We see so much focus on corn and soybean row crop farming at the Farm Progress Show that it was refreshing to learn about growing blackberries! We also got to eat some of my favorite berry. Of course I remember coming home from picking in our patch where I grew up covered with scratches and picking out thorns. Things are …
Bedford Launches New Solutions Focused Website
There are two launches today – the Farm Progress Show kicked off in Decatur, Illinois this morning and Bedford Reinforced Plastics has unveiled its new solution-oriented website – a perfect tool for growers. Many in the agribusiness arena may not be familiar with Bedford. The company manufacturers custom FRP (fiberglass-reinforced polymers) for many different industries. But the company actually has …
John Deere is Accelerating Growth
This evening John Lagemann, John Deere Vice President, Sales & Marketing — United States/Canada/Australia/New Zealand for the Agriculture and Turf Division, welcomed us to the biggest product launch in the history of the company. The ag media along with a large crowd of dealers got a great show and then had the opportunity to take to the floor to get …
Bringing Young People Back to the Ranch
Robbie Baird LeValley is a fourth generation Colorado rancher whose ranch has been in the family for a long-time. She hopes it will continue to be in the family for many years to come and operates her business with this goal in mind. I had the chance to speak with her for a bit during the last day of the …
Weatherbill Supplementing Federal Crop Insurance
Jeff Hamlin is the Director of Agronomic Research for Weatherbill. At the Ag Media Summit I met Jeff and learned “what is Weatherbill?” Jeff says “We provide weather insurance that pays farmers for the types of bad weather events that cost them yield.” He says their product is designed to work along with the federal crop insurance as a supplement …
FMC Looking Ahead to 2012 For Anthem
At the Ag Media Summit I stopped by the FMC booth in InfoExpo to find out what’s new. On hand was Matt Foster. Matt says they’re very excited to be launching Anthem herbicide in 2012. That’s a grass and broadleaf pre-emerge for both corn and soybeans that has both pre and post activity. I was out on field tour duty …
RCA Trellis Growing System Turns Acres Into Profits
The RCA (Rotating Cross-Arm) System from Trellis Growing Systems is turning marginal land into profits for many Midwestern farmers who have begun to plant a new cash crop – blackberries. Developed by Indiana grower Richard Barnes, the RCA System enables Midwestern growers to successfully and profitably plant blackberries by overcoming some of the traditional challenges associated with the crop. Barnes …
New Products From Monty’s
At the Ag Media Summit I visited with Monty’s Plant and Soil Products and Gary Coughlin. Thanks to whoever took the photo and posted it on the Monty’s Facebook page! So I asked him, “What’s new?” Gary says they’ve just released four new products, Corn Blend, Soybean Blend, Cotton Blend and Tobacco Blend. He says they all contain their humic …
What’s New With Becker Underwood
At the Ag Media Summit I visited with Russ Berndt, Becker Underwood. I asked him what’s new. Russ says one of the relatively new products he’d like to point to is their Vault HP product line. He says they had a phenomenal increase in sales last year. You’ll hear him explain why in our interview. He says that the ag …
AMR Management Services Acquires Drake & Company
DrakeCo is now part of a bigger association management company. AMR Management Services (AMR), a full-service association management company (AMC) serving national, regional and local client partners, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Drake & Company (DrakeCo), an accredited AMC based in Chesterfield, Mo. “I have known Steve Drake for more than 15 years and have always admired his …