Midwest Farm Credit lenders reported in a recent poll that commodity prices were the greatest challenge currently facing customers. Senior lenders from 17 Farm Credit Associations said they are responding to this difficulty by offering services that restructure the finical situations of their customers. A new AgriThought report also examines the farm economy and offers lenders support in helping farmers …
Bayer Pleased with EU Approval of Balance™ GT Soybeans
One of the three soybean traits just approved by the European Union is Balance™ GT (Event FG72), developed by Bayer and MS Technologies. According to Frank Terhorst, head of the Seeds business unit of Bayer’s Crop Science division, the Balance™ GT trait confers tolerance to both isoxaflutole (an HPPD inhibitor) and glyphosate herbicides. “The new Balance™ GT Soybean Performance System …
.@USSEC Announces EU Approval of Three Soy Traits
The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) has just announced the approval of three biotech soybean traits by the European Union. Now ready for import and processing are: Monsanto’s Xtend (dicamba x glyphosate MON87708 x MON89788) Monsanto’s Vistive Gold (high oleic x glyphosate MON87705 x MON89788) Bayer CropScience’s Balance GT (glyphosate x HPPD inhibitor FG72) “The EU’s approval of these events …
#IFAJ2016 Tour – Bayer Forward Farming – Part 2
The next stop on my Bayer CropScience headquarters tour during the 2016 IFAJ Congress was the enormous “store” or research compounds overseen by Dr. Mark Drewes, head of Research Compound Logistics at the facility in Monheim am Rhein, Germany. With more compounds being added all the time, the 2.5 million chemical structures stored in this automated warehouse offer researchers a …
#IFAJ2016 Tour – Bayer Forward Farming – Part 1
Welcome to a series of presentations on the work that Bayer CropScience is doing at its Monheim, Germany headquarters and in farms affiliated with their ForwardFarming initiative which demonstrates sustainable farming in practice. In line with Bayer’s mission “Science for A Better Life”, Bayer CropScience is committed to delivering innovative solutions to further promote sustainable agriculture. I’ll be posting these …
Bayer Disappointed with Monsanto Rejection
Bayer AG officials are “disappointed in Monsanto’s decision to reject its increased all-cash offer of USD 125 per share” made public last week. Monsanto’s Board of Directors unanimously rejected Bayer’s proposal as “financially inadequate and insufficient to ensure deal certainty.” The offer represents a 40 percent premium over Monsanto’s closing share price on May 9, 2016. In addition, Bayer has …
Sorghum Shootout Update
Have you ever seen sorghum growing head-high by mid-July? We haven’t either! Sorghum Shootout grower Tim Fisher is already seeing head-high sorghum fields at his operation in Arkansas, thanks in part to the Sorghum Shootout program. Sorghum Shootout is the latest National Sorghum Producers (NSP) program, sponsored by StollerUSA – which you may remember we told you about when they …
Is the Trump-Pence Republican Ticket Good for Ag?
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think about the Senate’s GMO Disclosure Bill? The Senate has passed it’s version of the GMO Disclosure Bill followed by the House passing the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, and the President is expected to sign the bill into law soon. However, 40 percent of voters believe the legislation is bad …
2016 Wallace-Carver Fellows Announced
Thirty seven students from across the country have been confirmed for the prestigious Wallace-Carver Fellowship. The fellowship, made possible with the support of The World Food Prize Foundation and The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), offers exceptional college students the opportunity to collaborate with world-renowned scientists and policymakers through paid summer internships at leading USDA research centers and offices across …
$2 M for Urban Ag Conservation from NACD, NRCS
Forty-two conservation districts in 25 states have been awarded $2 million for urban ag and conservation projects. The money was given through the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The goal of the initiative is to help conservation districts and their partners provide technical assistance for ag conversation in areas where …