Category Archives: Soybean

Supreme Court Rules for Monsanto

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monsanto-thumbThe Supreme Court today ruled unanimously to protect the intellectual property rights of Monsanto‘s genetically modified soybean seed.

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Bowman v. Monsanto, a case regarding an Indiana farmer who planted saved Roundup Ready soybean seed, ruling that “patent exhaustion does not permit a farmer to reproduce patented seeds through planting and harvesting without the patent holder’s permission.”

“The Court’s ruling today ensures that longstanding principles of patent law apply to breakthrough 21st century technologies that are central to meeting the growing demands of our planet and its people,” said David F. Snively, Executive Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel of Monsanto. “The ruling also provides assurance to all inventors throughout the public and private sectors that they can and should continue to invest in innovation that feeds people, improves lives, creates jobs, and allows America to keep its competitive edge.”

American Soybean Association (ASA) President Danny Murphy, a Mississippi soybean farmer, welcomed the ruling. “By ruling unanimously in favor of maintaining the integrity of intellectual property laws, the Supreme Court has ensured that America’s soybean farmers, of which Mr. Bowman is one, can continue to rely on the technological innovation that has pushed American agriculture to the forefront of the effort to feed a global population projected to pass 9 billion by 2050,” Murphy said in a statement. “Without the protection of intellectual property that the court reaffirmed today, the companies on whom my fellow soybean farmers and I rely would have no real incentive to make the investments necessary to develop new soybean varieties that yield more, resist disease, weeds, and pests, are drought tolerant, or have improved nutritional profiles.”

VAULT HP Fixes More Nitrogen for Soybeans

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becker-berndtOne of the biggest concerns for any ag operation is getting the most out of your inputs. During the recent tour of BASF‘s newly acquired Becker Underwood St.Joseph, Mo. seed facility, Russ Berndt, product manager for legumes and northern crops for Becker Underwood, talked about the symbiotic relationship soybeans have with the living organism rhizobia, a soil bacteria that fixes nitrogen for soybean plants. While the rhizobia are naturally occurring, they’re not always the right kind for soybeans to get the most out of the nitrogen relationship. That’s where Becker Underwood’s VAULT HP and its compounds come in.

“One of them is a compound that stimulates the rhizobia so that they send signals to the plant to produce more [nitrogen-producing] nodules sites,” adding that another component is INTEGRAL, a biological fungicide that gives more protection for the plants. Russ says that while inoculant technology is not necessarily new, VAULT HP’s approach differs from the old days of the dusty black powders. Liquid concentrations allow more rhizobia to be in each treatment. “It’s now very convenient. Growers can have it put on their seed when they’re getting other seed treatments put on. They’re put on at a very low rate so the treater can put on multiple products. And the concentrations are high so the grower is getting a high count rhizobia along with all the other components of VAULT HP,” he says.

Russ goes on to say that not only are growers ensured a maximum nodulation on those roots with a surefire nitrogen fixer, they get a living biological in INTERGRAL that grows on the roots surface to provide protection throughout the season. It all adds up to a better bottom line.

“What we see as far as return on investment is growers are going to get a 5-to-1 or better return half the time and over 70 percent of the time, get at least a 2-to-1 return.”

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Russ here: Russ Berndt, Becker Underwood product manager for legumes

Becker Underwood media tour photo album

Husker Food Connection Connects Urban and Rural

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IMG_7235The Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN) collaborated with agriculture-related student organizations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to host the second annual, Husker Food Connection.

Husker Food Connection helps urban students better understand where their food comes from. The theme of the Husker Food Connection was, “Know what we grow: Discovering Nebraska Agriculture.”

Listen to Lukas Fricke, UNL freshman and animal science major, as he explains how he addresses consumer concerns about modern pork production.
Listen to Fricke explain

Participants learned about where their food comes from and the importance of agriculture in Nebraska while engaging in several activities. Students received a free lunch featuring beef, pork and turkey sandwiches along with ice cream — all products raised and made in Nebraska. During the event, approximately 2,000 lunches were served. The first 1,000 students to attend the event also received free t-shirts. Numerous students were eager to take a closer look at the piglets, chicks and Holstein calf. For many of them, this was their first experience with livestock.

