Pending EPA approval, Pioneer is getting ready to launch their new Optimum Acre Max which is part of the Herculex family of traits. Specifically, the Herculex RW trait helps protect corn from corn rootworm damage. “Our hope is to be able to reduce corn rootworm refuge, and also to integrate rootworm refuge in a bag,” said Bill Belzer, Senior Manager Marketing, Corn with Pioneer.
The EPA is currently in the process of evaluating the technology and they are anticipating EPA approvals sometime in 2009. The full scale commercial launch is expected in 2010.
“What this technology does is allow growers to be able to plant more in-plant traits in more acres leading to higher yields,” explained Belzer.
In the past, growers needed to set aside approximately 20 percent of their acres for corn rootworm refuge. With the Herculex family of traits, growers could reduce their corn rootworm refuge to only 2-5 percent of their total corn acres. Basically, this means growers will receive, “more in-plant protection or more acres,” said Belzer, which leads to higher yields. A win-win for every grower.
To learn more about the Optimum Acre Max, contact your local Pioneer sales professional or listen to my full interview with Bill Belzer here:
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Pioneer recently launched several new products within their Optimum Brand Innovations line. I was able to speak with Tracy Lindo, the Senior Marketing Manager - Optimum GAT about these new products. “Optimum Brand Innovations is the umbrella brand for our high quality input traits that Pioneer is hoping to bring to the market in the next few years,” explained Linbo. The first product is Optimum GAT, a herbicide tolerance trait. “GAT” stands for glyphosate ALS tolerance. The uniqueness of this trait is that it, “provides new herbicide choices and flexibility,” said Lindo.
The second trait is the Optimum Acre Max, which provides an insect protection system. These products will be brought to market pending approvals over the next few years.
These traits, explained Lindo, provide maximum yields, “the right product for the right acre, and cleaner fields through harvest.”
Pending approvals, Pioneer hopes to have the GAT for corn available in the 2010 selling season and GAT soybeans in 2011.
In addition, DuPont Crop Protection is bringing five new herbicides that will be available to be used on this trait as well. There will be demonstrations throughout the summer. Contact your local Pioneer sales rep to learn more or visit www.pioneer.com.
Listen to my full interview with Tracy here:
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I thought this image of corn microphones from the Pioneer NAFB Trade Talk invitation was worth sharing. Pretty cool creative, eh?
If you’re planning to attend the 2008 NAFB Convention, get your microphone and recorder ready, and stop by the Pioneer Hi-Bred Trade Talk booth. You’ll learn more about the latest from Pioneer and what is to come in 2009.
Bring a wafer-thin slice of Vulcano to your mouth and savour the magnificent aroma of the dry-cured ham before allowing the full taste to develop on your tongue. That’s the translated version of the sales pitch for Vulcano Ham company in Austria.
This was our last stop before leaving Austria for Slovenia on the 2008 IFAJ Congress trip and it was an interesting one. In the photo you see Bettina Habel, the wife of one of the three main proprietors of Vulcano, mingling with the herd at the farm, including big Leo (who is the “mascot” of the operation and not for consumption!)
Vulcano specializes in air-cured hams that are sold for a premium only to high-end consumer markets. The regional trademarked product is manufactured from hoof to ham in the same location.
I was happy to be able to put a brochure from one of our sponsors, Novus International, in Bettina’s hands, as well as give one to their veterinarian who was our local guide and interpreter for the visit. They did seem interested in the animal health and feed products Novus offers for hog producers - and I pointed out that their website is also available in several languages, including German!
One of the highlights of the 2008 IFAJ Congress in Austria was the visit to a traditional mountain farm. All of the participants in that tour just raved about the pastoral scenery on such a perfect day they expected to see Julie Andrews dance up over the hillside singing the “Sound of Music.”
Unfortunately, Chuck and I did not get to go on that tour, as it was sold out immediately. There were three different tour options for the trip, which is really kind of a shame - everyone would have enjoyed getting to see this.
These pictures were provided by one of our Canadian friends, Lilian Schaer of Agri-Food Project Services Ltd. She and Kelly Daynard with the Ontario Farm Animal Council both went on that tour and wrote about it on the blog, Food and Farming Canada.
Lilian wrote:Much of Austria is covered in pastoral mountainside fields – beautifully scenic but largely unsuited for agriculture.
But in the mountainous northern regions of the Austrian province of Styria, some entrepreneurial farmers are not only making a living by farming on the alpine pastures, they’re also revitalizing rural communities and keeping ancient traditions alive.
In Kelly’s post, she began: High up in the mountains, the scenery fulfilled every stereotype I’ve ever had about this country. Cow bells could be heard in the distance. A babbling brook twisted alongside the roadway. Every home was a flower-laden chalet and, to the eye’s delight was mountain after mountain after mountain. I could have stayed there forever.
