Nothing Runs Like a Deere on Biodiesel

Joanna Schroeder

nbc-13-borgmanNothing runs like a Deere. Especially a Deere running with biodiesel. John Deere demonstrated its vast array of diesel equipment able to run on biodiesel during the Biodiesel Vehicle Showcase. Why Biodiesel? Well, in addition to security benefits for Americans, it also improves lubricity, reduces sulfur emissions, and reduces aromatics. Biodiesel has a high cetane content for faster ignition. These are just a few of the reasons that Don Borgman cites when telling attendees during the Biodiesel Vehicle Showcase John Deere approves the use of biodiesel in all its equipment. Up to B20 blends can be used.

Here is something neat that John Deere does that I learned during Borgman’s presentation. When new equipment is ready to leave the factory, it’s filled with a biodiesel blend. Deere has coined this the “biodiesel factory fill.” Now if that doesn’t prove biodiesel is safe and beneficial to run in their equipment, nothing will.

Also during his presentation, Borgman gave an update on what’s on the horizon for new and future John Deere equipment. And they gave away a Gator. I bet the winner is having fun with his new toy. We’ll have to ask the winner during next year’s conference….

Learn more about John Deere’s Biodiesel Platform by listening to Don Borgman’s presentation: Nothing Runs Like a Deere Using Biodiesel

2013 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, National Biodiesel Conference

Farm Podcasting Tool

Chuck Zimmerman

iRig Recorder AndroidYou know I’m flexible on my mobile platforms when I can share an Android app story. Here’s one worth noting. The iRig Recording app is now available for the Android platform. I’m not sure it will become my favorite recording app but I’ll be giving it a try on my Samsung Galaxy Note II.

iRig Recorder for Android is here, and it’s destined to become your favorite audio recording app on your phone or tablet. Designed for ease of use and packed with real-world useful features, iRig Recorder is a simple yet powerful recording and audio-processing app that works with Android compatible IK accessories like the iRig MIC, iRig MIC Cast and iRig PRE as well as other compatible input devices.

A Field Recorder Always in Your Pocket

Use iRig Recorder to capture interviews, performances, band rehearsals, lectures, podcasts, creative spurts of genius, viral audio snippets and more. Recording time is limited only by your device memory. Once you’ve made your recordings, iRig Recorder automatically stores them by date and automatically adds geolocation information so you can easily find them.

iRig Recorder isn’t just a “capture” app. It’s a complete audio production and polishing tool for creating broadcast quality audio. It allows you to quickly and easily trim and crop your recordings via the waveform editor, automatically adjust and normalize volume levels, remove background noise, add dynamics adjustment and polish, then share your brilliance with the world.

Apps, Media, Podcasts

Harvesting The High Plains Documentary

Chuck Zimmerman

Harvesting The High PlainsLast year’s Midwest drought evoked images of the dust bowl of the “dirty 30’s”. But how many of you really know much about it or what it took to survive those trying times? Here’s one way you can get a glimpse into those times. It’s a film documentary called, “Harvesting The High Plains.” An advance copy is now available for purchase online. Additionally, the documentary is running on local PBS stations and you might want to consider calling your local station to request that they air it. Why? Because it is a very well done historical and inspiring look at how American ingenuity took the challenge of some of the most adverse working conditions you can imagine to farm the land and essentially created a whole new way to grow and harvest a wheat crop.

I want to share a conversation with the Director of the documentary, Jay Kriss, Inspirit Creative, in which we discuss how he got involved in this project. Jay is not only works in the film industry but also still farms wheat back on the family farm in Kansas. He has a direct personal connection to one of the main characters you’ll get to know in the film. The documentary is narrated by Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe. You’ll learn in our interview that he and Jay have a mutual connection which made Mike a perfect choice to handle this job. The documentary is sponsored by the AGCO Gleaner brand. Gleaner combine harvesters were born in Kansas and are a part of the story told in the documentary according to Kevin Bien, Gleaner brand marketing manager in a company press release.

