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Talia Goes

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  • John Brutty has joined Burrus Hybrids as general sales manager with overall responsibility for sales force innovation, dealer relations, and customer services.
  • Ag Processing Inc a cooperative (AGP) announced plans for a major expansion of the Company’s soybean processing plant at Hastings, Nebraska.
  • The Korea Fair Trade Commission has notified Archer Daniels Midland Company of its approval of ADM’s proposed acquisition of GrainCorp Limited.
  • ArborGen announced the results of a genetic comparison study conducted at a mid-rotation aged loblolly pine plantation in Berkeley County, SC.
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Beef Board CEO Reports at Summer Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Polly RuhlandThe CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, Polly Ruhland, was on stage this morning for the second general session of the Cattle Industry Summer Conference. I talked with her afterward. She says the new committee structure and format for the conference have generated good feedback. Condensing the agenda into a shorter time frame means that volunteer leaders have to spend less time away from home for one thing.

Polly says this meeting is about strategy where “the rubber meets the road.” So committees are meeting and listening to and providing feedback to contractors about projects in progress or being proposed. She says it’s a process that includes as next steps, board approval of the budget and then work plans will be looked at by the operating committee in September. And then the process starts over again.

You can listen to my interview with Polly here: Interview with Polly Ruhland

You can listen to Polly’s report during the general session here: Report from Polly Ruhland

2013 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Get Behind the Wheel of New Holland’s PLM System

Jamie Johansen

new-holland-ag-13-154-editedInnovative technology has evolved agriculture further than most of our grandparents can even fathom. The folks at New Holland Agriculture have done their homework when it comes to their Precision Land Management (PLM) systems.

During their recent First in the Field event, media had the opportunity to jump behind the wheel of all the equipment. But a highlight for many was the chance to see the PLM auto-guidance system in action. I brought my camera along and captured the precision technology in action. Check out how it feels to be behind the wheel and listen to a New Holland representative talk about all the perks of a PLM program.

View photos from the event here: 2013 New Holland Ag Media Event Photo Album

Beef, Dairy, Equipment, Forage, Hay, New Holland, Precision Agriculture

Visiting BASF at RTP

Cindy Zimmerman

basfsouthern-1I was so excited this week to be able to visit the U.S. headquarters of BASF Ag Products in Research Triangle Park, NC for the first time.

The occasion was the BASF Southern Media Symposium, which also coincided with the Southern Weed Science Society‘s annual contest for college students majoring in weed science, hosted by BASF this year. I learned a whole lot about weed science and what BASF has to offer for southern growers, but I am going to wait until next week to start posting about it. I do have the photo album up now for your viewing pleasure. Check it out and check back next week to learn more about SWSS, the student winners this year, and the latest in BASF innovations for the southern acre.

BASF Southern Media Symposium and SWSS Contest photo album

Agribusiness, BASF, Crop Protection, Farming

Farm Broadcasters at AMS

Cindy Zimmerman

ams13-cassidyRight after I did a post this week about why farm broadcasters should attend Ag Media Summit I did run into a couple of farm broadcasters there, including Tom Cassidy with New York-based Ag Radio Network, who was able to visit with some of the InfoExpo exhibitors like Kerry Overton with Koch Agronomics.

Also in attendance to represent the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) was Kyle Bauer, general manager of KFRM radio in Kansas, pictured below chatting with Lynn Henderson of AgriMarketing Magazine.

ams13-kyle-lynnNAFB has several members who are also members of the AMS ag media organizations, but as Gary Truitt (Hoosier Ag Today) also pointed out in a comment, Kyle notes that the annual summit falls during a pretty busy time for farm broadcasters. “You’ve got a budget issue of traveling but you also have the time of year when farm broadcasters are covering other events, county fairs and that sort of things,” Kyle said. “And many of our members are one person departments.”

But Kyle says AMS does have much to offer for broadcasters. “A farm broadcaster nowadays is just as likely to have a camera along with his recorder and absolutely everybody is expected to deliver on multiple sources and somehow you have to get that training and certainly here is a good place to get that training.”

Listen to my interview with Kyle from AMS here: Interview with Kyle Bauer, KFRM radio
2013 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit, Audio, Media, NAFB

American Soybean Association at AMS

Cindy Zimmerman

ams13-asaSoybean farmers were well represented at the Ag Media Summit this week in Buffalo by American Soybean Association Communications Director Patrick Delaney and president Danny Murphy.

