Seed Treatment Increases Value

Cindy Zimmerman February 28, 2008

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

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
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2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland

Commodity Classic Trade Show

Cindy Zimmerman February 28, 2008

A record crowd converged on the 2008 Commodity Classic trade show this afternoon, welcomed by the bean guy.

There are over 4,450 registered attendees at the Classic this year and more than 140 media – both new records. The Classic photo album is up to date now with about 60 photos so far – but lots more to come!

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
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2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland, Soybean, Wheat

Getting Science on the Seed

Cindy Zimmerman February 28, 2008

Dr. Dirk Voeste from BASF Crop Protection Headquarters in Germany enlightened the media at Commodity Classic on the process of getting science on the seed at BASF.

According to Dirk, BASF seed treatment means protection plus vitality. He discussed the BASF concept of the German word “Verbund.”

“Verbund is not translated,” he explained. “It means really the linkage of expertises of various areas out of BASF. Polymer research, pigment research, agrichemicals, plant health, biotechnologies – which we will bring together for seed treatment to leverage it for American growers.”

“It’s like a recipe when cooking, you have to bring individual pieces together to get to a fine result at the end and BASF has all these recipes in house,” he added.

Dirk says BASF is planning to launch nine new products in the next two years to help improve the bottom line for US growers of various commodities.

Listen to my interview with Dirk here:
basf-dirk.mp3

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
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2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland, Seed, Soybean, Technology, Wheat

Seedling Show and Tell

Cindy Zimmerman February 28, 2008

Seed treatment was the topic for BASF’s media symposium at Commodity Classic and a little show and tell with seedlings showed what their new Stamina fungicide seed treatment can mean for growers.

Cristina Pagani is the researcher who conducted the experiments for BASF and she explained a little bit about the results here. The active ingredient in Stamina is the same used in Headline fungicide and trials show it improves seedling emergence under conditions of high disease pressure, cold, wet soils and where corn follows corn.

Stamina fungicide seed treatment was just registered for corn this month and another new BASF fungicide seed treatment registration is expected this fall.

Listen to my interview with Christina here:
basf-christina-edit.mp3

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2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Seed

Headline in 2007 Meant Millions More Bushels

Cindy Zimmerman February 28, 2008

Andy Lee is the director of business operations for US Crop Protection at BASF. In this position, he oversees all sales and marketing functions for BASF inthe US crop protection market.

In his presentation at BASF’s “Science Behind Seed Treatments” media symposium at the 2008 Commodity Classic in Nashville, Andy told the ag journalists that they are the answer to helping growers accelerate their yields to get closer to the record breaking corn and soybean yields that have been achieved in recent years. “It’s the information that you can get out to growers and retailers to show them how they can, if not achieve 154, maybe they can get 56 or 65, rather than the average yield,” he said.

Andy talked about the amazing success story of Headline fungicide, which was 70 percent of the market share for fungicides last year. “The Headlline that was used in corn and soybeans in 2007 gave growers over $450 million more income,” he said. “Three million acres of soybeans treated with Headline gave us 13.5 million bushels of extra beans. Seven million acres of corn treated with Headline gave us 112 million bushels (more). Basically, what that is is about 105,000 semis loaded with grain of new crop, new soybeans, new corn that previously the US market did not produce before.” And, more importantly, this was without any new acreage.

Listen to Andy’s short and informative presentation here:
basf-lee-presentation.mp3

The BASF Flicker Photo Album has been updated with all the images from yesterday’s symposium and the riverboat fun afterward.

BASF 2008 Commodity Classic Symposium Photo Album

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2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Seed, Soybean, Wheat

Commodity Classic Coverage

Chuck Zimmerman February 28, 2008

I know I’m a little behind with the program this week but what better venue to introduce a new image icon for the ZimmCast than Commodity Classic. We’ve got 4,300 people registered already and more walk-ins will show up I’m sure. There’s also 128 registered media here so far. Both of those are records according to media room manager Bob Callanan, American Soybean Association.

