Registration is now open for AG CONNECT Expo 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
AG CONNECT Expo, the new global Ag trade show in North America, announces that registration has opened for the 2011 show. AG CONNECT Expo 2011 is slated for January 8-10, 2011 (Preview Day January 7 by special admission) at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This new international agriculture event showcases the latest industry innovations, products and technology and offers access to leading company and industry experts worldwide.
Registering in advance saves over 30 percent off the show registration fee. Attendees can also save money by registering in advance for the extensive educational programming that will take place at the show. Go online to www.aem.org for full details and to register.
It looks like another major farm publishing company has a completely re-engineered website up and running. Farm Journal’s AgWeb.com has a new look. I haven’t received any official notice on it but the effort was announced at this year’s NAMA convention where I spoke with Mitch Rouda, President of Farm Journal’s e-Media division.
If you’d like to see what the new AgWeb is all about you can take a video tour.
Clinton Griffiths pulled up to the AgDay news desk as the program’s new Anchor and Managing Editor. Veteran broadcaster Al Pell resumes his fulltime duties as AgriBusiness Director for both AgDay and U.S. Farm Report.
The growers and shippers of Northwest pears have recently adopted a set of minimum standards for the conditioning of Anjou pears.
Biagro Western has recently developed a patented new seed treatment that will increase crop emergence, improve stress tolerance, and combat other key issues facing growers today: Take Off ST.
Hello from Texas, where the family and I have been spending the last few days trying to get roots set down. Just getting caught up after the last couple of weeks of packing up the moving truck and searching for a home in this region. It’s been quite a process (picture the Clampetts, loaded down vehicles, but using a 26′ truck and no Jethro to carry the heavy stuff!), and we’re just starting to catch our breaths a little.
Wanted to pass along these interviews from the recent Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies event in Malcolm, Iowa, where I talked to a couple of producers who rely on the Wyffels brand and the company’s product development manager.
Marc Loes grows all Wyffels on his 600 acres around Cascade in Easter Iowa (along with feeding about 3,000 head of cattle). He says this event reinforces the idea that you really have to look at marketing a lot more.
You can hear or download my entire conversation with Marc here: Marc Loes
Eric Totemeier, who farms about 700 acres (2/3 corn and 1/3 soybeans) near Columbus Junction, Iowa, told me that the gathering with its multiple speakers was great, and the setting right next to a genuine Wyffels Hybrids corn field made it feel like home. But most importantly, and Marc echoed this sentiment, farmers are able to form a real partnership with their Wyffels representative. “There’s always out there with you through thick and thin.”
Listen to or download my entire conversation with Eric here: Eric Totemeier
That’s music to the ears of Wyffels Product Development Manager, Brent Tharp, who showed off some of the company’s new hybrids that will be ready for next year’s spring planting. “[The farmers attending] like what they see. If you do walk a Wyffels lineup, you can see the diversity we have in our germplasm. Each hybrid is not the same.”
More of my conversation with Brent is available to listen to or to download here: Brent Tharp
Conservation Technology Information Center Chairman Tim Healey, AGROTAIN, gave us a preview of the Conservation in Action Tour. Now you get to hear his wrap-up following the CTIC board meeting.
Tim says the tour was a real success and I echo that. We learned a lot about what farmers are doing in this Chesapeake Bay area and especially in the area of conservation. These were not only old farms but ones using the newest technology. That made for a real contrast. Tim says you can’t continually farm land like this without using good conservation practices. Public policy makers told him that they did not realize that these conservation practices we saw were being used on farms in this area. I’m glad they were with us! The CTIC board has announced that next year’s tour will be in northwest Ohio, probably the week of August 8th. I know you always like to to “better” next year but I’m not sure how you can beat this tour this year. Tim says it can be done though. Hope I’m there to see it. Tim Healey Interview
Not all the farmers I met during the Conservation in Action Tour were making presentations. One of them was Wayne Kirby, Virginia corn farmer and Chairman of the Virginia Corn Board. Wayne says a lot of people are interested in agriculture in their area and especially what’s happening with the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.
Wayne says he’s glad to be able to share information with people. The restoration effort is very important to corn growers since regulations and policies are being set that have direct impact of farming and potential negative impacts. He says they’ve been working diligently to improve their production practices. He describes how much of what area farmers are doing is not being taken into account in the models used for watershed management. Wayne Kirby Interview
One of our Conservation in Action Tour bus speakers was Katie Kyger Frazier, V.P. Public Affairs, Virginia Agribusiness Council. Her group represents agriculture and forestry interests on the state level with over 40 different commodity organizations as members. She says that farmers unify around what’s best for the industry and the Chesapeake Bay area restoration project has really brought diverse interests together.
Katie describes the Chesapeake Bay issue as deadly serious and the largest issue the industry has seen in quite some time. It is impacting farmers of all types including both conventional and organic. She says that her council has been working with various ag groups to finish the Chesapeake Bay TMDL by the end of the year. They’ve identified items like getting credit for farmers for the bmp’s they use to farm which is not happening right now. Katie Kyger Frazier Interview
Harold Reetz is one of the board members for the Conservation Technology Information Center and has formed Reetz Agronomics. I spoke to him following the CTIC board meeting. He says he just retired after 28 years with the International Plant Nutrition Institute. But he’s not retired from working. In my interview you’ll hear about some other things he’s involved in.
