- AgriLabs has announced a joint venture with Dallas-based Allflex USA to provide animal-identification products and support services to livestock producers. As a result, AgriLabs’ highly regarded AgriTag® product line will be manufactured by Allflex. In addition, AgriLabs will complement the Allflex commercial team in providing field-service and marketing support for Allflex-branded visual identification products.
- The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has recognized two U.S. conservation districts for their outstanding overall communications efforts and presented them with an annual award it sponsors through the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). The AEM/NACD “excellence in communications” award went to Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District in Zanesville, Ohio, with an honorable mention award given to Marquette County Conservation District in Marquette, Michigan. For more information on the awards and award winners, visit the NACD Web site.
- Pennington Seed unveiled Smart Seed™, the first environmentally-friendly grass seed containing exclusive varieties that require far less watering, maximize fertilizer performance, and grow denser and deeper root systems for a thick, healthy, more drought resistant lawn. Smart Seed features MYCO Advantage™, an exclusive blend of beneficial, all-natural root organisms that contribute to plant growth, enabling a smart lawn to flourish with much less water and work. Smart Seed is available in Tall Fescue, Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Rye, and Bermudagrass seed blends, as well as Sun and Shade, Fescue/Bluegrass, and Dense Shade seed mixtures.
- India will host the first global conference on agro-industries, to be held in New Delhi from 8-11 April 2008. The Global Agro-Industries Forum will promote the importance of agro-industries for economic development and poverty reduction.
Honoring Gene Hemphill
Today we honored and roasted my good friend (and client) Gene Hemphill. Gene’s sort of retiring but not really from New Holland. He’ll be staying on to continue to work with us and also pursue some other projects he’s been wanting to do like write a book.
At the media reception this evening we paid him a tribute and after we got through some of the roasting part the true feelings I think all of us in ag media share for Gene came through. For many of us he’s been a friend, a mentor, a person of integrity who we can count on to always help out in any way he can. In fact, he’s also someone who cares about the people he interacts with on a personal as well as professional level and that means a lot.
I know I’ve enjoyed working with Gene, especially as Cindy and I have worked at creating a company of our own in a very competitive media world. I’ve had the opportunity to travel with him and meet some very interesting people like Jay Leno, Michael Peterson and recently, Chuck Leavell. These are people who share his interests and values and he’s found creative ways to make those relationships work for the benefit of New Holland. I know they know they’ve got a gem and that’s why he’s going to continue to be there for us. Here you can see him getting a standing ovation during the reception.
It’s a pleasure to do this post about Gene, especially since New Holland is the sponsor of our coverage of Commodity Classic.
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New Holland Mower Drawing
This afternoon the winner of the New Holland Zero Turn Radius Mower was drawn near the end of the opening trade show session.
Pictured are Mike Adams, AgriTalk, who emceed the drawing, Gene Hemphill, New Holland and Bill Zurn (winner) and his wife Karolyn. Bill says he’s got a nice sized yard that the mower will be put to use on back home. I asked him about his farm and what he thought of winning this prize.
You can listen to my interview with Bill here: cc-08-zurn.mp3
You can also watch a short video clip of the drawing here:
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Seed Treatment Revolution
Gary Munkvold is associate professor and Seed Science Endowed chair in the Iowa State University Department of Plant Pathology. His message at the BASF seed treatment symposium was that there is a seed treatment revolution taking place today.
“Take a look at some of the things that have happened just in the last few years that have dramatically changed in the use of seed treatments,” Gary told the media. “Insecticide seed treatments are standard on corn and that’s happened in a very short period of time. Now we’re up to about four active ingredients being standard and we’re not very far away from six active ingredients being standard.”
Listen to Gary’s presentation here:
basf-munkvold.mp3
Gary says this is a very exciting time for seed treatments with lots more products coming on line. “Seed treatments are a great solution for growers. They’re convenient for them to use, they’re more and more effective, they have low environmental impact – the tools are just getting better and better for growers.” And as far as the future is concerned, Gary says the sky is the limit. “If we can show that there is some value to any characteristic that you can deliver in or on the seed, the farmers will pay for that.”
Listen to an interview with Gary here:
basf-gary.mp3
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Let’s Get Corn Fed With Shannon Brown
This Saturday night at the big Commodity Classic evening of entertainment at the Grand Ole Opry one of the performers will be Shannon Brown.
I saw Shannon earlier this week at the National Ethanol Conference in Orlando. The song that wowed them there will also do so here I’m sure.
It’s Corn Fed and in case you haven’t heard it then why don’t you watch it:
I can’t think of a better “anthem” song for the corn growers and ethanol producers of this great country and I’m sure Shannon will do a great performance once again here.
New Holland Booth Tour
I got a tour guide to take me through the New Holland booth today here at Commodity Classic. The media get an hour in the show before all the farmers are allowed in so it’s kind of nice and quiet.
I took advantage of that to get Mike Harvey, New Holland, to walk me through and talk about all the things that farmers will find here in their exhibit.
So follow on along and learn about big blue:
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A New (Old) Host For AgriTalk?
I’m not sure if there’s a coup going on at AgriTalk or what.
Mike Adams is on the outside looking in (left) while Mike Perrine’s got the microphone. I think he could do it but . . .
Stay tuned as the AgriTalk saga continues on AgWired.
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Guess Who’s Boots at Commodity Classic
Yes. It’s time once again for another edition of “Guess Who’s Boots.” These boots were seen around the show this afternoon.
The first person to post a comment with the correct answer will win a ZimmComm Logo mini speaker for their iPod.
Get your thinking cap on and post your guess. I’ll provide clues if I have to. . .
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Leah Highlights Commodity Classic
I think Leah Guffey, WFMB, Springfield, IL is becoming an AgWired regular.
Today it was all about color coordination as Leah’s hair matched her shirt and even the media ribbon on her name badge here at the Commodity Classic. Her son calls it “peanut butter and jelly” hair.
I think the highlights look marvelous don’t you. I had to make sure you got both sides for the full effect. Leah is just one of the many ag journalists here at the show. Last I heard, we’ve now got 140 registered media attending, an all time high.
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Seed Treatment Increases Value
Steve Hawkins is managing director of The Context Network in West Des Moines, Iowa – and formally with Delta and Pine Land Company and Asgrow Seed Company. He was also one of the presenters at the BASF seed treatment media event at Commodity Classic this week.
His topic was values within the seed industry. “Seed treatments have gone from protection of the seed through to planting to the ability to protect the crop post-planting. That’s a significant shift that we have seen in the last few years,” said Hawkins.
He says this has affected the decision points for growers. “We see the decision points being moved earlier,” he said. “The ability to see and control pests before they have an economic impact and efficiency leads to ability to farm more acres.”
Listen to Steve’s presentation here:
basf-hawkins.mp3
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