Practicing Sustainable Water Conservation

Chuck Zimmerman

Travis SatterfieldTravis Satterfield grows mainly rice and soybeans in Mississippi. He has also served as Chair of Delta F.A.R.M. and is a member of the Mississippi Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force. I visited with him during the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour.

He got involved in the tour because of his concern about the availability and quality of water and the need to be a good steward of the land. Travis is a great example of a farmer who cares about his land. He has sons that he wants to be able to turn the farm over to and therefore he believes it’s important to practice good conservation so it will be there for them. I asked him about the task force he is a member of. He says it was formed to bring together all the organizations involved in Delta region conservation to address actionable approaches to solving water problems. One of those approaches he’s using on his farm is land forming.

Listen to my interview with Travis here: Travis Satterfield Interview

2012 Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

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

Stovall Farms Putting Conservation Into Practice

Chuck Zimmerman

Pete HunterThe first stop on the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour was Stovall Farms. Our host was Pete Hunter, one of the farm owners. In the photo Pete is receiving a thank you gift from Conservation Technology Information Center board member Lara Moody, The Fertilizer Institute.

Pete provided us with a history of the farm that includes legendary blues musician Muddy Waters. He also gave an overview of the current production and conservation systems they have in place. One of the techniques they’ve put into place is land leveling which reduces topographical variation. This reduces the speed that runoff escapes the field protecting the soil from sheet and rill erosion. Pete says that farming has changed today and he believes, “We need to hold on to what we’ve got.” That means implementing a lot of conservation practices.

Listen to Pete’s remarks here: Pete Hunter - Stovall Farms

2012 Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

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

World Pork Expo Introduces Mobile App

Melissa Sandfort

For the first time, people attending World Pork Expo, June 6-8 in Des Moines, Iowa, will be able to get the latest Expo information with a customized smartphone app. With half of today’s mobile subscribers owning smartphones and National Hog Farmer reporting that about 30 percent of its readers access the Internet using their phones, this new app is designed to help attendees make the most of their Expo visit. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and National Hog Farmer partnered to develop the app for Apple, Android and Blackberry mobile devices.

The World Pork Expo mobile app will provide up-to-date information and locations, including a complete list of the Expo’s exhibitors, a map to navigate the show and much more. The app will enable attendees to plan their day by selecting business seminars and special events to place on their personalized calendars. It also provides trade-show contacts and exhibitor descriptions, profiles of meeting activities, and a place for users to take notes.

The World Pork mobile app can be downloaded free of charge by searching “World Pork” in the Apple Store, Android Marketand Blackberry’s App World. People also can connect to an online dashboard for easy access for downloading the app.

Agribusiness, Apps, Pork, World Pork Expo

Maximizing Yields in Corn-on-Corn

Melissa Sandfort

As the economics of corn drive more farmers to move toward corn-on-corn production, they are often faced with additional challenges not typically encountered in a traditional corn-soybean rotation. In order to maximize the potential for high yields in corn-on-corn, farmers need to focus on several agronomic factors.

This summer in heavy corn rootworm pressure areas Monsanto plans to host a number of corn-on-corn clinics focusing on some of the agronomic factors associated with corn-on-corn production. Agronomic factors that need to be considered in corn-on-corn production include, but are not limited to, residue management, seedbed preparation, soil fertility, weed control, disease pressure and insect pressure.

Because every field is unique, growers are encouraged to carefully evaluate the emergence scores, disease tolerance and insect protection component of each corn hybrid when making selections for corn-on-corn acres.

Hybrids incorporating Bt proteins for insect protection and traits to provide herbicide tolerance have been shown to help alleviate the stresses that the environment places on corn-on-corn production. Healthier plants can withstand greater environmental stress, which typically results in higher yields.

Insect control is particularly key, and a critical pest in corn-on-corn production is corn rootworm. And, Scouting is an integral part of insect management.

