business performance and strengthen customer engagement across key crop segments.

Throughout his career, Cecil has held leadership positions across sales, marketing and product management in North America and at Syngenta’s global headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. As Global Head of Product Management for Seedcare, he led global portfolio strategy and worked across regions to advance Seedcare innovation, strengthen customer solutions and support business growth. Earlier in his career, he led U.S. sales teams and played an important role in the integration of the Seeds and Crop Protection businesses.

Hurricane Isaias damage at ZimmComm HQ in Pensacola

We have lived in Florida most of our lives, except for 20 years in Missouri, and this was definitely the most intense hurricane we have ever experienced. Sally in 2020 did hit us pretty hard – and we did lose our bridge to the beach for eight months – but this storm was different. The winds were more like a tornado than a hurricane and the damage is widespread, mostly trees, signs, and fences. Really not as much roof and home damage as you might expect.

The tree on our roof punched a small hole right on the edge of the attic and took down the gutter. The tree was a huge oak and was completely uprooted, as were many trees in the area. The soft woods, like southern pines and crepe myrtles, fared better than the hard woods like the oaks and magnolias. Every single road in the entire county has downed trees piled on the sides.

We did lose power for three days, which was a day and a half less than with Sally, but there are many in our neighborhood still in the dark. Fortunately, we did have a generator and plenty of propane to cook with and heat water.

Crop damage is being assessed in both Florida and Alabama. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is working with local farm organizations and state and federal government agencies to document agricultural damages made to crops, livestock, buildings, and equipment. Most common losses are fences, timber, and cotton crops still in the field.

As to the name of this storm, Isaias, the Spanish form of the name Isaiah and pronounced (ee-sah-EE-ahs), we are with Governor DeSantis. “I don’t know how to pronounce this, because it’s not normal,” DeSantis said. “I’m calling it Isaiah. You guys can call it what you want. I know that’s not how you pronounce this, it’s something else but it’s weird and I’m just going to keep butchering it…so I’m calling it Isaiah.”

Mainly we are just calling it “the hurricane” – which is sad because we like to be on a first name basis with our storms here in Florida. Still, we are safe and sound and that is what matters. Thanks to all of you who were thinking of us and praying for us.