Some of the John Deere dealers who attended this year’s Develop with Deere conference are also developers. Ryan Hutchison with South Country Equipment in Regina, Saskatchewan, has been working on the John Deere Field Connect application. The app takes data, applies agronomic knowledge from the grower and the agronomist, and incorporates weather information to develop what he calls “crop intelligence.” …
Senators Speak Out to Approve Northey Nomination
After nearly four months of having the nomination of Iowa’s Bill Northey to the U.S. Department of Agriculture held up by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) brought it up on the floor Wednesday and called on other colleagues to back him up. Northey was nominated to be USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation in September …
ZimmCast 573 – Cattle Convention and Classic
While at the Cattle Industry Convention last week in Phoenix, Jamie decided to hijack the ZimmCast and chat with her sister and business partner Joanna Wilkinson, who is also the creative director for ZimmComm. Jamie introduces us to Joanna and talks about the convention and the customized virtual newsroom that we built for that event. I proceeded to hijack the …
Third Class of CIRB Emerging Leaders
The third class of the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau’s (CIRB) Emerging Leaders Program is the biggest yet, bringing the total number of program alumni and participants now to 17. The program is designed for professionals in the crop insurance industry that seek to increase their knowledge and hands-on experience with key issues with the goal of building the next …
NCBA Recognizes Arizona Ranch for Environmental Stewardship
A third generation Arizona rancher is working hard to leave his ranch land better than he found it for the next generation. The Jim O’Haco Cattle Company is this year’s winner of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association National Environmental Stewardship Award, presented during this year’s Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix. O’Haco owns two ranches totaling nearly 90,000 acres. “We have …
Perdue Discusses State of Rural Economy
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue briefed members of the House Agriculture Committee Tuesday on the current state of the rural economy and USDA’s farm bill priorities. “We’re in a very different situation than when you last contemplated a farm bill,” said Perdue in his opening remarks. “The state of the rural economy is fragile.” Secretary Perdue was asked about a number …
Scouting With Aerial Precision Imagery
While many farmers have embraced the technology available to scout fields with unmanned aerial vehicles, Jeff Buyck with C&B Operations has taken things a bit further. The John Deere dealer from South Dakota uses manned aircraft to scout fields and help area farmers identify problem spots more quickly. “It’s really being able to detect an issue before you can see …
CIRB is Focused on the Farm Bill
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) was in the neighborhood so he stopped by to say hello at the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) annual meeting in Scottsdale last week and posed for a photos with members, including chairman Ron Rutledge, Farmers Mutual Hail. Rutledge says this year is an important one for the crop insurance industry in Congress with a …
Five Mineral Myths Busted
Alltech did some myth busting at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show with regards to the latest strategies and newest technologies in trace mineral supplementation. A panel discussion including Dr. Vaughn Holder, ruminant research director with Alltech, conducted a forum where they busted five mineral myths relating to ruminant nutrition. Holder said producers should …
Sustainability a Focus for Beef Supply Chain
Many of those gathered at this year’s Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show in Phoenix are working toward sustainability within the beef industry at all levels of the supply chain. “Sustainability, as defined by NCBA, is about producing safe and nutritious beef with economic viability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility,” said Dr. Sara Place, Sr. …