What made it even more unusual was that we were touring an average mountain beef farm. I’ve been to a lot of impressive beef farms in Ontario but none have the view of these, to be sure.
Be sure to check out the rest of their blog posts to read their impressions about the trip. Thanks for sharing the photos, my friends!
I don’t know when the first Quasimojo performance was at an IFAJ event but they’re still going strong.
This year’s Congress found them playing on stage after our final dinner in Portoroz, Slovenia. We had just finished all the speeches and awards and were full and it was late. The band has a kind of flexible membership and somehow seems to crank out the same great music to entertain us.
Our program for the final dinner called for some “traditional dancing.” That’s something I’ll have in a different post.
While Quasimojo was playing however, we had anything but traditional dance. This pictures shows the international understanding of how to dance to rock and roll though.
A year before the IFAJ Congress 2008 we were given packets of pumpkin seeds to plant and then we were supposed to send in or bring photos of our pumpkin plants. I tried but let’s just say growing pumpkins isn’t one of my things.
We saw lots of pumpkin fields but never got to visit any when we were in Austria. However, at our last dinner we did receive a bottle of pumpkin seed oil.
Now if I could just get home to use it with some new culinary feast.
While we were in Slovenia at the IFAJ Congress one of our hosts was Ciril Smrkolj who is President of the Slovenia Agriculture and Forestry Chamber, a primary ag group in the country.
I spoke with him at our closing dinner. He’s very much a pro-agriculture kind of guy. He says that his organization does work on promotion and marketing. He says that the globalization of farming has made it difficult for their small farmers. They have to import a lot of the food they eat in their country and he says the transition from communist rule has been a good one but it has opened up their market and that’s what’s causing some problems for them. He says they don’t have enough protection and support from their government either.
You can listen to my interview with Ciril here:
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The Wine Queen of Slovenia this year is Svetlana Sirec.
She got quite a bit of attention from the boys here in her wine queen dress, complete with red and white grapes.
I spoke with her at our last dinner of the IFAJ Congress. She basically works to promote wine in country and I wish I could point you to her favorite but I didn’t get her to write it down. Perhaps you can tell when she says it in our interview.
You can listen to my interview with Svetlana here:
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I like the way Fran Fischler, President of the IFAJ Congress 2008, started his remarks at the end of the event.
“Everything has already been said but not by everybody.” He then proceeded to thank all the people who worked to make this Congress a reality, including all the sponsors.
He pointed out how different farming is around the world. Speaking of the small farms in Austria and Slovenia he said, “I think you have a feeling now that this way of farming can also be successful.” He said that we need to accept that in our world there are many different ways to farm.
You can listen to Franz Fischler’s remarks here:
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The new President of IFAJ is Mike Wilson, Farm Progress Companies.
On one of the early nights of the IFAJ Congress we held a little private reception for Mike after a dinner in Graz, Austria. It was a surprise and I think you can see that in his face in this picture. We were at a very nice place right near the University where our dinner was held. Attending were those of us from the American delegation and a number of other folks who wanted to wish Mike a special congratulations on his new responsibilities.
Then during our final dinner of the IFAJ Congress in Portoroz Mike took the microphone as the new man in charge.
He made it clear that he is going to carry on the efforts started by David Markey. “I just wanted to say thank you to David and thank you to all of you for the confidence you have placed in me and I won’t let you down.”
Mike did take off his jacket and tie later in the evening to get up on stage and play with Quasimojo. More on that later.
You can listen to Mike’s remarks here:
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The final night’s activities at the IFAJ Congress was a historic event for me. The only IFAJ President I’ve ever known up until this Congress was David Markey and this was when he turned the reins over to a new leader.
I can tell you one thing. When you’ve got a group of people from countries all over the world it can be a challenge to get them all heading in the same direction. However, when David takes the microphone, people stop talking and listen.
Before he said his goodbyes though, he distributed some medals and mementos to the people who made this year’s Congress happen. One of those was the President of the Congress, Franz Fischler.
Then David had some time to talk about his opportunity to serve IFAJ as President. If you know David then you know that he’s a professional and a businessman. I think he brought the organization a new outlook that has helped it to grow significantly. He looks at things a little differently than your average person with an insight that comes from years of successful business management.
For example, he said, “I always believe change is good. No matter how much it challenges us, change is the only way we can bring out the best in us.”
David received a number of gifts in honor of his service. One of those was this book of photos presented by new IFAJ President Mike Wilson.
You can listen to David’s remarks here:
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Here’s something you just don’t see much any more. Telephone booths. I remember when we used to be able to unscrew the mouthpieces and plug our recorders into them with alligator clips to send audio back home. I also remember moving to Missouri and stopping at one of these in north Illinois during the winter to call home when the wind chill was about 10 below. I like emailing or uploading from the warm comfort of my room now!
