While farmers and cooperators gathered at GROWMARK‘s annual meeting in Chicago last week still have concerns about what’s happening in the nation’s capitol, they continue to be optimistic about agriculture. “I think what they’re concerned about is where the election is going to go and what that means for their business. Overall, the mood is still very strong in the …
ASTA Outlines Seed Industry Priorities for Farm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee is holding its first public meeting today in Washington and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has notified committee members of key provisions important to the seed industry within the legislation. In a recent letter to Conferees, ASTA highlighted priorities within the Conservation, Trade, Research, Horticulture and Crop Insurance titles. ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne …
Deere Introduces High-Capacity Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters
John Deere showcased the all-new 9000 Series Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters (SPFH) at last week’s Farm Progress Show, drawing a lot of interest from attendees. The four new models, which range from 616 hp to 957 hp, are able to provide up to 400 tons of throughput per hour, along with optimum corn silage processing independent of the length of cut, …
Nelson Leaving GROWMARK Board After 28 Years
Over the course of his 28 years of service on the GROWMARK Board of Directors, Illinois farmer Rick Nelson has seen a lot of change in the organization. When he was elected to the board in 1990, the cooperative operated exclusively in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Nearly 30 years later, GROWMARK has a presence in at least 40 states, as …
GROWMARK Embraces Change in Agriculture
GROWMARK CEO Jim Spradlin said the company’s new strategy – based on the acronym ‘GROW’ – is not just focused on getting bigger. It’s focused on getting better. During a shared address at the company’s annual meeting in Chicago, Spradlin and Board Chairman John Reifsteck reflected back on the past 30 years or more in agriculture, sharing both personal experiences …
BASF launches Credenz with LibertyLink GT27
At the 2018 Farm Progress Show, BASF launched Credenz® soybean with LibertyLink® GT27™, the first soybean seed technology with herbicide-tolerant stacked traits that allows growers to apply both Liberty® herbicide and glyphosate over the top of soybeans for post-emergence control of broadleaf and grass weeds. “It’s very exciting for the Credenz brand,” said Marc Hoobler, BASF Soybean Agronomy Lead. “We’re …
Smart Ag Driverless Tractor Demo at #FPS18
A driverless tractor demonstration stole the spotlight at the 2018 Farm Progress Show, especially since it was able to get out and in the field Tuesday before demos were cancelled for a day and a half due to weather. Ames, Iowa-based technology company Smart Ag introduced a full-stack software platform and aftermarket kit for driverless tractors. This revolutionary development in …
AMVAC Launches Force® 10G HL Insecticide
At the 2018 Farm Progress Show this week, AMVAC® Chemical Corporation announced the launch of Force 10G HL Insecticide for field corn, seed corn, sweet corn and popcorn. Force 10G HL has a reliable pyrethroid mode of action for proven control of corn rootworms and seed-attacking pests, including Mexican corn rootworms, northern corn rootworms, southern corn rootworms, western corn rootworms, …
Deere Adds New Tillage Models
John Deere introduced a number of new product offerings at the 2018 Farm Progress Show, including the new 2660VT Variable-Intensity Tillage Tool. Paul Richardel, Deere Product Line Marketing Manager for Tillage, was excited to talk about the new 2660VT with its adjustable gang angle that features an all-new frame and the right amount of weight per blade to handle a …
GROWMARK: Our Strategy is to ‘GROW’
The theme of the 2018 GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago is more than just a theme. It’s also the strategy the company will use moving forward. The executive team is focusing on the word “GROW” – an acronym they plan to use to reflect an entire enterprise strategy across all of the cooperative’s business units, according to Ann Kafer, vice …