Listen to our conversation here: Interview with Jay Kriss

Here’s the trailer to give you a taste of what you can expect in the documentary. You can find more information on the “Harvesting The High Plains” website.

Agribusiness, Audio, Farming, Harvest, Video, Wheat

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The American Meat Science Association is hosting the AMSA 66th Reciprocal Meat Conference June 16-19, 2013 at Auburn University in Auburn, AL.
  • Syngenta announced a new approach within its dealer channel that focuses on growing and strengthening its network of Seed Advisors.
  • Farmers across the Corn-Growing Area have selected DEKALB drought-tolerant corn plants with deep, strong root structures to help withstand drought conditions and reduce yield loss.
  • Value-Added Science & Technologies is pleased to announce the launching of ePigflow an online market for weaner pigs, feeder pigs and facility spaces to help producers better manage pig flow and asset utilization.
Zimfo Bytes

USDA Deputy Secretary Resigns – Update

Cindy Zimmerman

*UPDATED with Merrigan statement*

merriganCall it kind of a surprise – the announcement late yesterday that USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has resigned her position.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack released the following statement about Merrigan’s resignation:

“USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has helped USDA achieve record results over the past four years. She has played a vital role in the Department-wide focus on the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, as well as our efforts to achieve budget efficiencies and savings during an uncertain budget time. Deputy Secretary Merrigan has led USDA’s efforts to implement important regulations, and she has been an important advocate for a strong National Organic Program. I deeply appreciate her service, and I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”

No word as to when the resignation would be effective.

*UPDATE*

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan today made the following statement on her departure from the USDA:
“Today I am announcing that I will be leaving USDA. I am grateful to President Obama for the opportunity to serve as Deputy Secretary and be part of his leadership team. I also want to thank the US Senate for its unanimous confirmation and the many members of Congress, particularly Chairman Leahy, with whom I have worked closely to ensure support for USDA programs.
It has been an ambitious first term. From implementing the 2008 farm bill, improving school meals, expanding opportunities for American farmers, spending countless hours in the White House situation room, to shepherding USDA budgets through challenging times, it has been an honor to play a small part in history.
I hope that during my tenure, I was able to help open USDA’s doors a little wider, inviting new and discouraged constituencies to participate in USDA programs.
With Secretary Vilsack at the helm, aided by very talented and dedicated USDA employees, I am able to leave fully confident that, USDA will thrive and continue to improve its service to the American people.”

USDA

From Farm to City

Melissa Sandfort

TeddyRIn the agricultural world, we oftentimes talk about farm to fork, farm to plate, gate to plate, you get the idea. I think it’s imperative that we educate folks who live in the city where their food comes from and about the people who work hard to grow safe, wholesome food for our dinner tables.

But as a mom, I feel of equal importance is teaching my son about how “the other half” lives. We stared that straight in the face last week during a family vacation to New York City. I say vacation with a smirk on my face because after dragging a 4-year-old and 7-month-old through the streets of NYC, I was exhausted!

Two experiences I want to note:
One of our cab drivers was from Africa and after asking where we lived and he learned Kansas and Nebraska, the first words out of his mouth were: Oh, I love those cowboy movies from Kansas! I very much dislike the city and want to move to Kansas and have some land and some cows.

Of all places, Kansas!

The other thing I observed was that on every city block, there were probably at least 20 restaurants. Think of how long it would take to “eat your way through NYC” and never eat at the same place twice.

Yes, Americans like to eat. And without farmers, where would they get their food?

I was thankful to return to the quiet roads of Nebraska and away from the bright lights and crazy traffic. It’s nice to visit and get away to the city for different experiences, but I’ll take my quiet nights any day.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

More Than Simply Killing Dieases

Jamie Johansen

classic-13-jamie-53-editedEveryone knows that fungicides kill diseases, but the message BASF continues to tell growers is that is does much more. Caren Schmidt, Technical Market Manager in corn fungicides for BASF, spoke with me at their booth during Commodity Classic and she was excited to share the feedback she was receiving from attendees.

