Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Clinton Griffiths pulled up to the AgDay news desk as the program’s new Anchor and Managing Editor. Veteran broadcaster Al Pell resumes his fulltime duties as AgriBusiness Director for both AgDay and U.S. Farm Report.
  • Thomas Tracy was named Senior Vice President of Operations at Farm Credit Services of Illinois effective August 1.
  • The growers and shippers of Northwest pears have recently adopted a set of minimum standards for the conditioning of Anjou pears.
  • Biagro Western has recently developed a patented new seed treatment that will increase crop emergence, improve stress tolerance, and combat other key issues facing growers today: Take Off ST.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Wyffels Brings Producers, Developers Together with Corn Strategies

    John Davis

    Hello from Texas, where the family and I have been spending the last few days trying to get roots set down. Just getting caught up after the last couple of weeks of packing up the moving truck and searching for a home in this region. It’s been quite a process (picture the Clampetts, loaded down vehicles, but using a 26′ truck and no Jethro to carry the heavy stuff!), and we’re just starting to catch our breaths a little.

    Wanted to pass along these interviews from the recent Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies event in Malcolm, Iowa, where I talked to a couple of producers who rely on the Wyffels brand and the company’s product development manager.

    Marc Loes grows all Wyffels on his 600 acres around Cascade in Easter Iowa (along with feeding about 3,000 head of cattle). He says this event reinforces the idea that you really have to look at marketing a lot more.
    You can hear or download my entire conversation with Marc here: Marc Loes

    Eric Totemeier, who farms about 700 acres (2/3 corn and 1/3 soybeans) near Columbus Junction, Iowa, told me that the gathering with its multiple speakers was great, and the setting right next to a genuine Wyffels Hybrids corn field made it feel like home. But most importantly, and Marc echoed this sentiment, farmers are able to form a real partnership with their Wyffels representative. “There’s always out there with you through thick and thin.”
    Listen to or download my entire conversation with Eric here: Eric Totemeier

    That’s music to the ears of Wyffels Product Development Manager, Brent Tharp, who showed off some of the company’s new hybrids that will be ready for next year’s spring planting. “[The farmers attending] like what they see. If you do walk a Wyffels lineup, you can see the diversity we have in our germplasm. Each hybrid is not the same.”
    More of my conversation with Brent is available to listen to or to download here: Brent Tharp

    Audio, Corn, Seed

    Conservation In Action Tour Wrap-up

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Tim HealeyConservation Technology Information Center Chairman Tim Healey, AGROTAIN, gave us a preview of the Conservation in Action Tour. Now you get to hear his wrap-up following the CTIC board meeting.

    Tim says the tour was a real success and I echo that. We learned a lot about what farmers are doing in this Chesapeake Bay area and especially in the area of conservation. These were not only old farms but ones using the newest technology. That made for a real contrast. Tim says you can’t continually farm land like this without using good conservation practices. Public policy makers told him that they did not realize that these conservation practices we saw were being used on farms in this area. I’m glad they were with us! The CTIC board has announced that next year’s tour will be in northwest Ohio, probably the week of August 8th. I know you always like to to “better” next year but I’m not sure how you can beat this tour this year. Tim says it can be done though. Hope I’m there to see it. Tim Healey Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Agribusiness, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Fertilizer

    Corn Farming While Protecting The Environment

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Conservation in Action TourNot all the farmers I met during the Conservation in Action Tour were making presentations. One of them was Wayne Kirby, Virginia corn farmer and Chairman of the Virginia Corn Board. Wayne says a lot of people are interested in agriculture in their area and especially what’s happening with the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.

    Wayne says he’s glad to be able to share information with people. The restoration effort is very important to corn growers since regulations and policies are being set that have direct impact of farming and potential negative impacts. He says they’ve been working diligently to improve their production practices. He describes how much of what area farmers are doing is not being taken into account in the models used for watershed management. Wayne Kirby Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, Corn, CTIC, Environment

    Representing Diverse Farm Interests In Chesapeake Bay Area

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Katie Kyger FrazierOne of our Conservation in Action Tour bus speakers was Katie Kyger Frazier, V.P. Public Affairs, Virginia Agribusiness Council. Her group represents agriculture and forestry interests on the state level with over 40 different commodity organizations as members. She says that farmers unify around what’s best for the industry and the Chesapeake Bay area restoration project has really brought diverse interests together.

