Last week, I was given the opportunity to attend the 2017 Youth Ag Summit organized by Bayer Crop Science. Never have I ever attended such a motivating and uplifting agricultural event. One hundred young people, aged 18-25, gathered in Brussels, Belgium to tackle some of the world’s top issues in agriculture. During the Summit, delegates worked in groups of ten …
EPA Administrator Backs Down on RFS Proposal
All the noise made this week by biofuels supporters over proposed volume reductions under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has apparently made an impression. In a letter to seven senators sent late Thursday, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt committed to final 2018 RFS renewable volume obligations “at levels equal or greater” to those that the agency proposed in July, as well …
ZimmCast with Chip Blalock, Sunbelt Ag Expo
This week’s program is coming to you from the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA. With me in the program is Chip Blalock, Executive Director. I asked Chip right away to tell me what’s new this year with the show which is celebrating forty years. To start with, there are 100 new or returning exhibitors bringing the total number of …
Deere Spotlights New Gator™ XUV Models
John Deere’s new gas-powered Gator XUV835 and diesel-powered Gator XUV865 utility vehicles were turning heads at the Sunbelt Ag Expo this week. “It’s our first ever three passenger wide vehicle,” said Mark Davey, John Deere marketing manager. “And we have the ability to give you a factory-installed cab, plus the ability to install heat and air from the factory.” Davey …
Newer Cotton Varieties Performing For Growers
Two cotton varieties introduced in recent years are helping growers to fight diseases that are prevalent in the northern High Plains, according to Tim Culpepper, senior agronomist for Bayer Cropscience. Culpepper said FiberMax 1911 GLT provides a strong disease package, fighting verticillium wilt, bacterial blight and root knot nematode. “These guys that are using this variety are seeing some really …
Iowa Biofuels Interests Get White House Attention
President Donald Trump called Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Wednesday to assure her that he continues to support the renewable fuels industry. “He reached out to me,” said Gov. Reynolds during a press conference in Iowa. “He made it clear that he stood with the Renewable Fuel Standard.” Gov. Reynolds also got a call from EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who met …
Updated Deere Utility Tractors in the Sunbelt
John Deere is updating its popular 3-cylinder 5E Series Utility Tractors for model year 2018 and these versatile machines are on display this week at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia. “We lowered the hood down about five inches to give more visibility,” said John Doyle, product marketing manager for Deere. “We increased the size of the operator platform …
BASF Executives Discuss Bayer Acquisition
BASF Crop Protection business executives held a conference call with reporters Tuesday to discuss the agreement announced last Friday to purchase significant Bayer assets in the largest deal of its kind in history. The $7 billion deal includes Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium non-selective herbicide business, seed businesses for canola hybrids in North America under the InVigor® brand using the LibertyLink® trait …
Cotton Growers Seek Right Varieties to Fight Disease
Growers attending the 2017 Bayer Showcase Plot Tour saw a brand new cotton breeding facility and had the opportunity to learn more about current cotton varieties as well as those that are up and coming. Western Region Agronomic Manager Kenny Melton said they especially heard questions about which varieties fit on acres affected by verticillium wilt. “We have probably the …
Farm Bill Listening Session at Sunbelt Ag Expo
Opening day of the 2017 Sunbelt Ag Expo featured a Farm Bill Listening Session held in the R.W. Griffin Building and hosted by Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA). Also in attendance were Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) and Rep. Al Lawson (D-FL) and all are members of the House Agriculture Committee. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black served as moderator. The session …