Kansas Wins Race to Sell 15% Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Kansas wins the prize for the first state to sell 15% ethanol-blended gasoline (E15) under the Environmental Protection Agency waiver.

The nation’s first E15 gallons were pumped at the Zarco 66 “Oasis” station in Lawrence, Kansas on Tuesday and, not coincidentally, the first customer to buy it was Jere White, Executive Director of the Kansas Corn Commission. “We were there when the last sticker went on,” said White. “We wanted to be there to pump the first gallons into a non-flex-fuel car under the waiver.” White fueled up a 2010 Chevy Camaro with E15 priced two cents a gallon less than E10.

Listen to interview with White here: Jere White with KS Corn Commission

Scott Zaremba is owner of Zarco 66 stations and pleased to be the first to offer consumers real choice at the pump in the form of E15 ethanol fuel. “We just whole-heartedly believe that alternatives are what we need to be moving toward to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and also being able to have cleaner burning product,” said Zaremba. He is offering the E15 as one of the choices at the station’s blender pump, which was one of the first installed in the state in 2008.

Zaremba also plans to offer E15 at a second Zarco 66 in Ottawa, and an announcement on that is expected soon. A formal grand opening for the pumps is planned for Wednesday, July 18.

Listen to interview with Zaremba here: Zarco CEO Scott Zaremba

It has been just over a month since the EPA gave final approval for the sale and use of E15 ethanol blends in light duty vehicles made since 2001, and over three years since the waiver was first requested.

Uncategorized

Wyffels Hybrids Does 2012 Corn Strategies

Chuck Zimmerman

Wyffels Hybrids is kicking off a series of Corn Strategies sessions this year in Vincent, IA. Here’s the team this morning getting ready for the tent capacity filled crowd that’s here on Harmon Farms. What a contrast I’ve seen in corn yesterday to today. The corn here looks great. Although I’m sure there are local farmers here who would like it to be even better. The corn in north central Illinois I saw yesterday was pretty well “toast.”

We’ve got a strong program taking place in a nicely air conditioned tent that includes speakers like Dr. Michael Swanson, Chief Economist, Wells Fargo; Arlan Suderman, Market Analyst, Farm Futures Magazine; Bill Tierney, Chief Economist, AgResource Comapny and one of my favorites, Dr. Fred Below, University of Illinois. I’ll have lots of interviews to share in coming days.

You can find photos from today’s event here: 2012 Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies Photo Album. I’ll add a lot more later today when I get to some better internet access although it’s pretty good using my Verizon Razr out here in a corn field!

Agribusiness, Corn

Weather Taking Toll on Crops

Cindy Zimmerman

This is what the corn looked like near Bloomington, Illinois yesterday – and it looks much worse in other areas.

The USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report out this morning did, as expected, lower corn yields as a result of the hot and dry conditions throughout much of the growing region this summer. “Dreadful,” said USDA Outlook Board Chairman Gerry Bange earlier this week as they were working to come up with the estimates. “There’s no other way to describe this other than just horrible.”

The projected U.S. corn yield was lowered 20 bushels per acre to 146 bushels reflecting the rapid decline in crop conditions since early June and based on that and reduced harvested area based on the June 29 Acreage report, WASDE reduced corn production prospects by 1.8 billion bushels from last month. “Persistent and extreme June dryness across the central and eastern Corn Belt and extreme late June and early July heat from the central Plains to the Ohio River Valley have substantially lowered yield prospects across most of the major growing regions,” the report says.

Soybeans are getting hit as well. WASDE is now projecting soybean production at 3.050 billion bushels, down 155 million as increased harvested area is more than offset by reduced yields. Harvested area, estimated at 75.3 million acres in the June 29 Acreage report, is 2.3 million above the June projection. The soybean yield is projected at 40.5 bushels per acre, down 3.4 bushels from last month.

Corn, Soybean, USDA

Most Are Negative About Obamacare

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ” How will Obamacare affect you and your business?”

Our poll results: Sixty percent said negatively; thirty percent said positively; five percent said not at all and the remaining five percent didn’t know.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, ” How worried are you about the weather impact on crops this summer?” The worst U.S. drought since Ronald Reagan was president is withering the Midwest’s corn crop. The condition on July 1 was the worst since the drought of 1988. What do you think – will the rest of the summer bring relief or are the crops in trouble?

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

ZimmPoll

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • AgWeb recently introduced “2012 Pest Watch,” a section focused on readying farmers with the tools and awareness they need to combat this year’s crop of insects.
  • Bayer CropScience announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase AgraQuest, Inc. for a purchase price of $425 million plus milestone payments.
  • The U.S. Wheat Associates Board of Directors installed new officers at its annual meeting.
  • Fifteen Iowa soybean farmers have stepped forward as volunteer spokespeople on the Iowa Soybean Association’s Farm and Food Ambassador team.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Controlled Release Nitrogen on Corn

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour stopped at Herb Steffen’s farm again this year. At his farm we received presentations on the use of controlled release nitrogen on corn that according to Herb includes our sponsor’s products – AGROTAIN!

