New Holland Adds to Legacy with BigBalers

John Davis

nfms-13-nh-balerThey’ve been known for a long time for their baling products, and at the recent National Farm Machinery Show, our friends from New Holland really showed their legacy with two new models, the BigBaler 330 and 340, producing 3’x3′ or 3’x4′ large square bales.

“You’ll see a new styling, a new appearance,” all designed to have better serviceability, said New Holland’s Mike Cornman. But the biggest improvements are the increases in capacity. “We’ve seen a 20 percent increase in capacity versus our prior series, mostly coming from the improvements made in the pickup to the baler,” while also increasing the density of the bales by 5 percent, making the producer more efficient.

Mike added the BigBaler 330 and 340 are best matched with New Holland’s T7 and T8 series tractors.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Mike here: Interview with Mike Cornman

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, Hay, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland, NFMS

Authority Treatments in One Area Could Help Others

John Davis

nfms-13-fmc-wootenTaking the initiative with a good pretreatment herbicide doesn’t just pay benefits for the original producer, but it could also stop the spread of weeds to other regions of the country. Bob Hooten with FMC explained during the recent National Farm Machinery Show that their Authority product could have helped stop the spread of Palmer amaranth, a plant that kicks out millions of seeds.

“So it only takes one plant to cover up to cover up your whole acres. Folks in the South have a major problem already, and it’s spreading north. Folks in the North can ignore it and then wait until they have a major problem, but we’re now spending $20-25 an acre to try to control this pest,” Bob said.

He added that FMC has a variety of Authority products, depending on your location, tillage amounts, and weed resistance problems. It’s part of a good management program that can be custom-tuned to an individual farm’s needs. “One peg doesn’t always fit the same hole, so we are building things as the customer needs them.”

More information about the full Authority line of products is available here.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Bob here: Interview with Bob Hooten

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, FMC, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS

Taking a Look Back at Agriculture From the Future

Chuck Zimmerman

RIch Kottmeyer AccentureLet’s pretend we’re in the future as in 2025 or 2050 and take a look back at agricultural production. Let’s do it with Rich Kottmeyer, Senior Executive and Global Agriculture & Food Production Leader, Accenture. That’s what we watched Rich do on stage during the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum and that’s what I asked him to do when we had time to visit afterward.

Rich says, “I think the number one thing we’re going to look at is how we empowered the small holder farmer, how we allowed them to get advice and how we’re able to do that through their mobile phone through digital technology.” Referring to data he says that more important than data are analytics. That data will be simple. He says “big data needs to lead to small insights.”

You can listen to my interview with Rich to get more insights from the future here: Interview with Rich Kottmeyer

2013 Bayer CropScience Ag issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Technology

Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum

Chuck Zimmerman

Bayer CropScience Ag Issues ForumAlthough I still have a couple of interviews to share from The Annual Meat Conference I have moved on down the agriblogging highway to Kissimmee, FL for the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum. Here are some of our ag journalists attending this annual pre-Commodity Classic program.

We will be hearing from the leadership of Bayer who are talking about how they’re working to achieve sustainable success in agriculture as well as some good friends like Michele Payn-Knoper who will be talking about engaging farm and food to meet in the middle. Of course there will be time to conduct interviews which I’ll be sharing as soon as I can.

In the meantime I have started a photo album for you here: 2013 Bayer CropScience Ag issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Bayer

See Propane-Fueled Technology at Classic

Cindy Zimmerman

If you are heading to Commodity Classic this week, be sure to stop by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) booth to see what is new for the farm from propane.

propane-farmPERC will display new propane-fueled engines for irrigation and register producers for more than $4,000 in propane equipment incentives through the Propane Farm Incentive Program. Producers visiting PERC at booth 938 during the trade show can also participate in PERC’s “Land the Grand” promotion for a chance to win $1,000 or a new propane gas grill.

New research shows that propane-fueled irrigation engines cost up to 14 percent less to purchase and operate than diesel models. Propane fuel burns cleaner and more efficiently than traditional fuels, decreasing deposits on engine components and reducing toxic greenhouse gas emissions by up to 24 percent compared with diesel.

Farmers interested in powerful and efficient new propane-fueled irrigation engines can check out the Ford 6.8-liter industrial propane engine from Engine Distributors Inc. at the booth and apply for an incentive to purchase one.

The Propane Farm Incentive Program, sponsored by PERC, lowers the initial cost of purchasing a new EPA-certified propane-fueled irrigation engine, offering producers a $400 incentive per liter of engine displacement up to 10.3 liters, or $4,120. As part of the research and demonstration initiative, eligible farmers report on performance data for at least one season. Feedback from the program helps inform future product development.

Commodity Classic, Farming, Irrigation, Propane

Farm Foundation to Talk About Sustainable Practices

John Davis

farmfoundationlogo3How the world’s farmers meet the demands of a growing population in a sustainable way is the subject of the next Farm Foundation Forum on Wednesday, March 6, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The forum will also be broadcast on the web for free.

