Alltech Announces #AgFuture Blog Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

Hey ag bloggers. Alltech has a contest you might be interested in. Three winners will get to attend one of the best private agricultural events on the calendar. In 2050 the population will be over 9 billion. How will we feed that many people? What does the future of agriculture hold for you? We are inviting ag bloggers to imagine …

Agribusiness, Alltech

Pioneer Drought Tolerance Innovations

Chuck Zimmerman

During Commodity Classic Pioneer Hi-Bred held a press conference titled, “Innovations in Drought Tolerance: Delivering Rain or Shine.” This featured feature Pioneer’s research innovations in drought-tolerant corn hybrids, 2011 performance data on Optimum® AQUAmaxTM hybrids, and improved management options for growers. On hand was Jeff Schussler, Senior Research Manager. Results from actual on-farm trials in 2011 show Optimum® AQUAmaxTM corn …

Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, Pioneer

New Holland Announces Major National Campaign

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland has some big news and Abe Hughes, VP, New Holland North America, says it is their marketing development fund campaign which kicks off now. It’s a national advertising campaign in collaboration with New Holland dealers. As he puts it, “It’s a campaign to show that blue is back.” Abe is in the cab of a New Holland T9 …

Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, New Holland

New Holland Rustler Winner

Chuck Zimmerman

His was the first name called and his name is Paul Casper, South Dakota. Paul was the winner of a brand new New Holland Rustler this afternoon at the close of today’s trade show session at Commodity Classic. A big crowd was on hand to see the drawing. Here’s a picture of Paul receiving the key to his New Holland …

Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, New Holland

BASF Science Behind the Future of Weed Control

Chuck Zimmerman

For the 6th year BASF is holding a “Science Behind” event prior to Commodity Classic. This year the theme is The Science Behind the Future of Weed Control. A Grand Ole Opry studio is the perfect venue for this event where ag media are hearing from university researchers as well as product specialists from BASF. The event is providing a …

Agribusiness, BASF

Challenged To Think Beyond Yield Growth

Chuck Zimmerman

Challenging the ag journalists attending the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum to think about global food security differently was Gawain Kripke, Director of Policy & Research, Oxfam America. He started his presentation by saying that he would bring up some provocative ideas and he did. For example, he says Oxfam wants an end to “excessive” speculation in commodity markets, for …

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer

Entertainment By Josh Turner

Chuck Zimmerman

As you might have expected, Josh Turner was a big hit as the evening entertainment for the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum. We had a full afternoon of provocative speakers and lots of interviews were conducted. Then it was time for some good food and relaxation with our friends at Bayer and in the ag media. Then Josh Turner took …

Agribusiness, Bayer

The Growing Problem of Food Waste

Chuck Zimmerman

Food waste is a growing problem. That was the message from Kai Robertson, Director, Food, Beverage & Agriculture Practice, BSR, during the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum. I visited with Kai right after her presentation. She startled many of us attending when she presented a statistic from EPA (estimate) that more than 67 billion pounds of food end up in …

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Food

Welcome From Bayer CropScience

Chuck Zimmerman

One of our first speakers at the 2012 Ag Issues Forum is Dr. Mathias Kremer, Head of Global BioScience for Bayer CropScience. He says he wanted the takeaway message from his welcoming remarks to be an understanding of what Bayer CropScience stands for which is “an organization which sees itself as one of the solution providers to the global problems …

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer

Bayer CropScience Gathers Ag Journalists

Chuck Zimmerman

The Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum is underway. We’ve got a full house of agricultural journalists of all “types” here. This is my first time at the event and it is a very broad spectrum (sounds like a herbicide) “media” event. It’s always interesting to see the publication folks shooting video and the broadcast folks taking notes. Hmmm . . …

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer