BASF Supports Ag Aviators

Cindy Zimmerman

basfBASF Crop Protection was flying high in Reno this week at the National Agricultural Aviation Association 43rd annual convention and trade show.

On Wednesday, BASF and the NAAA unveiled a scholarship program designed to help those interested in pursuing a career in agricultural aviation. BASF partnered with the NAAA to develop and establish the scholarship program.

basf“BASF and the NAAA are each devoted to sustaining and improving the field of agricultural aviation,” said Jim Gaffney, BASF Technical Market Manager. “This scholarship presents an opportunity for us to work together to help foster scenarios in which new pilots are provided with a foundation for success in the field of aerial application.”

The company which makes a variety of fungicides for aerial application also provided platinum level support of the premiere annual event for aerial applicators, sponsoring both the kickoff breakfast and shuttle service for the convention. In addition, BASF presented best practices for optimizing aerial application of crop protection, which can be found on the company’s recently launched Aerial Applicators section of its Web site – www.plant-health-pilots.com.

BASF, NAAA

Ag Economist Optimistic About Economic Recovery

Amanda Nolz

PrintJust about everyone these days is making speculations about the state of the economy. While many industry experts and economics disagree about the cause and effects of this recession, most can agree that the economic recovery is going to be a slow one. An economist at Texas A&M University is one of the many weighing in on the debate. In a recent press release, the university shares the thoughts of Dr. Charlie Hall. Here is an excerpt from that release…

Dr. Charlie Hall, who also is the Ellison Chair in International Floriculture at Texas A&M University, said at the 2009 Texas Plant Protection Conference recently in Bryan that the economic recovery is going to be slow, “but that’s a good thing.” Current economic concerns include the global financial situation, auto industry, energy consumption and overall U.S. infrastructure, he said, adding the U.S. labor situation is improving as weekly unemployment claims are declining. He said that the national definition of the savings rate doesn’t include two things: appreciation of home and 401(k) retirement accounts.

“I think we as consumers will save a little bit more, but that does not mean we will stop spending altogether,” said Hall. “I think the Great Recession has prompted people to be more frugal and temporarily increase the savings rate. In terms of the long run, spending is too ingrained in the mindset of the consumer, but they will exhibit a smarter consumption pattern.”

How about you? Are you practicing frugality this year? Do you see an increased savings over spending among the typical American consumer?

Uncategorized

NAFB Foundation Toy Tractors Make Great Gifts

Cindy Zimmerman

nafb toy tractorHere is the perfect present for that tractor lover on your list – the 2009 NAFB Foundation Farmall Super M model tractor by Joe Ertl.

Ertl has personally autographed each of the numbered Farmall Super M 1/16 scale toy tractors for NAFB. To make it even more special for the organization, Joe designed and mounted a replica of a tractor radio. Best of all, your gift will also help to support future farm broadcasters. What more could you ask?

nafb toy tractorOnly 200 of these tractors have been produced to benefit the NAFB Foundation. Numbers 1-5 were auctioned live during the Foundation Auction and Reception at the NAFB Convention – one of which was purchased by Monsanto’s Tami Craig Shilling, pictured here with Lyle Orwig of Charleston-Orwig (who also bought one, if I remember correctly.)

Numbers 6-200 are now available, just in time for Christmas, for just $80 plus shipping and handling – and you can even charge it! Place your order by Friday, December 11 to ensure delivery before December 24.

Don’t delay, order today – operators are standing by…. all you have to do is go to the website!

NAFB

Novus to Expand Mineral Product Portfolio

Cindy Zimmerman

novusNovus International has announced plans to acquire the Animal Nutrition Division of Albion Laboratories in Clearfield, Utah.

novusProducts from the acquisition will align with Novus’s MINTREX® chelated trace mineral products and further expand its mineral technology. When complete, this acquisition will enable Novus to offer its customers and the animal agriculture market an expanded chelated trace mineral product portfolio to support their livestock operations.

Since its establishment in 1956, Albion has been an innovator in mineral chelate nutrition. Albion manufactures highly bioavailable nutritional mineral forms and has a long-standing customer base in both the beef and dairy markets.

“The intent to acquire Albion’s animal division is consistent with the direction Novus has taken to work with industry partners to achieve greater production efficiencies and minimize environmental impact,” said Giovanni Gasperoni, Executive Vice President, Novus International.

Read more here.

Livestock, Novus International, Poultry

Monsanto and BASF to Develop NutriDense Corn Hybrids

Cindy Zimmerman

basfBASF Plant Science and Monsanto today announced they will be working together to develop new corn hybrids with better nutrition for animal feed.

The new hybrids will contain BASF’s NutriDense® traits that are designed to enhance animal feed performance. NutriDense corn has higher levels of essential amino acids and energy, greater phosphorous availability and is more digestible.