Attendees will discuss a new report from Solutions From the Land (SFL), a national dialogue of landowners and conservationists focused on the sustainable policies and practices:

The report is the result of a three-year conversation among thought leaders in agriculture, forestry and conservation to identify the land challenges faced today and in the years ahead, and propose pathways to address those challenges. The pathways proposed are not intended to be prescriptive, but rather to serve as the basis for robust, solutions-oriented conversations among the diverse range of stakeholders with interests in land use issues. This includes foresters, farmers, ranchers, conservationists, community leaders, recreation enthusiasts, the wildlife community, policy makers and agribusiness leaders.

Former Texas Congressman Charlie Stenholm will moderate the discussion on the report.

More information on attending in person or watching the webinar is available on the Farm Foundation website. Register by noon Monday, March 4.

Ag Groups, Farm Foundation

FMC Wants Students to Stand Up & Be Heard

John Davis

nfms-13-fmc-thompsonAgriculture students from across the country will get the chance to showoff their musical talent for a chance to win scholarship prizes in FMC’s second annual “Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest” starting March 1.

“FMC is focusing on the future of agriculture,” Tim Thompson, the company’s Agricultural Products North America product manager, told Chuck during an interview at the National Farm Machinery Show. Students in NAMA, FFA, and 4-H the chance to win up to $10,000 in scholarship money. They have until June 15, 2013 to get their entry in, when the public votes on who they like best. A panel of judges narrows it down a bit more, and four finalists will also have the opportunity to go to Nashville to work with a music producer and record their version of the National Anthem. Tim said it’s a great way to show the future of agriculture how much this country cares. “We had 170-plus students who participated with videos a year ago, almost 200,000 votes that came in and we got down to four.”

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Tim here: Interview with Tim Thompson

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, FMC, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS

New Holland: Better Performance, Comfort in New Tractors

John Davis

nfms-13-nh-t4-5Our friends at New Holland had some pretty exciting news at the recent National Farm Machinery Show as they rolled out two new series of tractors that they say will bring better performance and more comfort for the hard-working producers who use them. Mike Cornman with New Holland told Chuck a little bit about the new T4 and T5 series of tractors, both designed to appeal to livestock and dairy producers in particular.

“Whether they’re doing chores around the farm, whether it be a haying process or moving bales, etc., we really bring some new features to the tractors for 2013,” Mike said.

With the T4 Series, there’s three models from 70-90 horsepower, with a variety of features, most notably, a cab that is a big upgrade. “Really spacious for the operator with a nice layout of the controls, and also, an operator training seat so another person can safely join them in the cab and be able to observe what’s happening in the tractor. So a real nice update to the cab, providing a lot of comfort to that operator.”

The T5 Series is touted as ready to redefine utility tractor standards. It’s targeted to professional, full-time farmers with increased efficiency in operation.

LMike said the new T4s and T5s will be available at your local New Holland dealer later this year.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Mike here: Interview with Mike Cornman

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland, NFMS

Economic Outlook in Meat Industry

Chuck Zimmerman

Steve MeyerOur morning two general session featured several economists including Steve Meyer, President, Paragon Economics. I talked with him afterward to get a few of his thoughts on how things are looking for the meat industry.

The number one item is weather. Of course Steve says that’s harder to predict than the markets! Steve says we’re on such a tight supply situation with grains, soybeans and hay that what happens this spring with the weather is key. A normal weather pattern would be nice and he says we’re all assuming that because you have to assume something. He says that if we do have normal weather and a crop then we’ll see some growth in chicken production and a slight growth in hog production. Cattle are another matter and have a rather long turn around time.

Listen in to my interview with Steve to hear more of his thoughts on the economic outlook including factors like supply, demand, pricing and effect of exports here: Interview with Steve Meyer

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Meat

Fact vs. Fiction in Food Crisis Management

Chuck Zimmerman

Sue Borra and Eric MittenthalCrisis management. We hear a lot about it and any company wants to be ready to handle one if it should happen. How do you deal with fact vs. fiction, especially in the food industry? At today’s Annual Meat Conference we heard from Sue Borra, Senior Vice President of Communications, Food Marketing Institute and Eric Mittenthal, Vice President, Public Affairs, American Meat Institute, on this topic.

When it comes to food retail Sue says food safety is the number one concern. They place extremely high value on what their customers think. So if a crisis breaks out they want to be able to communicate rapidly, effectively and with as much information as possible. Both Sue and Eric emphasized the importance of planning ahead and being ready to be proactive. Their organizations are constantly looking ahead and prepare information that is readily available to their members.

I brought up social media since we’ve seen both fact and fiction explode overnight on some issues, including in the food world. Sue says that most retailers are now active in social media and they monitor what is being said about their companies. It’s about trust and transparency! Very important words.

Listen in to my conversation with Sue and Eric to learn more about their thoughts on this subject here: Interview with Sue Borra & Eric Mittenthal

2013 Annual Meat Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, Meat