2018 was a very good year for the crop insurance and reinsurance industry and 2019 is looking good also. “This was a momentous year for the industry, compared to what might have been,” said Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) executive vice president Mike Torrey in his update at the organization’s annual meeting last week in San Diego. “We were …
USDA RMA Administrator Updates #CIRB2019
USDA Risk Management Agency administrator and Illinois farmer Martin Barbre attended the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) annual meeting this week to provide an update on his agency’s priorities. Barbre discussed a number of issues, including the Multi County Enterprise Unit, upcoming deadlines, a Farm Bill implementation listening session coming up February 26, disaster relief, and the Dairy Revenue …
FMC Talks About the Danger of Reduced Herbicide Rates
At the 2019 National Farm Machinery Show I spoke with Drake Copeland, Technical Services Manager, FMC. Our topic was the danger of reduced herbicide rates. Drake talks about the importance of pre-emergence residual herbicides for weed control and what happens when a grower uses reduced herbicide rates. He also talks weed size and it certainly does matter. There’s a lot …
Case IH Unveils AFS Connect Magnum Series Tractors
During the 2019 National Farm Machinery Show Case IH unveiled the new AFS Connect Magnum Series Tractors. Working with me here at NFMS is Laura Handke who took photos, recorded the unveiling presentation and interviewed Bill Webber, North America Marketing Manager for High Hp Tractors, Case IH Brand. Case IH is unveiling new AFS Connect™ Magnum™ series tractors, giving producers …
Zimfo Bytes 2/15
Tom Sleight, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Grains Council since 2012, will retire this summer following the appointment of his successor, the Council’s Board of Directors announced this week at the organization’s membership meeting in Cartagena, Colombia. American Vanguard Corporation, parent company to AMVAC Chemical Corporation, is celebrating 50 years in business. The milestone is being honored …
Optimism in Crop Insurance Reinsurance Industry
This time last year, the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) was concerned about what might happen with the new farm bill. This year, members are pretty pleased with how it all turned out. CIRB chairman Zane Vaughn with ARMtech Insurance gives a lot of credit to the organization’s “Protect Crop Insurance” campaign. “It was very beneficial for staff on …
New Holland Launches Genesis T8 Tractor with PLM Intelligence
New Holland used this year’s National Farm Machinery Show as the venue to unveil their new GENESIS® T8 Series tractor with Precision Land Management (PLM™) Intelligence. I talked with two New Holland representatives, Ken Paul, product marketing manager for New Holland, North America and Luke Zerby, PLM product marketing manager for New Holland, North America, about the new machine. The …
FMC Helping Battle Weed Resistance
Matt Wiggins is a Technical Services Manager for FMC. I visited with him about weed resistance and what practices growers can use to avoid or slow the development of resistant weeds. In our interview we start out talking about growth in the problem of resistant weeds and how weeds become resistant to herbicides. Matt has some solid suggestions for a …
USDA Deputy Secretary Stresses Ethanol Support
USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky visited the 2019 National Ethanol Conference in Orlando this week to stress the administration’s strong support of ethanol. “You have very strong advocates in Sec. Perdue, myself and all of us at USDA who are working on your behalf as well as President Trump, who has also been a strong supporter – as you all …
American Lamb Board New Chair and Annual Report
The American Lamb Board has elected a new chairman and released its 2018 Annual Report. Dale Thorne, a sheep producer from Michigan, has been elected chairman of the American Lamb Board (ALB). He is serving his second 3-year term on the Board, representing the lamb feeding sector. Thorne has previously served as ALB vice chairman, treasurer and chairman of the …