Agribusiness, Corn

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Syngenta announced a $63 million expansion project at their Phillips, Neb., corn production facility.
  • ANIMART is pleased to announce the recent addition of Dan Ellsworth as President.
  • Visit the new AgStock Images website, the world’s premier agricultural stock photography agency.
  • Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company won the two top awards in the annual National Auctioneers Association-USA Today Marketing Competition.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Excitement is Building for AG CONNECT 2013

    Cindy Zimmerman

    agconnect namaAG CONNECT Expo & Summit 2013 will be held January 29-31, 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri at the Kansas City Convention Center and we got a little preview of this upcoming event during the National Agri-Marketing Association conference, also in Kansas City just a month or so ago.

    I talked with AG CONNECT show director Sara Mooney about what will be new at this third AG CONNECT expo. “It’s going to be bigger and better,” she said. “The exhibit hall is the largest and we’ve already set a record to be our biggest event and growing. We have a number of new co-located events, including the U.S. Custom Harvesters annual convention and the National Farmers Organization. We’ll have new content, new information and new speakers, so it’s pretty exciting.”

    Sara says there are still limited exhibitor spaces available, with information about that on the website agconnect.com, and they will be opening registration in September for attendees. Lots of information about the show will be coming out through Brownfield Ag News, which is the official radio partner of AG CONNECT 2013.

    Listen to my interview with Sara here: AG CONNECT's Sara Mooney

    agconnectAG CONNECT is generating excitement for the event through an interactive social media campaign featuring “Masters and Mavericks” of agriculture. The program kicked off in early May by revealing the identities of the five Masters & Mavericks who are featured in the show’s marketing campaign. Clues are being released via Facebook and Twitter, with one producer revealed each week ending on June 8. If you can correctly identify one of the Masters & Mavericks, you could win a $150 Visa gift card. The most recent producer revealed was Kip Tom of Tom Farms LLC in Leesburg, Indiana – who also happens to be one of our BASF Great Growers.

    Starting June 11, the Masters & Mavericks program will be open to all ag professionals – farmers and ranchers, dealers, manufacturers, education program speakers, ag media and other agribusiness professionals. Participants will receive free admission to AG CONNECT 2013 on Wednesday, January 30 and Thursday, January 31.

    Follow AG CONNECT on Facebook and Twitter.

    Audio

    Grocery and Restaurant Executives Surveyed

    Melissa Sandfort

    Results of a recent survey of grocery and restaurant executives signals an opportunity for the supply chain to provide retailers better support and alignment to address challenging issues in animal agriculture.

    Conducted by the Center for Food Integrity (CFI), the survey asked questions of QSR and procurement managers from 10 leading food industry retailers, including Walmart, McDonalds, Burger King, Marsh Supermarkets, Bob Evans, Giant Eagle, Wakefern Food Corp., Sodexo, Inc., Brinker International and Harris Teeter.

    Using quantitative and qualitative methods, conducted both by phone and online, the survey was intended to provide feedback and stimulate discussion in an effort to improve supply chain alignment on critical issues facing animal agriculture.

    Specifically regarding meat, milk and eggs, each respondent was asked for their thoughts regarding practices “on farm” and “during processing” that result in safe food; humane treatment of animals; sustainable protection of natural resources and; the nutrition of products. Further, the survey asked about their thoughts on the safety of food derived from animals treated with antibiotics; animals treated with hormones and; foods using biotechnology in their production.

    Responses to each of those questions showed a significant need for additional, fact-based information about these issues, created to support retailers and restaurateurs.

    And in a recent ZimmPoll that asked the question, “Which group should restaurants consider experts on animal care?”, 48% said Farmers, 35% said Veterinarians, 16% said Ag Industry, 1% said Activists and no one selected Government.

    Agribusiness, Food

    New Holland “Really Cool Mowing Units”

    Cindy Zimmerman

    new holland boomerThis is the face of a very happy compact tractor.