Harold has three passions, high yield production systems, precision technology and conservation. He says those three are converging and he’s helping it happen. One of the events he helped start and is promoting next year is the InfoAg 2011 Conference on precision technology which will be held July 12-14 in Springfield, IL. Harold Reetz Interview
Representing The Fertilizer Institute on the Conservation in Action Tour was Kathy Mathers, V.P. of Public Affairs. I spoke to Kathy during the Conservation Technology Information Center board meeting that followed the tour to
Nutrient stewardship is on the top of the list for TFI according to Kathy. She says they’re promoting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship System which means using the right fertilizer product at the right rate, right time and in the right place. She says they get involved with CTIC to interact with other stake holders in agriculture. She thought the tour was a “home run.” Kathy Mathers Interview
Making a sponge out of dust. That was pretty much the theme of remarks and a demonstration we saw on the Conservation in Action Tour at the Davis Family Farm. Conducting the demo was Chris Lawrence, cropland agronomist with Virginia NRCS. The point of his message was how no-till farmers are working to create more organic matter in their sandy soils to help hold water and increase yield.
Precision ag was highlighted at the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo during the Conservation in Action Tour by a company called Geosys represented by Don Lampker. Don says Geosys is a relatively small technology supply company. He says they do a lot with satellite imagery and have a product called FieldInSite which helps a farmer map their fields so they can make decisions on which areas are most productive. They can then create nutrient management plans which are used by variable rate application systems.
It’s all about the more efficient use of nitrogen. He says there may be some areas of a field where they actually apply more nitrogen but others areas it will be reduced if it’s not getting used. Don Lampker Interview
During the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo on the Conservation in Action Tour our sponsor, AGROTAIN, was one of the exhibitors. Manning the booth was Daryl Clay. He says many of the farms in this part of the country have used no-till for decades. However, using no-till does present some challenges with nitrogen management being one of them.
Daryl says that some of the farms locally are so dedicated to no-till they don’t even want to break the ground to plant a seed! So when it comes to applying fertilizer they really don’t want to use knives for side dressing. They like to use liquids or broadcast over the top. That creates a risk of volatility loss. So AGROTAIN has created some products to address this risk. One of those products is SuperU which is a granulated product which he describes in detail in my interview with him. He says farmers like it because it has big granules that can be broadcast over a very large area. Daryl Clay Interview
Late in the day on the Conservation in Action Tour we participated in a Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo with several exhibitors. One of them was John Deere where Pauley Bradley was demonstrating their PitStop Pro coupling system that lets farmers quickly change anhydrous ammonia tanks without getting out of their cab. I asked Pauley to demonstrate for me and you can watch that video below.
Paul Davis farms in New Kent County, VA and drives a truck with a bumper sticker that says, “Never-Till.” His farm was a stop on the Conservation in Action Tour. He’s been in continuous no-till since 1999.
While we were on the farm he gave us a presentation about his use of the Trimble Greenseeker technology that makes variable rate application of nitrogen possible. It’s fascinating stuff since the precision ag equipment allows Paul to conduct over 3,400 different application rates on the field we were standing in! Without this technology he would have applied a uniform amount over the whole field. The precision ag equipment not only saves on nitrogen use but applies it where it is most needed and likely to increase yields. This is a great example of how farmers like Paul are using precision ag technology to help their bottom line while also conserving and protecting natural resources. Paul Davis Presentation
The Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment, USDA, is Ann Mills. Ann oversees the Natural Resources Conservation Service. During lunch on the Conservation in Action Tour she spoke to us about several initiatives under her oversight. She talked about her goals of getting 100 percent participation from Chesapeake Bay area land owners to help with the watershed cleanup efforts. She acknowledged farmers work on this and told people during the tour how much she was learning about the practices they employ. I think this shows how important it is to invite government officials out to the farm. If they’re going to regulate you it would be nice if they actually knew what you do!
Ann says that USDA has been conducting a series of America’s Great Outdoors Initiative Public Listening Sessions around the country to hear what people have to say. She encourages farmers to go to the website and make their views known. She also knows farmers have concerns about the Chesapeake Bay TMDL and she says NRCS is ready to provide resources to “put conservation practices on the ground that work.” Ann Mills Presentation
The Conservation in Action Tour provides an opportunity for farmers to see how other farmers are implementing good conservation practices but it also allows policy makers a chance to learn more about this area. One of our tour participants who spoke to us at our lunch stop was Kelly Shenk, EPA. She works in the Chesapeake Bay Program office.