    Katie describes the Chesapeake Bay issue as deadly serious and the largest issue the industry has seen in quite some time. It is impacting farmers of all types including both conventional and organic. She says that her council has been working with various ag groups to finish the Chesapeake Bay TMDL by the end of the year. They’ve identified items like getting credit for farmers for the bmp’s they use to farm which is not happening right now. Katie Kyger Frazier Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Ag Groups, Audio, CTIC

    Precision Ag Evangelist

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Harold ReetzHarold Reetz is one of the board members for the Conservation Technology Information Center and has formed Reetz Agronomics. I spoke to him following the CTIC board meeting. He says he just retired after 28 years with the International Plant Nutrition Institute. But he’s not retired from working. In my interview you’ll hear about some other things he’s involved in.

    Harold has three passions, high yield production systems, precision technology and conservation. He says those three are converging and he’s helping it happen. One of the events he helped start and is promoting next year is the InfoAg 2011 Conference on precision technology which will be held July 12-14 in Springfield, IL. Harold Reetz Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Environment, Research

    The 4R Nutrient Stewardship System

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Kathy MathersRepresenting The Fertilizer Institute on the Conservation in Action Tour was Kathy Mathers, V.P. of Public Affairs. I spoke to Kathy during the Conservation Technology Information Center board meeting that followed the tour to

    Nutrient stewardship is on the top of the list for TFI according to Kathy. She says they’re promoting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship System which means using the right fertilizer product at the right rate, right time and in the right place. She says they get involved with CTIC to interact with other stake holders in agriculture. She thought the tour was a “home run.” Kathy Mathers Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Fertilizer

    More Organic Matter Good For Soil

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Making a sponge out of dust. That was pretty much the theme of remarks and a demonstration we saw on the Conservation in Action Tour at the Davis Family Farm. Conducting the demo was Chris Lawrence, cropland agronomist with Virginia NRCS. The point of his message was how no-till farmers are working to create more organic matter in their sandy soils to help hold water and increase yield.

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Environment, Video

    Mapping Your Field To Maximize Nutrient Application

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Don LampkerPrecision ag was highlighted at the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo during the Conservation in Action Tour by a company called Geosys represented by Don Lampker. Don says Geosys is a relatively small technology supply company. He says they do a lot with satellite imagery and have a product called FieldInSite which helps a farmer map their fields so they can make decisions on which areas are most productive. They can then create nutrient management plans which are used by variable rate application systems.

    It’s all about the more efficient use of nitrogen. He says there may be some areas of a field where they actually apply more nitrogen but others areas it will be reduced if it’s not getting used. Don Lampker Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Agribusiness, Audio, CTIC, Precision Agriculture

    AGROTAIN Assisting No-Till Farmers

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Daryl ClayDuring the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo on the Conservation in Action Tour our sponsor, AGROTAIN, was one of the exhibitors. Manning the booth was Daryl Clay. He says many of the farms in this part of the country have used no-till for decades. However, using no-till does present some challenges with nitrogen management being one of them.

    Daryl says that some of the farms locally are so dedicated to no-till they don’t even want to break the ground to plant a seed! So when it comes to applying fertilizer they really don’t want to use knives for side dressing. They like to use liquids or broadcast over the top. That creates a risk of volatility loss. So AGROTAIN has created some products to address this risk. One of those products is SuperU which is a granulated product which he describes in detail in my interview with him. He says farmers like it because it has big granules that can be broadcast over a very large area. Daryl Clay Interview

    Conservation In Action Tour 2010 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Conservation In Action Tour is made
    possible by and the

    Agribusiness, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Fertilizer