Bayer Breaks Ground for Bee Health

Kristyn Stidham

fps-13-539-editedBayer CropScience can easily say they are the only exhibitors with live bees in their booth at the 2013 Farm Progress Show in Decatur. Following the luncheon on the opening day of the show, media got the chance to speak with Bayer researchers regarding the importance of bee health in agriculture.

Robyn Kneen, North American Bee Care Manager, and Bill Hairston, Director of Product Development for SeedGrowth, made the trip from North Carolina to inform growers about the vital role bees play in all facets of agriculture.

“One-third of every bite of food that we eat comes from crops which are pollinated by honeybees,” stated Kneen.

Corporately, Bayer recognizes the need for bees in agriculture and stands on a platform company wide of both bee and crop protection. To help promote education and protect bee health, Bayer is opening their North American Bee Care Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The North American center is the second research facility Bayer has opened for bee care research.

“We intend to do research into some of the factors which are affecting bee health today,” stated Kneen. “In particular, pests and parasites that have been identified as causing an issue in bee health.”

The Bayer Bee Care Center will have full laboratory capabilities. Scientists will be able to conduct research on beehives via honey extraction and practical apiculture. The center also has conventional room with presentation space for beekeepers, farmers and educators that will be used to provide resources necessary to educate agriculturalists and consumers.

Listen to my interview with Robyn & Bill here: Interview with Robyn Kneen & Bill Hairston

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show

Why Do You Attend Farm Shows?

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What is your opinion on farm info graphics?”

Our poll results:
· Love them, they are helpful 69%
· Waste of energy 6%
· Confusing 13%
· Other 13%

It looks like the time spent creating these easy-to-use, quick-to-read infographics is worthwhile. Keep up the good work.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Why do you attend farm shows?” A lot of companies spend a lot of money promoting their products, answering questions and launching new products at trade shows, but we want to know why YOU go! Let us know.

ZimmPoll

Bayer’s SeedGrowth Focus

Jamie Johansen

fps-13-230-editedSeeds are the foundation of any growers operation. Bayer Crop Science’s SeedGrowth team has fined tuned the four key competencies of product, equipment, coating and services to maintain sustainable seed development globally.

Attendees who visited the Bayer tent during the 2013 Farm Progress not only took in all the science behind growing crops, but also did it while relaxing in the A/C.

SeedGrowth Strategic Business Lead for Bayer, Brad May, talked seeds with me in the Bayer tent after the roundtable media luncheon. Changes are taking place throughout the agriculture industry and I asked Brad how Bayer is addressing them and how they are looking into the future of crop science.

Listen to my interview with Brad here: Interview with Brad May

Check out photos from the event here:2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Audio, Bayer, Seed

Ag Leader Introduces AgFiniti at Farm Progress Show

Cindy Zimmerman

fps13-agleader-2Ag Leader Technology‘s biggest announcement at Farm Progress Show this week is wireless connectivity in the cab with their new cloud-based platform, AgFiniti®.

Users can simply connect the Ag Leader Wi-Fi Adapter to the Ag Leader® Integra or Versa™ display to access a wireless internet network in the cab through any mobile hotspot of their choice, such as a smartphone, dedicated hotspot or a tablet.

Watch below as Ag Leader’s David Wilson demonstrates just how simple it is to get to AgFiniti and beyond!

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Ag Leader, Farm Progress Show, Technology, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The 2013 Arkansas Tech University Agriculture Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 from 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. in the W.O. Young Ballroom.
  • The multiple issues involved in broadband delivery to rural America will be examined at the Farm Foundation Forum on Wednesday, Sept. 11. from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at the Holeman Lounge of the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
  • The Climate Change Program Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist released and requested public comments on the report Science-Based Methods for Entity-Scale Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks from Agriculture and Forestry Practices.
  • The NFI Salmon Council recently completed a $60,000 consumer segmentation research study on salmon consumption in the U.S. The research was conducted by Copernicus Marketing.
Zimfo Bytes

ILFB Farm Bureau President says Bring the Heat

Leah Guffey

Image 2The locks and dams system along the Mississippi river corridor is aging. Illinois Farm Bureau President, Phillip Nelson says the time is now and through a coalition of the Illinois Corn Growers, Archer Daniels Midland and the St. Louis Carpenter’s Union they are working to educate members of Congress about the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).

I got a chance to sit down with President Nelson right after the press conference and we discussed that some of the locks are nearly 70 years old and the system could shut down more than just grain moving through the mighty Mississippi.

“We are part of the campaign to bring the heat to Congress. This is one very important issue for us as we try to make Congress aware of our aging lock structure and how we need to act on this bill.”

