Nuseed, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nufarm Limited, this week announced the acquisition of Seeds 2000 Inc, based in Breckenridge, Minnesota, USA. Seeds 2000 is a seed research, production, sales and marketing company focused primarily on the development of elite oil and confection sunflower hybrids that benefit both the farmer and end-use food customer. The company has significantly expanded its …
BASF Urges Sites of Action for Weed Management
As the spread of resistant weeds continues, the term “site of action” is becoming a factor in managing resistance. BASF wants growers to understand herbicide site of action – and what it means to their weed management plan – because it can spell the difference between losing yield or gaining profit. BASF offers four tips to unlock the benefits of …
Wonder Women Wanted
Attention women in agriculture – there’s a new reality show in the works seeking Wonder Women who do tough jobs. I got a notice from the casting company looking for “the hardest working women in America to celebrate the tough women who aren’t afraid of disgusting, terrifying, or even backbreaking labor. Women who are proud to be Wonder Women!” They …
Iowa Corn Caucus Grades Candidates on Farm Issues
The Iowa Corn Caucus released its report card for presidential candidates today, giving grades for different policy areas related to agriculture with an overall grade for each candidate. The highest overall grade went to Newt Gingrich, who scored straight As on every single policy issue. Second in the class was Rick Santorum, who had mostly A’s but faltered under farm …
The BASF Advantage Keeps Getting Better
It seems like there is always something new from BASF Crop Protection to make life a little better for farmers. At the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk, I talked with Technical Market Manager Nick Fassler about what is new in the fungicide arena. You might remember that we just chatted with Nick earlier this year at Commodity Classic …
AgGateway Helps Agribusinesses Work Together
You may not have ever heard of AgGateway, but this relatively youthful organization already has a membership that reads like a who’s who of agribusinesses and their important goal is to help efficiently share information between trading partners in the agricultural and food supply chains. GROWMARK was one of the founding companies of AgGateway just six short years ago, growing …
Thanksgiving Dinner Still a Bargain
Thanksgiving dinner this year will cost more, but it’s still a bargain no matter how you slice it. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the retail cost of menu items for a classic Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the basic trimmings increased about 13 percent this year. That may seem like a lot, …
Super Committee Heading for Super Failure?
With a deadline looming for the so-called “super committee” to make super cuts in the federal budget, all signs are pointing to a super failure. The committee was charged with making cuts that ideally would mean a new Farm Bill and that was a major topic of discussion with farm group representatives at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting …
Congress Restricts Implementation of GIPSA Rule
Implementation of USDA’s proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard’s Administration (GIPSA) rule is being restricted under legislation passed yesterday by Congress. Congress passed a $19.8 billion 2012 agricultural spending bill Thursday that includes language blocking USDA from implementing the controversial reforms to livestock and poultry marketing proposed last year and opposed by major livestock organizations, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef …
Major Ag Companies to Keynote World Ag Congress
Many of the world’s leading agriculture companies will be gathering in Brussels soon for the World Agricultural Forum 2011 Congress. The congress will bring together key figures from industry, government and NGO’s to discuss the way forward for an industry with a central role to play in a number of global challenges – the economy, energy, climate change and hunger. …