- The 37th annual Peanut Farm Show and conference will be held at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Jan. 17, 2013.
- BRANDT announced that it has completed the acquisition of Monterey Chemical Company, Inc.
- Monsanto integrated yield pipeline advances a record 18 projects across multiple research areas.
- XS, Inc. announced that it has completed the sale of itsXSAg.com chemical exchange business to Farm trader, LLC,.
Shimkus named Agribusiness Leader of the Year
Citing his contribution to the promotion, development and improvement of the agricultural industry in the Metro East, the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club named Representative John Shimkus as its AgriBusiness Leader of the Year.
Shimkus accepted the award during the Club’s January meeting at Baisch and Skinner Wholesale Floral Distributor in St. Louis.
Throughout his seven terms in Congress, Shimkus has maintained a 94 percent voting record with the Illinois Farm Bureau due to his championship of the issues that directly impact the agriculture industry. Shimkus’ agricultural accomplishments include his support of the Renewable Fuels Reinvestment Tax, sponsorship of the 2011 Open Fuel Standard, the establishment of the 25x’25 Illinois Renewable Energy Alliance, and his unwavering support of the renewable energy and biofuels industries.
The NCERC Biofuels Research Center nominated Shimkus for the award in conjunction with the Illinois Corn Growers, Illinois Renewable Fuels Association, and the Illinois Farm Bureau. NCERC Director John Caupert said the nomination reflects Shimkus’ efforts on behalf of the nearly two-thirds of the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club membership who live and work in Illinois.
2013 Top-10 New Product Winners
Results are in for World Ag Expo’s Top-10 New Products competition. The winners will be showcased at the 46th annual World Ag Expo. A group of judges made up of farmers, ranchers and industry professionals selected the Top-10 New Products.
ADA Enterprises: This first-of-its-kind product provides a safe, healthy and comfortable environment for newly-weaned calves, replacement heifers and veal calves.
Freeman, a division of Allied Systems: baler attachment
Barrier Systems, LLC: While watching television coverage of hundreds of volunteers filling sandbags during a flood in Fargo, N.D., general contractor Joe Hartley thought, “There has to be a better way.”
Clemens Vineyard Equipment, Inc.: a product that could dramatically change the way American growers plot and plant their vineyards and some tree crops.
L&H Airco: System featuring breakthrough technology to cool warehouses, processing facilities and other large enclosed areas
Click here to see the complete list of Top-10 products.
Washington Update for Cotton Producers
National Cotton Council president and CEO Dr. Mark Lange gave his Washington update during the Beltwide Cotton Production Conference on Tuesday, explaining what the taxpayer relief act passed on New Year’s Day means for them with the extension of the 2008 Farm Bill.
“One thing they didn’t do was make any cuts,” Mark told me during an interview. “All that means is the next four year farm bill is going to have five years worth of cuts in it. That’s going to make coming to a good resolution about farm policy all the more difficult.”
The big problem is all of the major issues that Congress has to deal with in the next 60-90 days – including sequestration, debt ceiling and the budget. Mark says he is concerned with what the farm bill extension might mean for the WTO cotton trade issue with Brazil. “I know the U.S. government will be talking with the Brazilians in the next week or so and we should get some feedback,” he said.
Listen to my interview with Mark here: Mark Lange interview
Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album
Juice Up Your Gadget
I’m betting that many of you are in the learning stage with your new gadget you got for Christmas. Maybe that’s an iPhone, iPad or some sort of Android device. There are others, I know. If you can power it up via a usb cable connection then here’s my choice of a very useful device to stick in your bag for when your gadget runs out of juice.
It’s the Hyperjuice Micro. Cindy and I each carry one with us and I use it frequently, especially during a very active day of agriblogging and when I’m on a tour bus and there are no other power outlet options. I started out with a Hyperjuice Mini which I still have but I like the smaller Micro. It has two usb ports so you can plug in two gadgets at the same time to power them up. In my experience, my devices generally charge back up quickly.
There are special gadget covers that include an extra battery in them but I don’t like the extra bulk, including the “thin” ones. I like my slim case on my iPhone and I’d rather stick one of these in my jacket pocket if I’m going to be somewhere I can’t have my gear bag handy.
Your gadget is only good if it’s got power. True AgNerds know the importance of this. Don’t have to say, “My Phone is dead” because you ran out of juice!
Available in 10 different juicy colors and housed in an exquisite aluminum casing, HyperJuice Micro is equipped with one high power and one low power USB port that can charge the iPad and iPhone or any USB device. You will be spoiled for choice finding the right color to match your USB device.
How do you address the need to power your gadget up out in the field or on the road?
You’ll find lots of other useful gadget devices at HyperShop besides HyperJuice.
Display New for Cotton from FMC
Display is on display for cotton growers visiting with FMC Corporation this week at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences.
