Monsanto Announces Beachell-Borlaug Scholars Program

Chuck Zimmerman March 25, 2009

For Norman Borlaug’s 95th birthday today, Monsanto has created a $10 million grant to establish the Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program, which will “help identify and support young scientists interested in improving research and production in rice and wheat, two of the world’s most important staple crops, through plant breeding techniques.”

Monsanto is funding the program, which will be administered by Texas AgriLife Research, an agency of the Texas A&M University System, for the next five years. The program honors the accomplishments of Dr. Henry Beachell and Dr. Norman Borlaug, who pioneered plant breeding and research in rice and wheat, respectively.

Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel of global judges chaired by Program Director Dr. Ed Runge, who is also a professor and Billie B. Turner Chair in Production Agronomy (Emeritus) within the Soil and Crop Sciences Department, Texas A&M University at College Station.

Students interested in applying to the program can find more details at www.monsanto.com/mbbischolars. Applications will be accepted until May 31.

Announcement of the first year’s winners is planned to correspond with the World Food Prize held in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 15, 2009.

Agribusiness, Biotech, Wheat

Corn Wipes Out Competition

Chuck Zimmerman March 25, 2009

Some students at Purdue University came up with a whole new way to look at corn and, umm . . . toilet paper. Glad they’re using the (Nature’s) silk. Better than the cob methinks.

Three teams of Purdue University students that created new uses for corn and soybeans – melt-away cupcake liners, biodegradable cork and toilet paper – took top honors Monday (March 23) in the Student Soybean and Corn Innovation Contests.

The competition, sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, focuses on teaching students how to become innovative entrepreneurs. The awards were presented at an unveiling at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in Indianapolis.

“These contests are about more than just creating new products,” said Bernie Tao, Indiana Soybean Alliance Professor of Soybean Utilization at Purdue. “The future success of our country depends on our graduates’ abilities to innovate and market more sustainable products. That’s something that can be hard to teach in a classroom. These contests help the students take what they’ve learned in class and apply that knowledge to solve real-world issues.”

In the corn-only portion of the contest, members of team Nature’s Silk came up with a process for biodegradable toilet paper. The product earned a cash prize of $10,000.

“We were sold on the idea of Nature’s Silk from the beginning,” said Jessamine Osborne, a senior from Evansville, Ind., double-majoring in cell molecular development and genetics. “The idea is simple, but perfect. We couldn’t figure out why this product wasn’t already on the market.”

Ag Groups, Corn, Soybean, University

FMC Launches New Tools for Growers

Joanna Schroeder March 25, 2009

FMC Corporation has launched several new products for the upcoming growing season including Capture® LFR™ a liquid insecticide that mixes with a starter fertilizer. “This year is shaping up to be rather challenging with fertilizer prices and we have a product, Capture LFR, that mixes very well with a starter fertilizer, said Brent Neuberger, Technical Specialist with FMC. “This product does an excellent job providing control of seed and seed insects such as wire worms, grubs and corn rootworm,” explains Neuberger. “It is valuable for both refuge acres and GMO crops.”

Many growers are starting to see resistance issues starting to creep up. Capture LFR is showing solid results with a 10-15 bushel increase in refuge acres and 3-5 bushel increase on GMO crops. “We’re seeing a 2-3 return on a single dollar investment,” said Neuberger.

In 2007, FMC introduced HERO® insecticide which boasts a dual mode of action. When you add HERO in with a fungicide you get some additional late season pest control. It helps to fight off pests that are attacking the ear and ear zone. “Again, it’s all about yield benefit. If we’re spending $8 on an insecticide, we need to see an $8 plus return on investment,” said Neuberger.”So when a grower gets $20 that a good return on investment.”

Soybean growers have not been left out of FMC’s product line-up. They recently introduced the Authority Soybean Herbicide Portfolio, a line of products that includes Authority First DF, Authority Assist and Authority MTZ. “These are pre-emergents that fit very well in front of that GMO event,” said Neuberger. He went on to explain that we’re seeing a movement toward pre-emergents for two reasons. First, to control early season weeds and second as another mode of action. “When you have multiple modes of action it will help to slow down resistance and this is a problem that many growers are beginning to see,” concluded Neuberger.