Listen here to Bob Meduna, Southeast Extension Education, about helping students understand how what cattle eat impacts the final beef product.
Listen to Meduna explain

Willow Holoubek, A-FAN Organizational Director, said she is impressed with the eagerness of students to help their peers understand how their food is grown. “Having conversations about food production and making this connection is vitally important for the future. A-FAN applauds the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) students for their hard work in their efforts to connect farm to fork.”

SDA Omega-3 Soybean Oil

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untDSM Nutritional Products and Monsanto Company announced a strategic partnership to deliver the first SDA (stearidonate soybean oil) omega-3 soybean oil for use in foods in North America.

DSM Nutritional Products, the leading global provider of trusted nutritional lipids solutions with the most complete product portfolio (plant, algal and fish) addressing the full spectrum of consumer health benefits will license the SDA soybean from Monsanto, the global expert in plant technology. Monsanto will develop SDA soybean varieties and sell the seeds to its farmer customers. DSM Nutritional Products will have the exclusive global rights to brand, market, package and sell the SDA soybean oil to the food industry. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

New Monsanto – Dupont Pioneer Licensing Agreement

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MonsantoMonsanto and Dupont Pioneer announced today “a series of technology licensing agreements.” These agreements will expand the range of seed products they can offer farmers. The agreements include a multi-year, royalty-bearing license for Monsanto’s next-generation soybean technologies in the United States and Canada.

I spoke with Lisa Safarian, Monsanto, US Row Crops lead, to get some details.

Dupont PioneerSome of the details include:

Through these agreements, DuPont Pioneer will be able to offer Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans as early as 2014, and Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™ glyphosate and dicamba tolerant soybeans as early as 2015, pending regulatory approvals.

DuPont Pioneer also will receive regulatory data rights for the soybean and corn traits previously licensed from Monsanto, enabling it to create a wide array of stacked trait combinations using traits or genetics from DuPont Pioneer or others. Monsanto will receive access to certain DuPont Pioneer disease resistance and corn defoliation patents.

There are quite a few dollars involved in the agreement that include four annual fixed royalty payments from 2014 to 2017 totaling $802 million for trait technology, associated data, and soybean lines to support commercial introduction. Additionally, beginning in 2018, DuPont Pioneer will pay royalties on a per unit basis of Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield® and Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™ for the life of the agreement for continued technology access, subject to annual minimum payments through 2023 totaling $950 million.

Additionally, the companies agreed to dismiss their respective antitrust and first-generation Roundup Ready® soybean patent lawsuits pending in U.S. federal court in St. Louis.

You can listen to my interview with Lisa here: Interview with Lisa Safarian

Students Create Products From Corn and Soybeans

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Teams of Purdue University students who created fiber insulation from soybeans and a fireworks casing from corn won the top prizes in the annual Student Soybean and Corn Innovation Contests. The awards were announced at a reception March 20th, 2013 in Indianapolis.

1The competitions, sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council, teach students how to be innovative entrepreneurs with soybeans and corn. Both teams received a $20,000 prize for their work.

The winning soybean team produced Nature Loft, a soy protein fiber insulation that can be used in bedding, including sleeping bags; apparel such as hats, gloves and footwear; and other products such as headphones.

The winning corn team created Sky Maize, a biodegradable fireworks casing that is lighter and less expensive than what is now commercially available.2

Winning $10,000 the second-place soybean team developed water-soluble Double Eyelid Glue.

The second-place corn team also winning $10,000 created Fog-Away, an anti-fog glass and mirror cleansing solution.

BASF Shows How Priaxor Performs

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Spring is officially here, at least by the calendar, and Midwest farmers are preparing for a new year with the 2012 drought in the rearview mirror and a new BASF Crop Protection fungicide that combines two powerful active ingredients into the most advanced chemistry ever developed for a range of products, including soybeans.

basf-fellowsDuring the 2013 Commodity Classic, BASF was able to show farmers how Priaxor™ fungicide worked last year to control disease, improve Plant Health and drive yield, despite the record drought conditions.

