Trading Grain Via Pioneer DPP

Chuck Zimmerman

During the Pioneer Media Event Chet Hollingshead visited with Tonia Carpenter, Pioneer Sr. Marketing Manager and Jason Tatge, CEO, Farms Technology.

Tonia says they have a new program to add value to growers, DPP grain desk. She says that after talking with growers the focus always goes back to grain marketing and finding a way to “jump on the volatility of the markets.” That has been accomplished in conjunction with Farms Technology. Tonia says grower adoption of this electronic trading platform has been good. She says once the first sale is made it gets easy and more acceptable. The DPP grain desk (formerly MarketPoint® resource) is an enhanced electronic grain marketing platform that can help growers maximize their profitability in today’s volatile markets.

Jason says one example of how growers can connect with buyers is to visit the website of a participating ethanol plant and the information on how to access the DPP will be front and center. You basically create an account that you can then manage via a mobile app.

You can listen to Chet’s interview with Tonia and Jason here: Interview with Tonia Carpenter & Jason Tatge

Agribusiness, Audio, Pioneer

First USDA Planting Guess

Cindy Zimmerman

Our ZimmPoll question this week is about what you think will be planted this year (just for corn and soybeans, with our apologies to the wheat and cotton growers), and USDA’s Chief Economist gave his answer at the 2012 Agricultural Outlook Forum last week.

“We’re estimating corn plantings at about 94 million acres, the largest plantings since 1944,” said Joe Glauber at the forum. “We’re projecting soybean area at 75 million acres. That’s very similar to last year’s levels.” Last year, actual planted acres totaled 92.3 million for corn and 75.2 for soybeans, so if Glauber were voting in the ZimmPoll, his answer would be “more corn, less soybeans.”

USDA is also predicting wheat acres to increase 3.6 million acres to 58 million and cotton lower at 13 million acres.

This is just USDA’s guesstimate at this point. The planting intentions survey of farmers is being done now and results will be released at the end of March. What do you think the answer will be? Vote in the ZimmPoll and let us know!

Corn, Cotton, Soybean, USDA, Wheat, ZimmPoll

Submit Your Farm or Ranch To Agriculture’s Lasting Heritage

Chuck Zimmerman

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is expanding the articles and videos featuring century farms via their interactive website, Agriculture’s Lasting Heritage.

Century farms are those farms that have been in operation under the same family for more than 100 years. Appropriately named “Agriculture’s Lasting Heritage,” this website tells the story of American farm and ranch families who have shaped the history of our nation. The AFB Foundation for Agriculture is currently seeking recommendations of century farms to be considered for feature articles and videos.

Agriculture’s Lasting Heritage commemorates more than the proud tradition of the American farm and ranch family, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman, who also serves as president of the foundation. If you would like your farm or ranch to be considered, please go to www.agricultureslastingheritage.org/profiles and click “Submit Your Own Profile”. You may also email inquiries to alh@fb.org.

Farming

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Craig Colonno of Anderson Erickson Dairy, Des Moines, Iowa, was elected President of the National Ice Cream Mix Association.
  • U.S. agricultural equipment exports increased 23 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year for a total $11 billion of machinery shipped to other nations, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
  • The sophisticated food demands of newly affluent consumers in China and other developing nations are likely to cause major change in U.S. farming and food production, Asian food policy and world trade, according to Food 2040, a new study of emerging food trends in Asia by the U.S. Grains Council.
  • Liesel Olson has joined Bader Rutter & Associates as a social media specialist.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Historic Gathering of Agriculture Secretaries

    Cindy Zimmerman

    This is one Agricultural Outlook Forum I really wish I could have attended just to see most of the past and present Secretaries of Agriculture gathered on one stage together to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    Pictured here are the eight secretaries who took part in a panel at the forum last Thursday moderated by current Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Top row are Clayton Yeutter (1989-1991), Dan Glickman (1995-2001), Mike Espy (1993-1994), and John Block (1981-1986); bottom row are Senator Mike Johanns (2005-2008), Vilsack, Ann Veneman (2001-2005), and Ed Schafer (2008-2009). The only living agriculture secretary not present was Bob Bergland who served under Jimmy Carter from 1977-1981. But all were included in a USDA video shown at the event “Secretaries of Agriculture – 30 Leaders, 150 Years.”

    “Nine Secretaries of Agriculture, representing 35 years of service, in one place at the same time was an incredible opportunity to learn about USDA’s contributions to the strength and health of this nation with an eye for the impact the department can have in the future,” said Vilsack. “As we reflect on the department’s 150 years, this historic gathering will help us guide how we transform USDA into a more modern and efficient service provider.”

    Watch the USDA video below:

    President Lincoln established USDA because he recognized the potential of America’s farmers and ranchers to provide a safe, ample food supply for our nation and the world. Throughout 2012, USDA will recognize important events, such as President Lincoln’s signing of an Act to establish the Department of Agriculture on May, 15, 1862 and the July signing of the Morrill Act to establish public land grant universities.

    See more photos of Secretaries Day at the USDA on the agency’s Flickr photo album.

    Here’s a couple of stories the USDA’s Rod Bain had on the newsline from the event:
    Historic Gathering Future of Agriculture

    Audio, USDA, Video

    Boehringer Ingelheim to Join NASCAR Farm American Team

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The start of the 2012 NASCAR season was delayed due to rain at the Daytona 500 Sunday, but next year the field could include a new player with a new partner.

    Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) has signed a letter of intent to develop a business plan for partnering with the Furniture Row Racing NASCAR team’s Farm American program for the 2013 season. David Korbelik with BIVI’s Cattle Division is pictured here (left center) with South Dakota cattle producers Stacy and Troy Hadrick (left and right) and Pat Driscoll of Furniture Row Racing.

    “There has never been a better time to show support for American Agriculture. It is a strong, vibrant business that consumers need to know more about – that’s why we’re so honored to work with Furniture Row Racing to develop a plan on becoming a Farm American partner in 2013,” said BIVI Cattle Division executive director Colin Meyers. BIVI’s cattle division introduced a new way of thinking this year called Prevention Works and Meyers says the partnership with Farm American enhances this industry commitment.

    Furniture Row Racing created the Farm American program in 2010, an initiative to bring awareness to the importance of keeping America’s food supply produced in the United States. “We are thrilled that a world-class company like Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. has shown an interest in becoming a 2013 partner with our Farm American program, which continues to attract attention in the agriculture community,” said Joe Garone, general manager of Furniture Row racing.

    Boehringer Ingelheim, NASCAR

    The Farm Industry News FinOvation Awards

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Since I was just posting about a FinOvation Award I thought it was a good time to share more information about these annual awards presented by Farm Industry News. To help explain them I spoke with Jodie Wehrspann, Senior Editor at Farm Industry News. She’s pictured here presenting one of the awards to Brian Deverman, Pioneer Hi-Bred, for their Plenish, high-oleic-oil soybeans.

    Jodie says FIN has been conducting the FinOvation awards for many years to help recognize companies appearing in their publication. The awards are selected by readers and a panel of product testers. This year 22 awards were presented. Having your award come primarily from publication reader voting has to be meaningful to the winners since it is their customers selecting them and their new products. This year Jodie says they started a “Best of Show” award which was again selected by readers. That award was won by Geringhoff for their folding corn head.

    Listen to my interview with Jodie: Interview with Jodie Wehrspann

    2012 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

    Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by Fastline AgRacer FMC New Holland
    Audio, Media, National Farm Machinery Show

    OmniRow Planter Control Wins FinOvation Award

    Chuck Zimmerman

    One of the FinOvation Award winners this year and presented at the 2012 National Farm Machinery Show was Raven Industries, sponsor of the AgWired App (got it yet?). Pictured is Doug Prairie, Product Manager, receiving his award from Jodie Wehrspann, Farm Industry News. I spoke with Doug about their award for the OmniRow planter control system. He says it’s one of their new products that is unique because it utilizes a hydraulic motor that installs directly at the row unit which gives you full individual row population control.

    For maximum yields and efficiency, Raven’s groundbreaking new OmniRow™ advanced planter control system takes you where others can only dream of going. Its fully integrated design, with RTK sub-inch accuracy and patent-pending planter control technology, gives you the power to control seeding rates by row or sections with more precision and reliability than ever before.

    Listen to my interview with Doug: Interview with Douglas Prairie

    2012 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

    Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by Fastline AgRacer FMC New Holland
    Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, Precision Agriculture

    Visiting With Abilene Machine

    Chuck Zimmerman

    One of the companies I visited with at the 2012 National Farm Machinery Show was Abilene Machine, Ag Replacement Parts. I didn’t know much about this company until I spoke with Andrew Roelofsen and Jay Russell. Andrew says they’re sporting a new company logo and re-positioning the company in the minds of their customers.

    Of course we always ask “What’s new?” According to Jay, what’s new in time for the show are hood options for the John Deere 3020. Abilene is offering OEM-quality replacement hoods at a fraction of the price.

    Listen to my interview with Andrew and Jay : Interview with Abilene Machine

    2012 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

    Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by Fastline AgRacer FMC New Holland
    Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show

    Sec. Vilsack Applauds Ethanol Producers

    Chuck Zimmerman

    This morning Ag Secretary Vilsack spoke to the 2012 National Ethanol Conference. I’m sharing Cindy’s story that is also posted over on our sister site, Domestic Fuel:

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed his personal strong support and gratitude for the ethanol industry during an address at the National Ethanol Conference on Friday.

    “We owe ethanol producers in this country a debt of gratitude because we’re paying less at the pump because of what you do,” Vilsack said, noting that prices are about $1 less than they would be without ethanol.

    Vilsack also thanked ethanol producers for providing jobs, contributing to a record trade surplus in agriculture and helping to increase net farm income. “In 2011, net farm income for the first time exceeded $100 billion,” he said. “Even adjusted for inflation, this is the best farm economy we’ve seen in four decades and one of the principal reasons is because you all have figured out this new value-added opportunity called renewable fuels.”

    Vilsack said he was pleased with the action taken by EPA to allow registration of E15. “If we’re worried about the Straits of Hormuz, if we’re worried about Iran, one way we can be less stressed about this is getting E15 in the tanks of cars across this country,” he said.

    E15 is important to Secretary Vilsack, but so is maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard. “Make no mistake about this. Just because it’s in the law doesn’t mean it will always be in the law.” Vilsack says the success of the ethanol industry has gotten the attention of the oil industry which is trying to modify or eliminate the RFS. “We need to make sure we maintain the Renewable Fuel Standard. It is important to the security of this country that we move toward that 36 billion gallon mark.”

    Listen to or download Vilsack’s speech here: Secretary Tom Vilsack at 2012 National Ethanol Conference

    Cindy also did a very quick interview with the Secretary, asking about his outlook for the ethanol industry and the importance of maintaining the RFS. Listen to or download that interview here: Secretary Tom Vilsack interview

    You can watch Secretary Vilsack’s speech here:

    2012 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Audio, Energy, Ethanol, RFA, USDA