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GMO-Labeling, Simplifying WOTUS & Thanksgiving Dinner
11 Plays35 minutes ago
This week in Magnetic Ag - Ears Edition, we are talking cattle markets, food rules and tech players. Plus, Braeden and Savannah break down the traditions at your Thanksgiving feast.
In the headlines this week:
- Analysts say strong cattle prices may hold steady through the end of the decade. Learn more: https://www.drovers.com/news/ag-policy/experts-say-strong-cattle-prices-could-continue-through-end-decade
- The Ninth Circuit ruled USDA’s GMO-labeling rule unlawful, pushing the agency to revisit how bioengineered foods are defined. Learn more: https://www.agdaily.com/crops/gmo-labels-and-highly-refined-exemptions-face-overhaul/
- A new WOTUS proposal from EPA and the Army Corps aims to give landowners clearer guidance on water regulations. Learn more: https://www.agweb.com/news/new-wotus-proposal-could-reduce-red-tape-farmers-and-ranchers
- Tyson Foods’ use of Palantir’s data platform is raising fresh questions about how commercial food companies manage sensitive information. Learn more: https://www.agdaily.com/livestock/poultry/how-tyson-foods-leverages-palantirs-surveillance-tech/
- Thanksgiving feels timeless, but many of our favorite “traditions” are far more modern (and quirky) than you’d expect.
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About Magnetic Ag - Ears Edition
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
This week, the cattle market refuses to cool off, and we're going to see why experts now think high prices could last through the end of the decade. Plus, a federal court just cracked open USDA's bioengineered food rule, setting the stage for a total overhaul of how processed ingredients get labeled. And unexpected tech player shaping the future of food?
00:00:24
Speaker
Spoiler alert, it's the same data giant powering defense and law enforcement. And in our wild card, the Thanksgiving menu you think is traditional absolutely isn't.
00:00:36
Speaker
We're talking marketing tricks, wartime shortcuts, and one casserole that became a national icon by an accident. All that and more coming up on this week's episode of Magnetic Ag Ears Edition.
00:00:48
Speaker
I'm Braden. And I'm Savannah. Welcome to Magnetic Ag Ears Edition. Every week we break down the top headlines and trends facing food and agriculture. Fast, fun, and actually useful.
00:00:59
Speaker
Let's get it. First, you have to set the scene. You're a future leader in agriculture looking for opportunities to get plugged in. Action.
00:01:12
Speaker
Hold up, are those students making a difference on their college campuses and facilitating at AFA Leaders Conference at the same time? They're AFA ambassadors.
00:01:22
Speaker
They're basically the boots on the ground champions for Agriculture Future of America. I watched one guide a freshman through the application process for activities and events while connecting a senior to their future career.
00:01:35
Speaker
They are always helping their peers find their place in ag. That's wild! How do they know how to connect with their college campuses and their peers? It's like AFA gives them a crash course in building a network, problem solving, and connecting with peers. Everything you and I had to learn the hard way.
00:01:53
Speaker
Hmm, makes sense. The AFA Ambassador Team is a year-long commitment of setting goals, increasing awareness, and establishing creative strategies to accomplish those goals.
00:02:04
Speaker
Are you a leader on your campus? Apply for the AFA ambassador team by November 24th. You can learn more at agfuture.org. End scene.
00:02:16
Speaker
Savannah, the U.S. cattle market is firing on multiple cylinders, and according to industry watchers, the good money run might not fade anytime soon. strong cattle prices could continue through the end of the decade.
00:02:29
Speaker
Why? there are three big factors. First, tight supply. Second, robust demand. And third, a slow, hard rebuilding process. On the supply side, the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service says the national cattle inventory is at record lows.
00:02:46
Speaker
Drought conditions in key grazing areas, think parts of the plains, force many ranchers to liquidate breeding stocks rather than retain them. That means fewer calves, fewer replacements, and slower path back to a healthy herd. In addition, costs to rising cattle are high, think feed, land, and labor, slowing herd expansion. Ranchers say they're cautious giving past validity.
00:03:10
Speaker
On the flip side, demand is pulling hard. Beef remains culturally and nutritionally valued. And despite inflation and economic concerns, consumers are still buying. For example, ground beef hit record highs per pound in 2025.
00:03:26
Speaker
Restaurants and retailers alike are facing higher input costs. That creates a reinforcing loop. Not a vicious cycle exactly, but a persistent one at least. Unless there is a major shift in weather, trade, or demand, structural forces suggest the price environment won't collapse, though it might moderate.
00:03:44
Speaker
If you were thinking this spike in cattle and beef prices might fade quickly, the data suggests otherwise. The market's autonomy is built for persistence, not a quick drop.
