NBB Honors Secy Vilsack with Leadership Award

Joanna Schroeder

nbb-13-vilsackjobeThe National Biodiesel Board praised Sec. Vilsack as one of the strongest advocates for renewable fuels in the nation, and presented him with the National Energy Leadership Award during the final day of the 10th Annual National Biodiesel Board Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.

“I’ve witnessed the beginning of a rural renaissance that is remarkable, and you, sir, have presided over it,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “You went to bat for us in the successful expansion of the RFS, and for an issue like ours to go all the way to the top is extraordinary. We can’t thank you enough for your leadership.”

Rather than a typical award, this one was embossed on a glass plate, apropos for the leader of American agriculture.

“You have the power to make us more energy secure, and still create enough food and fiber for the world. That’s an amazing opportunity worth fighting for,” said Vilsack. “You also have the ability to respond as a generation to climate change. You’ve got to keep up the fight because the stakes are extraordinarily high.”

Listen to Jobe’s and Vilsack’s remarks here: National Energy Leadership Award

2013 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, National Biodiesel Conference

Getting to Know Ag Leader

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyHere is the next in our series as we introduce you to a few of dedicated precision ag equipment dealers in a series called “Getting to Know Ag Leader”.

We caught up with Ken Diller of Hoober Inc. in Intercourse, Penn.:

1. From an agronomy standpoint, what do you consider to be the biggest issues facing growers today?
Farmers are having a harder time being able to digest all of the information that they need to make an educated decision on things like variety and rates. Seed corn manufacturers are continually coming up with new varieties that are better suited to a certain type of soil type, weather condition, and season length. The same things can be said for the fertilizer manufacturers or suppliers. They are continually coming up with new formulas that affect rates applied and the performance of the seed based on the type of soil and weather condition. All of these choices and constant changes are making it harder for the individual farmer to make the proper decisions on his own. It is becoming more important all the time for them to have a trusted adviser who is knowledgeable about all of these changes and how they affect his operation. This helps them to have confidence in the decisions they are making for their operation. The same thing holds true for their precision farming hardware purchases. Technology changes at such a rapid rate, that having that trusted adviser to help them make the correct decisions as far as hardware is concerned is becoming more and more important to them.

!cid_6DD8B5BD-9EB5-4DBF-ABE6-DB49D188D1A52. Tell us about how growers in your area are using precision agriculture.
Growers in our area are using precision agriculture for more and more applications all the time. When precision agriculture was introduced, we concentrated on collecting data about yields. From there we moved on to adding steering to make sure we were getting the best row spacing possible. Next, we applied the same type of technology to machine control to make sure we were controlling our input costs as efficiently as possible. Growers have been able to see the added advantages of adopting this type of technology by realizing lower input costs and at the same time higher yields. A lot of these advantages can be attributed directly to the use of this technology because the technology allows us to keep more consistent and more accurate records to substantiate these advantages. A lot of our smaller farmers are beginning to adopt this technology because of the input from their fellow farmers in the area. Even the smallest of farmers can find a piece of this technology that he can adopt to make him more efficient and productive. Growers in our area are using this technology in just about every aspect of farming that you can imagine. From nothing more than manual guidance to full machine control and implement steering. Once they use this technology, they realize what it can do for them.
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Ag Leader

2013 Championship Tractor Pull

Chuck Zimmerman

Championship Tractor PullI had only a very few minutes this year to stick my head in the door at Freedom Hall here at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds for the Championship Tractor Pull. But it was an exciting few minutes watching some high horsepower in action. You absolutely have to have ear plugs or else. The action ends tomorrow with championship rounds. I’ll be long gone by then.

Today I’m hunting some more interviews and will be sharing them over the next week or so.

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
National Farm Machinery Show

2013 FinOvation Awards

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland 2013 FinOvation AwardFarm Industry News held its annual FinOvation Awards dinner here at the National Farm Machinery Show last night. A lot of the winners were on hand including our sponsor New Holland. Pictured are Gary Wojcik (left) and Mark Hooper with their award:

Tractors: High horsepower, 4WD – T9 with SmartTrax, New Holland

The T9 4WD tractor with tracks from New Holland takes the FinOvation honors in the high-horsepower 4WD category. The new SnartTrax option consists of four belted rubber tracks designed to reduce soil compaction and slippage created by these 600-plus-hp tractor. They also can provide a ride over bumps that is smoother than that of wheel tractors. While the tractor is premium-priced offering, its tracks have features to balance out the cost. One of those is its single-wheel design, which allows you to bolt the tracks onto the same axle as the tires. This design allows you to switch out wheels for tracks, depending on field conditions. Visit newholland.com/na.

You can find lists and descriptions all the winners on the Farm Industry News website.

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


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

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Hurley & Associates Celebrates 25 Years.
  • The New Jersey Department of Agriculture premiered its new Jersey Fresh advertising campaign during the annual State Agricultural Convention on February 7, with its sports-themed “Another Great Season.”
  • In response to continued business growth, Paradowski Creative announces the addition of four new staff members to the team.
  • Growers Express announces the promotion of Merritt Bruce from Director of National Accounts to the company’s Vice President of Sales.
Zimfo Bytes

Some Sweet Science Behind Maple Weekend

Jamie Johansen

maple logoSome recent research has uncovered some significant health benefits to maple syrup. So when attend this year’s Maple Weekend in New York, held March 16-17 and March 23-24, remember there is a little more to it then it’s simple sweet taste.

