A new alliance between industry and regulators shows fertilizer and ag retailers are serious about safety. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) joined with The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) to provide training resources and safety information for workers, emergency responders, and communities within the agricultural retail and supply industry. ARA …
Alltech Crop Science Receives Organic Certifications
Alltech Crop Science has attained organic certification in North America for two of its micronutrient fertilizers – Grain-Set® and Agro-Mos®. The two products are based on amino acid and fermentation technology and join the company’s other Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)-certified products, including Soil-Set®, Crop-Set® and Galvanize® Contact, increasing options for organic growers to meet the nutritional needs of their …
GROWMARK’s FS Simulator Makes Training Fun
GROWMARK’s FS applicator simulator was on display for media this week in Bloomington, IL. The simulator was created as a training module for FS System operators to practice, study, and enhance their ability, knowledge, and safety skills. “To the best of my knowledge, this simulator is the first of its kind in agriculture being used for training,” said Erik Wilcox, …
Agrium Offers Smart Nitrogen for Smart Farmers
Mike Howell spent time at the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show telling growers about the benefits of Agrium‘s ESN smart nitrogen. ESN is a polymer-coated urea that slowly releases nitrogen over a period of 60-90 days while preventing loss from volatilization, leaching or de-nitrification It can work with nearly any grower’s program and with any crop Howell says. Whether a …
Live with Smart Nitrogen at #MSFGS17
We’re hearing a lot about SMART Farming today so Smart Nitrogen makes a lot of sense don’t you think? That’s what ESN is all about – Smart Nitrogen. It is a urea granule comprised of 44% nitrogen, contained within a flexible polymer coating. This coating protects the nitrogen from loss mechanisms and releases nitrogen in response to soil temperature. ESN …
4R Approach is Good Agronomy to Award Winner
Rick Klevze is the location manager at the GROWMARK FS Bloomsbury, New Jersey location and was one of five crop specialists recently named as the first recipients of the new GROWMARK Endure 4R Advocate award. Klevze, who has over 35 years of experience and has been a Certified Crop Adviser since 1994, believes the 4R approach is a sensible way …
4R is Right for @GROWMARK Award Winner
Jason Wesslund, area manager for the eastern half of Heritage FS in central Illinois, was one of five crop specialists recently named as the first recipients of the new GROWMARK Endure 4R Advocate award. Wesslund supervises four agronomy locations and four energy territories and also leads education and training of sustainable best management practices at Heritage FS. Wesslund uses the …
ATF Rules West Fertilizer Explosion a Criminal Act
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has ruled that the fire which caused the explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas on April 17, 2013 was started intentionally. ATF says they have tested and ruled out all accidental or natural causes, and are now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest …
First of its Kind Report Details Impact of Fertilizer
While we often take for granted the important role fertilizer plays in food production, the economic impact in terms of jobs provided by the industry has been generally overlooked. Now a study sponsored by The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is shedding light on those numbers at both the state and congressional district levels. “We are excited to be able to share …
Pirkle Receives #ARA2015 Distinguished Service Award
The Agricultural Retailers Association presented its 2015 Distinguished Service Award to Billy Pirkle, who has served as chairman of ResponsibleAg, an industry initiative which kicked off last year at this time. The organization assists fertilizer facilities with federal regulatory compliance through education, training and certification. “Agricultural retailers are already committed to stewardship and safety,” said Pirkle, who is Senior Director …