McCormick Company has been chosen as the agency of record for the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP). According to McCormick, they will serve USCP from the company’s Amarillo, Texas, location with assistance from staff in the Kansas City office. USCP is headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, and is a producer-funded organization with focus on crop improvement, high-value markets and renewable fuel …
MaxVisor Provides Personal Grain Market Consulting
It’s that time of the year when many of us are looking back at the past year and ahead to the new year, especially when it comes to our finances. Farmers who are making a New Years resolution to consider options for managing risk should check out MaxVisor for consulting with a personal touch. “It is sit down, one on …
2011 National Corn Yield Contest Winners Announced
Despite a challenging growing season, winners in the 2011 Corn Yield Contest still averaged well over 300 bushels an acre – some over 400! Advanced production techniques, informed growing practices and improved seed varieties helped corn growers achieve high yields in the National Corn Growers Association 2011 National Corn Yield Contest. Despite the challenging weather conditions that plagued the Corn …
BASF Helps Custom Applicators in North Dakota
At the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) convention last week I had the opportunity to chat with Chris Wharam, a BASF tech services rep with in North Dakota, about how they help farmers and custom applicators in his state. Chris was already pretty familiar with the crop protection business before he took the job with BASF, since his family owns …
GROWMARK Perspective on 2012 Farm Bill
2012 is likely to be a very interesting year for agricultural policy as we face the writing of a new Farm Bill during a presidential election year with a huge federal deficit. Since the GROWMARK cooperative system represents the interests of farmers on the federal level, I talked with GROWMARK government affairs director Chuck Spencer to get his perspective on …
The ZimmComm Ag Events Calendar
One day I was thinking to myself, “I wish there was a calendar that had all the ag events for the year on it.” I had never seen such a thing, so I decided to make one. This was not an easy task. It took me about a month to get it the way I wanted it, including photos from …
Sled Driver Inspires Ag Aviators
Last week I attended the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) convention in Las Vegas. It was the third time we have had the opportunity to find out more about these “unsung heroes of agriculture,” thanks to our friends with BASF. Among the many ways BASF supports NAAA is by sponsoring the convention kick off breakfast, which always features a speaker …
The Magic of BASF
There was magic in the air at the BASF booth during the National Agricultural Aviation Association NAAA convention and trade show this past week in Las Vegas. Those of you who visited with BASF at the 2011 Commodity Classic may have gotten a chance to see corporate magician Jon Petz perform there. BASF liked him so much that they brought …
BASF Updates Ag Aviators on New Labels
During the National Agricultural Aviation Association NAAA convention this week, Dr. Gary Fellows had the opportunity to educate aerial applicators on what’s new from BASF. Gary participated in a session with a few other crop protection product companies to provide an update on BASF herbicides and fungicides. First of all, Gary talked about the anticipated registration next year of Priaxor …
Ag Aviators Facing Unnecessary Regulations
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are facing potentially onerous regulations that could ground them if they are allowed to continue. The biggest issue they are dealing with right now is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which National Agricultural Aviation Association executive director Andrew Moore told me just went into effect on Halloween. “It’s kind of …