So what kind of company is Wyffels Hybrids? Well, the approximately 600 corn farmers who have gathered on the Cummings farm just north of Malcom, Iowa for Wyffels Corn Strategies 2010 are finding out firsthand (and have known for quite a while) that it is a family-owned seed company located in the heart of the corn belt in Iowa and …
Controlling the Crop Controllables
The opening session at today’s Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies 2010 focused on controlling what you can control. Steve Johnson, a farm and ag business specialist with Iowa State University, told the tent full of about 600 corn farmers that too many of their colleagues are too focused on the things they can’t control, whether it is politics, oil spills or …
Welcome to Wyffels Corn Strategies 2010
Hello from Malcom, Iowa, where I’m spending the day with the good folks from Wyffels Hybrids, who are putting on Corn Strategies 2010. This gathering is expected to draw about 600 corn farmers from throughout the area, especially Eastern Iowa, where they will get to see and hear more about this independent company… a company where you can still talk …
Syngenta Seeds Updates
VipCot™ cotton has gotten new EPA approval, and the Multi-Pest Complex will soon be ready to fight black and dingy cutworms in the Corn Belt, according to the latest news from Syngenta Seeds. Syngenta Seeds just announced that EPA has approved a natural refuge option for its VipCot™ cotton technology. VipCot* cotton contains the transgenic cotton events COT67B, which produces …
Seed Company Loyalty Drops According to New Seed Study
While most of the seed decisions have come and gone for the 2010 growing season, farmers are always thinking about the next year and marketers are always thinking about how to encourage farmers to buy their seed. This year, Successful Farming (SF) conducted a seed study, (and they also do a Farmer Insight Study each year) one that they have …
Dow AgroSciences Develops SmartStax for Corn
A recent focus of Bill Hendrix, the Biology Team Leader, Insect Management Traits & Seeds Treatments for Dow AgroSciences, is developing the new SmartStax technology for corn with Monsanto. I spoke with Hendrix about the new SmartStax traits in more detail during Commodity Classic. The SmartStax technology brings eight traits in a package of corn. It received registration in 2009 …
Channel Brand Launches Genuity SmartStax Products
Commodity Classic was full of new products and technologies and two new product lines have come from the Channel Brand. The Channel Brand is under the Channel Bio company (launched in September 2009) which is a Monsanto company. I spoke with Stacy Markovich, Channel Brand Manager about Channel Bio and the new Channel Brand products. “Our mission is to serve …
Tracy Mader Promoted At Syngenta Seeds
Congrats to Tracy Mader who was just promoted to head of Product Marketing for Syngenta Seeds corn and soybean products. In this new role, Mader will be responsible for the corn, soybean and other field crops portfolio, including traits, genetics, seed care and other relevant technology, and will oversee late stage product development, product launches and product lifecycle management. Mader …
Jill Loehr Joins Wyffels Hybrids
Jill Loehr has joined Wyffels Hybrids as a new communications manager. Loehr will be responsible for developing a strategic communications plan, as well as working closely with the director of marketing to develop materials and programs that reinforce Wyffels’ brand promise of being the best way to bring seed technology to the farm. Loehr has extensive communications experience serving most …
What’s New With Syngenta Seeds
I learned what’s new with Syngenta Seeds from Wayne Fithian at the recent NAFB Trade Talk. He says that because of biotechnology the pace of new products is becoming more rapid. According to Wayne, they’re in the final stages of regulatory approval of their Agrisure Viptera for corn which they hope to have available for planting in 2010. Following that …