    But don’t let its cute little face fool you – this new New Holland Boomer 25 is no toy tractor. “It’s a real tractor which does real work,” says Dan Valen, New Holland segment marketing manager. “It’s only little in terms of its actual size.”

    The Boomer 20 and 25 are the newest additions to the New Holland compact tractor family, just arriving on the scene in February 2012. The Boomer compact tractors fall under New Holland’s RCMU market segment, which Dan jokes could stand for “Really Cool Mowing Unit” but actually is Residential, Commercial, Municipality and Utility. New Holland calls the Boomer 20/25 “the ultimate power tools for homeowners, rural lifestylers, landscapers and hobby farmers.” In other words, Tim Taylor would want one of them – or two.

    new holland powerstarAlso falling in this category are the PowerStar™ T4 Series utility tractors. “It was really designed from the ground up with the North American customer in mind,” Dan said, noting the innovative features that include the fully integrated loader and high visibility, “so you can actually see what the loader is doing when it’s ten feet in the air without being a contortionist.”

    I got to see just how well that works during the recent New Holland media event. Take a look:

    The PowerStar is one of those versatile tractors that appeals across a broad spectrum of market segments – from the RCMU folks to full time farmers and ranchers. By the way, did you know that New Holland is actually a world leader in the specialty tractor business for crops like grapes, citrus, apples and nuts? “New Holland is the only major full line manufacturer to offer a grape harvester,” said Dan.

    Listen to my interview with Dan here: New Holland's Dan Valen

    Audio, Equipment, New Holland, Video

    Molding the Future of Agriculture

    Jamie Johansen

    Wrapping up our tour at Locust Trace AgriScience Farm, I had the opportunity to chat with one of five agriculture education instructors at Locust Trace, Mr. Todd Harp. He had the students eating out of the palm of his hand as he discussed artificial insemination and quizzed them on reproduction in dairy cattle. This hands-on approach to learning is just one of many things that sets this school appart from other institutions.

    Check out my interview with Mr. Harp as he shares his passion for agriculture education and the importance of molding our future agriculturalists. Listen to my interview with Todd here: Interview with Tod Harp

    Thank you Alltech for introducing us to Locust Trace AgriScience Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

    Locust Trace AgriScience Farm Photo Album

    Agribusiness, Alltech, Education, FFA, Media

    SLIP Plate Launches Facebook Sweepstakes

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Let me re-introduce you to SLIP Plate, a Superior Graphite product. Many farmers already know about SLIP Plate and use the products but over coming months we’re going to introduce you to this company and this product. We’re going to get started now with an interview I just conducted with Barry Lee, Product Manager Coatings & Lubricants, Superior Graphite. He says the company started in 1917 and their strength is graphite, supplying it in various forms to many different industries.

    One of those industries is agriculture. It’s here that farmers are familiar with the SLIP Plate product that has been around for about 35 years. Barry shares an interesting anecdote about how they started SLIP Plate for the railroad business. A product they’ve created just for the ag market is Seed SLIK which has been engineered to reduce seed binding and bridging in planter hoppers and lubricate the mechanical parts of the planter without hurting the seeds.

    So, Barry says they’ve decided to re-introduce the agricultural market to SLIP Plate. One of the ways they’re doing this is with the launch of the SLIP Plate® Facebook Sweepstakes.

    SLIP Plate® Facebook Sweepstakes Want a chance to win a $100 Visa® Gift Card? Just follow these simple steps: 1) “Like” SLIP Plate on Facebook. 2) Enter the contest posted on SLIP Plate’s Facebook wall. Winners will be chosen randomly by the sweepstake’s host application, Easypromos, and will be notified via email. 2nd place and 3rd place entries selected will win SLIP Plate product (retail value up to $50.00). Contest ends: June 13, 2012. We thank you for your business and wish you good luck!

    I love the slogan, Slippery when dry. So “If it needs to slide, roll, turn, twist or spin – it’s a job for SLIP Plate®!”

    Listen to my interview with Barry here: Interview with Barry Lee

    Agribusiness, Audio