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Farming Fast Facts and Top Ten Largest Ag Businesses

Author

Clint Fischer
February 01, 2023

Weekly Edition #8

Good Morning. Welcome to the Gravel Road - your weekly agri-news update. We're here to distract you from that second mortgage you took out to buy eggs yesterday...

Here's what we have this week:

  • 🏃‍♂️ Fast Facts

  • 💲 Big Business

  • 🥩 Milk Meat

Fast Facts

While perusing the interwebs for hidden gems, we came across some interesting info-graphics highlighting the importance of agriculture. Some you might know, some you might not, but as we like to say around here:

"Without data, you're just another idiot with an opinion." -TGR

Adopted from Realityworks Agriculture Infographic

"In the KBC Goal Workbook we utilize the C.O.R.N. Framework:  

Create. Create an objective. What is it you want to accomplish? Set as many achievable goals as it takes to get there. 

Organize. Start breaking down steps for each goal and action items to achieve them. Having a clear plan makes holding yourself accountable much easier and enjoyable.

Reflect. Taking time to analyze and reflect during the process is important and can save headache and time down the road. Look at what you are doing; is it helping or hurting your ability to reach your goals? 

Nourish. Nourish your goals, connections, mind, and body. Give them the time and attention needed so they stay prioritized. Hard work is not easy, but it is rewarding when done properly."

Click here to work with Kacee in 2023.

-Kacee Bohle Coaching

SEEDS

  • ❄️ Cold Cattle: Get caught unprepared for the recent/forecasted cold weather? Here's 4 steps to safer winter cattle handling.

  • ⚙️ Tech Talk: From robots to bee-tech, Farm Progress scoured the CES earlier this month and put together a slideshow highlighting the latest innovations producers can expect to modernize farming.

  • ⚖️ Legal Lore: Environmental groups filed a lawsuit asking the FDA to prohibit farmers from using low-dose antibiotics, a common preventative herd-wide measure against common illnesses, because they say it's causing antibiotic resistance in people.

  • 🥩 Milk Meat: A start-up company in Florida, Top Protein, is looking to push out "plant-based meat" in favor of "dairy-based meat." They are attempting to go to market with imitation beef, pork, chicken, and seafood made from all natural milk.

  • 📊DTN Data: For the past 14 years, DTN has been tracking the highs and lows of eight retail fertilizer prices. UREA had a low of $302/ton in 2017 with a high of $1,031/ton in 2022. Check out the other seven fertilizer swings here.

THIS WEEK'S TOP 10: Largest Agriculture Companies

Agriculture is responsible for 4.3% of the global economy. In the U.S. alone, it is a $1.26 trillion industry. (That's $1,260,000,000,000 or 345 billion grande lattes at Starbucks) That must mean there's some real 'heavy hitter' companies providing all the inputs, equipment, logistics, software, and services, right? Right. So who are these behemoth companies most people have never heard of?

Here's the Top 10 agriculture companies based on revenues:

  1. Cargill | $165B | United States | Private

  2. Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) | $101B | United States | Public

  3. BASF | $93B | Germany | Public

  4. Wilmar International | $65B | Singapore | Public

  5. JBS | $65B | Brazil | Public

  6. Bunge | $59B | United States | Public

  7. Deere & Co. | $52B | United States | Public

  8. Bayer | $52B | Germany | Public

  9. Tyson Foods | $43B | United States | Public

  10. Cenex Harvest States (CHS) | $38B | United States | Cooperative

Honorable Mention: Nutrien ($27B), BayWa ($23B), Syngenta ($16B), DuPont ($16B), Land O' Lakes ($14B)

ANNOUNCEMENT: Selling the products you work your tail off producing is one of the most important aspects of your operation. But how do you manage the risks of volatile markets and avoid being at the whim of the local elevator/sale barn cash prices? Well we tracked down an expert to find out. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming "Special Edition" where risk management expert Devin Patton simplifies this daunting topic.

MEME OF THE WEEK

Grain farmers on their last field... ready to head to Arizona for the winter.

That's a wrap, folks.

THANK YOU to everyone who works off the beaten path to feed our nation.

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