BASF’s NutriDense traits will be combined with Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® Genuity™ VT Triple PRO™ and Genuity™ SmartStax™ corn. The new high quality hybrids are expected to deliver the best feed value and yields equivalent to elite conventional corn. Once launched, seed companies will market the new hybrids through licensing agreements.

Read more here.

BASF, Corn, Feed

Ag Leader Opens Academy

Cindy Zimmerman

A blizzard was brewing outside but the brand new Ag Leader Academy was just getting warmed up yesterday in Ames, Iowa.

AgleaderZimmComm’s Precision Pays website reporter Kurt Lawton was there for the kick off of the academy, along with more than 200 dealers who attended to learn about all the company’s new products and the steering technology and services gained from the recently announced partnership with AutoFarm.

There was a lot of buzz about teaming up two new products in particular, which highlights the strengths of the new partnership between Ag Leader and AutoFarm. The ability to pair the new ‘flagship’ products—Ag Leader’s INTEGRA monitor with the high-accuracy automatic steering ParaDyme product from AutoFarm—will offer the most advanced and innovative precision ag system ever, say the companies.

The INTEGRA full-featured, year-around display, comprised of a 12-inch HD touchscreen, features a new hardware platform that can handle mapping, planter and application control, yield monitoring, real-time data logging and more—controlling virtually every operation from the cab.

And to make this a fully integrated system, a patented dual-antenna roof module called the ParaDyme, delivers a unique steering system that can handle any correction (from WAAS to RTK), plus it offers factory-activated and integrated wireless and cellular communications for remote diagnostics. It not only can provide sub-inch accuracy with RTK or the CORS Network, but it can track pitch, roll, yaw, vehicle position and heading.

Read more about it here on Precision Pays.

Ag Leader, Precision Agriculture

More Grain Storage Needed In Jordan

Chuck Zimmerman

Corn MissionThe USDA Ag Specialist on the ground in Jordan is Mohamed N. Khraishy. He took time to meet with our Corn Mission team after we arrived this afternoon. He says that he acts mainly as a facilitator on our behalf or as he puts it, “See me as the grease between the wheels.”

I recorded part of our discussion with Mohamed for you to listen to. He says that quality doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for feed grain imports but that price does matter. The global economic recession has had an impact even here. He’s afraid that we might see a short term decline in American grain imports. To avoid fluctuations in the market he sees a real need for more storage facilities. He fields lots of questions about finding an American company that may want to invest in storage here in Jordan.

You can listen to part of our discussion with Mohamed below:

USGC Corn Mission In Jordan Photo Album

Audio, Corn, Grains, International, USGC

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association has confirmed Rob Joslin from Sidney, Ohio, as President, and Johnny Dodson from Halls, Tenn., as Chairman. Board members also elected Alan Kemper from Lafayette, Ind., to serve as First Vice President. Click here for the full Board list.
  • Webinar: Trading Opportunities with the Soft Red Winter Wheat Index (SRWI) and Soft Red Winter Wheat Cash Markets. Thursday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. E-mail marketing@mgex.com for more information.
  • The MU Ag Alumni Association announced the 2010 Ag Unlimited silent and live auctions will be held Feb. 6, 2010.
  • Syngenta Biotechnology, Inc., celebrates its 25th anniversary as a world-class facility for crop genetics research and discovery.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Marketing Grain To The Middle East

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Corn MissionThe Regional Director for the U.S. Grains Council coordinating our Corn Mission visit to Jordan is Joe O’Brien. Joe covers the Middle East and part of India.

    He says that Jordan is “one of the bright spots of the Middle East.” There are biotech issues in the region though, especially toward Turkey and India. He says it’s a very competitive market with recent pressure coming from the Black Sea area. During the next couple days we’ll get to see a Jordanian dairy and meet with the poultry industry.

    You can listen to my interview with Joe below:

    USGC Corn Mission In Jordan Photo Album

    Audio, Corn, Grains, International, USGC

    Get Away From Winter to AG Connect

    Cindy Zimmerman

    January in Orlando is looking pretty good right now to most of us here in the frigid Midwest.

    Ag Connect ExpoSo if you have not made plans to attend AG Connect Expo 2010 in Orlando on January 13-15, take this snow day to get on line and make your reservations.

    Besides offering the opportunity to get away to a warmer climate, Expo 2010 will provide a world-class event for the global agriculture industry—bringing together the latest in equipment, technology and ideas. The show was developed by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) with the support of a variety of industry organizations and companies, including Agwired and parent company ZimmComm New Media.

    Find out more about what AG Connect offers from previous posts here on Agwired – including this interview with AEM’s Charlie O’Brien, and one with expo director Sara Mooney about the show’s awards program.

    AEM, Audio