Two Ag Senators Retiring

Cindy Zimmerman

Two strong advocates for agriculture on both sides of the aisle in Congress are retiring after this term, leaving a void in the Senate that could make it even more challenging for farmers and ranchers to have their voices heard on the Hill in the future. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced Saturday that he would not to seek reelection in …

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John Deere High Tech Display at AG CONNECT Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere is ready for AG CONNECT Expo. So says Barry Nelson who I spoke with at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention. Barry says one of the great features of AG CONNECT Expo is that John Deere is bringing a lot of their executives. He says customers will be able to talk directly to them. He says this …

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, John Deere

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

CHS, Inc. is pleased to introduce the CHS Center for Cooperative Growth, an online platform that gathers and shares diverse viewpoints. Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. held a grand opening of the Kinze Innovation Center with Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds. AgReliant Genetics is expanding its corn research efforts in Kansas by adding a breeding program facility and nursery that will accommodate …

Zimfo Bytes

Heading to the Iowa Power Farming Show

Cindy Zimmerman

I am on my way to Des Moines right now, along with thousands of farmers and ranchers from around the Midwest, to see big iron and futuristic ag gadgets at the 2013 Iowa Power Farming Show. The show, January 29-31 at the Iowa Events Center, will feature more than 750 ag-related companies from 29 states and 4 Canadian provinces. With …

Ag Leader, Events, Farm Machinery, Farm Shows, Precision Agriculture

BASF Fastac EC Insecticide Gets Registration

Cindy Zimmerman

Growers looking for an effective pyrethroid now have a new option with Fastac™ EC insecticide from BASF Crop Protection, which just received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration and will now be available for use for the 2013 season. We heard about Fastac during the BASF grower symposium two weeks ago and they said at the time they were expecting registration …

Audio, BASF, Crop Protection

FarmLogs Obtains Seed Funding

Chuck Zimmerman

More mobile farm applications are coming. This one from FarmLogs. FarmLogs, the Michigan startup and Y Combinator alum that helps farmers digitally manage their farm to increase profitability, today announced that it has closed a $1 million seed funding round co-led by Huron River Ventures and Hyde Park Venture Partners. Hyde Park Angels, Silicon Badia Ventures, and First-Step Fund participated …

Agribusiness, Apps, Precision Agriculture, Technology

AgFanatics Talk Crop Insurance

Cindy Zimmerman

With co-host Nick Klump under the weather last week, Cory Winstead picked GROWMARK plant food risk management analyst Graham Utter to guest host AgFanatics episode #9 on Crop Insurance. The guys talk Crop Insurance and bring in the expert Bob Dewey of Country Financial to discuss and answer some questions. They discuss things from Revenue Protection to base price and …

GROWMARK, Insurance

Ready For 2013 AG CONNECT Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

It is almost time for the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo & Summit. The show runs January 29 to 31 in Kansas City, MO. Yours truly will be there taking photos and conducting interviews to share. ZimmComm New Media is proud to be the official new media sponsor of the show once again. This special edition of the ZimmCast previews the …

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, ZimmCast

BASF Listens to Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

At last week’s BASF Crop Protection innovation symposium, I had the chance to meet some of the growers who help BASF learn what they need to get the most out of every acre. Scott Parr, a potato and vegetable farmer from Wisconsin, says he was invited to served on the BASF Grower Advisory Panel in 2011. “When you first went, …

Audio, BASF, Crop Protection, Farming

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

The American Soybean Association announced the regional winners of the 2013 Conservation Legacy Awards program. The American Farm Bureau Federation announced that Dale Moore will lead the organization’s public policy department. USDA reports U.S. commercial red meat production for December was down five percent on the year at 3.997 billion pounds. After seeing the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates …

AFBF, ASA, USDA, Wheat, Zimfo Bytes