Gary participated in a session with a few other crop protection product companies to provide an update on BASF herbicides and fungicides. First of all, Gary talked about the anticipated registration next year of Priaxor for soybeans. “It gives a brand new mix of fungicides for both controlling existing diseases and providing preventative disease control,” Gary says. “It raises the bar with what Headline is today as the standard in the soybean market, with more consistency, better yield and a higher return on investment for the grower.”
Gary says a new liquid formulation of Facet® herbicide has benefits for rice producers. “We’ve been selling Facet as a dry formulation for years,” he explained. “We’re excited to sell a true liquid because of the ease of handling and we also get better grass and broadleaf activity with it.”
In addition, Gary updated the ag aviators on two new label expansions from BASF, for Prowl® herbicide on pasture grasses and for Headline® fungicide in alfalfa.
When I interviewed Gary, he also talked about the importance of ag aviators to agriculture and the overall goal of feeding a growing population. Listen to or download my interview with Gary from NAAA here: Dr. Gary Fellows with BASF
The American Soybean Association announced today that Steve Wellman from Syracuse, Nebraska, is President and Alan Kemper from Lafayette, Indiana, is confirmed as Chairman. Also elected was Danny Murphy from Canton, Mississippi, to serve as First Vice President, an office that places Murphy in line to be ASA President in 2013.
Also elected were Randy Mann from Auburn, Kentucky, as Secretary, and Bob Henry from Robinson, Kansas, as Treasurer. Four Vice Presidents were also elected: Ray Gaesser from Corning, Iowa; Bob Worth from Lake Benton, Minnesota; Richard Wilkins from Greenwood, Delaware; and Wade Cowan from Brownfield, Texas. These soybean farmer-leaders form the nine-member ASA Executive Committee. Elections were held on Wednesday, Dec. 7, during ASA’s winter Board of Director’s meeting in Saint Louis.
“My goals include increasing demand for soybeans and soybean products, addressing regulatory issues to keep farmers competitive globally, seeking fair farm bill provisions for growers, promoting more ag trade and continuing ASA’s leadership development programs,” Wellman said. “Global demand for soy has increased 145 percent since 1990 and it is anticipated demand will continue to increase. Policy including a sound crop insurance program complemented by a revenue program that does not distort planting decisions is needed to help ensure the U.S. soybean farmer can manage production and price risk while producing soybeans to meet the needs of our consumers domestically and internationally.”
I was at a loss for what to write about today and then Mother Nature stepped in and delivered the first snow of the season. Western Nebraska had between 6 to 8 inches on Saturday but we only had rain (and I’m not complaining). Today is a different story. We’re only supposed to get an inch, but it’s much-needed moisture for the fields. Farmers had been busy to the bone applying anhydrous the past month but activity in the fields came to a hault more than a week ago.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension specialists say that 12 inches of snow could provide farmers 0.8 to one inch of additional soil moisture in the soil profile. That moisture could make a difference of 8 to 12 additional bushels per acre of corn yield. That moisture is especially valuable to dryland crops and the irrigation farmer benefits from reduced irrigation pumping costs, too. Al Dutcher, state climatologist, says precipitation during the winter recharge period of Oct. 1 to April 30 is critical to Nebraska crop production.
I’ll put on my snow boots and drive on muddy roads if it’s helping the farmers. Let it snow!
There is a serious financial impact from the PRRS disease in pigs and at the Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS Seminar we learned how much. Dr. Derold Holtkamp, Iowa State University, made a presentation titled, “Bio-economics: The Impact of PRRS & PRRS Control. He had recently completed a Pork Board cost of PRRS study and says they were able to use that data to calculate the impact of the disease in an area control project.
He says they looked at a Minnesota project which they felt best exemplified success at elimination of the disease and asked the question, “What was the value of the productivity improvements in that county after they successfully eliminated the virus there?” So they made a comparison between having the virus eliminated and projecting out to 2018, to if the area had continued in that time period without having the virus eliminated. The difference was positive $4.2 million to the county, using a net present value analysis, if they completed the project. That sounds like real value for going to the effort of getting rid of this disease!
Providing a report on the progress of the South-East Iowa PRRS ARC&E Project during the BIVI PRRS Seminar was Dr. Tim Loula, Swine Vet Center. He says these projects to try to eliminate Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome are similar to ones conducted some time ago for Pseudorabies. He says the Iowa program was started in a very pig dense area to get ready to “clean up” this virus. The project was started in 2010 and the goal was to have everyone do the same thing. He says it’s going to be a long journey.
Tim says they have about eighty percent buy in from producers in the area which has taken a lot of legwork. They’ve started mapping and have some early indication that the efforts have reduced some finishing mortality. This is going to be a multi-year project since PRRS is a very difficult virus and travels very fast in pig dense areas. If successful the area would be expanded and copied in other similar areas.