00:03:57
Speaker
A federal appeals court just blew up a core piece of USDA's GMO labeling rule, a shift that could reshape how refined ingredients, digital labels, and even farm-level record-keeping gets treated.
00:04:13
Speaker
The Ninth Circuit ruled USDA acted unlawfully when it treated not detectable as not present, meaning refined sugars, oils, and starches from bioengineered crops can no longer dodge disclosure just because tests can't spot modified DNA.
00:04:29
Speaker
That hits the heart of the bioengineered food disclosure standard, or in short, BE's logic. Most detection tests have limits, and the court said USDA can't call a food non-bioengineered based purely on a test sensitivity ceiling. Instead, the agency must set an actual threshold, a defined amount of modified genetic material that counts, and justify it with data, not convenience.
00:04:58
Speaker
The court also took aim at USDA's digital label strategy. QR codes and text messages disclosure were not allowed even after USDA's own studies showed access problems, especially for choppers without reliable connectivity.
00:05:13
Speaker
The Ninth Circuit said the lower court should have vacated those provisions, clearing the path for them to be tossed, phased out, or significantly rewritten. But the USDA did win one battle, keeping, quote, bioengineered as the required term. The court said the agency has discretion and the narrow definition tracks the statute better than, quote, GMO or, quote, genetically engineered.
00:05:39
Speaker
So the bottom line, Savannah, is that the word's going to stay, but the rule underneath it won't. The USDA now must craft a new definition for contains modified genetic material, rethink refined ingredient treatment, and remake parts of the disclosure toolkit, all while industry, retailers, and farm groups brace for a rule rewrite with real downstream impact.
00:06:03
Speaker
Set the scene. You're a college student looking for a career in sustainability, environment, or precision agriculture. Action.
00:06:14
Speaker
So, I finally looked up what those Agriculture Future of America institutes the students told us about. And what did you learn? Oh, impressive! The Sustainability Institute brings students to San Antonio, Texas for deep dives on soil management, water stewardship, and real-life case studies.
00:06:33
Speaker
You know, that makes sense why those students earlier were explaining conservation practices like actual pros. And the Precision Ag Institute? They get hands-on with cutting-edge technologies, connect with scientists leading the industry, and explore data and analytics impacting the future.
00:06:53
Speaker
Plus, they get to visit leading ag companies at Commodity Classic. Now that sounds like the perfect place to really dig into the future. Sustainability institute Institute, in partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts, is held in San Antonio, Texas, February 15th through the 17th. Applications are due November 23rd.
00:07:13
Speaker
The Precision Agriculture Institute, alongside Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, February 25th through 27th. Applications are due November 23rd.
00:07:24
Speaker
Visit agfuture.org for application details. End scene. After years of whiplash over WOTUS, EPA and the Army Corps just dropped a new proposal that could finally shrink the regulatory maze farmers face near waterways.
00:07:40
Speaker
The rule, built to align with the Supreme Court's second decision, narrows which streams, wetlands, and drainage features fall under federal control, reinforces long-standing ag exclusions, and adds new clarity to terms like relatively permanent and continuous surface connection.
00:08:01
Speaker
For producers, that shift cuts straight to day-to-day work. Terraces, drainage installs, lagoon expansions, conservation projects, and more. All the stuff that currently triggers do-I-need-a-permit questions and panic.
00:08:14
Speaker
The EPA says the goal is simple. A landowner should be able to walk a field, spot a water feature, and make a basic jurisdiction calling without hiring a lawyer, engineers, or wetland specialist.
00:08:29
Speaker
You know, Savannah, the details really matter. Tributaries must show predictable flow. Wetlands only count if they physically touch navigatable waters for a sustained part of the year. Prior converted cropland and common farm ditches stay excluded, and groundwater gets a brand new exclusion. big pivot from earlier definitions that bounced across administrations and blurred lines so badly that 26 states followed pre-2015 rules while the other 24 are on the 2023 version.
00:09:01
Speaker
The agencies are also leaning into, quote, cooperative federalism, giving states and tribes more authority over small or isolated features, while keeping federal oversight focused on waters Congress actually tasked for them to protect.
00:09:14
Speaker
Next up, a 45-day comment window, two public meetings, and a fast sprint towards a final rule, meaning the new WOTUS framework could land as early as late February.
00:09:27
Speaker
Tyson Foods' adoption of Planeteer in 2020 marked a major step in bringing government-grade data software into the commercial food sector. The company used Planeteer's Foundry platform to forecast COVID-19 disruptions and manage supply chain viability, while Planeteer reported roughly $200 million dollars in savings over the two years.
00:09:49
Speaker
The rollout demonstrated how predictive analytics can help companies anticipate labor shortages and plant shutdowns. It also raised unresolved questions about how such data is applied in practice, especially when it comes to worker safety and operational decision making.
