Corn Progress

Laura McNamara

Mark Dehner, Marketing Manager Refined and Renewable Fuels for Bob Dickey, First Vice President of the National Corn Growers AssociationThere’s a lot the National Corn Growers Association is looking forward to in the next few months. I caught up with Bob Dickey, First Vice President of the association, at the 2008 Farm Progress Show in Boone, IA today. He says corn growers are counting on good weather, a good harvest and a good relationship with the new Secretary of Agriculture who’ll be named after this year’s Presidential election. In the meantime, Bob says representatives from the 33,000 member organization are on site here at the Farm Progress Show to get out their grassroots message:

“Our mission is to create and increase opportunities for corn growers,” Bob said.

A lot of those opportunities have come from ethanol in recent years. Bob says ethanol technology is continually progressing. Cellulosic technology is proving to be the newest frontier in the industry and Bob says, the National Corn Growers Association is behind cellulosic development 100 percent.

“We get behind the cellulosic industry because that will help enhance the overall industry,” Bob said. “And so we’re very supportive of what’s going on in the cellulosic side of the ethanol industry, whether it be switchgrass, sweet sorghum, alfalfa, wood chips, corn stalks, corn cobs, whatever. We’re excited.”

I interviewed Bob about what he feels are the important issues for corn growers. You can listen to my interview with Bob here: fp-08-dickey.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Ethanol, Farm Progress Show, Farm Shows, Farming

Farm Progress Burns B20 Biodiesel Blend

Laura McNamara

Mark Dehner, Marketing Manager Refined and Renewable Fuels for GrowmarkAg equipment has been running on biodiesel during the Farm Progress Show for a number of years, but this year is the first year machinery will be operating on a B20 blend at the show. Growmark is this year’s official Farm Progress Show fuel sponsor. Mark Dehner, Marketing Manger Refined and Renewable Fuels for Growmark, says the company is using a B20 blend of biodiesel at this year’s event to showcase the value of alternative fuels for farmers nationwide. It’s simple economics he says. Biodiesel generates more use and demand for energy crops, particularly soybeans. And that, he says, means added value for the farmers. Plus, Mark points out that manufacturers are making more equipment that’s compatible with biodiesel blends.

“We’re seeing more and more engine manufacturers endorse a B20 blend of biodiesel,” Mark said.

I spoke Mark about why Growmark believes biodiesel is an important fueling resource for farmers. You can listen to my interview with Mark here: fp-08-dehner.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Agribusiness, Audio, Biodiesel, Energy, Farm Progress Show, Farm Shows, Farming

Monsanto Press Conference at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Randy Barker, Global Strategy Lead for Seed TreatmentsThe Monsanto press conference is just over and I recorded it on AgWired Live TV so you can watch it below. Randy Barker, Monsanto’s Global Strategy Lead for Seed Treatments, spoke before a crowd of journalists and farmers about the launch of Monsanto’s new Acceleron brand seed treatment. Monsanto says Acceleron helps maximize potential for crop performance from the very start, at planting. Acceleron products are designed for use with soybean, corn and cotton and boast early season protection from farming hazards, such as diseases and insects.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Video

Pleasantly Cool at Farm Progress

Laura McNamara

Don Tourte, National Sales Director for Farm Progress CompaniesIt feels more like fall and not late August this morning at the Farm Progress Show. And, that’s a good thing. Farm Progress is hoping the beautiful, mild weather will draw more participants to this year’s show in Boone, Iowa. Don Tourte, National Sales Director for Farm Progress Companies says participants will have more to see this year. The exhibition site is the largest in Farm Progress history witha five percent growth from last year’s record exhibition area.

I grabbed a quick interview with Don about his thoughts for this year’s show. You can listen to my interview with Don here: fp-08-tourte.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Farm Shows, Farming

Infrared Mapping for Carbon

Laura McNamara

Veris Technologies is doing what any committed any company specializing in agricultural technology should do: it’s thinking ahead and developing products it anticipates farmers will need in the near future. Representative Eric Lund says that’s why Veris has developed near infrared mapping. The technology is designed primarily for mapping soil carbon, a need that Eric explains might not be relevant right now, but one that is imminent.

“That’s a technology that really doesn’t have a commercial need right now because farmers aren’t needing to map their carbon,” Eric said. “But, in a couple of years, they may be able to sell soil carbon under a soil carbon sequestration program where they would really need to map beginning levels of carbon and ending levels of carbon. We have developed technologies that will enable them to do that cost effectively using near infrared sensing.”

Eric says the measurements obtained through infrared mapping are high quality measurements because they formed from direct contact versus remote imagery. Currently, researchers are using the technology and Eric expects the technology to be adapted to the commercial agriculture sector within the next two to four years. Especially, he says, in light of current levels of food and energy needs around the world:

“With demand for products high and the need to be able to produce as much food and fiber and energy as we can, anything we can do to produce more food and more fiber and more energy with the same or even less inputs is going to be good for the farmer, environment and basically everybody,” Eric said. “Consumers especially.”

I interviewed Eric about Veris Technologies’ carbon mapping applications. You can listen to my interview here:
eric-lund-preag-08.mp3

Agribusiness, Audio, Environment, Farming, Research, Technology

John Stevenson is New to New Holland

Chuck Zimmerman

Chuck Interviews John StevensonAgWired has arrived at the Farm Progress Show and the first person I got to meet is the new VP, Sales and Marketing, New Holland Agricultural Equipment NA. He’s John Stevenson and this is his first Farm Progress Show. Thanks to Laura McNamara for taking our picture.