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are facing potentially onerous regulations that could ground them if they are allowed to continue.
The biggest issue they are dealing with right now is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which National Agricultural Aviation Association executive director Andrew Moore told me just went into effect on Halloween. “It’s kind of a scary regulation,” said Andrew of the regulation which impacts pesticide application near water. “The problem is that it’s duplicative of everything that already exists to protect the environment in regard to pesticide regulation.”
Andrew says the NPDES would require a great deal of paper work on the part of applicators. “FIFRA already regulates the safety of pesticides to water, so this is a completely unnecessary burdensome rule.” In addition, Andrew says they are very considered about lawsuits under the new regulation.
So, NPDES was a big topic at the NAAA convention in Las Vegas this week, where workshops were held and applicators were educated about the current status of the federal rule and where it stands at the state level. Andrew says they are also urging aerial applicators – and really anyone in the agriculture industry – to contact their senators about the issue. “Because we’ve been successful in passing legislation that would exempt pesticide applications over water for FIFRA approved pesticides,” said Andrew. The measure has been passed by the House and has gone through the Senate Agriculture Committee. “We believe we have the votes in the Senate but it’s not being brought to the floor for a vote,” he said.
This is my favorite Dr. Laura. She’s Dr. Laura Batista, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica and she was our moderator at the PRRS ARC&E Seminar in Chicago last week. I had to wait until today to get these posts done (more coming) since I had to re-voice my part of my interviews due to losing my voice end of last week. It’s almost back to normal.
So Dr. Batista says the goal of the seminar was to share all the new information about PRRS and PRRS control projects. By bringing a diverse group of scientists and veterinarians together BIVI hopes this will improve the spread of information and collaboration and perhaps avoid duplication of efforts which would save on resources. The seminar was divided into three sections. First was a report on a couple of area control projects. Then the presentations focused on the different tools that are available like mapping and monitoring and surveillance. Then the seminar ended in an open forum for questions and answers and additional sharing of information.
At this year’s National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) convention, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful family that is dedicated to the business of aerial crop protection in North Dakota.
Left to right, they are Jayse Wharam, his mother and father Vernie and Glen, and brother Chris. Glen is the owner of Valley Sprayers in Park River, ND and a member of the NAAA board of directors and Jayce is a pilot with the company. Chris is a tech services rep with BASF in North Dakota, and Verni is the glue that keeps them all together.
Glen purchased Valley Sprayers in 1995 because flying was in his blood. “I remember flying with my dad since I was about three years old,” he said. “Fortunately for me, my two sons have stayed close to that industry as well.”
Jayce and Chris were involved with the business from a very young age. “Some of the earliest memories I have are being at the airport, my dad had a repair shop and worked on small engines back then,” Jayce said, noting that he just finished his 16th season as a pilot with Valley Sprayers.
Chris took a different path and went to North Dakota State University to ultimately get a master’s degree in plant pathology so he could stay involved in the agriculture and ag aviation business on the crop protection products side. He’s been with BASF now for almost four years.
Meanwhile, Verni has been in a totally different industry for the past 40 plus years as a neonatal nurse while at the same time supporting the company at home. “I haul the meals to the airport or out to the field wherever they are. I’m kind of their go-fer,” Verni said, although the men in her life think of her more as a saint.
Listen to my interview with the Wharams here: Wharam Famiy
Becker Underwood has a new video available addressing the need to feed our growing world population. It’s available on their sustainability website and YouTube. Follow along with them on their blog, The Comment.
It’s one of the most critical questions of our time – how are we going to feed the growing global population that is expected to reach 9 billion people by the year 2050? As we all know, agricultural productivity gains are vital to enable the global population to have access to healthy, nutritious and affordable food. Becker Underwood, technology-intensive developer of biologicals and specialty products for the ag sector, just released a video that addresses this need that would be of great interest to your readers, “Feeding the World Using Soybean BioStacked Sustainable Technologies.”
The Alltech Ag Network is live again this morning from their Global 500. As we’ve reported before, the Alltech Ag Network is powered by iHigh.com and AgWired has just set up a channel with the intention of using it in the coming year when our clients want and need live streaming.
I’d love to know your thoughts on the Alltech Ag Network. Here’s a company that has taken a lead in utilizing new communication tools. They’ve been blogging and using social media for years. Now they have their own tv channel distributed via the internet and through mobile devices. Yes, you can watch this live on your smartphone! They have 600 people in the auditorium. How many do you think are watching all around the world?
Would your company want to provide more live streaming of your events? Got questions about how to make it happen? Give me a call and lets discuss it. For current and potential clients we would be happy to talk about how we can add this service to your plans.