In this week’s program I talk to Bob about the media room then I wandered around and asked around 20 media representatives what they were excited about and planning on covering here at the conference. For the most part it’s a serious set of answers but we also had fun with it. The interviewers aren’t usually the interviewees if you know what I mean. Prices, the farm bill, how grain growers are dealing with their recent successes financially are just some of the topics you’ll hear mentioned. You’ll hear some of the most recognizable voices in the business from farm broadcasters to magazine and web editors. I hope you enjoy it.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 160 (23 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast160-2-28-08.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

Like Cindy, I want to thank BASF and New Holland for once again being our sponsors of our coverage of Commodity Classic. We’ll have lots of feature content on their involvement with the show as well as other interesting news and show coverage as we find it.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Media, New Holland, ZimmCast

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort February 28, 2008

Ag Leader Technology, Inc., announced the addition of two new features to its popular application control system, DirectCommand. DirectCommand now interfaces to the Raven Sidekick chemical injection pump for complete control over chemical injection applications. The InSight™ display and CAN module will replace the Sidekick Console, directly connecting to the injection pump. DirectCommand now has three channels of granular product control within the spreader module. Operators have the ability to apply up to three products simultaneously at varying rates either manually or using a prescription.
A new education component for America’s Heartland is now available online. A series of 42 student study guides with answer keys for teachers have been developed to accompany 42 segments from season one of the program. The lessons focus on career exploration and are targeted to secondary- and collegiate-age students. Subject categories for study guides and lessons include career profiles, food science, agri-tourism, animals, aquaculture, environmental stewardship, fruits, vegetables, specialty products and technology. Educational materials are available free of charge online.
John Crouch, chief executive officer, has announced his intention to retire from the American Angus Association later in the year. He made his intention known Feb. 20, 2008, during a regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting in Saint Joseph, Mo.
Nippon Soda Company has received EPA approval of Assail® insecticide for use on cucurbits, stone fruit, tree nuts, legume vegetables, bulb vegetables, strawberries, blueberries and other cane and bush berries. Marketed and distributed by United Phosphorus, Inc., Assail insecticide offers broad-spectrum control on a wide variety of chewing and sucking insects and has long been relied upon by growers to protect the quality and yields of many crops including pome fruit and fruiting and leafy vegetables, as well as potatoes.

Zimfo Bytes

BASF Communications

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

Ray Gilmer is the group communications manager for US Crop Protection at BASF and he is shown here moderating the BASF media event at Commodity Classic. Chuck and I knew him in a former life as communications director for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, so it was a pleasure to see him again after many years.

I talked with him about the BASF Seed Treatment symposium for the media here at Commodity Classic, why they are doing it, what their goals are and why reaching out to educate the media like this helps to educate the producer.

Listen to my interview with Ray here:
basf-ray.mp3

BASF 2008 Commodity Classic Symposium Photo Album

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Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Seed

Plenty of Pictures from BASF Seminar

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

I am going to have lots of audio coming from the BASF Seed Treatment Symposium and already have a bunch of photos which I loaded into a separate Flicker Photo Album for your viewing pleasure.

BASF 2008 Commodity Classic Symposium Photo Album

The room is literally packed here with media with two more on the phone. The presenters are giving their presentations and then it will be time for one-on-one interviews.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland, Seed, Soybean, Technology

BASF Seed Treatment Seminar Starts

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

The BASF “Science Behind Seed Treatments” media seminar is underway at Commodity Classic with about 40 ag journalists participating.

The presenters are Steve Hawkins from The Context Network, Andy Lee of BASF, Dr. Gary Munkvold of Iowa State University, Dr. Dirk Voeste of BASF Seed Treatment Technology Center in Germany, and Craig Lindholm of BASF.

The reason for the seminar is simple – growers need information and lots of it. Sitting next to me here at the symposium is a “celebrity grower” – the man who produced the world champion soybean yield – Missouri’s own Kip Cullers. His picture is flashing up on the screen as I type!