Technical Market Manager for Plant Health Dr. Gary Fellows explained that they performed nearly 60 on-farm trials last year comparing Priaxor to BASF’s premier fungicide Headline. “Over those locations, Priaxor outyielded Headline by two bushels to the acre,” he said. “Not only that, it was much more consistent in its level of response.”

Priaxor is powered by Xemium® fungicide, a new active ingredient that continuously distributes its chemistry throughout the leaf to deliver more consistent disease protection, combined with F500®, the same active ingredient in Headline®. “The addition of Xemium to Headline does increase the disease control and the spectrum is better with Priaxor,” said Fellows. “On the growth efficiency side, we can show that Priaxor actually has a better plant health effect than Headline by itself.” Perhaps most importantly, Priaxor has shown to outperform Headline in stress situations, like drought.

Listen to my interview with Gary here: Interview with Dr. Gary Fellows

You can find out even more about Priaxor in lots of previous posts, including several from Classic – from Jennifer Holland – from Caren Schmidt – from Brianne Reeves – and from some growers.

Check out more photos from BASF at Commodity Classic here

Soybean Registration for BASF Zidua Herbicide

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There’s a new class of chemistry available now for soybean growers to help fight resistant weeds, including Palmer amaranth and waterhemp.

basf-arnelBASF’s Crop Protection division is pleased to announce federal registration of Zidua® herbicide in soybeans.

According to 10 years of research and field trials, the residual weed control provided by Zidua herbicide lasts up to two weeks longer than other herbicides currently on the market, which helps protect growers’ yield potential.1 Research also shows Zidua herbicide provides up to 10 percent better performance than other residual herbicides in controlling Palmer amaranth and waterhemp.2

“Zidua herbicide provides growers with a new class of chemistry and is an excellent product on its own, but can also be used effectively with Kixor® herbicide technology,” said Greg Armel, Ph.D., Technical Market Manager, BASF. “Soybean growers can now combine the fast, effective burndown and enhanced residual control benefits of Kixor with the residual control of Zidua herbicide for long-lasting weed control.”

Zidua herbicide can be tank-mixed with Kixor herbicide technology products to form a preplant and preemerge combination that combats tough, resistant weeds with up to three different sites of action. Zidua herbicide can also be applied with a range of use rates, allowing soybean growers to select the best rate for their specific needs, based on soil textures in their fields.

Greg did a presentation on Zidua during one of the WIN Sessions at the 2013 Commodity Classic, when they had just heard the soybean residue tolerances had been established. “We’re very excited that Zidua is finally coming along and with its extended residual weed control on Palmer amaranth and waterhemp, it couldn’t have come at a better time,” Greg said. BASF received registration for Zidua in corn last June.

Listen to my interview with Greg here where he talks about Zidua and the importance of different sites of action to control resistant weeds: Interview with Greg Armel

Colorful Way Shows How BASF Herbicide Works

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basf-classic13-infaredDuring the recent “Science Behind BASF” event, Senior Biologist Dr. Chad Brommer gave an infrared imaging demonstration to assess Engenia™ herbicide, a technologically advanced dicamba formulation developed by BASF.

Chad explains that they wanted a quantitative way to measure the safety and effectiveness of Engenia. “What we see with the camera is often things we can’t see with the human eye and that’s whether the plant is physiologically functioning the same way,” Chad said. The idea is to make sure that Engenia only kills the weeds and does no harm whatsoever to the plant.

The infrared technology allows them to see whether the crop is taking up any of the dicamba through secondary loss, even if it shows no visible signs of damage, basically by taking the temperature of the plant. Comparing existing dicamba formulations with Engenia, they found about a 10 degree difference in temperature. “That doesn’t seem like much, but that’s a real indication that plant has taken up some of the dicamba through secondary loss and it’s not functioning properly,” Chad said, noting that the infrared showed no difference between the Engenia-treated and untreated control.

