Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM) has purchased the assets of BioSolutions, an importer of innovative technologies for the agricultural sector in Southern Africa. The acquisition was finalized in December of 2013. Included is the office in Litchenburg South Africa, a manufacturing facility and a distributor network. ABM branded products will be produced, formulated and packaged there. This facility will manufacture products …
Manage Your Ground Speed with New Holland
Getting a lesson in Ground Speed Management with New Holland tractors was my second one during Operation Blue Force out on a farm near Bakersfield, CA. Our classroom teacher is Vic Constable. After the lesson I got into a T9 4-wheel drive tractor with track units pulling a massive field “Optimizer” to put that lesson in action. My driver, Ryan, …
Bayer’s Investment in Seeds Innovation
Bayer CropScience is showing its dedication to innovation several ways, starting with moving the company’s global seeds headquarters to the Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina. “This is something that reflects our presence in the market and desire to be close to the market,” explained Geoff Kneen, Bayer CropScience’s vice president, head of strategic initiatives and RTP operations, during …
What’s in the Bayer CropScience Trait Pipeline
Our friends at Bayer are working hard to get the next generation of soybean traits in growers’ hands in the next couple of years. At the recent Ag Issues Forum, Chuck caught up with Allen Gent, who is Bayer CropScience’s U.S. soybean product manager for soybean seed and trade. He said they’re working on weed resistant traits, such as their …
Launch of Open Ag Data Alliance
The Climate Corporation and several agricultural stakeholders have officially launched the Open Ag Data Alliance (OADA), an open standards software project to ensure farmers have full data access, security and privacy. “OADA will work to ensure farmers can move their data seamlessly and securely between their equipment, software and services by speeding the development of technical standards for data formatting …
Smart Stories from New Holland
We’ve probably all heard the phrase, “New Holland Smart,” in the company’s marketing campaigns the past few years. Now New Holland has taken the concept a step further with a new campaign that kicked off last month called, “Smart Stories.” I spoke to Mark Hooper, Director of Marketing for New Holland North America, during last week’s Operation Blue Force Train …
How Ukraine Unrest is Impacting Ag
During the World Food Prize in October, we were able to get to know some people from Ukraine and learn more about the US-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC). So our thoughts have been with them as the news has been tuned to the unrest happening there. Our friend Michael Datsenko with the USUBC put me in touch with his president and …
Bayer Tackling Citrus Greening
Citrus growers in the country, especially those in Florida, have been under siege from a disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB) or perhaps better known as citrus greening. During the recent Ag Issues Forum, Chuck caught up with Bayer CropScience‘s Rob Schrick, who said while his company is able to provide some chemicals to fight the disease, they want to offer …
In Class with New Holland Operation Blue Force
Last week I shared my experience in the tractor cab learning about New Holland’s Auto Command CVT Transmission. Before we got in the field though we were in class with Nick Graham. The Auto Command transmission gives the operator precise speed control. You can even set it to .1 MPH! I did that when I was out in the field. …
Today’s Farmer CEOs at Ag Issues Forum
The panel of farmer CEOs at the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues forum were pretty funny guys, in addition to being sharp businessmen. The “How Today’s Farmer CEOs are Reshaping Modern Ag” panelists were (left to right) Chad Leman, co-owner of Leman Farms hog operation in Illinois; Jeremy Jack, partner at Silent Shade Planting Company in Mississippi; and Bruce “Onion Man” …