We’ve heard a lot about wind damage to corn but I guess it’s not just limited to here in Ohio. Pam Fretwell, Conklin Companies, was working here at the Farm Science Review and shared a few photos of the damage in Illinois. That’s going to be tough to harvest! Farm Science Review Photo Album AgWired coverage of the Farm Science …
FARM CREDIT + FARM SAFETY = MEALS IN THE FIELDS
More than one-hundred Illinois farm families will be treated to a free lunch – and most importantly a quick break from harvest work – during National Farm Safety & Health Week. Farm Credit Services of Illinois is sponsoring its annual “Meals In The Fields” program Sept. 22-26 to help promote farm safety. Each of Farm Credit’s 21 branch offices will …
MOSES is Organic
MOSES is the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service. At the Farm Progress Show, their outreach coordinator, Harriet Behar, visited the media tent. One of the first things I asked her was just what “organic” means. She says it’s a sustainable method of farming that uses on-farm produced inputs. “Only products that have met the organic regulations are allowed to …
More Monsanto Sustainability
The potential for increasing yields exists everywhere if you ask Michael Doane. Michael is the Sustainability Team Lead for Monsanto. He spoke at the Monsanto discussion on sustainability on the 2008 Farm Progress Show last week. After his speech, I caught up with him and we spoke more about how he thinks the world will answer the global food demands …
Biotechnology Feeds Sustainability, Feeds the World
Thirty-three percent of the land’s surface is used for food production. That’s the figure that John Hoffman, Iowa farmer and President of the American Soybean Association puts out there. He says that 33 percent makes up 55 percent of the land that’s arable. So, we’re already using more than half the arable land out there to feed the world. Much …
Host Farm Family
Representing one of the host families here at the Farm Progress Show is Dick Isaacson, pictured here at the exhibitor’s welcome reception. The Farm Progress Show’s new, permanent biennial site wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation of local landowners. Host families include Eric and Carol Ziel, along with Eric’s parents, Bob and Mary; Dick and Judy Isaacson and his mother, …
The Art and Science of Soil Conservation
The air we breath is often taken for granted. And, Peggy James, Natural Resources Conservation Service liaison to The Nature Conservancy says, so too are non-profits. “Non-profits are like air,” Peggy said. “They’re all around us but we hardly notice it. They are an integral part of a healthy, artistic, viably economic, productive society working towards sustainability.” Sustainability, Peggy says, …
Electric Shock “Therapy” for Soil
All it takes to find out what kind of soils and elements are found in a plot of land is just a bit of electric charge. Veris Technologies has developed a method for determining soil ratios using electricity: “What we’re looking at here is using AC voltage or very low voltage injecting it into the soil with two electrodes,” Paul …
Corn Progress
There’s a lot the National Corn Growers Association is looking forward to in the next few months. I caught up with Bob Dickey, First Vice President of the association, at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Boone, IA today. He says corn growers are counting on good weather, a good harvest and a good relationship with the new Secretary of …
Farm Progress Burns B20 Biodiesel Blend
Ag equipment has been running on biodiesel during the Farm Progress Show for a number of years, but this year is the first year machinery will be operating on a B20 blend at the show. Growmark is this year’s official Farm Progress Show fuel sponsor. Mark Dehner, Marketing Manger Refined and Renewable Fuels for Growmark, says the company is using …