You might remember that we shot a little video with Chad about Engenia last year at Commodity Classic. BASF anticipates the commercial launch of Engenia herbicide in the U.S. in 2014, in a complimentary time frame with the commercialization of dicamba-tolerant soybeans. BASF expects Engenia herbicide use on cotton in 2015 following the commercialization of dicamba-tolerant cotton.

Listen to my interview with Chad here: Chad Brommer interview

Check out more photos from the Science Behind BASF here

BASF Spotlights Science Behind Successful Growers

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BASF Ag Products spotlighted a couple of very successful and innovative farmers during the Science Behind event prior to Commodity Classic this year. One of them is pretty familiar to us all but the other is a newer face on the farming scene.

basf-classic13-randyThe new kid on the block is Randy Dowdy of Georgia who just got into the farming business in 2006 and has already been a multiple National Corn Yield Contest winner on pretty marginal farm land that he bought as an investment. “University guy told me I had some of the poorest soil in the state,” Randy told us. “Now that same university professor told me that I had made him rethink corn production in Georgia.”

Randy brought a different perspective to farming in his area. “Having the ability to change and the willingness to change quite often separates a good farmer from an average farmer,” he says. That includes using multiple modes of action for herbicides to work against resistant weeds and fungicides are extremely important in the south. “We are in a disease haven,” Randy said, noting that he uses several different BASF products to help prevent disease in his crops, including Headline, Headline AMP and Priaxor.

Where most of the country suffered from drought last year, Randy had just the opposite in Georgia. “We had a lot of rain events but our biggest problem was lack of sunshine,” he said.

Listen to Randy being interviewed by a couple of reporters at the Science Behind BASF event: Randy Dowdy interview

basf-classic-13-kipThe more familiar face is that of Missouri rock star farmer Kip Cullers, who still holds the title of World Champion Soybean Grower.

Kip wrote the book on being able and willing to change farming practices to get better and better yields, but he still can’t control the weather, which hurt him bad last year. “It’s kind of heartbreaking when you work all year long and try and do everything right and Mother Nature just cuts the rain off and you’re done, but that’s farming!” Kip said.

That’s why Kip has been the poster child for BASF Headline to keep his crops under the least stress possible, even under stressful conditions like drought. And Kip uses Kixor technology to fight against resistant weeds. “I just hate weeds and once you let them go to seed you have to fight them for the next ten years,” he said. “I just want to have sterile ground.”

Listen to my interview with Kip here: Kip Cullers interview

Check out more photos from the Science Behind BASF here

Six Secrets of Soybean Success Revealed

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classic13-belowMove over Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World. Dr. Fred Below has a new hit message – the Six Secrets of Soybean Success – and he revealed it for the first time to growers at the 2013 Commodity Classic, thanks to BASF Crop Protection products.

Dr. Below, who is Professor of Crop Physiology at the University of Illinois, was joined by BASF Technical Crop Production Specialist AJ Woodyard for the educational session that drew a record-breaking number of attendees.

Both BASF and Dr. Below shared new data that shows farmers how they can nearly double their yields with a comprehensive pest management plan. Even though they conducted research separately, their results both indicated that growers can maximize yields by using agronomic management program featuring a combination of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

classic13-secretsWoodyard highlighted studies that consisted of a combination treatment of BASF herbicides and fungicides in corn, and BASF herbicides, fungicides and insecticides in soybeans, and compared their effectiveness to a glyphosate-based control program. Results revealed soybean yields increased by an average of 6.0 bu/A over the glyphosate-only program.

According to Below, the current average soybean yield in the U.S. is roughly 42 bu/A, and has been hovering around that figure for the past few years. “While it may seem daunting, the quest for 85.0 bu/A isn’t a stretch. Yields of this nature are produced each year in state contests, so we know it can be done,” Below said. “The trick is figuring out how to consistently produce these yield levels, and our research has identified six strategies to help accomplish this task.”

