New results from a trial done in Minnesota show that the PRRS modified live virus vaccine appears to reduce viral shedding. The trial results were presented at last week’s Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Swine Health Seminar in North Carolina by Dr. Joel Nerem of Pipestone Vet Clinic. “What we found was that vaccinated pigs shed virus for fewer days and for …
Bringing Young People Back to the Ranch
Robbie Baird LeValley is a fourth generation Colorado rancher whose ranch has been in the family for a long-time. She hopes it will continue to be in the family for many years to come and operates her business with this goal in mind. I had the chance to speak with her for a bit during the last day of the …
See the Difference Between Tilled and No-Till Soil
One of the stops on the 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour in Ohio last week was the farm of Todd Hesterman in Napoleon, Ohio. Todd has employed continuous no-till on his 450 acre corn, soybean and wheat operation for 22 years and used yield mapping for more than 14 years and is a strong advocate for doing what he …
Weatherbill Supplementing Federal Crop Insurance
Jeff Hamlin is the Director of Agronomic Research for Weatherbill. At the Ag Media Summit I met Jeff and learned “what is Weatherbill?” Jeff says “We provide weather insurance that pays farmers for the types of bad weather events that cost them yield.” He says their product is designed to work along with the federal crop insurance as a supplement …
FMC Looking Ahead to 2012 For Anthem
At the Ag Media Summit I stopped by the FMC booth in InfoExpo to find out what’s new. On hand was Matt Foster. Matt says they’re very excited to be launching Anthem herbicide in 2012. That’s a grass and broadleaf pre-emerge for both corn and soybeans that has both pre and post activity. I was out on field tour duty …
Jeff Smeenk Talks Environmental Ranching
Did you know that grasslands evolve by being grazed? And that taking grazing out of the equation damages the environment? I didn’t until I sat down with Jeff Smeenk, one of six Environmental Stewardship Award Program winners announced during the Cattle Summer Industry Conference. Smeenk explained that on his ranch, cattle serve the niche of grazing the land and helping …
Efforts to Reign in EPA Continue
I asked National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Elect J.D. Alexander some tough questions during the recent Cattle Industry Summer Conference. One such question was, “What is your favorite way to prepare your beef?” His answer – a bone in ribeye prepared on the grill. So I tried it out last night for dinner and boy was it tasty. OK, …
RCA Trellis Growing System Turns Acres Into Profits
The RCA (Rotating Cross-Arm) System from Trellis Growing Systems is turning marginal land into profits for many Midwestern farmers who have begun to plant a new cash crop – blackberries. Developed by Indiana grower Richard Barnes, the RCA System enables Midwestern growers to successfully and profitably plant blackberries by overcoming some of the traditional challenges associated with the crop. Barnes …
NCBA Helping to Create Export Markets for Cattle Producers
It often appears that a major role of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is to play “defense” against all the bad policy, press and public opinion that exists. While this is a role of the organization, it is not its only function. I also learned during the Cattle Industry Summer Conference that they also focus on “offensive” tactics like …
Talking Bio-Forge ST With Stoller USA
Jeff Morgan, Stoller USA is standing next to his good friend and ours, Kip Cullers. Actually it’s a Kip cutout. Jeff was on the floor of InfoExpo to talk about Bio-Forge ST a new seed treatment product that he says is “farmer driven” and has taken off this year. He says the first question he gets from ag journalists is …