I’m not real sure how this announcement is a departure from what the company has already been doing. I remember when CaseIH came under the New Holland umbrella and CNH was announced. We joked about seeing purple tractors (red + blue) but instead the brands have remained separate and marketed separately. They’ve even retained separate staffs to do this. So I’m not clear from today’s announcement how this is actually different but I guess we’ll see. I guess that when you see words like “underperforming” and new leadership it at least means that the HR department has been busy.

Good news for cereal eaters and growers. BASF just received registration on it’s Charter Fungicide.

I’ll say it again. Send me pictures (and audio and video) and it certainly increases the likelihood of being used on AgWired!!

I’ve got to find out is there’s anyone in central Missouri participating in this. I like this idea! It’s the Bon Appetit, “Eat Local Challenge.” I will warn you that the website opens with this very pretty flash animated segment and music. Aaargh! They are the bane of a web surfer’s life. At least you can skip it. I guess web designers feel compelled to use all the tools.

I was wondering what Orion was doing after U. S. Farm Report and lo and behold there he was in my latest issue of Pioneer Growing Point Website email. He’s “What’s New.” And it’s Samuelson Sez. You have to register to enter the Growing Points website but I can get you that far. Now it features Orion’s words of wisdom, the latest on animal id.

Here’s the kind of story you don’t see often in a news release. Valent announced yesterday that it has “exited the spray oil business and will no longer market Volck Supreme Spray Oil, Volck Clear or Premium Ag 100.” Usually you get an announcement that a company is now doing something, not withdrawing. Interesting. I applaud them for making an important announcement and using a news release to do so. This is a story and worthy of a release!

AGCO has “refreshed” their logo. This is the new one. Why? Well I’ll let them explain:

Now let’s say you’re stationed in a foreign country, in a desert-like environment and all you’ve got to eat is your basic MRE’s. What would you give to have a nice bowl of salad with a little ranch dressing? How about $2.9 million dollars? That’s what Arcadia Biosciences has snagged from the DOD and I say “git ‘er done.” Get them boys some fresh veggies!!

It’s succession plan time at Archer Daniels Midland, the “Resourceful By Nature” people.