The Six Secrets to Soybean Success are:

  1. Weather
  2. Improve soil fertility
  3. Maximize genetic yield potential
  4. Protect yield potential and maximize seed size
  5. Enhance seed emergence and vigor
  6. Utilize narrow row spacing

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dr. Below here: Dr. Fred Below

2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

BASF Awards 10 Scholarships at Classic

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BASF, in partnership with American Soybean Association (ASA), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the National Wheat Foundation (NWF) presented scholarships to 10 students during the 2013 Commodity Classic in Kissimmee, Fl.

classic13-scholars“BASF is committed to the future of agriculture and our students play a huge role in sustaining the livelihood of the industry,” said Paul Rea, Vice President, U.S. Crop Protection, BASF. “These students are passionate about agriculture, and we look forward to watching them grow into the leaders and advocates of our business.”

Mason Kiehl of Meadville, Missouri was chosen as the 2013-2014 ASA SOY scholarship recipient receiving $5,000. He is a senior at Meadville High School and will pursue a degree in agricultural systems management at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

You can find Cindy’s interview with Mason and Steve Wellman, Chairman of ASA here: Interview with Mason & Steve

This year, the NCGA scholarship was renamed the William C. Berg Academic Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship Program, in memory of Ohio corn grower and NCGA colleague Bill Berg, a long-time member of the NCGA Grower Services Action Team and supporter of the scholarship program who passed away unexpectedly last year. The NCGA awarded scholarships of $1,000 each to the following students:

  • Emily Brundick of Argyle, Missouri
  • Kyle Parmley of Perry, Oklahoma
  • Nicholas Peterson of Clearlake, Minnesota
  • Sterling Schnepf of Granville, Iowa
  • Brent Sexton of Rockwell City, Iowa

Cindy interviewed the recipients and Les Imboden, Ohio Corn Growers Treasurer: Interview with NCGA Recipients

BASF and the NWF established a new scholarship fund this year to honor longtime wheat industry friend and BASF employee Jerry Minore by supporting students pursuing careers in agriculture. The four students who received these scholarships this year are:

  • John Rosman of Creston, Washington
  • Morgan Perez of Lind, Washington
  • Joshua C. Duling of Mupin, Oregon
  • Garrett Reiss of El Dorado, Kansas

You can find my interview with recipients and Dusty Tallman, VP of American Wheat Foundation here: Interview with NWF Recipients

BASF at 2013 Commodity Classic Photos
2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Bayer CropScience Announces Balance GT Soybeans

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Eric Peters Bayer CropScience Balance GTWe recently knew it as FG72 Soybeans. Now it is Balance GT Soybeans! Bayer CropScience and MS Technologies announced the new soybean performance system during the annual Ag Issues Forum here in Kissimmee.

To learn more about it I got perspectives and information from both sides by visiting with Lauren August, MS Technologies Brand Manager, and Eric Peters, Soybean Herbicide Product Manager, seen doing an interview here in the poster session. Lauren says you’ll be able to learn a lot more about Balance GT Soybeans on their new website. MS Technologies is responsible for the soybean trait side of the collaboration. The product is a dual herbicide tolerant trait stack featuring tolerance to both glyphosate and isoxaflutole. Bayer CropScience and MS Technologies intend to broadly license Balance GT soybeans. Balance GT soybeans will be available in high-yielding genetics in many maturity groups in the US in 2015, pending regulatory approvals.

Balance GT SoybeansEric says that this will give growers an option to rotate chemistries with excellent residual for both grass and broad leaf weeds.

When growing Balance GT soybeans, growers will have the flexibility to use both glyphosate and isoxaflutole during burndown, pre- or post-emergence to achieve broad spectrum weed control of both grasses and broadleaf weeds. Rotating crops, herbicide modes of action and herbicide tolerant traits are good stewardship practices, and three of the best ways growers can achieve effective weed resistance management.

You can listen to my interview with Lauren and Eric here: Interview on new Balance GT Soybean

2013 Bayer CropScience Ag issues Forum Photo Album

Imperative to Showcase Diversity of Biodiesel

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For the past two years, Gary Haer has held three jobs: Chair of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Renewable Energy Group (REG), the largest producer of biodiesel in the nbb-13-haerU.S. and soybean and corn producer – he farms on his family farm in Northwest Missouri.

