The perennial highlight of the ASTA CSS & Seed Expo is Dan Basse with Ag Resource Company with his global ag outlook. No one can cram as much information into a one hour presentation as Dan Basse! Despite the downturn in the farm economy domestically, Basse says it was better on a global scale. “If you’re sitting in Brazil, Russia, …
Changing of the Chairs at #ARA2016
A new chairman for the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) took the gavel last week during the organization’s annual meeting in Orlando. BRANDT Chief Operating Officer Tim McArdle received the gavel from Harold Cooper, CEO of Premier Ag Co-Op, and will serve a one-year term. “I’m incredibly humbled to take on this role and I look forward to working with ARA …
#JustGrowIt Video Unveiled at #ASTACSS
A new video that puts a face on plant breeders was unveiled by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) during the opening general session of its CSS 2016 & Seed Expo in Chicago Tuesday. The “Mom, Gardener, Plant Breeder” video is the latest initiative in ASTA’s “Better Seed, Better Life” communications program and it features Jessie Alt, a mother, home …
Topguard® EQ Fungicide at #ARA2016
FMC Corporation just launched its new Topguard® EQ fungicide premix last month so it was a hot topic at the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) convention last week. “We’re launching it in the 2017 planting season for corn and soybeans but it’s going to have a fantastic label…so we’re really excited about what Topguard EQ is going to bring to the …
Ag Economic Outlook at #ARA2016
If there is one word to describe the current economic outlook for agriculture it would probably be uncertain, according to Terry Barr, Senior Director for the Knowledge Exchange Division of CoBank. “We’re entering into a fairly dynamic period of uncertain political and economic realities,” said Barr, who spoke to a standing room only crowd at last week’s Ag Retailers Association …
Happy World #SoilDay!
In 2002, the International Union of Soil Sciences made a resolution proposing the 5th of December as World Soil Day to celebrate the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to human well being. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has made it an annual campaign which aims to connect …
GROWMARK and FS Support Pollinator Literacy in Illinois
Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) programs are buzzing with an increased emphasis on pollinators, thanks to GROWMARK and its FS member cooperatives. At the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) annual meeting this week, GROWMARK Corporate Relations and Foundation Manager Amy Bradford announced new collaborative efforts focused on activities and education related to the importance of pollinators. “We place a high …
Heading to #ASTACSS
We’ll be heading out today for the Windy City (which is also pretty cold this week) for America’s largest seed industry conference – the American Seed Trade Association 71st Corn & Sorghum Seed Research Conference 46th Soybean Seed Research Conference and Seed Expo. That’s a mouthful, so they just call it ASTA’s CSS 2016 & Seed Expo, or #ASTA-CSS. The …
GROWMARK Announces Missouri Essay Winner
GROWMARK has named Marrah Delmont of Halfway, Missouri as the state winner of the 2017 GROWMARK essay contest for FFA members with the theme “What value do cooperatives provide to today’s farmers?” In her contest entry, Delmont said: “The benefits cooperatives provide go far beyond economics. As successful cooperatives grow, successful leaders, directors, managers, and other employees grow too. By …
#ARA2016 Awards Presented
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) presented its most prestigious awards during the association’s annual meeting this week in Florida. Being an organization of ag retailers, it stands to reason that one of the biggest awards is Retailer of the Year. Sponsored by Monsanto, ARA and AgProfessional magazine, the ARA Ag Retailer of the Year honors the very best in the …