The Director for Agronomy for Koch Agronomic Services, Greg Schwab, visited with me in the media room at Commodity Classic. Greg runs the company research program. He says they have twenty five land grant universities working on their products. He coordinates that effort. Since it’s planting season I asked him what advice he has for growers. Greg says that with …
How #1 Pork Producer Deals With High Feed Costs
When you’re the number one pork producer in the world, higher feed costs take a big bite out of the bottom line. At the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) Swine Health Seminar in Denver, Dr. Steve Pollmann, President of Western Operations for Murphy-Brown, LLC shared some of his thoughts on dealing with high feed costs in commercial pig production. “We’re the …
Dupont Cellulosic Ethanol Program
During the recent Pioneer Hi-Bred media event, “Turning Insight Into Action,” Chet Holingshead visited with Steve Mirshak, Global Business Director for Dupont Cellulosic Ethanol. Steve conducted a presentation titled, “DCE – Achieving Sustainable Residue Harvest Goals for Energy Independence.” The company is constructing a cellulosic ethanol plant in Nevada, IA with construction to start later this year. Steve talks about …
Talking Corn and Soybeans with BASF
Weeds were a big topic of concern for farmers who visited the BASF Crop Protection exhibit at Commodity Classic this year and with planting season now upon us and commodity prices looking good, growers are really looking to control those yield-robbers. In soybeans, early-season weed competition poses a potential 6 to 10 percent yield loss. In corn, weeds allowed to …
Hog Producers Adjusting to Higher Feed Costs
Hog producers are now able to compete with ethanol producers for corn, according to Purdue agricultural economist Dr. Chris Hurt. Dr. Hurt spoke to swine veterinarians on the topic of “Global Feed Economics in a Biofuel World” during the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) Swine Health Seminar in Denver on Friday. “This is an amazing difference from just five years ago,” …
FS System Lubricants Keep Motors Running Smooth
From heavy-duty diesel engine oils and tractor hydraulic fluids to motor oils, industrial fluids and greases, GROWMARK is a leading manufacturer and supplier of lubricant products through the FS System. GROWMARK’s lubricant marketing manager Tom Drew says the lubricants division includes a wide range of products and brands. “We also have Archer lubricants, United lubricants, we do private label and …
2012 National Ag Day Essay Contest Winners
Here are the winners in the 2012 National Ag Day Essay Contest. Pictured is written essay contest winner Miriam Martin, Bucklin, MO Meadville R-IV High School, with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Miriam read her essay during the Celebration of Agriculture dinner. The National Ag Day Essay Contest is sponsored by: CHS Inc., The Council for Agricultural Science & …
2012 Conservation in Action Tour
The Conservation Technology Information Center has announced their 2012 Conservation in Action Tour and it’s going to be done “southern style.” At Commodity Classic I spoke with Karen Scanlon, CTIC Executive Director about this year’s program. I’ll be there again this year thanks to support from CTIC and AGROTAIN. Here’s information on the tour which is open for registration now. …
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Speaks To Ag Day
This evening our U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the 30th Secretary, addressed the Celebration of Agriculture Dinner for National Agriculture Day activities. We had a wonderful dinner highlighted by a bone-in Berkshire pork chop. Mmm . . . mmm . . . I think that we’ve had a weekly visit with the Secretary each week lately. We saw him …
Helping Congress Better Understand Farming
Congressman Collin Peterson, Ranking Member, House Committee on Agriculture, took to the microphone during the Meet and Mingle Luncheon at the House Longworth Bldg. during National Ag Day Activities. He only had a couple of minutes to speak due to a vote that had just been called. The Congressman started off his remarks about his desire to do what he …