Kelly told us that she believes we can have viable agriculture and a restored Chesapeake Bay. She says that what she has seen on the tour shows that farmers are doing what needs to be done to control things like nutrient loss. She acknowledges that urban development is a real concern for her agency. Kelly Shenk Presentation
Before the tour got back on the bus I spoke with Kelly and asked her about one of the key concerns I’ve heard expressed from farmers that their best management practices and conservation improvements aren’t being accounted for in the Chesapeake Bay Model. She says that state government and perhaps FSA should started collecting data on this to provide to policy makers. Kelly Shenk Interview
The first plantation in Virginia was Shirley Plantation, established in 1613. This was the lunch stop for the Conservation in Action Tour. Tourism and education play a big part in the family business today.
Greeting us was Charles Carter who owns and serves as executive director for Shirley Plantation. He says they’ve been there for 11 generations! He says they’ve been able to do this through adaptation and diversification. Tobacco was produced on the farm from the beginning. Family members have been involved in everything from farming to government and they were even in the ice business. Recently he says they’ve built a marine terminal and they’re taking dredge material from the local rivers and placing it in old mines and on farmland to restore it. He says this has been working well. Charles Carter Presentation
While the Conservation in Action Tour was parked under the trees in the shade at one stop, we heard from local farmer, J.N. Mills. Pictured behind him is Eric Randolph, another local farmer we also heard from.
A portion of the farm that J.N. operates was a grant from the king of England in the 1600′s. We were definitely seeing some historical places on this tour! One of the ways this farmer has worked to keep soil and nutrients in place is by installing waterways, stream buffers, stream fencing and wetlands. Besides row crop farming he also has a 165 unit cow/calf operation. J.N. says he hopes to have a family farm that he can pass along to the next generation. J.N. Mills Presentation
During the Conservation in Action Tour we visited Evelynton Farm which is home to Archer Ruffin who told us about the rich history of this farm which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Our tour group sat in the shade of the largest magnolia tree I’ve ever seen.
You’ll be able to hear Archer describe the farm and some of the history. His family has been farming for about 8 generations. One of his ancestors is the “father of agronomy.” Archer Ruffin Presentation
One of the sponsors of the Conservation in Action Tour and CTIC board member Pauley Bradley, John Deere Ag Management Solutions, gave us the welcome this week. I caught up to him during the tour and found out he works in the nutrient applications equipment area.
Pauley says they want the tour to position agriculture as part of the solution to water quality issues. Our tour stops are meant to showcase how farmers are using management practices and new technology to make it happen. He says precision ag technologies in particular are helping farmers accomplish this goal. Besides farmers attending the tour we also had people from industry and public policy makers. So it was really good for them to hear this message. Pauley Bradley Interview
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
David conducted a presentation on delivering expert opinion via social media to an audience at the start of International Poultry Expo week. He's got some great information about who consumers trust and how you can use today's consumer behavior to help communicate your message.
Registration is now open for AG CONNECT Expo 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
Conservation Technology Information Center Chairman Tim Healey, 
Not all the farmers I met during the Conservation in Action Tour were making presentations. One of them was Wayne Kirby, Virginia corn farmer and Chairman of the Virginia Corn Board. Wayne says a lot of people are interested in agriculture in their area and especially what’s happening with the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort. 
One of our Conservation in Action Tour bus speakers was Katie Kyger Frazier, V.P. Public Affairs, 
Harold Reetz is one of the board members for the Conservation Technology Information Center and has formed 
Representing 
Precision ag was highlighted at the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo during the Conservation in Action Tour by a company called Geosys represented by Don Lampker. Don says Geosys is a relatively small technology supply company. He says they do a lot with satellite imagery and have a product called 
During the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo on the Conservation in Action Tour our sponsor, 
Paul Davis farms in New Kent County, VA and drives a truck with a bumper sticker that says, “Never-Till.” His farm was a stop on the Conservation in Action Tour. He’s been in continuous no-till since 1999.
The Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment, USDA, is Ann Mills. Ann oversees the Natural Resources Conservation Service. During lunch on the Conservation in Action Tour she spoke to us about several initiatives under her oversight. She talked about her goals of getting 100 percent participation from Chesapeake Bay area land owners to help with the watershed cleanup efforts. She acknowledged farmers work on this and told people during the tour how much she was learning about the practices they employ. I think this shows how important it is to invite government officials out to the farm. If they’re going to regulate you it would be nice if they actually knew what you do!
The Conservation in Action Tour provides an opportunity for farmers to see how other farmers are implementing good conservation practices but it also allows policy makers a chance to learn more about this area. One of our tour participants who spoke to us at our lunch stop was Kelly Shenk, EPA. She works in the Chesapeake Bay Program office.
The first plantation in Virginia was Shirley Plantation, established in 1613. This was the lunch stop for the Conservation in Action Tour. Tourism and education play a big part in the family business today.
While the Conservation in Action Tour was parked under the trees in the shade at one stop, we heard from local farmer, J.N. Mills. Pictured behind him is Eric Randolph, another local farmer we also heard from.
During the Conservation in Action Tour we visited Evelynton Farm which is home to Archer Ruffin who told us about the rich history of this farm which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Our tour group sat in the shade of the largest magnolia tree I’ve ever seen.
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
