U.S. Ag Associates Conference and StollerUSA

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 246What a week we had on AgWired last week at AG CONNECT Expo and what a week we’re going to have next week. Besides the Cattle Industry Convention and International Poultry Expo we’re going to have full coverage of the U.S. Ag Associates Conference courtesy of StollerUSA. So that’s the subject of this week’s program.

jerry-stollerThis morning I spoke with Stoller Group President and CEO, Jerry Stoller. This is the 17th Conference which he says is a very unique collaboration and sharing of research among consultants, university professors, growers and Stoller Group representatives. I had the opportunity for a short visit there last year and next week our Joanna Schroeder will be on location for full coverage.

Some of the leading researchers in the field will participate. Among them are Dr. Ron Heiniger, North Carolina State University; Dr. Michael Orzolek, Penn State University; Dr. Ron Salzman, Director of Bioscience, StollerUSA; and Dr. T X Liu, Texas A&M Weslaco, Texas who will report on a record soybean yield of 166.8 bushels per acre achieved with Stoller technology under controlled conditions in replicated plots. Featured presentations will include trials conducted on soybeans, corn, wheat, blueberries and other crops by Stoller’s fourteen subsidiary companies from nineteen countries.

“The conference is a showcase of results from trials conducted around the world,” says Jerry Stoller, president and CEO of the Stoller Group. “Our primary goal is for attendees to learn from each other and take that information home to customers or to their own farms. It’s the kind of education resource successful growers need to maximize their bottom lines.”

Besides AgWired you can also follow along with information from the Conference on the StollerUSA blog.

Thanks to new AgWired Sponsor, Novus International, for their support of the ZimmCast.

You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast below.

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Agribusiness, Audio

AAEA Photography Webinar

Cindy Zimmerman

Attention photographers!

AAEAAmerican Agricultural Editor’s Association (AAEA) is hosting a one-hour photography webinar called “Making an Old Subject New” on February 2 at 2:00 pm central time. Experts will offer tips on new angles, new lighting and new approaches to the same old photo situations.

The webinar is free for AAEA members and $50 for non-members. If you’re not a member yet, but would like to be, you can become one for just $100 and the webinar is FREE!

Click here to register for the Webinar. If you have questions, please contact Linda Smith, Member Services chair, or Kenna Rathai, AAEA.

ACN

U of I Unveils First Ever Miscanthus Harvester and Planter

Joanna Schroeder

itcsjs10_622xFarmers who are considering growing miscanthus as a bioenergy feedstock now have a tool to make it easier. After years of collaboration and research, a miscanthus rhizome regeneration harvester and planter system has been developed. The unveiling took place during the Bioenergy Feedstocks Symposium held at the University of Illinois (U of I). Typically, miscanthus is a labor-intensive crop requiring multiple machines, and costly manual selection and grading – but not any longer.

Timothy Mies, Deputy Director of Operations at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the U of I, said, “When this project started, the propagation of rhizomes was done with shovels and lots of manual labor. These machines will take miscanthus production to a new level.”

The new machine is the result of a three-year collaboration between U of I, Tomax Ltd and Bermuda King USA. According to a news release from U of I, this machinery can lower the cost of miscanthus rhizome production by up to 40 percent and create opportunities for miscanthus to be used more widely as a high-yield bioenergy crop.

itcsjs10_631x“Bioenergy feedstock processors require security for supply and unless we dealt with regeneration and planting issues for miscanthus, we simply couldn’t make progress,” said Gavin Maxwell, Tomax Ltd Senior Bioenergy Consultant.

In recent U.S. trials, the machine has demonstrated a 200 percent increase in rhizome collection over manual systems. this allows, says the research team, the opportunity for regional nurseries to more efficiently expand to meet the demand for both solid and liquid fuel conversion.

So here is how it works. The planter demonstrates a more uniform stream of rhizomes, enabling plant placement at a rate that matches rhizome weight, quality and ground conditions. The four-row planter incorporates separate feed hoppers and placement channels enabling it to be used for both two-row nursery work and larger scale plantations.

In addition, the harvester does bulk lifting of rhizomes on a continual basis with a patented one-pass digging head and oscillating de-soiler. Rhizomes exit via bulk side discharger conveying rootstock to an adjacent trailer. The speed of extraction allows faster transfer of rhizomes to storage which is a real benefit given the seasonal weather restrictions and narrow window of time that may prevail during the rhizome winter dormancy period.

The harvester and planter package will be available beginning this year and will be available for expanded grower crops in time for the 2011 season.

Equipment, Ethanol, Research

Case IH Features “Efficiency” During AG CONNECT

Joanna Schroeder

CashIH2I spent quite a bit of time in the Case IH booth during AG CONNECT Expo last week – AgriTalk broadcast live one day and the next AgDay TV taped its show. However, my education didn’t end there. I spent a few minutes learning about Case IH’s dedication to helping farmers gain more efficiency from John Bohnker.

“A lot of farming is based upon efficiency. We’ve got to get more efficient operations. There are fewer farmers farming more acres. So we deal a lot with efficiency. If you look at our combines, we’re getting bigger and bigger combines. Bigger heads, wider operations, so we can do more operations with less manpower and get the process done faster,” said Bohnker.

CaseIH3Case IH is focusing strongly on its CDT technology where they are “doing a better job of finding the sweetspot” with energy efficiency. “We’re doing a better job of getting the energy to the ground, power to the ground where we need it,” said Bohnker.

I asked Bohnker about the growing concerns over sustainability and profitability and he stressed that they have to go together. “Farmers are really the truest green people on the earth. They have to earn a living on the land, and long-term they have to keep the farm economical but they understand the environment is the right place.”

The company is developing some new equipment that pares sustainability and profitability together, in particular, a prototype baler that is being designed to pick up corn cobs and stover for cellulosic ethanol production. By enabling the farmer to harvest this biomass, he can get more revenue off the same amount of land. The equipment is not quite ready for production yet, but it’s close; however, their other equipment is in the pipeline and ready to go for the upcoming planting season.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my interview with John here.

Audio, Case IH, Equipment

Hemisphere GPS Launches G100 During AG CONNECT

Joanna Schroeder

HemisphereGPSLast week during the AG CONNECT Expo in Orlando, Florida, Hemisphere GPS launched the G100 all-in-one steering and guidance system for auto-steer ready agricultural vehicles. I caught up with Dwayne Hildebrandt, the Sales Manager for North America, during the event to learn more about their new product which is best suited for strip till or row crop farmers. The EDrive X is a centimeter level steering solution for these applications and can be combined with the 8220 or 8221 dual frequency RK1 base station solution, explained Hildebrandt.

I asked Hildebrandt what the advantage is to a farmer of purchasing GPS. He answered that typically farmers have had to plant or apply inputs by eye or with the use of a disk marker which reduces accuracy. He also noted that these technologies can be quite heavy and cause issues with the set up of the machinery.

“GPS technology works very well independent of dusty conditions, or day time or night time and really allows a lot higher precision because you’re not relying on operator experience,” said Hildebrandt. “So it allows the farm owner to virtually put anyone in the cab and get very, very good accuracy in terms of planting precision and application precision.”

Precision, said Hildebrandt, is one key to profitability and with their GPS technologies, farmers are not wasting as much on inputs, thus reducing their costs.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my interview with Dwayne here.

Audio, Precision Agriculture

NAEDA: an AG CONNECT Association to Know

Joanna Schroeder

There were several international manufacturing equipment associations on hand at the AG CONNECT Expo including the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), one of the show sponsors. I sat down with Michael Williams, the Vice President of Government Relations, to learn more about what his association does. This 110 year-old association has more than 5,000 members in the U.S. as well as several affiliates in Canada. Since its inception, they have been providing its members manufacturing relations and government relations as well as member relations services including freight programs, telephone programs and credit card programs.

NorthAmericanDealersAssocDuring the show, NAEDA was approached by some of the international manufacturers to set up some dealer networks in the U.S. Williams said that there are two secenaries these manufacturers have. One is they have a patent pending and two an existing company wants a presence in the States. In order for NAEDA to help them, Williams said the patent must be approved first and then he needs to know if they are wanting to sell through a distributor or dealers. “We’re giving them suggestions about dealer agreements and tools that dealers need to take a new product international.”

In addition to these services, NAEDA also has a foundation that is almost as old as the association. The foundation is to aid members who have experienced a hardship like a hurricane or flood. They were very involved in Iowa last year during the flooding. “The best part of the foundation is that we’re very quick to react,”said Williams.  A dealer in need can have a check in 48-60 hours.

To learn more about NAEDA visit their website.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my interview with Michael here.

Audio, Equipment

McCormick Deems AG CONNECT Expo a Huge Success

Joanna Schroeder

McCormick1There were many tractors and loaders filling the McCormick booth during AG CONNECT Expo, and each year about 80 percent of the company’s sales are international. Yet the success of the company wasn’t what was really exciting for Rodney Miller, the CEO. It was the success of the first AG CONNECT Expo. Miller was involved in the 18 months of planning this first American international agricultural show.

“I think we really needed an international show in America for a long time. It’s way overdue,” said Miller.  “I think this is definitely a different type of show. It’s on a another level. Education and training seminars are far superior. There’s a lot of connecting points from dealers of the show and exhibit space is much higher caliber. There are a lot of executives here unlike the other shows so I really think this takes it to another level.”

McCormick2Many people came to McCormick’s booth to encourage them, along with other American-based companies, to invest more overseas in investment and education. While Miller agreed that this should happen, he also said that more international ag companies should consider investing in America’s agricultural industry.

Miller noted that they looked at the show as an investment in the company’s future. While there are other ag shows in the country, he suggested that putting them on a rotating schedule would be more effective since there are so many shows each year. The next AG CONNECT will be held in Atlanta in 2011 but after that the show will only be held every two years.

In closing, Miller said that he’s really excited about where this show will take the industry. “I think this is going to be a good thing for the industry and that is ultimately what we want. What’s good for the industry.”

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my interview with Rodney here.

Audio, Equipment

IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

ifaj-logo-nameAlltech has once again sponsored the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism awards. Ten young agricultural journalist winners have been announced. Their awards will allow them to attend this year’s IFAJ Congress, which Cindy will be attending.

The IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism awards recognize the leadership potential of young members from countries belonging to IFAJ. Recipients each receive 1,000 Euros to support their participation at an IFAJ Congress. Winners of the 2010 IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism awards are:

Andrea Bahrenberg, Germany
Liza Burger, South Africa
Jesus Colmenarejo, Spain
Margaret Donnelly, Ireland
Tatjana Kren Hlebic, Slovenia
Aleksandar Radovic, Serbia
Soledad Ricca, Argentina
Lilian Schaer, Canada
Terhi Torikka, Finland
Sarah Trickett, UK

“We live in a fast-paced world that demands an increasingly global perspective for professional communicators,” says IFAJ President Mike Wilson, USA. “Through this partnership with Alltech, the IFAJ can provide young journalists with that perspective by networking with other colleagues at our annual congresses.”

“Alltech firmly believes in the power of the younger generations and in their ability to change the world,” says Alltech President Dr. Pearse Lyons. “Through their articles and broadcasts, these young people can bring the latest technological breakthroughs to the farmers and influencers in all parts of the world. It is the adoption of these technologies that will help agriculture bounce back in 2010.”

Alltech, IFAJ, Media

Social Media Is About Engagement

Chuck Zimmerman

Social media and networking continues to be the hot topic in agricultural communications and every other industry too for that matter. How do you measure it is the question I get most often these days and I pretty much say, “Don’t.” Don’t? Yeah. Don’t. There are so many measuring points that I’m not sure where you start. How do you set a baseline and what are you comparing numbers too? The reality is that numbers aren’t what social media/networking is all about. It’s about engaging with your customers and members. And let’s face it, are you actually setting goals and expectations anyway? Just asking . . .

You’re wanting an example. How about Dell Computers? Here’s an excerpt from a post written by their Chief Blogger.

Dell.com, Support.Dell.com and the Dell Community Forum all pre-dated our social media activity. Looking at our online success in all those places, the fundamentals were clear for us. The web was an ideal place for us to connect directly with customers. Social media brought that and something more—a way to listen, learn and engage with customers, with a clear emphasis on the engage part of the equation, It allows us to further those direct connections with customers while also sharing what we are all about, making technology work, work better and harder for you.

Let me give you a personal example of how this works that just happened to me. I posted a message on Twitter asking for a recommendation for a good ergonomic office chair. Almost immediately I got a reply on Twitter from Steelcase:

@AgriBlogger Looking 4 chair recs? Consider Steelcase. Leap & Think R most ergo. Cobi & Amia R gr8 2. http://bit.ly/5zZQvX Hope ths helps!

I checked the link and although I haven’t made up my mind yet I appreciate the personal notice and link to something I might want to purchase. Is using Twitter worth it for Steelcase? I’m thinking so. BTW. I’ve already received other recommendations from friends, followers and contacts in Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn since my Twitter post updates all my profiles.

Social Networking

Claas’s Orbis 900 Wins AE50 Award at AG CONNECT

Joanna Schroeder

Claas1For the sixth year in a row, Claas of America, based in Omaha, Neb. has won several AE50 awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) that honors ground breaking industry innovation. The company’s new technology, the Orbis 900, mounts in front of the forage harvester. The advantage is capacity – the width of the head now matches better with the horsepower of the Jaquar 860, explained Bob Armstrong, with Claas. “So you can really get the maximum capacity of that machine.”

Chop quality is also an important feature. “Chop quality is a key thing. That is what dairy men and cattlemen are looking for when they feed their animals – what kind of CropTigerhigh quality feed, consistency of feed and how well the corn cracked. The cross Jaquar delivers all that.”

In addition, Claas showcased its Crop Tiger which is a small combine which has drawn a lot of attention. It was originally designed for rice harvesting but can also tackle grain. The Crop Tiger is not available in the U.S. but was featured during the show due to it’s international audience.

The Lexion Combine 585 was also on display. The most unique feature of this combine is that instead of tires the combine has tracks, “which became quite valuable this past year with the wet harvest we had,” said Armstrong.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Listen to my full interview with Bob here.


Audio, Equipment