Nothing runs like a Deere. Especially a Deere running with biodiesel. John Deere demonstrated its vast array of diesel equipment able to run on biodiesel during the Biodiesel Vehicle Showcase. Why Biodiesel? Well, in addition to security benefits for Americans, it also improves lubricity, reduces sulfur emissions, and reduces aromatics. Biodiesel has a high cetane content for faster ignition. These …
Farm Podcasting Tool
You know I’m flexible on my mobile platforms when I can share an Android app story. Here’s one worth noting. The iRig Recording app is now available for the Android platform. I’m not sure it will become my favorite recording app but I’ll be giving it a try on my Samsung Galaxy Note II. iRig Recorder for Android is here, …
Harvesting The High Plains Documentary
Last year’s Midwest drought evoked images of the dust bowl of the “dirty 30’s”. But how many of you really know much about it or what it took to survive those trying times? Here’s one way you can get a glimpse into those times. It’s a film documentary called, “Harvesting The High Plains.” An advance copy is now available for …
Zimfo Bytes
The American Meat Science Association is hosting the AMSA 66th Reciprocal Meat Conference June 16-19, 2013 at Auburn University in Auburn, AL. Syngenta announced a new approach within its dealer channel that focuses on growing and strengthening its network of Seed Advisors. Farmers across the Corn-Growing Area have selected DEKALB drought-tolerant corn plants with deep, strong root structures to help …
USDA Deputy Secretary Resigns – Update
*UPDATED with Merrigan statement* Call it kind of a surprise – the announcement late yesterday that USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has resigned her position. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack released the following statement about Merrigan’s resignation: “USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has helped USDA achieve record results over the past four years. She has played a vital role in the Department-wide …
From Farm to City
In the agricultural world, we oftentimes talk about farm to fork, farm to plate, gate to plate, you get the idea. I think it’s imperative that we educate folks who live in the city where their food comes from and about the people who work hard to grow safe, wholesome food for our dinner tables. But as a mom, I …
More Than Simply Killing Dieases
Everyone knows that fungicides kill diseases, but the message BASF continues to tell growers is that is does much more. Caren Schmidt, Technical Market Manager in corn fungicides for BASF, spoke with me at their booth during Commodity Classic and she was excited to share the feedback she was receiving from attendees. “Headline is our foundation fungicide that has been …
Bringing Sexy Back to Agriculture
The take home theme of the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum this year came to be “bringing sexy back to agriculture.” Which begs the question – when was agriculture sexy before? If sexy means sustainable, here are a couple of pretty sexy farmers. On the left is the Bayer CropScience 2013 Young Farmer Sustainability Award winner Jeremy Jack of Mississippi …
The Right to Keep and Bear Arms
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Will the sequester monster impact you personally?” Our poll results: Fifty-two percent said No it will not impact you. Twenty-one percent said Yes, Major Impact, seventeen percent said Yes, Minor Impact, and ten percent said I Don’t Know. So most of you do not expect to be affected by the sequester monster. Wonder what …
Agriblogging Tool
I just got a new tool in my awesome arsenal of agriblogging and farmpodcasting. It’s a Tascam DR-05 Handheld Digital Recorder and it will be out and about with me starting next week at National Ag Day activities. Here’s some information about it for you agnerds: The TASCAM DR-05 handheld portable recorder records in MP3 or WAV format (including 96kHz/24-bit …