This is in Portoroz, Slovenia. One of the many sights I’ll remember. Cindy and I did a walk around one morning and saw kiwi fruit growing outside the local Catholic Church. They had it growing over a trellis at the entrance. There’s a picture of it in the photo album. That’s something I’ve never seen before either.
The IFAJ Congress has concluded but AgWired coverage of the event has not. Over the next several days I’ll be featuring more interviews and video clips. Our schedule and internet access has worked against me a little bit. Cindy and I just got back into Graz where we’ll fly out early tomorrow for St. Louis. At the moment, the internet access here in the hotel is not working. However, I was able to get online behind the desk in the lobby.
So, the photo album is updating as I type. This photo is of the passing of the IFAJ flag from the Austria/Slovenia delegation, represented by Franz Fischler to the American delegation, represented by new IFAJ President Mike Wilson. This is an annual tradition when the current host country passes the flag over to the country that will host the Congress next year (Ft. Worth, TX).
We had a great dinner last night and you can find photos from it in the album. So until I get a little more time online, enjoy the pictures.
Portoroz is a beautiful little town on the Adriatic coast. The weather changed last night as we came in from Austria and we’ve been getting some light sprinkles all morning.
Cindy and I are getting ready to take an online break and will be meeting up with the rest of the Congress participants this afternoon. We’ve got a full evening of activities that includes more food and festival. Tomorrow we’ll be traveling back to Graz before leaving out on Monday.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos. If you want or need any, just email me and I can send larger files of them.
Greeting the IFAJ Congress at our first dinner in Portoroz was the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Iztok Jarc. He had a challenge because just prior to our dinner the weather changed completely and we had a drenching lightning storm. It forced the restaurant to make some major adjustments to the settings but finally we got everyone under cover and seated.
I spoke with the Minister after his comments. He pointed out that the weather was indicative of what it’s been like all year. He says they’ve been experiencing what he believes is related to climate change and that is severe storms that are very unusual. During the spring and summer he says they’ve had high winds and large hail storms that have in places just sheared trees in half.
The main agricultural commodities are livestock and he says milk is at the top and one they export. He says that although their ag industry is highly developed in terms of quality and technology, they are still behind in marketing and promotion since coming out of the former Yugoslavia. I asked him if he had a message for other farmers and he said, “Agriculture has proved to be a very important sector in general. Ag policy should be an important part of every government in the world.”
You can listen to my interview with Minister Jarc here:
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Our first stop on the Tour III group yesterday was KWB, a company that manufactures biomass heating systems. Basically these are various size heaters using wood chips or wood pellets for fuel.
I spoke with David Pock, the man who gave us an overview of their company philosophy and products. It seemed like a stretch to fit this visit into an IFAJ Congress since it was just a product manufacturing facility. However, David says that farmers are customers and that he believes that as the demand for wood chips and pellets grows it can become a new source of income for farmers who would grow what he calls, “energy wood.”
Here’s out group gathering outside just before leaving the plant.
You can listen to my interview with David here:
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On my first IFAJ tour stop I spoke with our host, Johann Scholler, Steirerfrucht. They are a fresh fruit packing facility. The main product is apples although they also handle pears and other fruit.
Apples are the number one fresh fruit choice in Austria. After we left the plant we did visit a couple of different apple farms. We were apparently in between seasons when we were at the plant but they were still washing and packing apples. I’ve got some video of it but that will have to wait until later since I don’t have enough time to upload it.
Johann talked about organic apples since his company believes the market for it is growing. In fact, he says some experts are projecting 10-15% growth for the next 5 to 6 years. Like me, he doesn’t see much difference in organic and non-organic other than an emotional appeal since scientifically there’s not any reason to choose one over the other. But you have to give the consumer what they want.
He did say that “organic” trees produce less fruit and that can allow the fruit to obtain a higher sugar content.
You can listen to my interview with Johann here:
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I think this is about the most time I’ve ever had in between posts from an event, including in Japan last year. Cindy and I are in Portoroz, Slovenia doing a little bit of catch up work in our hotel room. We were pretty much in and out of buses all day yesterday traveling down here from Graz, Austria. No time for anything and no internet access.
I was kind of astounded to hear one of the IFAJ Congress attendees say last night that they didn’t even see a reason for us to have internet access! Obviously they haven’t entered the new media world yet. But they’re coming along. I spoke with a guy on my bus who works for a newspaper in Holland. He says they’re just about to “go online.” He’s looking forward to it too, not dreading it.
