Panelists Share Sustainability Insights at BASF Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Chicago“Holistic” and “durable” were two definitions for sustainable that were set forth by representatives of the food value chain, from farmers to food companies, who took part in a panel discussion at the BASF Agricultural Solutions Media Summit on Sustainability last week in Chicago.

Nevin McDougall, BASF senior vice president for crop protection in North America, was part of the discussion and he says it will take a holistic approach to bring more sustainable solutions to the grower. “The more that we can engage in dialogue with food processors, with those who are marketing end use food products to the consumer, with the growers, with other technology providers – the more dialogue and collaboration we have, I think we can identify better and more sustainable solutions for the grower,” Nevin said in an interview after the panel. “With respect to durability, I think it really speaks to the point that we’re looking for long-lasting solutions.”

Download (mp3) my interview with Nevin – or listen in the player: basf-chicago-nevin.mp3

Corn growers have been the hardest hit by those who criticize the sustainability of production agriculture, despite the fact that we are growing more on less acres using less inputs than ever before. Mike Geske, a Missouri farmer who serves on the board of the National Corn Growers Association, represented growers on the board and he was asked about those who attack the sustainability of ethanol based on studies that use outdated crop production figures to show a negative energy balance for the fuel. “I call those people members of the Flat Earth Ethanol Society because they’re denying science and they’re denying facts,” Mike says. He also drew a good laugh from the audience when he noted that ethanol is biodegradable and is the same as the alcohol we drink before it is denatured, “So if ethanol had been spilled in the Gulf, the fish would be putting on their party hats.”

Download (mp3) my interview with Mike – or listen in the player: basf-chicago-geske.mp3

BASF Ag Media Summit on Sustainability photo album

Audio, BASF, Corn, Ethanol, Sustainability

John Deere Military R-Gator

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere not only makes Gator utility vehicles for farm, commercial and recreational purposes but for the military too. This is one of the new Military R-Gator (Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle) which is rigged to be completely remote controlled and is equipped with a camera to send back what it is “seeing.” In the video clips I’ve posted you can see it in action.

• A COTS system, R-Gator can be operated in either manned or unmanned mode in day or night missions
• Example missions: 8-hour stationary silent RECON mode, point man reconnaissance, roving patrols, transportation of ammo/ supplies, casualty evacuation, remote deployment of smaller UGVs and UAVs, large scale IED disposition

I spoke to Dan Smith, Military Affairs Mgr. for John Deere. He gave us some history of utility vehicles in the military which started in the Vietnam War with the MULE. Today John Deere is a major supplier to the military. He says the the latest A-2 M-Gator will do 32 mph and is the unit that the R-Gator is built on. They’ll be available to the military in August. You can find my interview with Dan below the video clips.

In this clip you can see an optional unit that automatically unloads whatever you want the unmanned vehicle to deposit.

Audio, John Deere, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The 37th annual National Inventor of the Year Award will be presented to a DuPont research team for advancing sustainable agriculture and addressing the needs of the growing global population by discovering an advanced insect control product.
  • Erica Pagel, Director of Raw Materials Management for Foremost Farms USA in Baraboo, Wis., has begun a three-year term of service on the Professional Dairy Producers Foundation board.
  • DuPont announced that its Plenish high oleic soybean trait has been approved for cultivation in the United States.
  • Farm Progress Show recently launched a feature-filled online pre-show planning tool that gives visitors an interactive show map, exhibitor and event planning menus to help them easily design and map their show visit.
Zimfo Bytes

World Pork Expo GM Thrilled with Crowds

John Davis

The weather was crazy at World Pork Expo on Thursday, as a two hour torrential downpour at midday gave way to sunshine by the time the band took the stage and the roasted pigs were carved for the crowds.

novus at 2010 world pork expoSome time during the rain, general manager John Wrigley stopped by to visit with the folks at the Novus International tent and chatted with us for a while about how pleased he was with the attendance and to have international visitors back this year.

Last year, you may recall, we had a little thing called H1N1 that kept people from other countries from attending the event. “It was more than a little bit of a problem last year, there was no international attendance to speak of,” John said, but this year is back to normal. “We’ve got over 30 countries that people have registered for World Pork Expo from all over the world.”

Another difference from last year, according to John, is that the mood is a little more upbeat than the last two years. John says the producers who attend expo are a very knowledgeable group who are always looking to do more than fill their tote bags with pens and souvenirs. “The difference is this year they’ve got a smile on their face. There’s nothing like a little change in your pocket to change your attitude,” he said.

This will be John’s last year as general manager of the National Pork Producers Council event which is 22 years old. One of his most satisfying accomplishments during his nine year tenure is starting the Junior National Swine show, which has grown to a whopping 1700 pigs this year – a big jump from the 200 when that program was started seven years ago.

Listen to or download John’s comments about this year’s expo in the player below.

You can also check out our World Pork Expo 2010 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the World Pork Expo 2010 is sponsored by:
Novus and boehringer-ingelheim.

Audio, Novus International, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Mexican Fiesta Iowa Style

Joanna Schroeder

novus at 2010 world pork expoThe torrential rains cleared out just in time for the annual pig roast at World Pork Expo. Automated Production Systems (AP) were the culinary experts of all things pork during the show. Yesterday, I watched as they prepared the pig, which was roasted for more than 24 hours. First, they seasoned the pig with sea salt and then they added their secret spices. As the pig slowly roasted, AP continued to add its unique flavors. Each year, Jim and the rest of the AP team dress up the pig playing on a theme…this year, the theme was a Mexican Fiesta – Iowa style.

