Passing of Don Funk, Seedsman

Cindy Zimmerman

We are sad to report the passing of Don E. Funk, fourth generation seedsman and grandson of seed industry pioneer, Edward J. Funk, who died June 9, 2022 of natural causes, according to his family. Don became president of Edward J. Funk & Sons at the age of 25. It was later purchased by British Petroleum. In 1999, Don formed …

people, Seed

Syngenta Group Sales Up 23% in 2021

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta Group today announced sales for 2021 grew 23 percent ($5.2 billion) year-on-year to $28.2 billion. In 2021, Syngenta Crop Protection sales grew 19 percent to $13.5 billion with sales in North America up 14 percent. VAYANTIS®, a broad-spectrum novel seed treatment fungicide dedicated to protecting soybean and corn from key diseases such as pythium, was launched in the U.S. …

Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, Seed, Syngenta

NK Seeds Launches 2023 Field Forged Series

Carrie Muehling

NK Seeds was happy to be at Commodity Classic last week to talk about the new 2023 Field Forged Series just introduced on the heels of a great first year of the Field Forged program. The company is launching 28 total products for 2023 that have been put through extreme tests to ensure they are top performers regardless of trait …

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Commodity Classic, Seed, Syngenta

Syngenta News at #Classic22

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta had so much news to share at the 2022 Commodity Classic that it could barely fit into one press conference. Syngenta North America Corporate Communications Head Paul Minehart, far right, moderated the panel of company experts, who are from right to left: Eric Boeck, North American Seeds Head of Marketing; Eric Miller, NK Soybean Product Manager; Stephanie Porter, Golden …

Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, Seed, Soybean, Syngenta, Technology

SEED+™ GRAPHITE Shows Results

Cindy Zimmerman

Verdesian Life Sciences wants to show farmers how SEED+™ GRAPHITE with corn can average a 10% yield increase. SEED+™ GRAPHITE is a nutritional seed treatment that improves germination, crop emergence, seedling vigor, and plant tolerance under abiotic stress, leading to higher yields. Product Manager Joe Vaillancourt and Mike Canady, Director of Agronomy, held a virtual media day recently to introduce …

Agronomy, Audio, Biologicals, Seed, Technology, Verdesian

Merry Christmas from IPSA

Chuck Zimmerman

Just sharing another Christmas greeting. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! We look forward to seeing you in Indianapolis in the New Year for the IPSA Annual Conference! Be sure to REGISTER before the hotel deadline on January 3, 2022. WARMEST WISHES, The IPSA Team

Holiday, Seed

Verdesian Life Sciences Offers Media Day Opportunity

Cindy Zimmerman

The Nutrient Use Efficiency People™ at Verdesian Life Sciences are planning an exclusive media event next month to share more about the innovation and technology helping to drive in-field biostimulant use and the company’s SEED+ portfolio. On January 12 at 10 a.m. central standard time, Verdesian will host a one-hour media webinar to provide details on the SEED+ planter box …

Audio, Media, Seed, Technology, Verdesian

NK Field Forged Performs Well in 2021

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta Seeds has just released new data from the 2021 harvest on performance of the NK Field Forged Series™. “Considering all that farmers had to be challenged with this year, from drought to flood, to corn rootworm to tar spot, we performed really well,” said Jim Shertzer, NK Seed marketing head, at last month’s NAFB Trade Talk. The Field Forged …

Audio, Corn, Seed, Soybean, Syngenta

ASTA Chairs – Real and Virtual

Cindy Zimmerman

John Latham, Latham Seeds, will forever be known as the American Seed Trade Association‘s virtual chairman for the dubious honor of heading the organization during the year of COVID. “It was weird,” said Latham. “We did everything on Zoom, I did a lot of video. I actually had a green screen set up in my living room and I got …

ASTA, Audio, BASF, Seed

2021 #ASTACSS is a Wrap

Cindy Zimmerman

The 2021 American Seed Trade Association CSS & Seed Expo wrapped up Thursday with the announcement that the event will be held in a warmer location two years from now. “In 2023 we are moving from the cold bridges of Chicago to the sunshine and palm trees of Florida,” said ASTA Senior Director, Meetings & Services, Jennifer Crouse. The history …

ASTA, Audio, Seed