ASTA Chair Looks Ahead to Annual Meeting

Cindy Zimmerman

css-13-craigFinally caught up with American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) chairman Craig Newman as I was heading out of the hotel to go home Friday morning so I caught a quick interview.

Craig says the expo this year was great with a record number of exhibitors. “In fact, it’s just bulging,” he said. “Sometimes we think that the industry’s consolidating when actually innovation is expanding it.”

Craig is president and CEO of AgReliant Genetics, based in Indiana, so he is pleased to be hosting ASTA’s 131st annual convention in his home state next year. “The meeting will be in Indianapolis and we’ve added a lot of new things,” said Craig. “First is the new ASTA Purdue Leadership Academy which is pre-conference, two and a half days of specialized seed industry training.”

The meeting will be June 11-14, 2014 and Craig encourages anyone with an interest in the seed industry to come and “feel the need for seed!” Interview with ASTA chair Craig Newman

2013 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo Photo Album

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Seed

What’s Next for ARC?

Jamie Johansen

BI-PRRS-13-116-editedBoehringer Ingelheim’s, Dr. Dale Polson, wrapped up their PRRS Seminar with answering the question of, “What’s Next for ARC?”

Dr. Polson works to development strategies for services and products at Boehringer Ingelheim. His talk at the seminar was themed on the “Playing the PRRS Behavior Game.” He shared that PRRS honors no boundaries and that it’s also about many other diseases that challenges the pork industry. The old methods of simply taking care of our own, needs to be thrown out the window. We need to adopt the ‘better together’ model that he suggests.

This method has lead Dr. Polson to suggest renaming the ARC program to Area Coordinated Disease Control. He says collaboration is the key.

“The one word that is in the set of four words is the most important and that’s the word coordinated. It’s the idea that it’s too general, in my opinion, to call it Area Regional Control. We need something that specifically describes one of the key tenants of the approach and that’s the reason for the word coordination.”

Later in my interview with Dr. Polson he talks about the goals of control, elimination and then prevention of PRRS and where the industry needs to head for the future.

Listen to my complete interview with Dale here: Interview with Dr. Dale Polson, Boehringer Ingelheim

Here are photos from the event:2013 BIVI PRSS ARC&E Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

Season’s Greeting from Joyent

Chuck Zimmerman

Happy Holidays from JoyentHave a Happy Holidays from Joyent. If you’ve ever wondered how or why ZimmComm websites like AgWired.com are always up and work so well then just think Joyent.

Season’s Greetings from our team to yours.

Looking back with appreciation for your business and looking forward to supporting your success in the coming new year.

Henry Wasik

Internet

Tips from Tech: Winterizing your Ag Leader Investments!

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyThe time has come to winterize your equipment from the fall months of harvesting, tillage and fall application. As the season comes to an end, it’s important to take care of your investments, whether it is harvested crops, machinery or your precision equipment. Here are some helpful hints from Ag Leader’s tech support team:

Harsh temperatures can lead to problems if the necessary precautions are not taken to keep your monitor in working order. Cleaning the touch screen of your display should be the first step you take in preparing for winter. When dust accumulates on the display it can cause damage to the touch screen. If you have a dirty screen, we recommend cleaning the screen by blowing the screen off using non-direct air. Also, you can use Windex or an electronic cleaner with a soft, non-abrasive cloth to wipe down the display screen. Most importantly, remember to never spray the screen directly with cleaner but instead spray the cloth used in your cleaning process. Finally, remove the display from the vehicle. The preferred place to store a display would be inside the house, in a dry location. A heated shop is also acceptable. Displays can be stored in a large Ziploc bag, or any other sealed container. We recommend this because it will keep unwanted moisture from causing damage to the display.

displayCustomers using yield monitoring systems, require a couple more steps before being completely ready for winter. Begin by cleaning out your EMU (Elevator Mount Unit) on your clean grain elevator. Pull out the two retaining pins located at the bottom of the EMU and thoroughly clean out the chamber inside remembering to check for any obstructions in front of the proximity switch.

Removing the flow sensor mounted at the top of the clean grain elevator and placing it in a sealable container is strongly recommended. The reason we suggest this step is due to a soft protective potting material used on the load cell of your flow sensor which can be easily damaged by rodents. Rodent damage happens to flow sensors more than you think, so don’t let them get to the flow sensor. You should also run through the cabling located on your combine as suggested earlier to identify any issues you may have.

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Ag Leader, Agribusiness

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Dawson Tire & Wheel has announced the promotion of Terry Morris to Sales and Marketing Administrator overseeing all sales and marketing activity companywide.
  • Mark your calendar now for the 2014 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, June 2-4, 2014.
  • A recent survey of farmers and ranchers by American Farmland Trust and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln shows the need for Congress to pass the Farm Bill, according to Andrew McElwaine, President and CEO of AFT.
  • Farmers who purchase cost-saving propane-fueled farm equipment in 2014 will again be eligible for up to $5,000 in purchase incentives through the 2014 Propane Farm Incentive Program.
Zimfo Bytes

Utilizing Vaccinations for PRRS Virus

Jamie Johansen

BI-PRRS-13-109-editedBoehringer Ingelheim provided the opportunity for the big questions to be asked about the PRRS virus during their recent PRRS Seminar in Chicago. Swine Vet Center’s, Dr. Tim Loula, shared his insight into effective PRRS protocols and how to better utilize ARC programs.

Dr. Loula said that the current vaccination for PRRS could be better, but right now it’s all producers have. His suggestion to this dilemma is a simple mandatory vaccination program nationwide. He also shared that starting local is key and thats the producers and veterinarians. Then it can extend to institutions and the allied industry.

“I made a point in my presentation that we need to be bigger, bolder and have some kind of enforcement mechanism. Maybe the producers themselves vote that they are going to do this on a national level if we are going to see any kind of minimization of the effects of PRRS.”

Listen to my complete interview with Tim here: Interview with Dr. Tim Loula, Swine Vet Center

Here are photos from the event:2013 BIVI PRSS ARC&E Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine, Veterinary

ASTA CSS Session Focuses on Seed Treatment

Leah Guffey

The second general session of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo focused on seed treatments and pollinator health.

11341722875_4d60858bce_qLaurie Adams with Pollinator Partnership discussed the Corn Dust Research Consortium, with a focus on some of the reasons we are seeing a loss in pollinators. With competing pressures for productivity in agriculture and for protection of pollinators like bees and butterflies, the actions of the seed trade have a significant impact on the future. Laurie discussed how sustainability for both high-yield landscapes and ecologically nurturing habitat can be achieved.
You can listen to Laurie’s remarks here Laurie Adams, Pollinator Partnership

11343001153_023dda3fcd_qDr. Iain Kelly with Bayer CropScience focused on seed treatment and pollinator health. Declining pollinator health is currently attracting considerable scientific and media interest. A recent report summarizing the conclusions of USDA’s National Stakeholders Conference on Honey Bee Health outlined the various factors contributing to the decline, noting that the parasitic Varroa mite remains the single most detrimental pest of honey bees. Kelly discussed efforts by industry stakeholders to improve bee health, including assessing and minimizing any potential risks from seed treatment.
You can listen to Dr. Kelly’s remarks here Dr. Iain Kelly, Bayer CropScience

11342852675_57d146a25d_q Jane DeMarchi with ASTA discussed the new Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship being rolled out in 2014. The Guide has been enthusiastically endorsed by the National Corn Growers Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the American Soybean Association, and has been shared with both EPA and USDA. As seed treatment technology advances, more resources are developed and the needs of the seed and crop production value chain evolve, Jane says the Guide will be updated to ensure the latest in seed treatment management information for seed companies and growers.

You can listen to Jane’s remarks as well as audio for the video they are using to promote Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship here: Jane DeMarchi, ASTA

2013 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo Photo Album

ASTA, Audio, Bayer, Seed

BASF’s Advanced Seed Enhancement Platform

Cindy Zimmerman

css-13-basf-justinAt the ASTA CSS 2013 and Seed Expo this week we had the opportunity to learn more about BASF’s Advanced Seed Enhancement platform which includes a number of important products that can accomplish increased emergence and help farmers get more from every acre.

Those products include Vault HP plus Integral for soybeans, Stamina F3 for cereals, and Flo Rite Plantability Polymers, according to BASF Technical Market Specialist Justin Clark. Listen to him talk about each one here: Interview with Justin Clark, BASF

Justin also gave us a very simple visual demonstration to show the difference that Flo Rite Plantability Polymers make with seed – check it out.

2013 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo Photo Album

ASTA, Audio, BASF, Seed, Video