    Herb says he and his family have farmed in the area since 1863 so you know these people really take care of their land. We talked about the dry weather which is some of the worst he’s seen. He says that even if it rains now it won’t help the corn but perhaps the soybeans. The corn has very little root system so let’s hope he doesn’t get much wind! He says they’re working with several companies on the controlled nitrogen release project. He says that last year it was too wet and this year it’s too dry. He thinks it is hard to get enough good data on the results yet. Maybe he’ll have a “normal” year next year.

    Listen to my interview with Herb here: Interview with Herb Steffen

    You can find my photos from today’s field tour here: 2012 Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAIN
    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, Corn, CTIC, Farming

    Preview of Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The 2012 CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour is about to kick off in sunny Illinois. I spoke with CTIC Executive Director Karen Scanlon this morning to get a preview of the project and our tour. Internet access and time is limited today since we’re on a farm tour but I’ll be collecting stories and interviews to share in the coming days. Thank you to AGROTAIN once again for sponsoring my coverage of the tour!

    Get a preview of the tour in my interview with Karen here: Interview with Karen Scanlon AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAIN

    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation

    Corn Shadow

    Chuck Zimmerman

    This is why I like to have a camera on me at all times. Just that random, “that looks like it might be a cool photo” shot. This is our plane landing in Bloomington, IL today. You can click on the photo for a larger version.

    After chilling out in the tropical paradise known as Pensacola, FL, it is time for a little midwest reality check. I’ll be covering the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour tomorrow before taking off for Iowa and more in the field action.

    AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAIN
    Ag Groups, Corn

    Precision Ag is Cloud Mobile

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Cloud management of data for precision ag applications and more is just a natural part of the continuing technology revolution and it is now here thanks to AgIntegrated which is launching their Onsite service very soon.

    To learn more about Onsite and AgIntegrated I spoke with Mike Santostefano, Director of Marketing and Business Development.

    Mike says that during the last decade the AgIntegrated team has been developing “a variety of Precision Ag, logistical, and information management software services to the agricultural industry.” We hear a lot about logistics and agribusiness has the same kinds of needs in this area as other industries. He says that with all the disconnected systems out there they noticed that the adoption of precision ag had halted. To address this the company has created Onsite, “a cloud-based, mobile and desktop app that assists with file management and communications to and from the field by socially connecting people.” It is not meant to replace current precision software but to complement it. He says Onsite helps “precision consumers” build a network to connect different people to get information where and when it is needed. Onsite is color agnostic too, meaning it will integrate with any system out there regardless of manufacturer. Mike provides an example of how they’ve worked with Raven’s Slingshot. Onsite requires a customer login account and utilizes a little device called a Relay. Onsite will let you organize and move files, create a network, chat, do position reporting and a lot more.

    Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Onsite fueled by AgIntegrated

    Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

    The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

    Agribusiness, Audio, Internet, Precision Agriculture, Technology, ZimmCast

    BASF Looks to Tackle Sustainability, Quality Issues

    John Davis

    When it comes to feeding a growing population, quality is just as important as quantity.

    Since farmers need to be producing more food, while at the same time being responsive to the quality needs of their customers, the recent BASF Agricultural Solutions Media Summit in Chicago featured a panel with representatives from Purdue AgriBusiness, Murphy-Brown and JBS United to talk about how BASF Plant Science can develop solutions based on customer need.

    “We wanted to raise the issue of the challenges the U.S. feed industry is facing today,” said Marc Ehrhardt, senior Vice President, BASF Plant Science. He said the people on the panel were the customers of the growers, and they are becoming increasingly concerned about quality issues. “So these are issues that need to be addressed along the whole value chain, and where we can make a contribution,” Marc said.

    Ehrhardt believes that there is much to gain for all involved. “On the seed company side, once an acre has been converted to a certain specification, [the seed company] has a good outlet to that acre that nobody can contend until the product is copied. The farmer, on the other hand, has a choice. He can choose to have a reliable, long-term relationship with someone that takes some of the risk out his operation. The grain traders want to have solutions for specific customers. And, ultimately, the consumer wants a stable supply of affordable foodstuffs. There’s a vested interest of everybody in the value chain to make it worth everyone’s while,” he said.

    Listen to more of Cindy’s interview with Ehrhardt here:
    Marc Ehrhardt, senior Vice President, BASF Plant Science

    Photos from BASF Ag Media Summit

    Audio, BASF