Since I do a daily audio report for Agri-Pulse, I was happy to get to chat with Danny about the policy issues on ASA’s plate at the moment, which start with the ongoing farm bill saga. “It’s really been frustrating, disappointing, I don’t know how many adjectives you can use to describe it,” he said. “It’s really time and I guess it’s easy to question whether the House is really committed to passing a farm bill. They don’t really appear to be.”

The Mississippi farmer says the House is holding up other legislation important to agriculture, like the transportation bill. “Funding bills have to originate in the House so even though the Senate seemed really interested in maybe increasing the barge fuel tax as a source of revenue to get some of the improvements done on the Mississippi on the locks and dams,” said Danny. “The House has been reluctant to have any kind of tax increase … even though the barge owners would really like to see it.”

ASA is encouraging producers to make their views known to their representatives during this August recess and urge them to get to work.

Listen to my interview with Danny from AMS here: Interview with ASA president Danny Murphy
2013 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Groups, Ag Media Summit, ASA, Audio, Soybean

The Minute from FMC

Cindy Zimmerman

Like an artist who becomes known by one name only, FMC’s Authority Minute will soon become simply The Minute.

ams13-paulI chatted with our good friend Paul Redhage of FMC Corporation at the Ag Media Summit this week, first of all thanking them for sponsoring our coverage from this great event. Chuck usually is the one to cover AMS but since he went with the ethanol motorcycle gang to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, it was my great pleasure and privilege to attend this year, thanks to FMC.

FMC’s video podcast series The Authority Minute was the topic of a ZimmCast back in February and Paul tells us that it has become very popular. “For the last year we’ve had this opportunity for growers and retailers to learn more about weed management in soybeans and the Authority line of products,” Paul said. “With the following we’ve had this year, we’ve decided to expand that program.”

That evolution to simply “The Minute” this fall means the program will soon cover corn-related issues on weed management and insect-related issues. “So it’s broadening and we’ll be talking with lots of researchers and growers around the country,” said Paul.

Not only do growers get a chance to learn something new by watching the series, they also get a chance to win prizes. “Anytime a person registers and goes online and watches one of these … 18 digital videos posted on the web, they get credit for it and each week we have a drawing for gift cards…and then a grand prize drawing,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Paul from AMS here: Interview with Paul Redhage, FMC
2013 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, FMC

Summer Insights Magazine Now Available

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyInsights magazine is a magazine entirely devoted to precision farming. Designed to give you more in-depth information about what’s happening today in precision agriculture, this publication will show you how you can capitalize on the technologies now available to make your operation more successful and profitable.

The Summer 2013 issue is now available!

In addition to precision ag information, we will also introduce you to folks who can tell you firsthand just how beneficial precision farming practices have been to their operation. In addition, we’ll share valuable agronomic information from experts across the country so you can use to make informed decisions in the field. And we will take you inside Ag Leader so you can meet the people responsible for developing Ag Leader’s line of innovative precision farming products. As always, you’ll be the first to know about new products, local training opportunities and much more!

Sign up for a free subscription or download the Insights magazine here. Currently Insights magazine is only available for subscription in the United States and Canada.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Ag Leader, Agribusiness

Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins

Cindy Zimmerman

New on Agri-Pulse this week:

open-micLynn Jenkins is the second district U.S. Representative from Kansas. She grew up on a dairy farm near Holton. She is in her third term and has risen to vice-chair of the Republican house conference. Jenkins speaks out about federal agencies and their heavy handed approach in regulating business and industry. She has co-sponsored legislation to allow citizens to have a stronger defense against a government agency by recording phone calls and holding government personnel accountable. Jenkins is also working to determine what federal nutrition policy will be most effective in addressing citizen needs in the future. /em>

Listen to the Agri-Pulse Open Mic interview with Rep. Lynn Jenkins here.

Agri-Pulse

50 Years of Federation of State Beef Councils

Chuck Zimmerman

John HustonThis is the 50 year celebration of the Federation of State Beef Councils. No one has more knowledge of the history of the Beef Checkoff and the evolution of the industry groups than John Huston. John gave us a look back over the years at the people involved in the start of the first agricultural industry checkoff which was 5 cents per load of cattle (25 head) matched by packers way back when to today.

I recorded his comments for you and hope you enjoy listening to them. Comments from John Huston
2013 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference