Using Bio-Forge to Increase Soybean Yields

Joanna Schroeder

This week, during the Ag Associates Conference hosted by StollerUSA, I had the opportunity to talk with Mike Molnar, with Town and Country Ag. His company is a co-op working in nine counties in North Eastern Ohio and three of their locations provide full-service ag products and applications for growers.

Molnar told me that he has been using Stoller products for the last four years to help overcome one of their biggest challenges which is poor soil. “We’re always looking for ways to improve root growth to get better yield in our crops,” he said.

He, along with other growers in the area, are still learning and he recently did a trial with grass hay where he has seen some pretty drastic results using Bio-Forge and Folizyme together. He mentioned that he has also done some good things with soybeans using Golden Harvest Plus, a Stoller product.

“If you’ve got a plant stalled or not growing the way you want it to, you can get that plant to jumpstart a little bit and take off and start growing again for you,” explained Molnar.

Molar has learned some important things working with Stoller, one of which is that its not just about nutrients. It’s also about the hormone balance of the plant. “Cytokinin is a hormone that’s manufactured in the root tips. So, if you have a root system that’s not actively growing and not making new root tips, you’re not going to have the hormone production or the nutrient uptake you need to have maximum yield of your crop,” said Molnar. “Anytime during the growing season that our roots stops growing, we’re losing yield.”

Listen to my interview with Mike below.

Ag Associates Conference Flickr Album.

Agribusiness, Audio, Hay, Soybean, Uncategorized

NCBA President Opening Comments

Chuck Zimmerman

I posted comments earlier this week made by NCBA President Gary Voogt and finally got the video uploaded so you can watch what he had to say. His comments ran longer than YouTube allows but most of them are here. If you didn’t listen to his comments you can still do so here.

Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention is sponsored by:
Novus

Ag Groups, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Video

The Quest for Higher Yields Starts with the Root Tips

Joanna Schroeder

“The main objective that Stoller has is crop productivity. We’re interested in enhancing yields,” said Dr. Albert Liptay, the Director of Research and Development with StollerUSA, during an interview with me at the Ag Associates Conference this week. “We’re trying to understand what in the system of productivity will enhance yields.”

Yield enhancements was one of the focuses during the week-long conference for good reason – yield enhancements mean more profits. To improve yield, StollerUSA has been researching a new product called STO-01 which in early tests is seeing substantial results. While Dr. Liptay was enthusiastic to share his results, he also cautioned that the product was still being tested and it would be several more years and many more tests before it would be ready for market.

Dr. Liptay explained that STO-01 not only builds incredible root systems, but also builds strong root tips. “It’s the root tips that a lot of the hormones are synthesized that are sent up to the shoots and develop branching, develop fruits and develop seeds. So it’s this whole plant combination of good roots, good root tips, good type of branching, and good canopy performance that gives us the enhanced yield.”

Plants are regulated by the control systems they have, explained Dr. Liptay, and the control systems are basically the root tips and the shoot tips. “These systems are regulated by molecules that activate gene expression and it’s this gene expression that is important to us and what combination of molecules and minerals best effect the desired type of gene expression for productivity. Therefore, product quality and also pest tolerance.”

He also mentioned the importance of understanding epigenetics and learning how to turn on the set of genes that will get the desired result.

To learn more about the importance of root tips, shoot tips and epigenetics for yield enhancements, listen to my interview with Dr. Liptay below.

Ag Associates Conference Flickr Album.

Agribusiness, Audio

Mark Vail New Executive Director For NAFB

Chuck Zimmerman

I’d like to congratulate Mark Vail in his new position of Executive Director for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. NAFB just made the announcement this morning.

Vail brings with him 34 years of experience in the broadcast arena, encompassing a variety of positions including farm broadcaster, general manager and director of operations.

“I’m very excited to have Mark on board as our executive director,” said Greg Akagi, NAFB president. “Mark has truly done it all for NAFB, and his knowledge and experience will give the organization a strong voice for many years to come.”

For the past 19 years Vail has worked for Eagle Communications, Hays, Kan., in various capacities, during which he was executive producer and co-creator of the national ag show AgriTalk. Since 1998, he has served as vice president of radio for the employee-owned company.

“It is an honor to be selected as the executive director of NAFB. I look forward to working with the board and the many dedicated industry leaders as we build on a strong foundation established by generations of legacy farm broadcasters and innovative agricultural and rural partners,” Vail said. “The association has a solid strategic plan in place, and I am confident the membership will continue to use the plan as a guide for continued growth in a very dynamic media environment.”

NAFB

Quality Forage Leads to More Profitable Dairy Cows

Joanna Schroeder

Les Yoder is an expert on dairy cattle. His company Homestead Nutrition works not only to help improve the nutritional value of dairy feed, but also works on crop and soil nutrition. I spoke with him during the Ag Associates Conference to learn more about the benefits of good feed nutrition.

“The forage component of the rations is extremely important to how we’re able to balance that program and make that cow very productive while maintaining health and profitability,” said Yoder.

The better quality the forage is, the less a farmer has to depend on other things like the purchase of additional feed (corn and soybeans). “Quality forage is extremely, extremely important in a profitable dairy nutrition’s diet,” he said.