This picture is from our brief stop in Ljubljana, Slovenia on the way yesterday. I with I had some farm pictures to show you but we didn’t visit any farms on our tour although we thought we were going to. The photo album has just been updated through our walk this morning here on the coast of the Gulf of Venice.
Guess how many photos we've got in our archives that are tagged "farm." Let's just say, it's a lot..
Twittering Farmer
Farmers are twittering and then there's The Twittering Farmer.
He's Steve Tucker and my interview in this week's program. Steve and I discuss the story that featured him on CNN today and the feedback he's received which has been kind of overwhelming. He's a great advocate for agriculture who now has more Twitter followers than there are residents in his home town.
Pending EPA approval, Pioneer is getting ready to launch their new Optimum Acre Max which is part of the Herculex family of traits. Specifically, the Herculex RW trait helps protect corn from corn rootworm damage. “Our hope is to be able to reduce corn rootworm refuge, and also to integrate rootworm refuge in a bag,” said Bill Belzer, Senior Manager Marketing, Corn with Pioneer.
The second trait is the Optimum Acre Max, which provides an insect protection system. These products will be brought to market pending approvals over the next few years.
I thought this image of corn microphones from the 
Bring a wafer-thin slice of Vulcano to your mouth and savour the magnificent aroma of the dry-cured ham before allowing the full taste to develop on your tongue. That’s the 
Vulcano specializes in air-cured hams that are sold for a premium only to high-end consumer markets. The regional trademarked product is manufactured from hoof to ham in the same location.
Unfortunately, Chuck and I did not get to go on that tour, as it was sold out immediately. There were three different tour options for the trip, which is really kind of a shame - everyone would have enjoyed getting to see this. 
In 
I don’t know when the first Quasimojo performance was at an IFAJ event but they’re still going strong.
Our program for the final dinner called for some “traditional dancing.” That’s something I’ll have in a different post.
A year before the IFAJ Congress 2008 we were given packets of pumpkin seeds to plant and then we were supposed to send in or bring photos of our pumpkin plants. I tried but let’s just say growing pumpkins isn’t one of my things.
While we were in Slovenia at the IFAJ Congress one of our hosts was Ciril Smrkolj who is President of the Slovenia Agriculture and Forestry Chamber, a primary ag group in the country.
The Wine Queen of Slovenia this year is Svetlana Sirec.
I like the way Fran Fischler, President of the IFAJ Congress 2008, started his remarks at the end of the event.
The new President of IFAJ is Mike Wilson, Farm Progress Companies.
Then during our final dinner of the IFAJ Congress in Portoroz Mike took the microphone as the new man in charge. 
The final night’s activities at the IFAJ Congress was a historic event for me. The only IFAJ President I’ve ever known up until this Congress was David Markey and this was when he turned the reins over to a new leader. 
Then David had some time to talk about his opportunity to serve IFAJ as President. If you know David then you know that he’s a professional and a businessman. I think he brought the organization a new outlook that has helped it to grow significantly. He looks at things a little differently than your average person with an insight that comes from years of successful business management. 
Here’s something you just don’t see much any more. Telephone booths. I remember when we used to be able to unscrew the mouthpieces and plug our recorders into them with alligator clips to send audio back home. I also remember moving to Missouri and stopping at one of these in north Illinois during the winter to call home when the wind chill was about 10 below. I like emailing or uploading from the warm comfort of my room now!
The IFAJ Congress has concluded but AgWired coverage of the event has not. Over the next several days I’ll be featuring more interviews and video clips. Our schedule and internet access has worked against me a little bit. Cindy and I just got back into Graz where we’ll fly out early tomorrow for St. Louis. At the moment, the internet access here in the hotel is not working. However, I was able to get online behind the desk in the lobby.
Portoroz is a beautiful little town on the Adriatic coast. The weather changed last night as we came in from Austria and we’ve been getting some light sprinkles all morning.
Greeting the IFAJ Congress at our first dinner in Portoroz was the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Iztok Jarc. He had a challenge because just prior to our dinner the weather changed completely and we had a drenching lightning storm. It forced the restaurant to make some major adjustments to the settings but finally we got everyone under cover and seated.
Our first stop on the Tour III group yesterday was KWB, a company that manufactures biomass heating systems. Basically these are various size heaters using wood chips or wood pellets for fuel.
On my first IFAJ tour stop I spoke with our host, Johann Scholler, Steirerfrucht. They are a fresh fruit packing facility. The main product is apples although they also handle pears and other fruit.
I think this is about the most time I’ve ever had in between posts from an event, including in Japan last year. Cindy and I are in Portoroz, Slovenia doing a little bit of catch up work in our hotel room. We were pretty much in and out of buses all day yesterday traveling down here from Graz, Austria. No time for anything and no internet access.
Farmers are twittering and then there's The Twittering Farmer.
