- The introduction of the Vermeer round baler in 1971 had a major influence on how hay and cattle producers harvested hay. To help commemorate the half century of innovation, Vermeer has planned a number of activities that will take place at the factory, online and across and its dealerships. To follow along as the company celebrates “50 years of the Vermeer round baler,” visit vermeer.com, facebook.com/vermeeragriculture or instagram.com/vermeerag.
- By decision of the board of directors and CEO, the 32nd Independent Professional Seed Association Annual Conference has gone totally virtual. The conference is scheduled for January 20-21, 2021. Registration is still open for the virtual event at ipseed.org.
- Golden Harvest agronomists are hosting a series of free virtual Winter Agronomy Summits where they will share their perspectives on key topics to help farmers start 2021 strong. To view a full schedule with session descriptions and register to attend a Golden Harvest virtual Winter Agronomy Summit, visit www.VirtualAgronomySummit.com.
- The University of California, Riverside, is leading a new effort to stop and reverse a worldwide decline in honeybees, which threatens food security and prices. To boost dwindling honeybee populations, the University of California’s Office of the President has awarded $900,000 to a four-campus network of bee researchers and engineers. The network, which includes researchers from the Davis, San Diego and Merced campuses, is approaching the problem in three main ways. The first is through breeding programs. A second goal of the new network is to develop medications and treatments for sick bees. Finally, the group is looking to give beekeepers tools to better monitor bees’ health. Small devices will be able to ‘listen’ and ‘smell’ inside hives to give beekeepers indications about the health of the hive.
- Showcasing farmers growing commitment to sustainability will be a major goal for the National Corn Growers Association in 2021. Several major initiatives by NCGA, as well as collaborative efforts with partners, will bear fruit in the new year.
- Precision Planting’s annual winter conference is the preeminent gathering of farmers and farm equipment dealers who are dedicated to exploring the future of high-return technology on-farm. This year’s theme is, “Build Your Picket Fence Stand.” Through a combination of in-person and video sessions and demonstrations, Precision Planting is continuing to share new agronomic information, real-world research and trial results, new product announcements and local expertise with farmers across the U.S. to help them build their ideal or “picket fence” crop stand. Winter Conference registration is now open to farmers and members of the media at: www.precisionplanting.com/special-event/winterconference. Farmers are encouraged to find a Winter Conference location nearest to them and register online to attend in person.
- Monty’s Plant Food Company deepened their capacity as a trusted advisor and innovator of product solutions to farmers through the expansion of their research and development department. They announced the arrival of two key R & D department employees, Dr. Fritzie Chen and Dr. Cassidy Million, as well as an ongoing expansion that will double the footprint of Monty’s laboratory facility for in-house plant testing and experimentation.
- The National Wheat Foundation is accepting grower enrollment for the 2021 National Wheat Yield Contest. The Contest is divided into two primary competition categories: winter wheat and spring wheat, and two subcategories: dryland and irrigated. The Foundation is accepting entries for Winter and Spring Wheat. The deadline for Winter Wheat entries is May 15th with an early registration deadline of April 1st. The Spring wheat entry deadline is August 1st, with an early registration deadline of June 15th.
- BRANDT has added four new members to the company’s Discovery & Innovation team and a new Territory Sales Manager. New Discovery & Innovation team members include John Weber, Technical Agronomist, Pacific Northwest; Gregory Jackson, Technical Agronomist, Eastern Seaboard; Natalie Starich, Technical Data Specialist; and Grant Meckes, Lab Technician. The Discovery & Innovation team is led by Vice President Brian Haschemeyer, who oversees the company’s formulation development, agronomy research and technical support. On the commercial side, BRANDT has added Beau Artist as a Territory Sales Representative for the Turf and Ornamental group covering OR, WA and ID. In addition, BRANDT veteran Charles Lanfier has been promoted to Regional Sales Manager, Southeast/Delta.
