The agriculture and ethanol industries responded favorably to the EPA’s decision to approve the voluntary use of E15 in cars manufactured in 2007 or later. The increase in ethanol blended into gasoline fuels could help the ethanol industry have a home for another 4-5 billion gallons per year. Last year, Growth Energy filed the E15 Waiver and after several delays, …
Stoller Helps Kip Cullers Set Soybean Record
You better believe that Missouri farmer Kip Cullers knows how to grow soybeans. As a matter of fact, he’s the best in the world, as Cindy already told you. Another product that helped Kip reach another record soybean yield is Stoller’s Bio-Forge. “Ninety-five percent of all the plant nutrients are in the top 4” of the soil. You’ve got to …
Book Review – Farm Hands
The book I read over the weekend now has a special place on my shelf since I have actually experienced a small portion of what author Tom Rivers describes in “Farm Hands“. The book is an accumulation of his writings for his local newspaper, The Daily News, where he chronicles the labor challenges faced by small farm operations in Upstate …
Register for Export Exchange 2010 Before It’s Too Late
Export Exchange 2010 is 10 days away but it’s not too late to register. You have two days to take advantage of pre-registration for the event which will connect DDGs (dried distillers grains) and course grain buyers with domestic sellers. Export Exchange is being held in Chicago and will be the place to get answers, make contacts and build your …
Solar Apps for Ag Featured in ‘Down on the Farm Solar Tour’
Mississippi Solar is getting excited for the National Solar Tour, an event that showcases solar energy for ag applications, home buyers, businesses, and everyone in between. The event is overseen by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), and this year more than 650 tours are already scheduled for early October. This is the second year that Mississippi Solar will participate …
Book Review – The Food Wars
This week I read a book about the ongoing discussions regarding the causes of the food crisis. It should come as no surprise that several of the main reasons the globe is in the midst of a food crisis, according to a The Food Wars author Walden Bello, are commodity speculation, biofuels, increased demand for food in Asia brought on …
Corn Farmers Will Reach New Heights
The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) is focused on reaching out to Iowans and consumers to tell them about the value of Iowa corn farmers. One avenue in which they do this, is through their sponsorship of the Cy-Hawk series and last Saturday, the University of Iowa beat Iowa State in the football game known as the Super Bowl of …
Valent Launching Three New Products
Valent is preparing to launch three new products including INOVATE, FIERCE and RYZUP according to Dawn Refsell when I spoke with her during the Farm Progress Show. Inovate is a soybean seed protectant that will help growers maximize soybean stand, vigor and yield. The INOVATE System contains Nipsit INSIDE Insecticide and RANCONA Xxtra Fungicide. The product received registration in January …
Corn, Corn Everywhere
The crop report was released last week and the USDA is predicting a record harvest – even after accounting for excessive rain in areas of the Midwest. In Iowa alone, 40 percent of the corn crop goes to ethanol but nationally only 20 percent of the total corn crop goes to ethanol. Also, the livestock industry is the largest consumer …
I Farm to Feed the World
During the Farm Progress Show, Bayer CropScience kicked off a new initiative called, “I Farm to Feed the World,” in an effort to raise awareness about the need to decrease global hunger amidst a growing population. I spoke with Mark Wrucke about the program and he said, “We’re a global organization and we realize ag has some real challenges coming. …