New on Agri-Pulse this week: Recognized as one of the most influential people in bioenergy, James C. Collins, Jr. is senior vice president for DuPont, in charge of Industrial Biosciences, Performance Polymers and Packaging & Industrial Polymers businesses. He is leading the effort to bring advanced biofuels to market, especially through a new generation cellulosic ethanol plant in Nevada, Iowa. …
BASF Raises Sales Target for Crop Protection
At a global press conference in Limburgerhof, Germany Wednesday, BASF announced an increase in the long-term sales target for its Crop Protection division. The Chemical Company’s important agricultural division is now forecast to achieve sales of more than $8 billion by 2015 and $10.8 billion by 2020 – that’s up about $2 billion from previous estimates. Markus Heldt, President of …
BASF and John Deere are German Neighbors
Global agribusiness giants John Deere and BASF are friendly neighbors in Germany, located just over a mile away from each other on opposite sides of the Rhine River. John Deere’s Christoph Wigger, pictured here on the right with BASF’s Markus Heldt, crossed the river to speak at the opening dinner of BASF’s global media event, a literal “United Nations” of …
Visit to a German Vineyard
As everyone in the United States was waking this morning to a political battle and a government shutdown, a few lucky U.S. agricultural journalists were enjoying a day in the countryside of central Germany topped by a fabulous luncheon and delicious wine that came from the vineyard we toured, courtesy of our friends with BASF Crop Protection. Our guide for …
USDA Website Shuts Down with Government
Okay, so the government is shut down because Congress is unable to play nice together and find compromise – but why would that shut the USDA website down? I checked out a few other government sites – including EPA, Energy, FDA, the White House and Congress – and none of them are shut down. I can understand not updating, but …
Willkommen to BASF Germany
Gutan Tag from BASF headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany! BASF rotates media events for agricultural journalists between the United States and Germany – with the odd years being for European media with a small group from the U.S. Organized by the incomparable Pat Morrow, the event is always first class and often includes a visit to the equally incomparable BASF Weinkeller …
New Holland Helping Farmers and Ethanol
Farmers who provide corn for ethanol plants can get special discounts on New Holland equipment and help the ethanol industry at the same time. New Holland district sales manager Bob Kacher says their American Ethanol Producers Club is an initiative they developed two years ago with Growth Energy to help both growers and the ethanol industry. “It offers the opportunity …
Ethanol’s Positive Impact on Rural Economy
Nearly 200 area farmers attended a New Holland American Ethanol Producers Club event Wednesday at Absolute Energy, an ethanol biorefinery located near Lyle, Minnesota. The event, which was the 12th held at ethanol plants around the country this year, was designed to introduce producers who provide corn for the plant to the partnership between New Holland, Growth Energy and American …
GROWMARK Names Scholarship Winners
Forty-six college students from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin recently received help to continue their college educations from GROWMARK as recipients of scholarships aimed at promoting higher education in agriculture and business. “GROWMARK invests in future talent by providing more than $44,000 in scholarships annually,” said Ashley McClintock, GROWMARK university relations manager. “We are committed to education and …
New Holland Powering American Ethanol
New Holland is proud to be powering American Ethanol as the premier equipment partner for Growth Energy and its member ethanol plants. “We’re pushing forward with a positive message about ethanol and working together with not just the plants but also the producers,” said Luke Johnson, Growth Initiatives sales manager with New Holland, at the kickoff of a New Holland …