Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Diamond V dedicated its new 17,000 sq. ft. high-tech global headquarters at its 77-acre campus in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
  • The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is now accepting nominations for the second year of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards.
  • Becker Underwood has released the company’s first ever sustainability report, Be Legendary. Be Positive., highlighting the company’s economic, environmental, social and governance performance.
  • The next generation of Rancher Balers from Vermeer is here with the introduction of the Rancher 6640 and Rancher 6650 Balers.
    Zimfo Bytes

    RFS Comments Start; Corn Growers Want More Time

    John Davis

    Today kicked off the 30-day comment period to the EPA on the waiver request of the Renewable Fuels Standard. But the National Corn Growers Association is already asking for more time. NCGA President Garry Niemeyer sent a letter to the EPA requesting an additional 30 days of comments, citing harvest and the uncertainty of this year’s corn crop:

    “Across the nation our members are beginning harvest, one of the busiest times of the year,” Niemeyer wrote. “Given the demands of harvest, I am concerned that the proposed 30-day comment period will not provide sufficient time for a thorough analysis of the proposed waiver and would hinder farmer participation in this important policy process. Also, with the crop still in the field, it is too early to determine this year’s final corn supply.”

    Without the additional requested time, comments are set to close at the end of September. Then, the EPA must make its decision within 60 days after comments close. In 2008, when Texas Gov. Rick Perry made a request for a partial waiver of the RFS, the EPA received 15,000 comments from throughout the country.

    Ag Groups, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA

    Apples to iPods Contest

    Melissa Sandfort

    Vermont’s pick-your-own orchards will offer a chance to win an iPod during the Apples to iPods promotion that kicks off next week.

    In this technology-meets-agriculture contest, one specially marked wooden apple is hidden in an apple tree at 20 Vermont pick-your-own apple orchards. The lucky apple picker who finds a wooden apple wins an Apple iPod, iPod Shuffle or iPad.

    This good-natured promotion of Vermont’s working landscape is in partnership with Woodchuck® Hard Cider, Small Dog Electronics, Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. The State of Vermont first launched this promotion in 2007 with hopes of growing participation at Vermont pick-your-own orchards. Since the launch, participation has been incredibly ‘fruitful’ across Vermont.

    Vermont’s nearly 4,000 acres of commercial apple orchards produce leading apple varieties: McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Empire. In 1999, the Vermont legislature designated the apple as the state fruit, and the apple pie as the state pie.

    Agribusiness

    Ag Sec. Vilsack Announces Beginning Farmers Grants

    Chuck Zimmerman

    New USDA grants to support beginning farmers were announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on the final day of the Farm Progress Show. Sec. Vilsack held a a press conference in the New Holland media tent.

    “In the past few decades, U.S. agriculture has become the second most productive sector of the American economy thanks to farmers adopting technology, reducing debt, and effectively managing risk,” said Vilsack. “Last year, America’s farmers, ranchers and producers achieved record farm income and record exports. To protect and sustain these successes, we must continue to build an agriculture industry diverse and successful enough to attract the smartest, hardest-working people in the nation. These grants will help beginning farmers and ranchers overcome the unique challenges they face and gain knowledge and skills that will help them become profitable and sustainable.”

    Find the full release here.

    Listen to or download Sec. Vilsack’s remarks and question/answer session here: Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Remarks

    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, Farming, USDA

    FS InVISION Sightings at FPS

    Cindy Zimmerman

    A photo contest has been running to get the word out about new FS InVISION™ seed corn and today is the last day to vote for your favorite.

    “This year, we’ve re-branded our FS seed corn and it’s now FS InVISION seed corn,” said Justin White with FS who explains that the FS InVISION Sightings Contest was designed to let people know about that. Six finalists were chosen for the contest and folks visiting the Farm Progress Show in Iowa have been able to vote for their favorite, which will be announced tomorrow. The six finalists all received $500 toward expenses to attend the FPS here and the Grand Prize winner will receive a $500 gift card, and the chance to be featured in FS InVISION advertisements in 2013. In addition, for every photo uploaded, $10 was donated to the Illinois, Iowa, or Wisconsin State FFA Association.