During his presentation at the 10th Annual NBB Conference, Haer noted that it was hard for him to believe this industry was celebrating it’s 20th anniversary (as Joe Jobe said, the industry has reached its teenage years).

Haer described several parallels between the rollercoaster ride that America’s farmers face every season (Haer and his family virtually lost all their crops to flooding two years in a row) and the market uncertainty battled by the biodiesel industry. He also said that because very few people understand what it really takes to produce food, feed, fiber and fuel, “The biodiesel industry must be even louder in our rallying cries to showcase the diversity of our advanced biofuel.”

Listen to Haer’s full remarks here: Raise the Rally Cry

2013 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Here’s to a Great 20 Years!

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The 10th Annual National Biodiesel Board Conference & Expo wrapped up in Las Vegas last week but the industry is still a buzz with the great things that have been achieved over the past 20 years to successfully promote biodiesel. During the first general session that officially kicked of the conference, Kenlon Johannes, CEO of the Kansas Soybean Commission reminisced about the start of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB officially turned “20″ this year).

Kenlon Johannes Kenlon says it has been an interesting 20 years and 10 years. He says there were only a few involved at the start with most of the action happening in Missouri. The first five years were the fast growth years when the industry really started to take off.

When it comes to looking back he says there are four phases to how the industry has developed. The first one was trying to figure things out, then convincing the industry itself that an organization was needed, then at the federal level work was done and markets developed and then in the last five years a very concise legislative, research and promotion program has been developed.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Kenlon here: Interview with Kenlon Johannes

2013 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

USB Honored with “Eye on Biodiesel” Award

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NBB Influncer Award to USBThe 10th Annual National Biodiesel Board Conference: Momentum, was a huge success last week as the biodiesel industry celebrated the great things that have occurred during the past 20 years in Las Vegas. The session focused on the both the history and future of biodiesel and included the announcement of several “Eye on Biodiesel” awards.

The winner of the “Influencer” category was the United Soybean Board (USB) who helped to make the success of the industry possible through its leadership and financial commitment through the soybean checkoff dating back to 1992. NBB’s CEO Joe Jobe noted that their continued support is instrumental in the growth of the biodiesel industry.

“Biodiesel, America’s advanced biofuel, would not be what it is today without champions and supporters like these Eye on Biodiesel honorees,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “It is very fitting that as we reflect on 20 years of our industry that we honor our past and the enormous impact these biodiesel pioneers had on the early development of the biodiesel industry. We did our homework, and then some, to make sure biodiesel would be received as a technically credible fuel and that is a process that continues today.”

Listen to my interview with Jim Stillman, Vice Chair of USB who accepted the award on the organization’s behalf: USB's Eye on Biodiesel

2013 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Commodity Classic Launches App

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comm-classic-appThe 18th Annual Commodity Classic has launched their first-ever mobile app for this year’s event in Kissimmee, Fl. The app will allow attendees to access information, receive messages and engage in social media from their smart phones and tablets. You can even make your own schedules, take notes, lookup session and event times and navigate with maps.

Visit www.commondityclassic.com/app to download it now or check out the App Store on your mobile device and search Commodity Classic. I just did and can’t wait to attend my first ever Commodity Classic. And the best part about it is it’s free!

In less than two weeks, soybean, corn, wheat and sorghum growers will be traveling to the far Southeast from across the county to take in the sights of Kissimmee, Fl. Producers will be educated about important agricultural issues, enlightened by new product rollouts and entertained by all the events coordinators have planned.

“The innovation you’ll witness and information you’ll gather at Commodity Classic will absolutely change the way you farm,” said Commodity Classic co-Chair Bob Worth. “Agriculture faces new challenges every year, and Commodity Classic’s educational sessions and opportunities to speak with other growers and industry leaders will arm attendees with the tools they need to overcome these challenges and increase the profitability of their farming operation.”

The 2013 Commodity Classic takes place February 28-March 2 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center and the Orlando World Center Marriott in Kissimmee, Fla., and is presented annually by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers.