FMC Technical Support specialist Rusty Mitchell says Display (TM) is a new cotton harvest aid for defoliation and weed control that contains a combination of two PPO active ingredients – Carfentrazone, which is FMC’s Aim and Fluthiacet-methyl. “We wanted something that was a little bit gentler than what we’ve seen with carfentrazone, something a little more subtle from the standpoint of dropping leaves and less concerns with leaf sticking,” Rusty explains.
Display was just released last August so this will be the first full year of commercial availability. Rusty will be doing a presentation on Display Thursday morning for growers here at Beltwide – and more information is always available at FMCcrop.com.
Listen to my interview with Rusty here: Rusty Mitchell interview
Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album
Cotton Council Chairman Optimistic about 2013
Despite various weather challenges, 2012 was a good year overall for cotton production, especially where National Cotton Council Chairman Chuck Coley farms in Georgia, and he is optimistic about the year ahead.
“We had an excellent crop in the Southeast, in fact we’re still ginning that crop,” Chuck told Southeast AgNet‘s Randall Weiseman. “We always wish the price is better but we see a bright future for cotton in the Southeast.”
Chuck says acreage will definitely be down this year because of the price but he is hopeful about the U.S. regaining its competitive edge in the future. “There’s some problems with the supply in China and getting consumption back up but I think through programs like National Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated will keep working.”
Listen to Randall’s interview with Chuck here: Chuck Coley interview
Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album
Become a Master of Social Media at UF
Think you’re a master of social media? If not, you can become one at the University of Florida, College of Journalism & Communications, my alma mater.
I wonder if they’d like a guest lecturer? Think I’ll pursue that idea.
The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications is pleased to announce the launch of our online Master of Arts in Mass Communication with a specialization in Social Media. As a UF graduate, we thought you’d be especially interested in this first-of-its-kind program and the ability to continue your education as a Gator no matter where you reside.
This innovative program provides a specialized focus in social media for the professional who is seeking knowledge in the advanced uses, communication techniques, business opportunities, and trends from the growing realm of social media. As a student, you will learn to adapt, craft, and deliver customized social media content and determine its effectiveness through a diverse range of social media metrics and data.
Designed for working professionals, this degree provides a flexible route to acquiring new skills and implementing them in your current career through online course delivery.
We invite you to learn more about this unique opportunity.
New Format for Beltwide Cotton in 2014
Once upon a time, there were as many as 750 producers who attended Beltwide Cotton Conferences, but now it’s down to about 200 – so it’s time for a change.
Producer/ginner Kenneth Hood of Mississippi has attended 32 Beltwides over the years and he was on the steering committee that made the decision on how to update the meeting for today’s world. “We felt it’s better to keep the Beltwide for the technical conferences, for our research papers, and for our consultants,” he said. “Then we’ll have regional meetings to help me address particular problems in my area.”
Listen to my interview with Kenneth here: Kenneth Hood interview
Check out photos from the conferences here: 2013 Beltwide Cotton photo album
Book Review – The Year God Forgot Us
Pssst…I have the secret recipe for renewable fuel. Want to know where I found this recipe that will take down big oil? In the novel, “The Year God Forgot Us,” by Dennis Nau. Ok, so I don’t really have some super duper secret renewable fuel recipe, but this week’s book was a fictional look at 1936, during the Great Depression, where the town of Bernadotte, North Dakota believes they have met the man who will revolutionize fuel by stealing a secret recipe developed by the Mormans.
A stranger drives in to town and fills up his tank with water, shakes his truck, and drives off. This leads to town gossip and eventually the driver begins frequenting the local cafe when he comes through town and begins planting the idea of the secret fuel recipe and how the town can “buy” the recipe and become rich. Al, the leader of the pack” says, “The Mormons are the devil. Satan. Satan with a suit on. That’s the Mormons. They discovered the secret formula of how to turn water into gasoline, the Mormans did.”
Eventually Al unveils the catalyst as wheat flour, a dream for struggling wheat farmers. As the town gets excited about the gasoline venture, Johnny, the proprietor of the cafe says, “A lot of money would stay in this area, wouldn’t do out east to people in Boston and New York. It wouldn’t go west to Los Angeles. The money wouldn’t be parked in banks in Chicago. We grow wheat here. Think of what this would do to the demand for wheat. Why, every farmer in North Dakota would be able to make enough money for a decent living. This would benefit all our neighbors…”
While I’m not going to spill the beans on what happens, the narrative is colorful and I could almost imagine sitting on the bar stool eating breakfast at the cafe and watching and participating as the events unfold. While the book isn’t about “biofuels” per se, it does lay out the foundation for the future fuel as American farmers – exactly what is happening today as farmers grow energy crops. I would be remiss if I didn’t say the language could be offensive to some, but Nau means no disrespect to Mormans or others. The scam in the book is perpetrated on Americans of all race and creed and the tale is told true to its time – 1936 during the Great Depression.