Precision Ag News 4/14

Carrie Muehling

  • Koch Agronomic Services, LLC reached agreement with Compass Minerals to purchase Compass Minerals‘ North American micronutrient assets, the global intellectual property rights, with trademarks and patents, and certain other assets associated with the Wolf Trax®, Rocket Seeds® and Hydro Bullet™ product platforms.
  • The Soil Health Institute recently concluded the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton Farmer Showcase, a series of eight online discussions with U.S. cotton farmers and soil health experts highlighting the challenges and positive impact soil health management systems can have on agricultural productivity and farm profitability.
  • American Farmland Trust released “Agriculture’s Role in 30×30: Partnering with Farmers and Ranchers to Protect Land, Biodiversity, and the Climate” outlining agriculture’s critical role in the effort to “conserve at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030” as put forth in the Biden administration’s January 27, 2021, Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
  • Strip-Till Farmer has announced the lineup of speakers and presentation topics for the 2021 National Strip-Tillage Conference. To be held at the award-winning Embassy Suites Omaha-La Vista Hotel & Conference Center, Aug. 5-6, the 8th annual event will provide actionable ideas and practices to put to work on your strip-till operation in 2021 and beyond. A $35.00 Early Bird Registration discount is available through May 31, and attendees who register their farm and family members receive additional savings.
  • Two scientists have earned a place in the Agricultural Research Service Science Hall of Fame for their pioneering and impactful research in small-fruits breeding and remote sensing for improved irrigation water scheduling. Chad E. Finn (posthumously) and William P. Kustas will be inducted in a virtual ceremony rather than a physical event due to ongoing COVID-19 safety precautions.
  • What do farmers, ranchers and stakeholders across the food and agriculture value chain need to know about the emerging world of carbon markets? Farm Journal’s next Farm Country Update, “The Three Biggest Trends in Carbon Markets,” will feature a panel of experts to discuss how carbon markets are changing what farmers and ranchers are doing at the grassroots level. The online event is set for Thursday, April 15, 2021, at 3 p.m. CDT.
  • U.S. farm tractor unit sales extend their growth streak to eleven straight months, while Canada also extends its own streak with a strong month of March according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. U.S. total farm tractor sales rose 84.1 percent in March compared to 2020 while U.S. self-propelled combine sales grew 6.7 percent. U.S. unit sales grew across every segment, with the biggest gains in the small sub-40hp segment (nearly doubling, growing 96.5 percent). The 100+hp row-crop units had were up 63.5 percent. Four-wheel-drive units grew as well, up 2.5 percent for the month, reversing February’s small decrease.
  • Douglas Plant Health is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced agriculture industry executive Mick Messman as the company’s new CEO. Douglas Plant Health provides nature-based biotechnology, soil fertility and other agronomic solutions for growers of row crops, fruits and vegetables, and turf and ornamental crops.
  • Trace Genomics announces the appointment of Dr. Robert (Robb) Fraley to its board of directors. Dr. Fraley, who served for nearly 40 years as chief technology officer at Monsanto and helped develop the first genetically modified seed, will provide guidance to the company as it advances its ground-breaking science and products in the field of soil DNA testing.
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