Yoder began using Bio-Forge nearly 10 years ago implementing that product for corn silage for dairy rations and as a result, really started seeing some benefits of improved quality, improved digestibility and improved plant health all of which made a better ration. He also noted that it helped to make a healthier and less expensive diet.

His early successes led him to work more with Stoller to understand the “language of the plant.” In other words, learning how to understand how the plant grows, how it reacts to environmental stresses, diseases and insect pressures.

I asked him if he could impart some personal wisdom to the diary farmers across the world, what it would be? He answered, “Anything they do to improve forage quality improves animal health, decreases the need for supplementation and just make a better ration.” And a better ration, he concluded, means a healthier cow and a more profitable dairy operation.

Listen to my interview with Les below.

Ag Associates Conference Flickr Album.

Agribusiness, Audio, Dairy, Feed

Asian Barbeque Featured By U.S. Premium Beef

Chuck Zimmerman

U.S. Premium BeefOne of the most popular attractions at Wednesday’s grand opening of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show in San Antonio belonged to U.S. Premium Beef. Thanks to Joe Schuele, USMEF for this story including photo and audio.

The company, a member of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, decided to promote the value of beef exports by serving samples of the Asian barbecue dish Yakiniku (YAK-A-NEE-KOO) – a thinly sliced cut derived from the beef short rib that is especially popular in South Korea and Japan. The samples were enjoyed by a steady stream of cattle producers throughout the evening.

Bill Miller, director of communications for U.S. Premium Beef, explains that the purpose of the barbecue promotion was to illustrate for cattle producers the critical importance of U.S. beef exports to their industry, and to the bottom line of their operations. Listen to or download (mp3) Bill here: cic-10-premium-1.mp3

Miller also comments on the important role played by the Beef Checkoff Program in promoting U.S. beef in overseas markets. Listen to or download (mp3) Bill here: cic-10-premium-2.mp3

Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention is sponsored by:
Novus

Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

RIP Milt Bliss

Cindy Zimmerman

nafbVeteran farm broadcaster Milt Bliss received his heavenly reward this week on January 27 – 100 years and 6 days old, bless his soul.

Milt’s century mark was recognized by Willard Scott on the Today show last week and he received numerous birthday wishes from friends around the world. Milt was inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame in 1994 after a career in agricultural communications that spanned six decades.

You can find out more about Milt’s long and accomplished life, arrangements for his funeral and visitation, and even send condolences to the family on-line here.

NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Vermeer is pleased to announce a 3-Year Cutterbar Warranty on new Vermeer mowers.
  • Joey Spicola, owner and operator of a West Texas cattle ranch, is developing and marketing a computer driven, hand-held livestock weighing device, ClicRweight.
  • AG CONNECT Expo 2010 attracted more than 7,700 registered attendees, making it a resounding success in these tough economic times. Planning is already underway for AG CONNECT Expo 2011, which is set for Jan. 7-10, 2011, in Atlanta, Ga.
  • EMD Crop BioScience has introduced a new formulation of Torque IF with LCO Promoter Technology for corn that offers growers and Retailers more flexibility and convenience.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Novus Welcomes Baseball Great to Poultry Expo

    Cindy Zimmerman

    novusNovus International brought a game changing baseball great to the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta to symbolize their company strategy of changing the game in livestock productivity to meet the challenge of feeding a growing global population.

    Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959-1975, was a big hit at the Novus booth, with hundreds lining up to get a photo and autographed baseball. We took about 500 photos in three hours, which we are slowly but surely adding to a separate Flickr photo album for easy downloading by the lucky ones who got to meet “Hoot.”

    Novus International Bob Gibson Photo Album

    novusGibson’s jersey number 45 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals, and in 1981, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame. In 1999, he ranked Number 31 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2004, he was named as the most intimidating pitcher of all time from the Fox Sports Net series The Sports List.

    This is the second year that Novus brought a baseball theme to the expo. Last year, it was the legendary Lou Brock, also a St. Louis Cardinal – a tribute to Novus’ hometown.

    *Post Update* Just got around to adding this video – which actually turned out pretty good!

    Novus International, Poultry, Poultry Expo

    Novus International Announces Beef Industry Commitment

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Gary WinterNovus International announced its commitment to the beef industry today at the Cattle Industry Convention. They held a press conference this afternoon and I spoke with Gary Winter, Ruminant Sales Manager, North America afterward. I’m also posting the full press conference for you in case you’d like to listen in.

    Gary has been with the company for about ten years. He says they’ve been getting a lot of interest from producers here and the trade show is providing them with a great opportunity to get their name out in front of them since there are a lot of beef producers who aren’t familiar with their name yet. He says they’ve had ingredients going into the beef business for a while but are just now launching their marketing campaign into the market. He points to products like Alimet, Mintrex and Agrado Plus as some of the names that producers can look to to increase herd efficiency.

    You can listen to or download (mp3) Gary’s remarks here: cic-10-novus-winter.mp3

    You can listen to or download (mp3) the full press conference here: cic-10-novus-press-conference.mp3

    Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention is sponsored by:
    Novus

    Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, Novus International