Spending a Minute with Jake at NFMS

John Davis

nfms-13-fmc-turnerYou can learn a lot in just a short time. Our friends at FMC have launched a video series they call the Authority Minute, a chance to educate growers and retailers about the importance of having an effective weed management program. Chuck caught up with host Jake Turner at the recent National Farm Machinery Show, just one stop on the cross-country trip Jake is taking.

“The Authority Minute is a series of interviews with all kinds of folks about soybeans and weeds and their concerns with resistant weeds and weed pressure,” Jake explained, adding they talk to everyone from farmers to university researchers to chemists to wholesalers. “Everybody who can help growers get the most yield and control resistant weeds.”

So where does Jake find the best place to talk to producers? Diners!

“Growers know where the good food is, and that’s where you usually can talk to them, too.”

In addition to getting some good information, you might also win the ultimate tailgate package, including a Bose® Portable Sound System, a customized tailgate tent, a YETI® Tundra® Cooler, an XL Big Green Egg® Grill, Omaha Steaks® gift card, four tailgate chairs, a grilling tool set, tailgate table and tailgate games all valued at approximately $5,000. Plus, there’ll be a a number of first and second places prizes for a total of $15,000 in prizes. Check out news.authorityminute.com for more information.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Jake here: Interview with Jake Turner

And if you’d like to see one of the episodes, here’s a current one for you:

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

Planting Intentions for Corn 2013

Talia Goes

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Does warranty influence your decision to purchase new equipment?”

Our poll results: Almost all of you at eighty-seven percent said Yes, while thirteen percent said No. This poll certainly shows that warranty is a major consideration when shopping for new equipment!

chart

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What are your spring planting intentions for corn?” The severe drought of 2012 may influence farmers to try something different this planting season. Will it affect how many acres of corn you plant for the 2013 crop? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

New Holland, ZimmPoll

Welcome to 2013 Commodity Classic

Chuck Zimmerman

Welcome to 2013 Commodity ClassicWelcome to the 2013 Commodity Classic. The ZimmComm Team is here. Actually, Cindy is off on an adventure with our sponsor, BASF, while I got things started here in the Commodity Classic Media Room. Jamie Johansen will be joining us late this evening.

So expect lots of stories from the trade show, the general sessions, participating organizations, press conferences. We’ll have a lot to share in coming days.

For now, I do have the very start of a photo album. You can count on finding a lot more in it by the end of Classic: 2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Ag Groups, Commodity Classic

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of ten members to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.
  • Monsanto Company has announced that six recipients will be awarded research grants as part of the Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program.
  • Elanco announces the availability of FeedLINK, a web-based tool from GlobalVetLINK that makes it quicker and easier for a veterinarian to issue a Veterinary Feed Directive for use with Pulmotil.
  • Despite heavy snow across the region, over 3,300 people attended the 2013 MOSES Organic Farming Conference Feb. 21-23 in La Crosse, Wis.
Zimfo Bytes

Bayer CropScience Announces Balance GT Soybeans

Chuck Zimmerman

Eric Peters Bayer CropScience Balance GTWe recently knew it as FG72 Soybeans. Now it is Balance GT Soybeans! Bayer CropScience and MS Technologies announced the new soybean performance system during the annual Ag Issues Forum here in Kissimmee.

To learn more about it I got perspectives and information from both sides by visiting with Lauren August, MS Technologies Brand Manager, and Eric Peters, Soybean Herbicide Product Manager, seen doing an interview here in the poster session. Lauren says you’ll be able to learn a lot more about Balance GT Soybeans on their new website. MS Technologies is responsible for the soybean trait side of the collaboration. The product is a dual herbicide tolerant trait stack featuring tolerance to both glyphosate and isoxaflutole. Bayer CropScience and MS Technologies intend to broadly license Balance GT soybeans. Balance GT soybeans will be available in high-yielding genetics in many maturity groups in the US in 2015, pending regulatory approvals.

Balance GT SoybeansEric says that this will give growers an option to rotate chemistries with excellent residual for both grass and broad leaf weeds.

When growing Balance GT soybeans, growers will have the flexibility to use both glyphosate and isoxaflutole during burndown, pre- or post-emergence to achieve broad spectrum weed control of both grasses and broadleaf weeds. Rotating crops, herbicide modes of action and herbicide tolerant traits are good stewardship practices, and three of the best ways growers can achieve effective weed resistance management.

You can listen to my interview with Lauren and Eric here: Interview on new Balance GT Soybean

2013 Bayer CropScience Ag issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Seed, Soybean

Bayer Ag Issues Forum Sustainability Discussion

Chuck Zimmerman

Rob Kaplan and Rick TolmanSustainability. What does it mean to you? There is no real good definition. I like what Frank Sesno, moderator for the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum (pictured on left), said during his introduction of a session on day one, “I think if I had my druthers I’d ban it altogether because it’s such a catch all.” That it is!

The session is titled, “Connecting the Dots: The Business Case for Safe, Affordable and Sustainable Supply Chains.” Panel participants included Rob Kaplan, Senior Manager of Sustainability, Walmart Stores (center) and Rick Tolman, CEO, National Corn Growers Association.

This was a great conversation with a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas presented. I liked one exchange started by Rick Tolman who made a point that what’s important to him is what people use the term “not to mean,” He says, “In general society it tends to be an exclusionary term.” Then Rob Kaplan said, “Sustainability is really a journey not a destination.”

There’s a lot more to enjoy so you can listen to or download the conversation here: Bayer Ag Issues Forum Sustainability Session

2013 Bayer CropScience Ag issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Sustainability

8th Annual Bayer Ag Issues Forum

Chuck Zimmerman

Bayer CropScience Ag Issues ForumAfter surviving an evening of entertainment with Jerrod Niemann (photos in album) the agricultural journalists gathered here in Kissimmee for the 8th annual Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum are up and at ’em for round two.

I spoke with Beth Roden, Bayer CropScience Director of Communications, to find out about the history of the event and how it is going. Beth says that the Ag Issues Forum was started “as a way to connect with agricultural based media and dialogue around topics that are impacting the industry.” It’s an invitation only ag media event at which Bayer brings in thought leaders in the industry as well as within Bayer itself. Beth says the post event surveys have shown that the ag media participating not only enjoy the forum but really find useful, relevant, information to use in their publications and broadcasts.

You can listen to my interview with Beth here: Interview on new Beth Roden

2013 Bayer CropScience Ag issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer

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