At the GROWMARK annual meeting in Chicago today, CEO Jim Spradlin reported the estimated year-end financial results for the cooperative to stakeholders in attendance. For fiscal year 2015, the unaudited, estimated sales for GROWMARK are reported to be $8.8 billion with pretax income is estimated at $140 million. An estimated $61 million in patronage refunds will be returned to GROWMARK …
Keeping the Farm in the Family
We are seeing fewer and fewer young people returning the their family operations and just because you are blood doesn’t mean you have a right to the farm. Succession planning is one step many families forget about when it comes to the future. AgriLegacy is a growing Midwest company whose main focus is helping farm families keep the farms in …
Champion Corn Grower at @BASFAgProducts Event
He’s only been farming for less than ten years, but already Randy Dowdy of Valdosta, Georgia has made quite a name for himself by making history last year with a yield of nearly 504 bushels per acre in the National Corn Yield Contest. During a BASF media event in Tennessee this week, Dowdy talked about his philosophy when it comes …
Farm Broadcaster Wins Ethanol Media Award
Tom Riter of WNAX in Yankton, SD was awarded this year’s American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Excellence in Media award at last week’s annual meeting in Omaha. Riter is pictured here receiving the award from ACE Director of Communications Chuck Beck. Riter is a veteran farm broadcaster and a native of Rock Rapids, Iowa. He is a regular contributor to …
Judge Blocks WOTUS
The day before the controversial rule formally known as the Waters of the US (WOTUS) was to be implemented, a federal judge in North Dakota has blocked it from taking effect. U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson of North Dakota on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction against implementation of the Clean Water regulation, saying a group of 13 states was likely …
Clinton Unveils Ag Plan, Gets Vilsack Support
With a John Deere tractor as a backdrop, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton went where no candidate has gone yet – into a detailed discussion on agricultural issues. Introduced by former Iowa governor and current Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Clinton discussed her plan to support rural America and agriculture during a visit to Ankeny, Iowa Wednesday. Clinton’s plan includes …
New John Deere Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters
Quite a few new products were put on display for those of us in ag media this week. That includes three new models of the 8000 Series Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters. “We took the momentum from the 8000 Series rollout last year and added to an already stellar lineup of forage harvesters,” says Tim Meister, division manager, marketing with John Deere. …
The Commercial UAV Expo
We keep hearing that it’s “the year of the drone.” Here’s more proof of that. The first ever Commercial UAV Expo is slated for October 5-7 in Las Vegas and AgWired is a supporting media sponsor. To learn all about it I visited with Lisa Murray, Diversified Communications. Lisa says that not only is there a precision agriculture segment of …
Hutch, KN Native Wins USFRA’s I am FARMLAND Gator
When Hutchinson, Kansas native John Wildin put his entry form into the I Am FARMLAND sweepstakes box during the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention this past February, he never dreamed he would win a John Deere Gator. The promotion was the brainchild of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) to help create awareness about the documentary FARMLAND and encourage …
John Deere Adds to 6 Series Tractor Lineup
John Deere has added to its popular 6 Series of tractors and I got to discuss the features with Kory Ross, Product Manager, Waterloo Works. John Deere adds the 6E Series Tractors to the 6 Family Tractor lineup, which features enhanced performance, added versatility and greater value to the existing family of high-horsepower utility tractors. The design on the new …