00:10:05
Speaker
Since then, more food companies, including General Mills, Wendy's, Beyond Meat, and Aramark, have adopted Planeteer's tools to coordinate production, inventories, and logistics.
00:10:17
Speaker
Separate investments in wearable worker monitoring technology by Tyson and JBS show how data streams across the sector are expanding, even though Planeteer does not collect the sensor data itself.
00:10:31
Speaker
Planeteers' broader role across defense, law enforcement, and humanitarian programs has prompted ongoing discussions about transparency, data governance, and how sensitive information should be managed.
00:10:46
Speaker
As the company builds a larger footprint in the food industry, stakeholders are watching closely to understand how these tools integrate, what data sets they combine, and what oversize might be needed to guide their use.
00:10:59
Speaker
Set the scene. You're an Agriculture Future of America alumni who used to attend experiences and now are looking for a way to give back and stay involved. Action.
00:11:11
Speaker
Do those faces look familiar? They're the same folks that once rocked the Ambassador Polos and then leveled up at AFA institutes. And now look, they're on the National AFA Alliance Advisory Council, aka NAC, where they cultivate relationships and get to say out loud what the next generation actually needs from the industry.
00:11:32
Speaker
They're influencing strategy and alumni experience, real decisions, all before they hit the age 45. Meanwhile, Savannah, we're still arguing about which email platform works best for Magnetic Ag. But that's the magic of NAC.
00:11:47
Speaker
It pulls together young c pros who get where the agriculture industry is going because they're already living in it. If you're an alumni of AFA early in your career and ready to lead beyond your job title, this is your moment.
00:12:01
Speaker
NAC applications are open now and are due November 28th. Shape the future with AFA. Learn more and get that application in at agfuture.org. End scene.
00:12:15
Speaker
Your Thanksgiving plate looks timeless, but most of the quote traditions are younger, quirkier, and way more accidental than you might think. The holiday itself didn't even become official until 1863, meaning the foods we now treat as sacred staples were stitched together over centuries of cookbooks, convenience foods, and a few savvy marketers.
00:12:36
Speaker
Turkey wasn't the star of the show in the 1621 feast. It was just an optional side alongside Venice, corn, and seafood. Turkey's big break came much later, thanks partly to writer Sarah Josepha Hale, who championed the holiday and published turkey recipes until Americans finally got the hint.
00:12:57
Speaker
Gravy and stuffing goes back even further. Europe was thickening drippings and stuffing birds long before colonists even arrived in the United States. By the eighteen hundreds stuffing recipes landed in America's first cookbook, and gravy evolved into hundreds of regional rifts from shallot-rich to vegetarian-friendly.
00:13:17
Speaker
And my favorite pumpkin pie That one's actually pretty old. Colonists baked pumpkin pie early on in canned pumpkin in the 1920s, sealed it, and placed it on the table. Potatoes and cranberry sauce took much longer.
00:13:31
Speaker
Mashed potatoes didn't show up until the 1700s, and jellied cranberry sauce only hit shelves in 1941 thanks to ocean spray. Green bean casserole? Yuck. is the true modern legend. In 1955, Campbell's invention built from canned soup, canned beans, and fried onions.
00:13:52
Speaker
We can't leave out the sweet potato casserole. The marshmallow topper wasn't grandma's idea. it was a marketing play from Angeles Marshmallow Company that stuck around like, well, melted sugar.
00:14:04
Speaker
Pull it all together and your Thanksgiving spread is less ancient, traditional, and more of the greatest hits album of American food history. Which makes sharing these tidbits at the table almost as satisfying as the second slice of pie.
00:14:17
Speaker
And I mean almost. In all seriousness, Brayden, what's your favorite side? So I actually love me some green bean casserole. I can't live without it I know. And my family has like a super secret pumpkin pie recipe from like my great-great-grandma to own a diner. And it is the only pumpkin pie will eat.
00:14:38
Speaker
It's fantastic. Well, I do not like green beans, but you can bet the true Nebraskan in me shows on the Thanksgiving dinner with a large pile of corn. And then, of course, you always cannot skip the gravy and mashed potatoes. But once the feast is over, you can bet I'm piling on the pumpkin pie.
00:14:57
Speaker
Amen to that, Savannah. And you know what? I'm all about double and triple starch, so count me in. Maybe we can dig into other holiday food trends next time on Magnetic Ag, Year's Edition.
00:15:08
Speaker
Hungry for more? Subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter for more industry news right in your inbox. or follow along on socials magnetic.ag for more trends and headlines. Thanks for listening to Magnetic Ag, Ears Edition.