Vilsack Talks Obama Plan for Rural Economy at DNC

John Davis

Pres. Obama has a way to keep the rural economy moving forward… that’s the message delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC received from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “President Obama has a detailed plan for a new rural economy,” Vilsack told the delegates. “More support for small businesses making, creating and innovating. More investment in biofuels and other biomaterials. And more trade and more markets.”

Vilsack said rural Americans want someone who will help the middle class and that Obama and running mate Vice President Joe Biden are the ones to keep things moving forward.

In a recent ZimmPoll, Obama and Biden’s challengers, Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan seem to be holding a small lead in a close race, with 42 percent choosing Romney/Ryan and 35 percent going for Obama/Biden. But nearly a quarter of respondents say we need a better choice.

Hear Vilsack’s remarks here: Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack at DNC

Audio, Biofuels, politics

GROWMARK Honors Youth in Ag

Jamie Johansen

The role of young people involved in agriculture is a true focus for GROWMARK. During their recent annual meeting State FFA Officers from Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin and representatives from the Ontario Cooperative Young Leaders spoke to members on the role of young people in agriculture and their future roles in the industry.

I had the chance to talk with Darren Riskedal, State FFA President from Illinios, and Marley Burgess, Ontario Cooperative Young Leader Representative, before they took the stage. You can find their complete interviews below.

GROWMARK also recognized forty-one college students from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin with scholarships aimed to promote higher education in agriculture and business. GROWMARK has been supporting college students since the early 1960’s and strives to provide $44,000 in scholarships annually.

Listen to my interview with Darren here: Interview with Darren Riskedal

Listen to my interview with Marley here: Interview with Marley Burgess

You can find photos from the event here:2012 GROWMARK Annual Meeting

Agribusiness, Audio, Cooperatives, Education, FFA, GROWMARK

Up and Back the River

Melissa Sandfort

I’ve never been one to wish for snow, at least not while I’m lucid, but this summer I find myself dreaming of big sweatshirts, scarfs and my fur-lined boots. August teased us with some 70-degree days but now it’s been back near 100.

I also wonder if winter will come in October since the seasons have been accelerated by at least a month in 2012, which gets me to thinking about snowy, icy days. When we were kids, we lived in town and by town I mean all 120 of us according to the last census. I think it must have been a holiday when they counted and everyone’s family was included in that number. There was (and still is) a small 1 block by 1 block field across from our house that they planted to soybeans each year. When it was cold enough, the farmer would flood the field and make a skating rink for the kids who lived in town. You had to watch out for bean stalks poking up through the ice, but it really was fun.

When my grandpa was about 15 years old, he recalls a similar ice skating story. So take a listen as grandpa takes another “AgWalk” with us today.
Listen to Grandpa explain

The difference was, his ice skates were clamp-on skates that would tear off the soles and heels of his shoes and I had shoe skates.

Back to wishing for cooler weather … Not snow, just cooler fall days.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Syngenta Promotes Safety Benefits of Atrazine

Joanna Schroeder

Have you visited the Oasis yet? Syngenta recently launched the website “Saving the Oasis” to promote the safety of using atrazine. During the Farm Progress Show, Cindy Zimmerman caught up with Ann Bryan of Syngenta to learn more about the campaign.

The website features several documentaries: “Atrazine and Water,” “Atrazine and Safety,” and “Atrazine and Food Safety”. The goal of the campaign is for people to watch, learn and decide for themselves if they believe atrazine is safe. As an added incentive, if people go and watch the videos this month, Syngenta will donate $5 to the Iowa Food Bank Association through the end of September.

Ann said they wanted to correct some misinformation that’s out there with the public about atrazine. So the company engaged some academic experts over the last couple of years and released their benefits studies last November. With this information in their arsenal, they decided to turn them into mini documentaries with a focus of some of the benefits of atrazine that many don’t know about.

For example, atrazine helps minimize soil erosion and helps to keep the soil from collapsing into waterways. Ann said it also protects the environment and helps to foster habitat development. It also helps to increase the yield of many crops including corn, sorghum and sugarcane. Lastly, Ann highlighted that with the increase in yields, growers can help to feed a growing population.

Now it is time for you to decide. You can learn more about atrazine by watching the mini-documentaries (and helping those hungry get fed) and by listening to Cindy’s interview with Ann: Saving the Oasis

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Environment, Farm Progress Show, Syngenta

November Food Dialogues

Chuck Zimmerman

The next edition of The Food Dialogues is coming up on November 15, 2012 in New York City. Farmers, ranchers, industry experts, pundits and media will meet for in-depth conversations on today’s most provocative topics concerning food and its production – antibiotics, biotechnology, and media, marketing and food. The line up has not been announced yet but should be soon.

During the Farm Progress Show I got to sit down with Lisa Cassady, Internal Communications Manager, to talk about the event. Consumer influencers and the media are a target to get the information presented across to. The event will be streamed live on the USFRA Food Dialogues website. I’m sure that antibiotics and biotechnology will generate some interesting discussion.

If you’re wondering how you can join in the conversation to help non-farmers better understand where their food comes from Lisa suggests contacting USFRA via their website to take their Conversation with EASE training. It is conducted by webinar.

Listen to my interview with Lisa here: Interview with Lisa Cassady

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
Ag Groups, Audio, Farm Progress Show, USFRA

Key Tips for 2013 Growing Season

Joanna Schroeder

There was a lot of talk during the Farm Progress Show this year about the epic drought and how it was impacting growers across the country. Brent Wilson, DuPont Pioneer technical services manager, was out interacting with growers and when talking with them heard quite often that they just want to put the epic drought of 2012 behind them.

