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Small grain farmers and agricultural researchers were taken by surprise this year due to a huge outbreak of head scab. But many farmers were spared to much damage through the application of various fungicide products including those who used Caramba. Caramba is a fungicide developed by BASF and now for the first time this year available to producers and its benefit is to increase yield protection and reductions of DON levels in grain.
Dr. Gary M Fellows was able to sit down with me during the Ag Media Summit and tell me more about Caramba and Twinline.
“Caramba is the number one product worldwide for the control for head scab in small grains, and we launched it this year which was a good thing because this was the worst year for head scab that we’ve seen in the past 25 years,” said Fellows.
In addition to Caramba, BASF also launched Twinline fungicide which uses the same active ingredient in Headline which is designed to control aggressive wheat diseases.
“The neat thing about Twinline is that its powered by Headline. What we’ve done is taken Headline and moved it up to the next level and that’s Twinline. And so we’ve actually increased it activity its given it a little longer in curative control as well as preventive control we’ve always had. In the trials that are starting to come off, the wheat harvest in the south is almost done, we’re seeing great yields in Twinline compared to all the other competitive products and compared to untreated.”
Although Twinline is only for small grains such as wheat they are working on a comparative product for corn but we’re going to have to wait to get the details.
We had several fellow journalists here at IFAJ and Ag Media Summit from Australia with us and they are not expecting a great wheat harvest. However, although not a record breaking year, the United States, says Fellows, should have a good harvest.
You can listen to my full interview with Dr. Fellows here:
“We’re waiting for approval on cadre of new technologies. One is 
Although I could not attend the combined IFAJ Congress/Ag Media Summit that doesn’t mean I’m not in touch. I just got off Skype with Greg Lamp, Corn & Soybean Digest, and Co-Chair of the event. He had a short break before the afternoon activities get underway.
The Ag Media Summit was a perfect place for me to catch up with Charlie O’Brien, V.P. of Ag Services for AEM and find out the latest news about AG CONNECT and to learn why everyone should be there.
This year IFAJ and AMS brought an all-day photography school to the conference. The photography school was taught by Michael Schwarz of the Blue Pixel Group. We started the day off at the historical Fort Worth Stockyards, where we were free to roam the grounds and take pictures that inspired us. Our assignment was to capture old time Texas and anything that would represent that. Participants shot photos of everything from long horns to cowboy hats. At 11:30 the daily cattle drive was taken through the main street of the Stockyard and was a great photo opportunity for us as well as something new to see.
I really appreciate 
The newly appointed Director of Public Relations for the 
If you’re wondering where Steve Engle is then wonder no more.
Theodor Friedrich with the Crop and Grassland Service of the FAO, along with Nathan Rudgers, with 25×25 Carbon Work Group, shared the podium to discuss the ability of farmers to capture and store atmospheric carbon in their soils as a way to reduce carbon emissions. This practice to be both a boon to the air and the soil as this could provide a new financial stream for farmers.