You can learn more about FMC’s products here in this interview with Brent from Commodity Classic. cc-09-joanna-fmc-edit.mp3

Commodity Classic, Corn, Soybean

A Special Cause: Vote for ACMA Entertainer of the Year

Amanda Nolz March 25, 2009

I need your help. The Humane Society of the United States is working to vote Carrie Underwood in as ACMA Entertainer of the Year to launch her as a better spokesperson for their agenda to abolish animal agriculture. I’m challenging everyone to head over to the ACMA website and vote. Read the following excerpt, and tell me you don’t want to stand up for agriculture today! It only takes a minute to register, and I voted for George Strait because he is a great singer, a PRCA member, a team roper and a true friend to agriculture! You should too! Word-of-mouth is definitely agriculture’s best marketing tool, no? Make a difference and cast your vote today!

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the most radical animal “rights” and anti-hunting organization in the country, has been quietly trying to get Carrie Underwood voted Entertainer of the Year via the Academy of Country Music. The problem is, a large percentage of country music fans are also gun owners and hunters who do not like Carrie Underwood’s active support for HSUS. And HSUS knows it.

Underwood and American Idol have already listed HSUS as a beneficiary of the proceeds of one of her songs and now HSUS is enlisting their radical animal rights supporters to vote for her in the Entertainer of the Year contest. But they are trying to keep it quiet. In an e-mail sent out to supporters by Kathy Bauch, the HSUS Senior Director for Corporate Relations & Promotions, she asked people to vote for Underwood, but added, “Feel free to distribute this to friends and family, but please don’t post to lists, twitter, etc.–anything that would identify that HSUS is urging people to vote for her, or it could just breathe life into the opposition.”

Oops, too late! Perhaps someone should tell the folks at HSUS that e-mails are not exactly the most secure way of communicating their “secret” agendas. Country music fans who do not appreciate Underwood’s support for HSUS should go and vote for an entertainer who shares their values and supports America’s hunting heritage. Please share this with every meat-eating, freedom loving American you know and then VOTE!!!

Social Networking

Cloudy Afternoon

Chuck Zimmerman March 24, 2009

I drove through a pretty impressive storm coming home this afternoon. The skies mostly cleared up and the sun came back out. It made for some interesting cloud formations like this one.

I was mostly off the grid except for my iPhone yesterday and today. That’s the way it goes sometimes when the hotel internet is out, there’s a weak AT&T signal and you’re out at a rural country fairgrounds all day or in the car.

So, it’s back in the saddle the next couple days.

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort March 24, 2009

Syngenta Seed Care was notified that the Arkansas State Plant Board issued a Section 18 Crisis Exemption for the use of Cruiser 5FS seed treatment insecticide for protection against grape colaspis in rice.
The Pork Checkoff is offering the 2009 Pork Management Conference, Your Pork Industry Investment, May 6-8, in Fort Myers, Fla.
New Holland’s 40-50 hp Boomer compact cab tractors with EasyDrive Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) usher in a new level of ease and control.
Hugh Grant, chief executive of the Creve Coeur agricultural biotech giant Monsanto Co., has been named among the world’s best CEOs on Barron’s annual list.

Zimfo Bytes

Green Field Work

Chuck Zimmerman March 23, 2009

I saw about 8 farm machines working in the field during a 400+ mile drive today through Missouri/Illinois/Indiana and Kentucky. Of those, 6 were green. Just in case you were wondering.

I’d say that when it comes to being green (I just got another email release from another company proclaiming their green-ness) farmers and companies like John Deere have been there, done that and are still doing it.

How about you? Are you kind of tired of hearing about the whole green thing? I mean, really. Let’s all practice good stewardship of our resources and stop using it as a public relations ploy. I wonder how many consumers are buying more from a company just because they proclaim to be green.

Farming

Farm Foundation Facilitates Transition to a Bioeconomy Conversation

John Davis March 23, 2009

AgWired.com will be there as the Farm Foundation hosts the next in its series of meetings to talk about what needs to be done for this country… and the world, for that matter… transition to a bioeconomy.

In the fourth in the series of “Transition to a Bioeconomy” conferences, our friends at Farm Foundation will facilitate conversation focusing on global trade and policy issues, March 30-31 at the Westin Washington D.C. City Center Hotel:

“The developing bioeconomy is creating diverse and complex issues for public and private decision makers, particularly in the area of policy and trade issues,” says Farm Foundation President Neil Conklin. “This conference is an opportunity for conference participants to gain broader understanding, as well as new perspectives, of the issues and challenges.”

Conference speakers include:
· Michael Schall, Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy
· Laurent Javaudin, Delegation of the European Commission to the United States
· Al Mussell of the George Morris Centre
· Seth Meyer of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute
· Joel Velasco of the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association
· Paul Willems of BP Energy Biosciences Institute
· Mark Willers of Minwind Inc.
· Mark Dietzen of INEOS Bio
· Thomas Alfstad of Brookhaven National Laboratory

The Farm Foundation has teamed up with the USDA’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses and the farm agency’s Economic Research Service. Like the previous three Transition to a Bioeconomy conferences, organizers promise this one will “provide public and private leaders with objective information and analyses they can use to make more informed decisions as they address these issues.”

