Chuck and Cindy have been providing international ag coverage for the past several weeks, and in November, it will be my turn. I’m planning to join John Deere at the preview days for the 2007 Agritechnica exhibition in Hanover, Germany. Agritechnica leadership is getting excited about the event and about the record setting number of exhibitors. Dr. Reinhard Grandke, Chief …
Competing Crop Solution Companies Monsanto and Dow Launch Joint SmartStax Innovation
The competition in crop protection is getting rather friendly. Two of the largest suppliers of technology-based agricultural solutions in the U.S., Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences, are teaming up in the unprecedented release of an eight-gene stacked corn combination. See the Zimfo Bites Melissa posted for media event information. Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences LLC, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, …
US Ag Journalists Meet With Top BASF Officials
The agricultural journalists on this week’s media event in Germany had the honor of being able to personally interview some of the top corporate executives of BASF Agricultural Products. You have to admit, this is a darn good looking group. We do clean up well. Along with myself, the seven other journalists on the trip and our BASF communications manager …
Multi-Use Propane
For Robert Jacobs, it’s about maximum output. Robert is the Chairman for the Propane Education & Research Council Agriculture Advisory Committee. He headed a panel at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum that demonstrated the different ways propane application can be applied to agriculture, including heat remediation, heat defoliation of crops, heat sanitation and pest control. I spoke to Robert about …
Pairing Propane and Power
Some of the latest propane technology pairs propane with solar power to offer hybrid electricity generation systems. Stuart Weidie, Chairman of the PERC Research and Development Advisory Committee, says experts are looking at coupling propane with more than just solar energy though. I spoke with Stuart about the various opportunities his panel has been researching in combined heat and power …
Pest Control with Propane
Several experts in the propane industry mentioned the innovative use of propane as an insecticide at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum, but Robert McGee with Texas A&M Agriculture Research is the expert whose presentation focused solely on propane’s capability to eliminate pests. In a brief interview, Robert and I reviewed the main idea of his presentation. You can listen to …
Propane Heat Sanitizes
Raj Hulasare with Temp-Air introduced the application of propane heat remediation at the 2007 Propane Technology Forum and Scientist Terry Smith with Mississippi State University has applied that concept to his research in dairy sanitation. Terry and I discussed how propane heat sanitation offers dairy producers a chemical-free option when maintaining the health of their dairy cows. You can listen …
Monsanto World Headquarters Expansion Complete
The Monsanto World Headquarters is now 40,000 square feet bigger. The global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products has completed construction of a new data center in Missouri. Monsanto Company has announced it has completed construction of a new data center on the west side of its World Headquarters campus in Creve Coeur, Mo. The $21 million, 40,000 square-foot …
Equipment Trader Insider Blog
I noticed recently that Equipment Trader has a blog called the Equipment Trader Insider. In fact, their blog was one of many to pick up on AgWired coverage of the Farm Progress Show. They also linked to some other bloggers covering the show like Karlie Elliott, who is a junior at the University of Illinois, majoring in Agricultural Communications. She …
Off to Deutschland
While Laura is heading back from Chicagoland, I am heading off to Deutschland – Germany, that is. Just getting in the mood. I mean, who calls it Deutschland anyway, except the people who live there? The trip is a ag media tour of BASF with about six other American ag journalists. We will be flying in to Frankfort and visiting …