Ag Leader Technology is out in the fields this summer bringing the latest precision technology to Illinois farms in the Technology Meets Dirt Road Tour. There have been two events so far but there are still three more scheduled in the next couple of weeks where you can learn how the latest technology can help you manage seed, fertilizer, water …
ASTA Committee on Innovations and Policy
The American Seed Trade Association has had a Biotechnology Committee for two decades, but as it is now the Innovations and Policy Committee. Pictured here from the ASTA annual meeting are immediate past committee chair Keith Newhouse with Winfield Solutions and current chair Mark Krieger of Dow AgroSciences who presided at the first meeting of the committee under the new …
Trade Priorities for Soybean and Chicken Producers
The Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing Wednesday on “Trade Enforcement: Using Trade Rules to Level the Playing Field for U.S. Companies and Workers” addressing concerns that as new trade agreements are being considered those that are already in place are not being adequately enforced. “Without strong enforcement, no trade deal – old or new – is able to …
BASF Nealta® Fights Mites
BASF Nealta® miticide just received unconditional registration from the EPA last month so it was in the spotlight during the company’s recent media event. “We’re really excited to bring Nealta to the marketplace this year,” says product manager Doug Haller. “Currently we have 32 state registrations and we’re getting more and more each day.” The miticide is labeled for use …
USDA Biopreferred Program Grows Biobased Market
The purpose of the USDA BioPreferred® program is to promote the increased purchase and use of biobased products, so program manager Ron Buckhalt was a popular guy at last week’s United Soybean Board Biobased Products Stakeholders Dialogue. “The biopreferred program was created by Congress to help grow the market for biobased products,” said Buckhalt. “The idea being we can use …
Columbia Forest Products Stick with Soy
North Carolina-based Columbia Forest Products was ahead of the curve a decade ago when it moved to formaldehyde-free hardwood plywood technology. “We make flat, decorative panels with a highly-prized face like a cherry, oak, walnut,” explains marketing director Todd Vogelsinger. “And we glue it all together with a resin system that is 95% soy flour.” The company replaced the commonly …
New Holland Roll-Belt Facebook App
Just last year New Holland introduced the new Roll-Belt 560 Round Baler as they continue to develop this product line. The company decided to get their customers involved with the online conversation about baling with an interactive Facebook App – the New Holland Roll-Belt App. To learn more about the campaign, which we’ve helped promote, I spoke with Curt Hoffman, …
Wearable Technology for Agriculture – Google Glass
It’s time to get a ZimmGlass update. Actually, this is more of a wearable technology update that includes Google Glass. My guest this week is Bruce Rasa, TekWear, LLC. You might have met Bruce at our booth during the Agri-Marketing Conference or on a program somewhere demonstrating Google Glass. Bruce has been using Glass longer than I have and in …
ASTA Supports International Plant Treaty
You may have never heard about the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture but the multi-lateral agreement is considered crucial in the fight against global hunger and poverty. “The treaty is an international regime where countries decided that we needed to do something about conserving and sustainably using plant genetic resources for food and agriculture,” said …
Purdue President Proud to be Pro-GMO
Former Indiana governor and current president of Purdue University Mitch Daniels had some strong words for opponents of biotechnology when he addressed the American Seed Trade Association annual meeting in Indianapolis recently. “It’s bogus for people to try and alarm consumers about fictional difficulties with biotechnology,” said Daniels in an interview with Brownfield Ag News following his address. “The fight …