After more than four years in limbo, trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama have finally been sent to Congress by the White House and could be voted on by next week. “The series of trade agreements I am submitting to Congress today will make it easier for American companies to sell their products in South Korea, Colombia, and …
John Deere Opens Olathe, Kansas Facility
John Deere officially opened a sparkling new LEED-certified sales and marketing center in Olathe, Kansas on Friday with the help of employees, government officials, and other special guests. “This 126,000 square foot facility has been laid out to enhance the work environment for employees and has the most up-to-date technology so we can communicate and train work groups around the …
NFocus Forum Connects Suppliers and Producers
NFocus Partners and Beck Ag recently partnered to hold the “NFocus Forum for Agribusiness” to allow ag suppliers from throughout the country to connect with some of the industry’s top producers. “Producers no longer have the luxury of time for multiple supplier meetings. Now more than ever, it’s critical for suppliers to understand the purchasing patterns and input decision making …
Isn’t Climate Change Inevitable?
“Change is inevitable. Change is constant.” – Benjamin Disraeli Let me say first off, I am not a climate change denier. There’s plenty of proof to satisfy me that the climate of the Earth can and does change over time. It has done so multiple times over the last four billion or so years of its existence – billions of …
Corn Grower Leaders Reflect on Serving Industry
As the National Corn Growers Association prepares to start a new fiscal year this weekend, some old faces (not OLD old!) are being replaced with new ones on the Corn Board. “Off the Cob” podcaster Cathryn Wojcicki did interviews with three retiring board members to find out what they learned and experienced through service and to ask for any advice …
Fall Burndown Will Help Start 2012 Off Right
To say that 2011 has been a rough year is an understatement, but the combines are rolling and the soybean harvest is underway. The first harvest figures for the season were reported by USDA this week and it is running behind schedule with just 5% complete so far. Nearly every state is behind both last year and the five year …
BASF Launches Kixor Road to Daytona 500 Sweepstakes
BASF will be sending some lucky farmer to the 2012 Daytona 500. BASF Crop Protection today announced the launch of the Kixor® herbicide technology Road to DAYTONA® sweepstakes, which celebrates the fast, complete burndown and residual control growers get with Kixor. BASF will award the sweepstakes winner a trip to the 54th annual DAYTONA 500®. BASF will also be awarding …
GROWMARK Names Scholarship Winners
GROWMARK is helping 35 college students from throughout the Midwest to continue their educations in agriculture and business. “GROWMARK invests more than $45,500 annually on scholarships. We’re investing today for a return tomorrow,” says Steve German, GROWMARK member employment manager, pictured here at the scholarship luncheon during the recent GROWMARK annual meeting. “There’s a need for agriculture businesses to support …
GROWMARK Grain Division Growth
The GROWMARK Grain Division is making news. First off, the division will have a new VP as of November 1. Brent Ericson has been named Vice President, Grain, replacing Davis Anderson, who retired in September. As VP, Grain, Ericson will be responsible for the overall management, oversight, support and growth of GROWMARK’s grain business, which includes 80 grain members and …
GROWMARK Helping Cultivate Master Farmers
Rick Nelson is not just a farmer from Paxton, Illinois – he’s a Master Farmer – and as such, he is helping to cultivate other master farmers in the state. I talked with Rick at the Farm Progress Show in the GROWMARK tent, since Rick is also Vice Chairman of GROWMARK, and we talked about the Cultivating Master Farmers program …