I’ve been lucky enough to make it to a couple of these, and they are really well worth the trip. I strongly suggest you make plans to attend this conference March 30-31 at the Westin Washington D.C. City Center Hotel. Registration information is available here.

But if you can’t be there in person, let AgWired.com and energy.agwired.com give you the next best thing. We’ll be covering the events as they happen on both of our ZimmComm New Media Web sites. Either way, don’t miss it!

Farm Foundation

Deere Landscapes

Chuck Zimmerman March 23, 2009

I’ll bet you didn’t know John Deere is into landscaping did you? I didn’t until I was out on a Drive Green Utility Tractor Show stop. It’s called John Deere Landscapes.

John Deere Landscapes approaches the Industry from a whole new vantage point. Like you, we face the future with a healthy respect for the past. Our heritage is one of true value-added customer service, and our combined companies offer over 30 years of success in the industry, based on that same outstanding level of customer service. This story continues as we grow, expanding our branch network. At John Deere Landscapes, we want to be where you need us. So come on in… find out what we do, and how we strive every day to support the Industry’s top professionals.

When I was on location at our Houston stop I met Ronnie Borel who is an outside sales representative for John Deere Landscapes. He gave me an overview of the products offered by this division of the company. He says they offer about 95% of what the landscape contractor needs.

You can listen to my interview with Ronnie here: drive-green-houston-landscape.mp3

In Raleigh, while I was at the Dixie Deer Classic stop, I met the Nobles who have their own landscaping business. Although they own a John Deere tractor, they’re in the market for one with a little more horsepower. The Drive Green Utility Tractor Show is certainly the place to do that.

You can listen to my interview with the Nobles here or watch them in the video: drive-green-raleigh-landscaping.mp3

I’ll be on the Drive Green highway once again this week in Danville, KY where the show stops at the Boyle County Fairgrounds.

Audio, John Deere, Video

Agencies Behind Consumers Online

Chuck Zimmerman March 23, 2009

This story got me fired up on a Monday morning.

It’s nice to be ahead of the curve don’t you think? Hopefully, a growing number of you agrimarketers out there are jumping onto the online bandwagon. Your customers are already there. Yes, farmers too. But how many of you still can’t grasp the concept of what a blog is or Twitter? Agencies, how are you really serving your client’s needs when you don’t understand the concepts much less the technology? Is pasting a paragraph of text on a web page a blog? No. But I still see some of these weak attempts to “get with it.”

I know that there are many of you who get it. But there are still a lot who don’t. Take a look at this excerpt from a story on AdWeek about an IBM consumer research project.

NEW YORK Ad agencies are years behind in catching up to digitally savvy consumers who are moving their media habits online more quickly than expected, according to new global research from the IBM Institute for Business Value.

The first thing that popped into my mind was, “than who expected?” It has seemed obvious for years that consumers (farmers) were moving media habits online. Even ag industry research like the USDA NASS surveys and NAFB has shown this.

IBM found that between 2007 and 2008, the proportion of consumers saying they used social-networking tools soared to 60 percent from 33 percent; for online and portable music services it more than doubled to 46 percent; mobile Internet nearly tripled to 41 percent; and access to mobile music and video quadrupled to 35 percent.

In contrast, 80 percent of the ad executives interviewed expect the industry to be at least five years away from being able to deliver cross-platform advertising, encompassing sales, delivery, measurement and analysis.

Five years away from being able to effectively place your client advertising dollars? I’m not sure I get that. I think what it means is that social networking and new media channels of communication don’t fit into nice little computer programs with pretty charts and graphs. It would be nice if it did but while we wait for people who are way geekier than me to come up with all that, how about getting started and investing your media dollars where your customers are? Spend a portion of it at least and start to figure it out before someone else does and you’re wondering where all your business went.

Most new media advertising is less expensive than traditional media. Is it possible that the fear that “we won’t make as much money” is keeping some back from investing in it?

You might want to take a look at the IBM research which is available online:

Beyond advertising: Choosing a strategic path to the digital consumer (pdf)
By Saul Berman, Bill Battino and Karen Feldman

Succeeding in the new economic environment: Focus on value, opportunity, speed (pdf)
By Saul Berman, Steven Davidson, Sara Longworth and Amy Blitz

via Steve Rubel (his Twitter feed btw)

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