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. …
National Farm Safety & Health Week
We’re coming up on National Farm Safety & Health Week. With the 2010 harvest upon us it’s a good time to think safe. The folks at the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety have a farm first aid kit you can purchase. To hear some reasons why you should think safe you might enjoy a video clip from Cattlemen to …
Soybean Growers Can Expect Plenish From Pioneer Hi-Bred
You may not find a bottle of Plenish high oleic soy oil on your local supermarket shelf just yet but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some taste testing going on. At the Farm Progress Show Pioneer Hi-Bred conducted a cooking demonstration and had samples of food cooked with the product outside their exhibit. Farmers want a soybean with strong agronomics …
Concerns With Proposed GIPSA Rule
During the recent USDA/DOJ public workshop on competition in the livestock industry I spoke with Dr. Stephen Koontz, Associate Professor, Colorado State University. He has a degree in agricultural economics from University of Illinois. Proposed new rules from the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) was the main topic of conversation and Dr. Koontz has some concerns. He says …
John Deere Launches 3 New Gator XUVs
The new Gator XUVs from John Deere have arrived and they are the fastest, most powerful gator that John Deere has ever made. And I got this information from a good source. Kevin Lund to be exact, a John Deere Gator expert. The new Gator XUV 825i boasts 50 horsepower, can hit top speeds of 44 miles an hour, has …
Wyffels’ Corn Hybrids Performing Well in the Fields
We’re getting closer and closer to the corn harvest in the Midwest and Bob Jackson, a researcher with Wyffels Hybrids, has been able to get into the fields and get some early looks. Harvest data coming out of Central and Southern Illinois reports that things are doing very well. “We’re off to a great start and I think we’re going …
Pork and Beef Panels On GIPSA
Since the livestock industry is so important to our country as well as just about every other sector of agriculture you can’t get enough on a subject that has major implications for its future. That would be the proposed rule by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). You can follow back through our posts on this topic using …