That leads to the question, what should growers be doing to get prepared for 2013? Wilson responded by putting together a list of key things DuPont Pioneer agronomists are doing to help growers prepare for next season. One question that was asked and answered during the press conference was, What impact will the drought have on product positioning for 2013?

A product getting a lot of buzz during the show was Pioneer® brand Optimum® AQUAmax™ products. Wilson said while they were originally developed for the Western corn belt where you see lower yields, the product lineup can also offer top-end yield potential in optimal growing conditions.

Some other issues Wilson brought to the field to think about included understanding maturity issues, knowing what trait packages as far as insect and disease and herbicide resistance are available and learning about the newest genetics that can be incorporated into a growers lineup that will help to increase overall yield potential.

While I have simply posed the questions Wilson suggests asking, he also answered them. To hear more details about the key things growers should consider when planning for the 2013 growing season, listen to the full press conference. Key Tips for 2013 Growing Season

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Pioneer, Seed

New Holland Supporting Ethanol Industry

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland proudly displayed its support for the ethanol industry during the Farm Progress Show as you can see on the side of the CR6090 Combine. They are the first major manufacturer of farm equipment to do so in this manner. As part of that initiative New Holland has become a partner with Growth Energy and American Ethanol. They are a “Clean Energy Leader!” I learned more about this partnership from Mark Hooper, New Holland Director, Commercial Growth Initiatives.

Here are some of the reasons New Holland supports what Growth Energy and the ethanol industry is doing:

  • Reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil
  • Energy that is more environmentally friendly
  • Renewable energy that is sustainable over many generations to come
  • Production that produces jobs for rural America – jobs that will not be exported
  • Support and stability for farmers in America and their families

Mark says the partnership helps New Holland get closer to its customers. He says they recognize the impact ethanol has had on its business and farmer customers. Mark says New Holland is actively involved with Growth Energy initiatives and is “going to our dealers and our growers and putting on events across the country where we bring them in and really partner with the local ethanol plant promoting the message of E15, energy independence, food vs. fuel and dispelling the myths that are out there right now.” New Holland currently has a special promotion for Growth Energy members. The company is also a partner with American Ethanol as a NASCAR sponsor.

Listen to my interview with Mark here: Interview with Mark Hooper

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
Agribusiness, Audio, Ethanol, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

Look For Decrease in Equipment Sales

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ”How will the drought affect farm equipment sales?” At last week’s Farm Progress Show where there was a lot of new equipment on display and the talk was dominated by weather.

Our poll results: sixty-three percent said sales will drop; six percent said sales will increase and thirty-one percent said no impact.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, ”What tillage practice changes will you make due to drought?” The continued dry conditions are changing a lot of things in agriculture. Are tillage practices one of them? What do you think?

a href=”http://www.rkconnect.com/Home.aspx”>ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

Monsanto to Launch Acceleron Seed Treatments

Cindy Zimmerman

Monsanto plans to introduce Acceleron® Seed Treatment Products with a new-generation fungicide for soybeans and cotton in the 2013 growing season.

These seed treatment products will contain multiple modes of action to deliver more complete and consistent disease protection, including a new fungicidal active ingredient with defense against Rhizoctonia and Fusarium, continuous protection from seed and seedling diseases and broad-spectrum insect protection.

The products are being evaluated in Monsanto field trials this season. The objective is to compare performance in terms of stand development and total stand survival, vigor enhancement and, ultimately, yield. In some plots, time-lapse photography was utilized to capture differences in emergence and early-season plant growth and health. While the focus is on disease, the trials also compared early-season insect protection.

I had the opportunity to chat with Monsanto Global Technology Soybean Lead Roy Fuchs at the Farm Progress Show. He talked about a number of soybean products in the pipeline for Monsanto, such as Roundup Ready Xtend. “Which is a combination of Roundup Ready 2 Yield plus dicamba tolerance for broader weed control of any glyphosate resistant weeds,” Roy explained, noting that they are hoping to launch that in 2014, pending regulatory approval.

When it comes to glyphosate resistance, Roy says they are stressing multiple modes of action for growers. “We have a program we call Roundup Ready Plus, where we’re actually recommending chemistry from other companies, but the best solution for weed control independent of whose product it is and it’s been extremely successful with growers and helping to manage resistance,” he said.

Listen to or download my interview with Roy here: Roy Fuchs with Monsanto

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
Audio, Farm Progress Show, Soybean

New Pioneer Forages Communications Coordinator

Melissa Sandfort

Caitlin Keck has been named communications coordinator for the DuPont Pioneer global forages team. Keck will provide marketing and communications support for the Pioneer corn silage, alfalfa and inoculants product lines.

Prior to joining the global forages team, Keck was a Pioneer agronomist in York, Neb., with the Pioneer Emerging Leaders Program. Keck is a graduate of the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minn., where she received her bachelor’s degree in agricultural education, leadership and communications with a double minor in animal science and Spanish.

Keck brings a solid agricultural background to the forages team. She grew up on a dairy farm near Owatonna, Minn., and was involved in several agricultural organizations during her university career, including National Collegiate Agricultural Ambassador Program, Gopher Dairy Club, Collegiate Agricultural Women, the International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership Program and the Minnesota FFA Association.

Agribusiness, Pioneer