So John is my first interview and that’s appropriate since New Holland is once again one of our show coverage sponsors. Here’s what he says about his new position. “I think it’s an outstanding opportunity and really a noble cause. We’re producing products to help feed the world.”

John says New Holland is a heritage company and he feels a lot of responsibility taking on this new opportunity. He says they’ll be re-evaluating everything, including products, services and even the organization. As he puts it, “Are we truly focused on the customer?” Based on this effort they’ll make any changes deemed necessary.

John says they expect to have focus teams internally that are both regional as well as product based. Feedback will be coming from the grassroots, their customers. He’s also planning a tour starting in September spending every other week in a different region, meeting with customers and dealers. He says to “Look forward to a new New Holland.”

You can listen to my interview with John here: fp-08-stevenson.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Tractor

The Perfect Storm Changes Directions

Harry Siemens

Harry Siemens

The light at the end of the tunnel for cattle and hog producers appears to have changed from a train to small ray of hope. It’s no consolation for producers exiting prematurely or involuntarily for various reasons.

However, Jim Long, President of Genesus Genetics lists a couple of ‘I Told-You-So’s in his most recent pork commentary that I happen to agree with. The first one has to do with the latest US Corn Estimate, which Long says is positive for hog cost of production.Read More

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Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Alltech is proud to announce the initiation of its Margin of Excellence program by naming Anne Koontz its first Alltech – University of Kentucky Margin of Excellence Fellow. The program was developed by Alltech as a means of rewarding the dedication of graduate students in the study of science while promoting technology and development in Kentucky. The fellowship is a stipend of $40,000 per year for a maximum of five years for each graduate fellow.
  • Accelegrow Technologies, Inc., announced that William H. (Bill) Camp, former Executive Vice President of Archer Daniels Midland Company, has been named Chairman and CEO of Accelegrow effective Aug. 6. Camp has served on the Board of Directors of Accelegrow since January this year.
  • A unique, heavy-built, high-performance round baler that significantly improves speed, capacity, density and bale appearance — particularly when harvesting cornstalk bales — is now available from Vermeer Corporation. The new Vermeer 605 Super M Cornstalk Special is built for custom operators and high-volume producers.
  • DuPont announced growers who plant Pioneer brand corn hybrids with the Herculex XTRA trait, including those stacked with the Roundup Ready Corn 2 trait, will be eligible for crop insurance premium reductions in select states in 2009.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Getting Smart with the Smart Nozzle

    Laura McNamara

    The Smart Nozzle does exactly what it sounds like it does. It’s a boom nozzle that can operate independently during sprayer operations. John Harrison Jr. is the Product Engineer for Harrison Technologies(pictured far left) and is the brainchild behind this innovative, yet “why-didn’t-I-think-of-this” technology.

    “The smart nozzle takes existing technology for precision agriculture of boom control with the boom sections in a field and we take it one step further and go down to the nozzle level,” said John. “We can control each individual nozzle on a sprayer at any resolution that precision agriculture companies, that mapping companies want.”

    John says the Smart Nozzle can enable controlled spraying within as little space as a single square foot.

    “We can control on and off control to eliminate overlap, or we can even get down to the modulation of the individual nozzles so that we can do rate control at a square foot area,” John said.

    Plus, John says, a wireless interface gives operators the option of turning on their booms without spraying anything. The nozzle is also compatible with sensors for plant and weed recognition. Ultimately, John claims that the Smart Nozzle can eliminate fertilizer and spray costs by up to 15 percent.

    I spoke with John about his Smart Nozzle device and his small family business. In the interview, John explains that the Smart Nozzle isn’t the first precision agriculture technology that he’s come up with. It’s just the first he’s managed to commercially develop before before the big manufacturers such as John Deere, New Holland and Case IH. You can listen to my interview with John here:
    john-harrisonjr-preag-08.mp3

    You can also check out this video here:

    Agribusiness, Audio, Farming, Technology, Video

    Forecasting for Farming Success

    Laura McNamara

    There are two kinds of information that are important for Pessl Instruments: “ground truth” and expected forecasts. The Austria-based company claims that it offers a one-of-a-kind tool for farmers:

    “What we do is we measure the ground truth,” Gottfried Pessl, President of Pessl Instruments said. “That means what’s going on actually on the field of the farmers but we now also bring in the weather forecast. The weather forecast comes from a Swiss company we have teamed up with and this Swiss company delivers us a five day weather forecast in real-time for that particular farm.”

    Gottfried adds that the technology is based entirely on the internet giving farmers the option of accessing the “ground truth” and weather forecast information on any internet capable electronic device, such as a cell phone.

    “We have a wireless system which brings the data in a centralized server and through that centralized server our clients can worldwide have real time access to the data,” Gottfried said.

    The information collected from Pessl Instruments, Gottfried explained, is valuable for irrigation management for plant protection requirements. He says the collected data can help farmers “optimize the use of the chemicals, to prevent the diseases to prevent insect pest outbreaks and also to have a full traceability of their crop.” Plus, he says using weather forecast data together with real-time weather helps farmers schedule their farm operations associated with the weather, such as harvest sprays.

    “Most of the activities on the farm are very much dependent on if the weather is good or the weather is bad,” Gottfried said.

    The company now exports tools and technology to about 70 countries.

    I interviewed Gottfried about his products and technology. You can listen to my interview with Gottfried here:
    gottfried-pessl-preag-08.mp3

    Agribusiness, Audio, Environment, Equipment, Farming, International, Technology, Weather