“Headline is our foundation fungicide that has been on the market for a number of years. It has been superior in the marketplace in terms of disease control, as well as plant health benefits, including growth efficiency and stress tolerance. Since the introduction of Headline we’ve introduced new innovations that have improved the consistency and performance of Headline. We now have Headline AMP for corn and Priaxor for soybeans.”

Caren, along with many other BASF crop experts, gathered to answer questions from growers and share information about the additional health benefits from their products. Along with growth efficiency and stress tolerance, Headline products increase photosynthesis, which increases energy and allows for higher yield potential.

“In a general year it is hard to know what the season is going to look like at this point in time, but typically what we are going to see across a large geography in early spring season is anthracnose. And later gray spot, northern corn leaf blight, common and southern rust, depending on what geography you are in. Those are going to be typical diseases that infect the corn during any given growing season.”

Listen to my interview with Caren from here: Interview with Caren Schmidt

2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic

Bringing Sexy Back to Agriculture

Cindy Zimmerman

The take home theme of the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum this year came to be “bringing sexy back to agriculture.” Which begs the question – when was agriculture sexy before?

bayer-issues-13-youngIf sexy means sustainable, here are a couple of pretty sexy farmers. On the left is the Bayer CropScience 2013 Young Farmer Sustainability Award winner Jeremy Jack of Mississippi and next to him is the 2012 winner John Shepherd of Virginia.

John was on a panel at the recent Bayer Ag Issues Forum to talk about how he does things differently on his corn, wheat and soybean operation where taking care of the soil is most important to him. “My goal is to get it in better shape for future generations,” he said. “So I sow aerial cover crops – plant cover crops in plants already standing. I’ll fly rye on in soybeans that are standing so there’s already a cover crop growing when I cut the beans.”

Listen to some of John’s comments on the panel here: Virginia farmer John Shepherd

Jeremy is a partner in an 8500 acre operation growing cotton, corn, soybeans, rice and wheat. He currently serves as President of the Mississippi Soybean Association, and formally worked in Washington, D.C., under U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran during 2008 Farm Bill negotiations. After college, he returned to the family’s farm rather than pursuing a career in agricultural policy.

Jeremy said talking about sustainability is less important than doing something about it. “Our method of sustainability is sustainability in action,” Jeremy said. “With outreach and education we can make sustainability interesting.” And sexy too.

Listen to Jeremy’s comments here: Mississippi farmer Jeremy Jack

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Farming, Sustainability

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Talia Goes

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Will the sequester monster impact you personally?”

Our poll results: Fifty-two percent said No it will not impact you. Twenty-one percent said Yes, Major Impact, seventeen percent said Yes, Minor Impact, and ten percent said I Don’t Know. So most of you do not expect to be affected by the sequester monster. Wonder what all the fuss was about.

chart

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Have you recently purchased a gun?” The Second Amendment states that you have the “right to keep and bear arms.” Do you practice that right? Has all the talk about new gun laws stimulated you to go out an purchase that gun you’ve been wanting? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

Agriblogging Tool

Chuck Zimmerman

Tascam DR-05I just got a new tool in my awesome arsenal of agriblogging and farmpodcasting. It’s a Tascam DR-05 Handheld Digital Recorder and it will be out and about with me starting next week at National Ag Day activities. Here’s some information about it for you agnerds:

The TASCAM DR-05 handheld portable recorder records in MP3 or WAV format (including 96kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio) to microSD or microSDHC media. A pair of built-in condenser microphones handles up to 125dB SPL with the sensitivity to capture every detail, and you can add your own microphone or line-level source through the 1/8” stereo input, including plug-in power for microphones that need it. The DR-05’s digital and analog circuit boards are built separately to decrease noise performance, with a low-impedance design to further decrease hiss. A separate power supply is sent to the A/D and D/A converter for even better audio performance. The result is clean sound quality with over 92dB signal to noise ratio, under 0.05% total harmonic distortion and 20Hz to 40kHz response (-1/+3dB) at 96kHz/24-bit resolution.

The Tascam DR-05 is currently on sale for a great price at BSW USA.

Equipment, Podcasts