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 …
What’s New From Pioneer Hi-Bred
I’ve been looking for an excuse to post a Kip Cullers photo and decided the time was right. Kip, the king of bionic ag, is modeling at Farm Progress Show with an iPad showing what’s new with Pioneer Hi-Bred. That’s my connection here since I actually have an interview I did with Pioneer’s Drew Porter. Drew says the biggest news …
New Holland Commitment To Tier IV
I have participated in a seminar on the new Tier IV engine requirements which go into effect this coming January and found myself very lost. I’m not that kind of engineer. To help understand it better I spoke with New Holland’s Sean Dorosz at the Farm Progress Show. Pictured is a New Holland T9 Series Tractor that will support the …
Leica Makes Precision Simple
Besides farming, Brent Johnson (pictured right) owns and operates a precison ag company called LABRE Crop Consulting. They are a Leica Geosystems (AgWired sponsor) dealer. Brent talked with me at the Farm Progress Show. He says they try to take a farmer perspective in helping a farmer out. Brent says that Leica products are unique in that they are not …
Valent Launching Three New Products
Valent is preparing to launch three new products including INOVATE, FIERCE and RYZUP according to Dawn Refsell when I spoke with her during the Farm Progress Show. Inovate is a soybean seed protectant that will help growers maximize soybean stand, vigor and yield. The INOVATE System contains Nipsit INSIDE Insecticide and RANCONA Xxtra Fungicide. The product received registration in January …
I Farm to Feed the World
During the Farm Progress Show, Bayer CropScience kicked off a new initiative called, “I Farm to Feed the World,” in an effort to raise awareness about the need to decrease global hunger amidst a growing population. I spoke with Mark Wrucke about the program and he said, “We’re a global organization and we realize ag has some real challenges coming. …
Soybean Growers Can Expect Plenish From Pioneer Hi-Bred
You may not find a bottle of Plenish high oleic soy oil on your local supermarket shelf just yet but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some taste testing going on. At the Farm Progress Show Pioneer Hi-Bred conducted a cooking demonstration and had samples of food cooked with the product outside their exhibit. Farmers want a soybean with strong agronomics …
John Deere Launches 3 New Gator XUVs
The new Gator XUVs from John Deere have arrived and they are the fastest, most powerful gator that John Deere has ever made. And I got this information from a good source. Kevin Lund to be exact, a John Deere Gator expert. The new Gator XUV 825i boasts 50 horsepower, can hit top speeds of 44 miles an hour, has …
Wyffels’ Corn Hybrids Performing Well in the Fields
We’re getting closer and closer to the corn harvest in the Midwest and Bob Jackson, a researcher with Wyffels Hybrids, has been able to get into the fields and get some early looks. Harvest data coming out of Central and Southern Illinois reports that things are doing very well. “We’re off to a great start and I think we’re going …
New Holland T8 and T9 Details
Last week New Holland unveiled their new T8 and T9 tractors at the Farm Progress Show. I sat down with two of their marketing managers to learn more about these machines. Thanks to Gene Hemphill, media tent master and photographer, for taking the pictures. Let’s look at the T8 Series first. There are five models of these tractors that range …