    View the six finalists and vote here.

    Listen to my interview with Justin here: Justin White - FS InVISION Sightings

    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, Corn, Farm Progress Show, FS System, GROWMARK

    FMC Announces Finalists in Anthem Contest

    Melissa Sandfort

    After receiving more than 155,000 votes in the “Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest,” FMC Agricultural Products Group (APG) announces the four finalists to continue on in the competition. Allison Nohre from De Pere, Wis.; Lexie Sistrunk from Oak Grove, La.; Jessica Smith from Picayune, Miss.; and Katie Wesler from Birmingham, Ala.; have been selected as finalists by popular online vote. Videotaped interviews and performances of the four finalists will be aired on RFD-TV on October 4 with online voting to determine the grand prize winner.

    Voting for the finalists will take place between September 24 and Oct. 19. Three of the finalists will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship. The grand prize winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship. The grand prize winner will be announced on Oct. 24.

    Agribusiness, FMC

    Farm Progress Show Field Demos

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Weather has prevented a full schedule of field demonstrations during the Farm Progress Show for a couple of years now. Not so this year.

    We had a nice breeze to tone down a hot day in the field today during the show. Corn harvest demonstrations began at 11am and there were crowds on hand to watch the large combines, tractors and grain carts in action. I had the opportunity to make it out there for a while and see some of the action.

    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, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Harvest, Video

    New Holland Aggressively Focused on the Brand

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The New Holland lot at the Farm Progress Show is packed with all the latest equipment from this original sponsor of our coverage of the show. I visited with Abe Hughes, VP, New Holland North America, seen here with the top leadership of the company who came out to the show to visit with customers and the New Holland team.

    Abe says the company is aggressively marketing the brand through three distinct segments that include the “core of the brand” which is dairy and livestock. That segment is in the middle of the lot and surrounded by the cash crop segment and the residential/commercial and municipal utilities segment. Very visible in the cash crop product area is the American Ethanol logo on combines, self propelled sprayers and Rustler utility vehicles. Abe says that the emphasis is on their partnership with American Ethanol that aligns them directly with their customers. He says New Holland is 200 percent behind ethanol and believes that ethanol production has brought great stability to American farmers and rejuvenated and stabilized their income and ability to support their families.

    There is a lot to see on the New Holland lot. Listen to my interview with Abe and learn what you’re missing here in Boone, IA: Interview with Abe Hughes

    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, New Holland

    Former Ag Secretary and USTR at FPS

    Cindy Zimmerman

    A former Secretary of Agriculture and US Trade Ambassador believes Mitt Romney would be a better president for agriculture, doubts Congress will get a farm bill done next month, and would advise against waiving the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

    That’s a few of the topics Dr. Clayton Yeutter touched on during a brief press appearance at the 2012 Farm Progress Show on Wednesday, with the main goal of promoting Governor Romney for president. “This is an election that will be decided much more on the basis of non-agricultural issues than agricultural ones,” said Yeutter, citing the national debt in particular. “You’ve got a businessman in Governor Romney who understands all this.”

    While Yeutter admits that Congress could pass a new farm bill next month, “the odds are that they won’t get it done before September 30th” and will probably pass some sort of extension, possibly until after the election or maybe for another year.

    As to the RFS, Yeutter says he believes the markets will work out the current situation, but if he were advising the administration in the matter, “my advice would be do not grant the waiver.”

    Listen to or download all of Dr. Yeutter’s comments here: Clayton Yeutter at FPS

    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 Bill, Farm Progress Show, politics

    Poll Says Increased Feed Costs, Food Prices

    Melissa Sandfort

    Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ”Beyond commodity prices, what will this year’s drought have a greater impact on?”

    Our poll results: Thirty-eight percent said feed costs; thirteen percent said food prices; eleven percent said fuel costs and crop insurance, respectively; nine percent said crop inputs; eight percent said land costs; and five percent said tillage practices and other, respectively.

    Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, ” How will the drought affect farm equipment sales?” For growers looking to update their fleet, or invest in new equipment and technologies, will they think twice when factoring in drought affects or will their pocketbooks still allow them that purchase – what do you think?

    ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

    ZimmPoll