The pig carved outside the Novus International tent was served up without decoration, but was just as tasty. After the crew at Novus carved the pig, the lines were long but it was worth the wait. The pork literally melted in your mouth and was so flavorful you didn’t even need to add the “traditional” bbq sauce.

You can watch a video of Novus’ pig roast here.

Don’t forget to check out our World Pork Expo 2010 Photo Albumwhere you can see the pig from start to finish.

AgWired coverage of the World Pork Expo 2010 is sponsored by:
Novus and boehringer-ingelheim.

Novus International, Pork, Swine, Video, World Pork Expo

World Pork Downpour

Cindy Zimmerman

downpour at world pork expoThe masses at World Pork Expo have been huddling in tents and staying inside the buildings and barns for the past hour due to a torrential downpour.

Here at the Novus International tent, we have a flash flood warning in effect – which is keeping us entertained! Here is a little video of what it has been like here:

AgWired coverage of the World Pork Expo 2010 is sponsored by:
Novus and boehringer-ingelheim.

Novus International, World Pork Expo

Kids, Hogs, Horses & Tractors

Joanna Schroeder

I spent a majority of the morning today at World Pork Expo hanging out in the swine and cattle barns. While I was there, I had the opportunity to see my first pig showing competition. The World Pork Expo Junior National’s was in high gear and several hundred people were in and around the show ring supporting the competitors.

There was a family here today from Oklahoma that I spent a little time with. This is their daughters first show (she was the cutest little girl and about four years old) and she told me that she was having a lot of fun. Maybe we’ll see her in on the winner’s stage later today.

I also walked through the Toy Tractor exhibit where you can by anything from the latest toy to an antique tractor from nearly 100 years ago, and then stopped by the horse ring to watch some beautiful show horses.

Later this afternoon, weather permitting, MusicFest will begin and I’m getting really excited for Novus’ pig roast. In addition, participants in the Crusin’ with the Hogs, will ride down Grand Avenue.

There’s a lot more fun around the corner so check back for more updates. You can also get updates on my Twitter account @jmschroeder. You can also check out our World Pork Expo 2010 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the World Pork Expo 2010 is sponsored by:
Novus and boehringer-ingelheim.

Novus International, Pork, Swine, Video, World Pork Expo

John Deere Gator XUV Offers Lots of Options

Chuck Zimmerman

This is what the action looks like out here at Carolina Adventure World for the John Deere Gator XUV product launch and media event. I had my turn and I have video and interviews that will wait until another time.

I spoke with John Gilbeck, John Deere Product Marketing Manager, about the new machines during a break in the action. He says there are 3 new models, the 625i, 855D and 825i. The 825i is really the star of the show with maximum speed of 44 mph! I can verify that since I did it on one straight stretch of our riding area. He provides an overview of features and options that you’ll find on the new machines. John Deere is offering a significant amount of dealer installed options which he says offers customers some savings when picking some of the options.

I’ve updated my photo album with some action photos of the new machines being driven by the journalists out there: John Deere Gator XUV Launch Photo Album

You can learn more about the new Gators with the John Deere news release.

Audio, John Deere

Improved Feed Quality = Improved Pig Health

Joanna Schroeder

There are many elements of a pig producer’s operations that could affect both pig health and his bottom line. One such factor is the quality of animal feed. Poor quality can spell trouble for the pigs….illness, depressed growth and lower birth rates just to name a few. To learn more about how to address problems with feed and some options for improving feed quality, I spoke with Scott Moore, Regional Sales Manager for Novus International.

Moore noted that the past 12-18 months has been very challenging for many pork producers. “Crop conditions last fall produced quite a few micotoxins in feed and grain crops that negatively impacted the pig’s ability to consume feed and gain properly.” The result is that many producers have seen reduced performance due to the stress the grain has caused. “When pigs don’t perform up to producers’ expectations, its costly for the producer.”

Novus has several options for producers who need immediate help offsetting the negative effects caused by feed containing mycotoxins. This year, the worst mycotoxin culprit is known as DON, or vomitoxin. Moore noted that Novus has spent many years studying and researching the oxidative balance of the animal and he believes that they have several products that will help the pigs eat properly. Two products he recommends are SOLIS and ZORIEN MOS. Both of these products are designed to reduce the impact of poor feed quality.

It can be challenging for a pork producer to identify and then treat problems with his feed. To help, Novus has an in-house testing facility that can assess any problems and then work with the producer to create a customized plan to improve feed quality. Moore stressed that the addition of SOLIS or ZORIEN MOS to feed will have an immediate and positive impact on a pig’s ability to consume feed, and ultimately, put a producer’s profitability back on track.

You can listen to my full interview with Scott below.

Check out our World Pork Expo 2010 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the World Pork Expo 2010 is sponsored by:
Novus and boehringer-ingelheim.

Audio, Feed, Novus International, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Why BASF Cares About Sustainability

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF ChicagoDefining and improving sustainability is important for all of production agriculture around the globe, which is why BASF has taken a keen interest in the subject.

Markus Heldt is president of crop protection for BASF global, located in Germany, a position he took last year after serving for many years as head of crop protection for the company in North America. During a conference on sustainability for ag media in Chicago this week, he said that while the general public trusts farmers, they have little confidence in farming methods. “What we find increasingly disturbing is the disconnect of how the general public views farming operations, especially in the US and in Europe,” Markus said. “A very romantic and idealistic picture of agriculture that is not existing any longer.”

Markus says farmers are taking care of the land and improving the way they do business, but consumers do not understand that and it is a challenge for the entire agriculture industry. “We as a company, as an industry, have to a better job to try and bridge that gap,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Markus in the player below.

BASF Ag Media Summit on Sustainability photo album

Audio, BASF, Sustainability, Uncategorized