Listen to my interview with Phil here: Interview with Phillip Nelson

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland

 

Audio, Farm Progress Show

Farm Foundation Tackles Rural Internet Connectivity

John Davis

farmfoundationlogo3Walk down the street in most major American cities today, it’s pretty easy to get a high-speed wireless Internet hook-up. But move away from the city lights and into rural America, and it’s a different story. Too many farms lack real access to the web … ironic considering how much more reliant agribusiness has become on the Internet. Our friends at Farm Foundation are tackling just this issue in their next forum, Wednesday, Sept. 11th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at the National Press Club, in Washington, D.C. and through a live webcast:

Moderating the panel will be Iowa farmer Ann Jorgensen, a former member of the Board of the Farm Credit Administration, now working on rural economic development issues. Presenting perspectives on broadband issues will be:

Sharon Strover, the Philip G. Warner Regents Professor in Communication in the Radio-TV-Film Department at the University of Texas…

Jessica Zufolo, Deputy Administrator of USDA’s Rural Utilities Service…

Mark Lewellen, Manager of Spectrum Advocacy, Deere and Company…

John Windhausen, Executive Director of the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition…

As I mentioned earlier, if you can’t be in DC to take part, you can still participate in this free forum by way of a live webcast. More information and registration are available on the Farm Foundation website.

Farm Foundation, Internet

Congressmen Visit Farm Progress Show

Cindy Zimmerman

Two Illinois congressmen visited with agricultural leaders and the media during opening day of the Farm Progress Show in Decatur to talk about issues important to farmers and ranchers.

fps13-davisCongressman Rodney Davis, a Republican from the district of Illinois that includes Decatur, is a member of both the House Agriculture and Transportation committees, so he is deeply involved in two top agriculture priorities – the farm bill and WRDA.

Davis said he was shocked when the farm bill failed in the House and called it “probably the worst day I’ve had in Congress” but he is hopeful they will get it done yet. “We passed an ag-side only, didn’t change hardly anything, and that’s going to give us a chance to conference that portion. And we’re going to go back to Washington at the beginning of next month and pass a food and nutrition side which I hope then is combined back together.”Interview with Rep. Rodney Davis

fps13-shimkusCongressman John Shimkus, who represents Illinois’ 15th district, says nutrition is still going to be tough. “It’s going to be $40 billion in major reforms,” he said. “But once we do that, I do believe (both bills) will go to conference and Chairman Lucas and Debbie Stabenow will work their magic.”

Shimkus serves on the House Energy Committee so he is fully engaged in the battle over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), representing both sides of the issue in his district on the Eastern side of Illinois. “I’ve got corn growers, I’ve got renewable refiners and I’ve got petroleum refiners,” said Shimkus, who does believe the RFS has some problems that need to be fixed, such as the Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS) program. Interview with Rep. John Shimkus

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Audio, Farm Bill, Farm Policy, Farm Progress Show

GROWMARK Supports Illinois Ag in the Classroom

Jamie Johansen

fps-13-166-editedGROWMARK took advantage of the warm sunny skies of the 2013 Farm Progress Show and announced their donation of $70,000 to Illinois Ag in the Classroom programs.

The funding will go to support IAA Foundation’s grassroot efforts to aid Agriculture Literacy Coalitions across the state of Illinois. These programs reach over 500,000 students in both rural and urban areas.

GROWMARK is a regional cooperative providing agriculture-related products and services, as well as grain marketing in more than 40 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives. More information is available at www.growmark.com

Here you can listen to the complete press conference announcing the donation. Growmark Press Conference

Chuck Spencer, GROWMARK corporate and government relations director, represented the company and presented the IAA Foundation with the check. I spoke with him following the event and he shared why those at GROWMARK and FS saw the need to invest in the education of the future of agriculture.

Listen to my interview with Chuck here: Interview with Chuck Spencer

Director of the IAA Foundation, Susan Moore, accepted the funds and expressed great enthusiasm and passion when describing how they can be put to the money to work by increasing the number of literacy programs and putting the agriculture curriculum in the hands of even more teachers across the state.

Listen to my interview with Susan here: Interview with Susan Moore

Check out photos from the event here:2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Audio, Education, GROWMARK

Bayer’s New Revolution in Agriculture

Jamie Johansen

fps-13-184-editedToday marks the kick-off of the 2013 Farm Progress Show and Bayer Crop Science brought ag media together for a luncheon focused on their show theme, “One World to Grow On.” After hearing from key Bayer representatives, we went through roundtable interviews designed to drive conversation and education.

Dr. Mathias Kremer, Head of Strategy for Bayer, spoke to attendees on the future of the crop science industry and the new revolution of agriculture. I caught up with him after the event and asked him about the key strategies Bayer is focusing on to ensure innovative products for growers globally.

“A new revolution in agriculture means that we are strongly putting a lot of emphasis on innovation. Innovation in seeds, traits, crop protection and biologics because we believe you need the whole integrated solution in order to maintain productivity and make it more sustainable for the future.”

Listen to my interview with Dr. Kremer here: Interview with Dr. Mathias Kremer

Listen to Dr. Kremer’s complete remarks here: Remarks from Dr. Mathias Kremer

Check out photos from the event here:2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show