Corn After Corn Ideas From Dr. Fred Below

Chuck Zimmerman

Dr. Fred BelowOne of the more entertaining presenters at today’s Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA was Dr. Fred Below. He’s a professor of crop physiology at the University of Illinois.

The main focus of his comments was mitigating the effect of yield loss when planting corn after corn. His research offers a number of suggestions for growers and you can hear them in my interview with him. You can also get a taste of his presentation in the following video.

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Below here: learning-centers-below.mp3

Or you can download the interview using this link: Listen to MP3 Dr. Fred Below Interview (3 min MP3)

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

Audio, Syngenta, Video

A View of Today’s Syngenta Learning Center

Chuck Zimmerman

There was a nice breeze out on the Johnson farm where the Syngenta Learning Center was held today in Milford, IA. You’ll hear it at the beginning of this overview video from the site.

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

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Learning On Bruce Johnson’s Farm

Chuck Zimmerman

Syngenta Learning CentersThe Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA was located on a farm just south of town. The owner of that farm is Bruce Johnson.

Right after lunch today I got to talk with Bruce about his farm and why he decided to work with Syngenta to hold this major event on his property. He says that about 59 acres is involved with the project and one of the things he’s looking forward to is getting the information first hand about the products and practices the Syngenta is working on.

You can listen to my interview with Bruce here: learning-centers-johnson.mp3

Or you can download the interview using this link: Listen to MP3 Bruce Johnson Interview (3 min MP3)

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

Audio, Syngenta

Syngenta’s Science of Corn

Chuck Zimmerman

Bruce BattlesOne of the presenters at the Syngenta Learning Centers media briefing is Bruce Battles, Agronomy Marketing Manager, Syngenta Seeds. He talked about the science of corn from the standpoint of what Syngenta is working on with new varieties. He says that there are a lot of options and challenges for growers. For example he says they’re working on solutions to the challenges of planting corn after corn.

You can listen to my interview with Bruce here: learning-centers-battles.mp3

Or you can download the interview using this link: Listen to MP3 Bruce Battles Interview (4 min MP3)

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

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Welcome to Syngenta Learning Centers

Chuck Zimmerman

Syngenta Learning CentersThe Syngenta Learning Centers got off to a great start today as everyone was divided up into groups and then rotated between different program stations.

Right after having some donuts and coffee we got an overview of the property and what we’d see. You can hear what that sounds like in the following audio file.

Welcome to the Syngenta Learning Centers: learning-centers-welcome.mp3

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

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Milford, IA Syngenta Learning Centers Underway

Chuck Zimmerman

Syngenta Learning CentersThe Syngenta Learning Centers program in Milford, IA is underway on a nice and cool day. The area had a little bit of rain overnight but we got lucky and haven’t had any this morning.

There are hundreds of farmers out here. Enough to be divided into 8 groups. Each group is attending a session on a particular topic. When the horn sounds it’s time to rotate to the next session. We’ll do 4 before lunch and 4 after lunch.

I’ve got lots of pictures and interviews but I’m going to wait until I get to my stopping point tonight in Omaha to work them up for you.

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

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Playing With Past and Future in the Present

Laura McNamara

The Ethanol Show I already clued you in to what Tad Whitten is doing right now at the Missouri and Iowa State Fairs. Now, I’ve got the scoop on what Tad will be doing for this year’s Farm Progress Show coming up at the end of August. Tad says he will be debuting a new filling station replica:

tad_whitten2.mp3
Ethanol, Farm Progress Show

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • Mediacom of Springfield announces Wednesday the launch of RFD-TV in Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City, Jasper, Cassville, Carl Junction and other surrounding areas. RFD-TV is a cable channel that targets the general interests of rural North America, South America, Europe, and the rural world. RFD-TV services the business and personal needs of rural America, which includes small acreage owners, farmers, ranchers, horse owners, small town residents and those who just enjoy the rural way of life. RFD-TV’s programming has a variety of well-balanced, high-quality, original programs including rural “lifestyle” features, rural news, commodity and financial market reports, equine training & features, consumer programming, rural event coverage, and traditional country/ethnic music-themed entertainment including programming from RFD-TV The Theatre in Branson, MO.
  • For the 2008 growing season, Pioneer Hi-Bred will offer a new system to help growers target their soybean product selections based on high-yielding genetics and traits to maximize their profit potential – not seed count. The Pioneer Soybean Seed Size Value Guarantee minimizes seed size cost variations per acre by using a price adjustment starting at 2,800 seeds per pound across all varieties and lot numbers. Customers purchasing Pioneer® brand soybean varieties will receive a graduated discount on varieties or lots with fewer than 2,800 seeds per pound. This program will be available to customers served by Pioneer sales representatives in the United States and Canada; some Southern and Western areas of the United States are excluded.
  • Pennsylvania FFA and 4-H organizations may enhance their programs thanks to more than $300,000 in funds awarded today by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The FFA and 4-H received the funds from Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff during Ag Progress Days in Rock Springs, Centre County. “Our youth are the future leaders of Pennsylvania agriculture, our state’s number one industry,” said Wolff. “The FFA and 4-H encourage youth to explore the many opportunities in agriculture that are available to them. By supporting these programs, we can keep Pennsylvania agriculture growing for generations to come.” State FFA officers accepted $71,000 in fair funds, which will be divided among 139 chapters that are home to nearly 8,000 students. State 4-H officers received $236,000 to provide local program support to more than 90,000 members in Pennsylvania.
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Pfizer VMRD Leader

Chuck Zimmerman

Dr. Cathy KnuppThe head of Pfizer Animal Health’s Veterinary Medicine Research and Development facility (called the Farm) is Dr. Cathy Knupp. She was on our program at their media event titled “Delivering Solutions Through Research and Innovation.” I’m really learning a lot attending these type of R&D programs!

Dr. Knupp supervises global research and development activities for the company. Sounds like a big job to me. She welcomed us to their facilities and I interviewed her to learn more about the Farm. She says that it can take a decade for the whole discovery and development process to work to bring a new product to market.

The research headquarters in Kalamazoo is 2,100 acres and they’ve got 170 different programs in research right now.

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Knupp here: pfizer-vmrd-07-knupp.mp3

Or if you’d like you can download it here: Download MP3 FileDr. Cathy Knupp Interview

Animal Health, Audio

Sunset on Lake Okoboji

Chuck Zimmerman

Lake Okoboji SunsetUnlike a lot of the midwest temperatures here in northern Iowa have been fairly moderate. We also got some nice rain overnight.

The clouds made for a nice sunset on the lake just before our Syngenta Learning Centers group went out to supper. Like my trip to Pfizer Animal Health last week, this event is really helping not only build relationships but providing media representatives with story material and a better understanding of what the company is doing and what products they are working on.

I would encourage more companies to follow their lead.

Syngenta Learning Centers Photo Album

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