Soybean Growers See Fruits of Labor in BioVegas

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nbb-13-brandtEver wondered about the fruits of your labor? Soybean growers from around the country had the opportunity to see all the different products made from soybeans during the Farmers Las Vegas Tour (or should we say BioVegas tour) where they visited the Rebel Oil Fuel Terminal, the Biodiesel of Las Vegas plant, and the SYNLawn showroom, where where soybeans are used in the backings of carpets and artificial grass. The tour took place during the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Conference & Expo in Vegas.

While en route to the locations, I visited with two soybean farmers. Dan Brandt is with the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA). He and his wife farm 650 acres, half soybeans and half corn near Yoda, MN. As co-chair of domestic marketing for MSGA he works closely with the National Biodiesel Board and the United Soybean Board to enhance and develop programs to increase the use of biodiesel and other products made from soybeans.

Listen to my interview with Dan here: Working Together to Enhance Biodiesel

nbb-13-bainbridgeI also spoke with Lewis Bainbridge who is with the United Soybean Board and is a soybean grower near Ethan, South Dakota. As a farmer and livestock producer he has been involved and supportive of biodiesel for a very long time and the state of South Dakota was actually one of the first states to get the NBB going. He said he enjoyed the clip that highlighted the past 20 years, and in the early 90s there was a kickoff event in South Dakota and Bainbridge was there. This he said, was how he got started using biodiesel.

You can hear more about the collaborative efforts of the soybean groups in my interview with Lewis: Soybean Groups Collaborate for Success

Check out the pictures of the tour in the 2013 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

BASF and John Deere Help Fight Soybean Disease

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BASF Crop Protection and John Deere have teamed up to help soybean farmers fight disease with an effective fungicide and a targeted way to apply it.

deere-nozzleSoybean growers who purchase $300 or more of Priaxor™ fungicide from BASF before March 15, 2013, may qualify to purchase John Deere spray nozzles between April 1 and May 31, 2013 with no payments and no-interest financing for 150 days. (See offer details here)

Priaxor fungicide provides continuous protection against a broad spectrum of plant diseases. More than 75 trials conducted by BASF in 2010 and 2011, in the U.S., reveal that soybean acres treated with Priaxor fungicide out-yielded untreated land 87 percent of the time.

John Deere nozzles offer precision sprayer performance and accuracy. With a variety of specialized sprayers, there is a solution for every grower and every soybean acre, including the Twin-Air nozzle for high-coverage applications with on-target spraying, providing uniform coverage – perfect for low crops with complex canopies.

basf-garyThis enhanced and targeted coverage maximizes applications of Priaxor fungicide by distributing it evenly on soybean leaves. Once applied, Priaxor fungicide continuously delivers its chemistry throughout each leaf. This brings more consistent disease protection and post-infection disease controls, providing Plant Health benefits that can result in greater yields.

Gary Fellows with BASF explained how Priaxor works and how it compares with Headline during the recent BASF Grower Innovation Symposium – listen or download here: Dr. Gary Fellows on Priaxor

Soy Booster Plot Program Announced

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w2012pressreleaseheaderThe American Soybean Association announces a new partnership with FMC Corporation and NACHURS — the 2013 Soy Booster Plot Program. ASA is seeking 125 growers across the soybean-growing region to enroll by the March 2 deadline and conduct a Soy Booster field trial on their farm during the 2013 production season.

ASA, FMC and NACHURS will work with the participating growers to conduct field trials utilizing FMC’s Capture LFR (Liquid Fertilizer Ready) insecticide and NACHURS HKW6 liquid starter fertilizer on soybeans. These trials will give individual soybean farmers the opportunity to observe and measure for themselves how the application of Capture LFR insecticide with HKW6 starter fertilizer will enhance profitable production on their farm.

Growers will need to devote 20 acres treated with Capture LFR and NACHURS HKW6 liquid starter fertilizer and 20 acres untreated. Products for treatment will be provided free of charge and participants must be able to apply the starter fertilizer and liquid insecticide in-furrow to all row units as they seed soybeans. Growers who complete the Soy Booster plot program will receive a free 7” Kindle Fire HD, 16 GB with WiFi.