It’s official. The Commodity Classic trade show is now open. The ribbon has been cut.
There are over 1,000 exhibitors this year for the show. Wish we could stop and visit with all of them. We can’t but we’ll be sharing interviews with as many as we have time to.
2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album
The numbers are suggesting that this year’s Commodity Classic will be another record buster. I visited with Patrick Delaney, Communications Director, American Soybean Association, in the media room to get an early look at how things are shaping up for this year’s combined annual meetings of the ASA, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers.
Patrick says that the current registration total is 5,900 and that expectations are that it will rise above last year’s record of 6,014 by the end of the conference. There are 1,000 first timers here too which is an encouraging statistic showing the interest from farmers and others who have not attended a previous Classic. The trade show here has set a record with over 1,000 booths.
Listen to my interview with Patrick here: Interview with Patrick Delaney
Follow the activity from this year’s Commodity Classic here on AgWired and remember the Twitter hashtag is #Classic13.
2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album
For seven years now, BASF Crop Protection has held a pre-Commodity Classic event for ag media to get a peak behind the stage of what the company brings to farmers and a growing world population. This year the event was held at Universal Studios and I would say it’s probably been the best one yet! Can’t wait to see how they top this next year!
“We really look forward to this event every year,” said BASF Vice President for Crop Protection Paul Rea, who was pleased to talk about the commitment BASF has to research and development for the future of food production.
“While public sector spending on agricultural research is flat, BASF is continuing to invest in agriculture through a variety of activities, including funding more than $2 million per day in research,” Paul said. “This symposium has become an interactive way for BASF to help educate media on advancements we are bringing to the industry. Our ongoing research in Plant Health and introduction of Advanced Weed Control are important parts of our portfolio of solutions to help growers get the most out every acre.”
Listen to my interview with Paul here: Interview with BASF's Paul Rea
BASF at 2013 Commodity Classic Photos
It’s possibly one of the best Super Bowl commercials of all time … Dodge Ram Trucks’ spot featuring the voice of Paul Harvey, reading in his characteristic way the moving poem, “So God Made a Farmer,” set to stirring images of the people who make possible our daily bread (and milk and meat and fuel). At the recent National Farm Machinery Show, Case IH’s Dan Danford explained his company’s role in their sister company’s memorable commercial.
“It’s been amazing what kind of spotlight this has put on U.S. agriculture,” Dan said, adding that in just a short time, it helped raise $1 million in donations for FFA. He considers it an absolute gift for Case IH to be part of this successful program to highlight the importance of agriculture in 2013, what the company calls The Year of the Farmer. “They included us because of our long relationship with FFA… 65 years as a supporting partner. And we are taking this torch and running with it!”
Dan said there’ll be more to come, including possibly a photo book. And Case IH wants to be a part of it all. “We are working with them to say, ‘What can we do to keep this going?’ Because the more people ask questions, the more they’re going want to know and be involved.”
You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Dan here: Interview with Dan Danford
And just in case you’d like to see it one more time.
You 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:
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!
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 
.
Welcome 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
We 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.
Eric 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
Sustainability. 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
