We’ve already heard about a couple of the more leading-edge technologies our friends at John Deere displayed at this year’s AG CONNECT, including their JDLink and Machine Sync technologies. Another product that caught attendees’ attentions was Field Connect, John Deere’s soil moisture monitoring tool. “It’s pulling soil moisture information from your field, very specific to that location, and providing that …
Beef Ambassadors At CIC
You would be blind if you missed the National Beef Ambassadors walking around here at the 2013 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show here in Tampa. They are always sharply dressed in red and wearing a smile on their faces. These busy young people have been on the road educating consumers about beef and beef production, as well as …
Opening Session Remarks From NCBA President
NCBA President J.D. Alexander took the stage last night during the opening session of the 2013 Cattle Industry Convention and used the Beach Boys concert as an excuse to pull out the floral print. This Nebraskan cattlemen has traveled across the country in the past year and shared how honored he is to have the opportunity to represent cattlemen and …
The Mystery Tool
To this day, my grandpa reads a lot of ag magazines. He’s been retired for about 25 years but still enjoys staying up-to-date on the latest trends and news. But he also has what I refer to as “institutional knowledge” – meaning years of experience that he can draw upon. I recently mailed off a letter to a woman in …
Cattle Industry Convention Heating Up
Hello from the Cattle Industry Convention in Tampa, FL. Jamie beat me here to cover yesterday’s opening general session. I recovered from jet lag after a quick trip to Las Vegas and back to Florida. I left Cindy and Joanna there to finish our coverage of the National Ethanol Conference and National Biodiesel Conference. It’s a busy week. Jamie and …
Ram Trucks 2013 Super Bowl Commercial
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ”Do you support biofuel production and the use of corn to do this?” Our poll results: The majority of you at sixty percent say Yes, thirty-three percent said No, four percent were Indifferent and four percent chose Other. Growing crops to use as biomass for producing fuel seems to be the best alternative to …
Case IH Has Networking Session at AG CONNECT
Information is power, but TOO MUCH information is, well, overwhelming. During the recent AG CONNECT Expo, our friends from Case IH sponsored a a morning networking breakfast on how to manage all the information farmers are faced with in precision agriculture. “One of the things we find is this overabundance of information with data, and how do we control it, …
Gold Award for FieldScout GreenIndex+ App
One of the highlights of the recent AG CONNECT Expo are the AE50 Outstanding Innovations Gold Awards, honoring the “best of the best” displayed at the show. One of those awards went to Spectrum Technologies, Inc., for the company’s FieldScout GreenIndex+ App. The app looks at a smartphone picture of corn at the knee-high level and can make a recommendation …
USDA Extends Census Deadline
Farmers and ranchers across the country are heeding the call to have their voices heard and their farms represented in the 2012 Census of Agriculture. With 1.4 million Census forms returned, the USDA is thanking everyone for speaking up for their communities, their industry and their future by sending in their Census form. For those who missed the deadline, USDA …
NCBA Sustainability Press Conference
During the 2013 Cattle Industry Convention today NCBA held a press conference to announce the preliminary results of the Beef Industry Sustainability Assessment. Dr. Kim Stackhouse, NCBA Director of Sustainability, shared how the beef checkoff-funded assessment is a holistic look at the entire beef value chain. This is the first time any food value chain has ever documented the economic, …