Leaders from the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and the China National Seed Association (CNSA) signed an historic Memo of Understanding today to promote cooperation relating to innovation in the seed industry, said ASTA president Andrew W. LaVigne. “This agreement achieves two extremely important goals,” said LaVigne. “First, it is an important first step in providing new business opportunities for …
NAAA Convention Overview
Here’s Andrew Moore (left), Executive Director, National Agricultural Aviation Association and the opening breakfast keynote speaker Story Musgrave. Story’s story was filled with great anecdotes from his career as an astronaut with agricultural roots. He also had a slide show filled with unbelievable photos from space and different periods of his career. I spoke with Andrew after watching today’s Fire …
BASF/NAAA Scholarship Winner Kippy Foltyn
One of the two 2012 BASF/NAAA Scholarships was awarded to Kippy Foltyn of Lansford, ND. Foltyn attended Ag Flight Pilot Training LLC in Bainbridge, Georgia, and plans to continue his education later this year with plans to become an aerial applicator. While visiting with him after this morning’s presentation Kippy says he’s been involved with the ag industry for about …
BASF/NAAA Scholarship Winner Justin Mook
This morning BASF and the National Agricultural Aviation Association announced their 2012 scholarship awards. One of those receiving an award is Justin Mook of Wiggins, CO. Mook is currently enrolled in Enrich’s Helicopters Flight School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he is pursuing his commercial pilot’s license. He already has his private license and hopes to begin his agricultural pilot …
Fire Boss Water Drop at NAAA
When the NAAA convention was held in Savannah, GA two years ago this was a big attraction. It’s a Fire Boss water drop. In between ocean going tankers coming in the Savannah River to dock and unload we got treated again today to a Fire Boss AT-802F Air Tanker demonstration. The pilot performed multiple passes that included filling pontoons with …
Feb. 1 Deadline for National Ag Day Essay Contest
The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) calls on 9th to 12th-grade students to submit an original, 450-word essay or a two-minute video essay about the importance of agriculture. This year’s theme is “American Agriculture: Nourishing Opportunities” and the deadline is Feb. 1, 2013. The ACA asks teachers and parents to encourage student participation. The theme, “American Agriculture: Nourishing Opportunities,” presents …
Zimfo Bytes
Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer. Secretary Vilsack has announced Mango and Watermelon Board appointments. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that the Eric and Stacia Sanny family from Bondurant in Polk County have been named the December winners of the “Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.” Rick Callies, U.S. Wheat Associates vice president …
BASF/NAAA Announce 2012 Scholarships
During the opening breakfast of the 2012 National Agricultural Aviation Association two budding pilots got a step closer to soaring over the fields of America thanks to a pair of scholarships from BASF and NAAA. Here’s Justin Mook of Wiggins, CO and Kippy Foltyn of Lansford, ND, with their awards presented by BASF’s Dr. Gary Fellows and NAAA’s President, Mark …
GROWMARK Excited About N-Watch
Ag journalists on the GROWMARK media tour in Iowa last month had the chance to learn about N-Watch, which started this year as a small scale, pilot program by GROWMARK in partnership with FS Member Cooperatives. The objectives of the program are to quantify the form of available, soil-applied nitrogen (N), where it is located, and what happens to the …
Agriblogging Around The Country
Hello from Savannah, GA and the 2012 National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) convention. This is the Westin hotel next to the convention center this morning as I walked over to the fitness center. I’ll be using the #NAAA12 hashtag on Twitter. While I’m here this week Cindy is in Chicago at the American Seed Trade Association CSS 2012. And Jamie …