The slices on this ZimmPoll pie are almost the same size! In our latest ZimmPoll we asked the question, “With net farm income up this year, how is your income?” The idea for the question came from the recent USDA Economic Research Service Net Farm Income Forecast that showed a 28% increase over 2010. The responses to our question were Higher – 34.4%; Lower – 31.2% and Same – 34.4%.
Our new ZimmPoll is now live. We’re asking the question, “What’s tops on your Christmas gift list?” If your income is the same or higher than last year perhaps you have a little more in the disposable category for holiday shopping. What categories are tops for you this year?
ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.
RFD-TV will honor Roy Rogers with a spectacular 75’ float entitled “Happy Trails” in the 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade.
The FDA has approved Pulmotil, an innovative Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) treatment for groups of cattle in the early stages of a BRD outbreak that provides 14 days of sustained in-feed therapy.
CEV Multimedia has launched the new Meat Science & Food Safety PowerPoint, the approved resource for the National FFA Meats Evaluation and Technology CDE written exam.
Bayer CropScience has announced that growers who purchase HBK Seed soybean seed for 2012 plantings may qualify for grower financing options, an important addition to the Bayer Innovation Plus programs.
Now why aren’t we seeing more of this? Hanging out on Google+. The National Fisheries Institute wants to hang out with you.
As the year comes to a close, the President of the National Fisheries Institute, John Connelly, plans to take a few minutes online to “Hangout” with trade media on the latest social networking site to hit the web, Google+.
“NFI is excited to be venturing into the latest social media platform and adding all of these new Google+ features to our online repertoire,” said Christina McGinley, NFI’s Communication Coordinator spearheading the Association’s social media efforts. “We will be continuing our focus on utilizing these new platforms to communicate with our members and the media in the New Year.”
At the NFI Hangout entitled “2011 Seafood Year in Review,” Connelly will discuss the biggest moves in seafood over the past year, as well as preview what to expect at the upcoming Global Seafood Market Conference in January.
The Hangout begins at 1 pm on Tuesday, December 13. To join the discussion, add Eating Seafood to your circles on Google+ and you will receive a Hangout invitation just before we begin.
During the Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS ARC&E Seminar participants heard reports from some of those area regional control & elimination projects. One of those was the North-Central Illinois Project. Our speaker was Dr. Noel Garbes, Bethany Animal Hospital Swine Services.
Noel says the PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) project has been going on for about two years and early on they were feeling pretty good about it. However, as many have noticed, the fall season presents challenges. He says the question being dealt with now is manure pumping at that time of year. As he puts it, “we’re chilling pigs and stressing them so maybe there’s something that happens there.” So they’re taking a look at that like other projects in other areas are also doing. He also mentions that participation in the area has to be one hundred percent which is a constant struggle. Looking ahead he says that using filters may be the way to go.
It is hard to believe that the AgWired App has been out for over a year! And the company staking an immediate sponsorship claim was and still is Raven, Precision Simplified. In this week’s program we’re going to learn that Raven has just “Simplified” their website and sees social media as a great opportunity to engage with their customers.
I spoke with Paul Welbig, Director of Marketing and Slingshot Operations this morning. He says that as it relates to information, reaching customers and new technology, the sponsorship of our smartphone application fit right in with Raven’s strategy moving forward, “We thought it was a great avenue to communicate with customers through that venue because a lot of those customers using those types of tools are also going to be customers using Raven and the Slingshot solution in the future.” When it comes to social media Paul says Raven has ample evidence that it is helping them engage with their customers, “That’s what it’s all about is making those connections and really helping support those folks as well.” He says Raven actively watches their social media channels and responds quickly to their customers.
When it comes to the new Raven website Paul says they’ve included a brand new section that provides technical help which you can find at RavenHelp.com. The company is also running a promotion right now where farmers can enter to win a complete RTK system that includes: Cruizer II™ guidance with sub-inch RTK accuracy — delivered by Slingshot® via wireless networks. The company will be exhibiting at a majority of the winter farm shows if you need to see them in person. You can find their schedule here.
Listen to my conversation with Paul in this week’s ZimmCast and learn more about what’s going on with Raven: Raven Simplified
Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.
This week’s program ends with a song called “Raven” by Mark Shepard from Music Alley. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for listening.
The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.
Aerial applicators really don’t get the credit they deserve when it comes to helping to feed a growing population.
“I do think we’re the unsung heroes,” said National Agricultural Aviation Association president Rick Richter of Richter Aviation in Maxwell, CA. “We don’t get the credit but we don’t ask for it. We just want people to let us do our job to help feed the world. We get satisfaction from doing our job right.”
