All of the shuttle buses that are carrying people around from hotel to Convention Center are sponsored by BASF. I think they’ve done this before but it’s a great idea.
The buses have video monitors and to keep people entertained they can watch a video that was put together by BASF. I’m getting a copy of it so you can watch even if you’re not here. I’ll post it here later today.
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Arlan Suderman is a market analyst for Farm Futures magazine. He was on the program at the BASF “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium.
Arlan’s spoke about the ethanol wave and addressed the opportunities and the pitfalls that he sees coming. He shares a lot of information about how people are investing in the industry and how the boom is affecting grower decisions.
Listen to Arlan’s presentation here (12 min): cccast-7-suderman.mp3
The interview is also part of the CommodityClassicCast podcast series.
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Dirk Voeste is the head of Plant Health and Seed Treatment Research for BASF. He came here to Commodity Classic from the company’s headquarters in Germany.
Dirk’s topic at the “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium was on the research that the company is doing and to show how growers are using it to their advantage. He says that BASF continues to be an innovator. I interviewed him right after the program was over.
Listen to my interview with Dirk here: cccast-6-voeste.mp3
The interview is also part of the CommodityClassicCast podcast series.
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Andy Lee is the BASF Director of Business Operations, U. S. Crop Protection Products. He spoke at their “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium on the subject of just what BASF is doing to continue to be a leader is this area.
Like several other presenters he says that BASF is finding new and interesting applications and results for its Headline fungicide. He says that the journalists attending the symposium were asking why more growers aren’t using the product since based on the results it seems like such a “no-brainer.”
Listen to my interview with Andy: cccast-5-lee.mp3
The interview is also part of the CommodityClassicCast podcast series.
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The BASF “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium is winding up with a question and answer session that’s taking place right now.
I’ve recorded it and will have some more audio for you by tomorrow morning.
Right now it’s time to pack up here and head on over to the opening reception and other social activities that are taking place here at Commodity Classic.
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One of our presenters here at the BASF “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium is Dr. Gary Fellows, BASF Technical Market Manager. In fact he’s conducting his presentation right now as I’m posting this.
Before we got started I spoke with Dr. Fellows about New Plant Health Research which includes the finding that applying Headline fungicide to corn that is stressed by drought or dry weather conditions helps the plants make it through that period and recover faster. He says they observed this in a number of fields around the country this past season and decided to bring those findings into the research facilities to test it for themselves.
Listen to my interview with Dr. Fellows: cccast-3-fellows.mp3
The interview is also part of the CommodityClassicCast podcast series.
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Our moderator for the BASF “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium is Ray Gilmer, BASF Group Communications Manager, Agricultural Products Division.
I had a chance to talk to Ray just prior to the start of the program to get an overview of what we’re going to see and hear today. Ray says that BASF is really committed to innovation and investing into new science. He says they’ll be talking about how growers are finding real yield benefits when making sure their plants stay healthy throughout the season.
Listen to my interview with Ray: cccast-4-gilmer.mp3
The interview is also part of the CommodityClassicCast podcast series.
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As I’ve already mentioned, the BASF “Science Behind Plant Health” symposium is very well attended. I’m not sure how many times BASF has conducted this symposium but I remember attending more than one at Commodity Classic over the years.
Today’s program includes information on:
The latest BASF research into the plant physiology behind Plant Health
Results of new Plant Health research
A look ahead to the Plant Health pipeline
Introduction to specialized equipment to better understand the inner workings of plants
I’ll have more information, including interviews soon.
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The BASF “Science of Plant Health” symposium is just getting underway here in Tampa at the Hyatt.
We’ve got a nice crowd of agricultural journalists here like Willie Vogt, Farm Progress Companies on the right. I think he’s telling world record corn and soybean yield growers like Kip Cullers how to get even more yield out of their crop (Not). All in all I think there’s about 24 journalists here. I’m recording the presentations and will be posting some of them later on.
Here’s an interesting note. We have a mult-box which allows multiple people to connect to an audio feed to record it. Willie is one of several publication editors using it and he joked that the “print guys are fighting over the mult-box.” This new media world is changing how we all do our jobs!
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Before leaving the Convention Center this morning I stopped in to see the progress on the trade show.
In the main entrance this lady was working on a very nice looking sand sculpture. I guess they want to let us think of the beach even though we’re inside during some beautiful winter weather.
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