University of Rhode Island researcher Navindra Seeram has found 20 compounds in maple syrup that play an important role in our health.

“I continue to say that nature is the best chemist, and that maple syrup is becoming a champion food when it comes to the number and variety of beneficial compounds found in it,” Seeram said. “It’s important to note that in our laboratory research we found that several of these compounds possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which have been shown to fight cancer, diabetes and bacterial illnesses.”

Did you know a quarter of a cup of maple syrup has more calcium than the same amount of milk or that there is more potassium in maple syrup than a banana?

More than 100 maple syrup producers across New York State open their sugarhouses to the public and share their secrets. Maple Weekend is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day where visitors can learn about tree tapping, boiling and even do some taste testing. Oh, by the way, admission is free.

A list of sugarhouses and maps can be found online at www.mapleweekend.com. Production techniques from vary from producer to producer. See state-of-the-art maple tapping one day and then traditional tapping the next.

Events, Research

Managing Insects for Greater Yields

Chuck Zimmerman

FMC at National Farm Machinery ShowWe hear a lot about weed resistance but don’t forget about insect resistance. That’s why I visited with Adam Prestegord (not pictured), product manager for FMC’s insecticide business. We talked about Capture LFR. This product protects a seed or young seedling, even a biotech variety, before an insect can do some damage!

Farmers can use liquid Capture LFR as an at-plant insecticide to create a zone of protection. This means healthier plant stands, increased root size and ultimately greater yield. Learn more about what FMC is doing in this are in my interview with Adam at the National Farm Machinery Show.

You can listen to my interview with Adam here: Interview with Adam Prestegord

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

New Holland Excavators Handy on the Farm

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland ConstructionNew Holland is integrating its construction business more closely with agriculture and that was on display here at the National Farm Machinery Show. One of those items on display is a mini excavator. I learned about it by visiting with Barry Newton, seen here talking with a customer.

Barry says an excavator is a great machine for moving dirt and doing clean up work such as ditch banks and tree removal. He says it’s just a handy machine to have on the farm. In my interview you’ll hear Barry talk about some other ways an excavator can be useful on the farm.

You can listen to my interview with Barry here: Interview with Barry Newton

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

Sequester Could Cause FSIS Inspector Furlough

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has shaken up the meat and poultry industry with his comments about how sequestration might impact agriculture during a speech to the National Ethanol Conference last week.

vilsack-nec-13Answering a question about funding for a farm bill, Vilsack talked more broadly about what might happen after March 1 if Congress fails to act and sequester creates automatic budget cuts. “It is likely if sequester is triggered that in our food safety area we will have to furlough workers for a period of a couple of weeks,” Vilsack said, adding that would cause plants to shut down, supplies to decline and prices to go up for consumers.

Those comments generated reaction from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the American Meat Institute. “(W)e are severely disappointed Secretary Vilsack has chosen to take this path of threatening to halt FSIS inspections.” said NCBA president Scott George. AMI President J. Patrick Boyle wrote to both Secretary Vilsack and President Obama stressing USDA’s legal obligations to provide meat inspection even under sequestration.

Secretary Vilsack responded that taking inspectors off the job would be a last resort, but is a very real possibility. “Unfortunately, unless Congress acts to prevent sequestration, FSIS will have no choice but to furlough its employees in order stay within the budget Congress has given it,” Vilsack wrote. “Because we understand that furloughing our food safety inspectors would not be good for our consumers, the economy, the meat and poultry industry, or our workforce, we view such furloughs as the last option we would implement to achieve the necessary sequestration cut.”

Listen to Vilsack at ethanol conference comment about sequester impacts on ag: Vilsack on sequester at NEC

Audio, Ethanol, Livestock, NCBA, RFA, USDA

NCBA’s Work In Washington

Jamie Johansen

beef-usa-logoThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is hard at work advocating for beef producers year-round, but during the Cattle Industry Convention they get to hear with cattlemen and women from across the country.

During this year’s event I talked with Colin Woodall, Vice President of Government Affairs for NCBA. To start off our chat I asked him about some of the 2012 successes they are proud to share.

“There are a couple of great successes. One of the top successes was the fact we were able to get the exemption amounts for the death tax put into permanent law. That was a huge victory for the cattle industry because for several years every two years we would have to defend our position. To be able to have our $5 million exemption per person and our $10 million per couple in permanent law is just great for the entire industry. We were also able to shut down the EPA efforts to regulate ag dust. Another great win. So those are two of the really big ones that we had and then just last week we were victorious in getting more beef access into Japan.”

Coming down the pipeline for 2013, Colin shared that they are still working on the Farm Bill, but it is slow moving. They are also battling activist groups trying to remove the use of antibiotics, dealing with immigration and border control, as well as the continue fight with the EPA.

Listen to my complete interview with the Colin: Interview with Colin Woodall

You can find photos from the event here:Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Photo Album

Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Farm Bill, NCBA