Rick has been in the business for 32 years and is proud to have his family very involved in his northern California ag aviation company where 95% of their work is rice-related. “My son is becoming an ag pilot,” Rick says. “I just enjoy and love what I do.”
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are struggling with government regulations that get tougher all the time, with the most recent issue they are dealing with being the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. We’ll hear more about that in another interview.
Ferenc X. Vegh, Jr., Shelby County, Ky., has been awarded the first annual Charles Eastin Outstanding Service Award from the National Farm-City® Council. The award is presented to an outstanding individual who has contributed to Farm-City activities as an advocate for accurate communications between rural and urban audiences.
The award is in honor of Charles “Charlie” Eastin, DVM, who passed away earlier this year and played a fundamental role in Farm-City activities. A National Farm-City Council board member for many years, Charlie was especially active in planning and initiating Farm-City events in the Lexington, Ky., region.
Vegh, a Shelby County businessman, farmer and Kiwanis club member, was recognized for reviving the Shelby County Farm-City Banquet, one of the oldest such gatherings in the nation, and making it a major event that brings together urban/suburban and rural communities. Several years ago, the event was dying due to lack of leadership and interest. Vegh helped revive the banquet, and it now attracts 200 to 250 people each year to promote recognition of farming efforts among urban audiences.
Those interested in nominating candidates for the 2012 Charles Eastin Outstanding Service Award can do so by going to the National Farm-City Council for nomination rules and the application form.
Calling on future young leaders in agricultural journalism. The deadline for the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism award is being moved to March 1, 2012. Previously, the deadline had been set at April 15, 2012. The change was made to allow award winners time to make travel plans as economically as possible.
“Travel is becoming increasingly complicated and expensive,” says IFAJ Secretary General Owen Roberts, chair of the awards program. “The earlier deadline allows the selection committee time to make its choices much sooner, so the winners can proceed making their travel plans in an orderly fashion.”
Applicants must fill out a form and submit to their country guild. Guilds are encouraged to nominate candidates 35 years of age or younger for these scholarships.
This year’s winners were Jordan Loewen of Valley Sprayers in Park River, ND and Brad Taylor of Corinth, MS. They are pictured here in the center, Brad on the left and Jordan on the right, between Dr. Gary Fellows of BASF to the far left and NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore on the far right.
Brad received a $2500 scholarship to help with his ag aviation training. “It means everything to me. You know a lot of people work hard getting into this business and any help we can really goes a long way,” he said. Brad is currently working in Arkansas and the main crop he deals with there is rice. Taylor was sponsored by Dennie Stokes of Stokes Flying Service, which is based in Parkin, Arkansas.
Jordan was sponsored by Glen Wharam of Valley Sprayers, who hired him when he was still a senior in high school. “Now I’ve been working there for four years and got interested in the spraying part and now I’m spraying for that,” Jordan said. “Right out of my senior year I went to airplane mechanics school and Glen helped me out with that.”
We will hear more from Glen and the rest of the Wharam family – a great bunch of folks really dedicated to the work they do helping North Dakota farmers. The diversity of crops they work with in that area include sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, sunflowers, corn and soybeans.
The Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) just announced that nominations are open for the Agricultural Public Relations Hall of Fame, a new award program honoring agricultural public relations professionals who have made lifetime contributions to the industry.
The program, sponsored by the Agricultural Relations Council and Agri Marketing magazine, will recognize its first recipients at the March 2012 ARC annual meeting in Charleston, SC. Nominations will close Jan. 15, 2012.
Nominees must be current or past members of ARC to be considered. Inductees will be selected based on criteria including:
Years of membership in ARC
Service to ARC (president, board member, committee chair, etc.)
Professional accomplishments/achievements in ag communications
Awards/Recognition in service to ag communications within ARC and also outside of the organization
Three inductees will be chosen for 2012. In future years, one or two individuals will be inducted annually. Nominations will be reviewed and chosen by a committee of ARC members.
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.
During the National Agricultural Aviation Association NAAA convention this week, Dr. Gary Fellows had the opportunity to educate aerial applicators on what’s new from BASF. 
Gary says a new liquid formulation of Facet® herbicide has benefits for rice producers. “We’ve been selling Facet as a dry formulation for years,” he explained. “We’re excited to sell a true liquid because of the ease of handling and we also get better grass and broadleaf activity with it.”
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are facing potentially onerous regulations that could ground them if they are allowed to continue. 
Andrew says the NPDES would require a great deal of paper work on the part of applicators. “FIFRA already regulates the safety of pesticides to water, so this is a completely unnecessary burdensome rule.” In addition, Andrew says they are very considered about lawsuits under the new regulation. 
At this year’s 
It is hard to believe that the 
Aerial applicators really don’t get the credit they deserve when it comes to helping to feed a growing population.
The kick-off breakfast for the 
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
