Headline in 2007 Meant Millions More Bushels

Cindy Zimmerman February 28, 2008

Andy Lee is the director of business operations for US Crop Protection at BASF. In this position, he oversees all sales and marketing functions for BASF inthe US crop protection market.

In his presentation at BASF’s “Science Behind Seed Treatments” media symposium at the 2008 Commodity Classic in Nashville, Andy told the ag journalists that they are the answer to helping growers accelerate their yields to get closer to the record breaking corn and soybean yields that have been achieved in recent years. “It’s the information that you can get out to growers and retailers to show them how they can, if not achieve 154, maybe they can get 56 or 65, rather than the average yield,” he said.

Andy talked about the amazing success story of Headline fungicide, which was 70 percent of the market share for fungicides last year. “The Headlline that was used in corn and soybeans in 2007 gave growers over $450 million more income,” he said. “Three million acres of soybeans treated with Headline gave us 13.5 million bushels of extra beans. Seven million acres of corn treated with Headline gave us 112 million bushels (more). Basically, what that is is about 105,000 semis loaded with grain of new crop, new soybeans, new corn that previously the US market did not produce before.” And, more importantly, this was without any new acreage.

Listen to Andy’s short and informative presentation here:
basf-lee-presentation.mp3

The BASF Flicker Photo Album has been updated with all the images from yesterday’s symposium and the riverboat fun afterward.

BASF 2008 Commodity Classic Symposium Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Seed, Soybean, Wheat

Commodity Classic Coverage

Chuck Zimmerman February 28, 2008

I know I’m a little behind with the program this week but what better venue to introduce a new image icon for the ZimmCast than Commodity Classic. We’ve got 4,300 people registered already and more walk-ins will show up I’m sure. There’s also 128 registered media here so far. Both of those are records according to media room manager Bob Callanan, American Soybean Association.

In this week’s program I talk to Bob about the media room then I wandered around and asked around 20 media representatives what they were excited about and planning on covering here at the conference. For the most part it’s a serious set of answers but we also had fun with it. The interviewers aren’t usually the interviewees if you know what I mean. Prices, the farm bill, how grain growers are dealing with their recent successes financially are just some of the topics you’ll hear mentioned. You’ll hear some of the most recognizable voices in the business from farm broadcasters to magazine and web editors. I hope you enjoy it.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 160 (23 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast160-2-28-08.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

Like Cindy, I want to thank BASF and New Holland for once again being our sponsors of our coverage of Commodity Classic. We’ll have lots of feature content on their involvement with the show as well as other interesting news and show coverage as we find it.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Media, New Holland, ZimmCast

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort February 28, 2008

Ag Leader Technology, Inc., announced the addition of two new features to its popular application control system, DirectCommand. DirectCommand now interfaces to the Raven Sidekick chemical injection pump for complete control over chemical injection applications. The InSight™ display and CAN module will replace the Sidekick Console, directly connecting to the injection pump. DirectCommand now has three channels of granular product control within the spreader module. Operators have the ability to apply up to three products simultaneously at varying rates either manually or using a prescription.
A new education component for America’s Heartland is now available online. A series of 42 student study guides with answer keys for teachers have been developed to accompany 42 segments from season one of the program. The lessons focus on career exploration and are targeted to secondary- and collegiate-age students. Subject categories for study guides and lessons include career profiles, food science, agri-tourism, animals, aquaculture, environmental stewardship, fruits, vegetables, specialty products and technology. Educational materials are available free of charge online.
John Crouch, chief executive officer, has announced his intention to retire from the American Angus Association later in the year. He made his intention known Feb. 20, 2008, during a regularly scheduled Board of Directors Meeting in Saint Joseph, Mo.
Nippon Soda Company has received EPA approval of Assail® insecticide for use on cucurbits, stone fruit, tree nuts, legume vegetables, bulb vegetables, strawberries, blueberries and other cane and bush berries. Marketed and distributed by United Phosphorus, Inc., Assail insecticide offers broad-spectrum control on a wide variety of chewing and sucking insects and has long been relied upon by growers to protect the quality and yields of many crops including pome fruit and fruiting and leafy vegetables, as well as potatoes.

Zimfo Bytes

BASF Communications

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

Ray Gilmer is the group communications manager for US Crop Protection at BASF and he is shown here moderating the BASF media event at Commodity Classic. Chuck and I knew him in a former life as communications director for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, so it was a pleasure to see him again after many years.

I talked with him about the BASF Seed Treatment symposium for the media here at Commodity Classic, why they are doing it, what their goals are and why reaching out to educate the media like this helps to educate the producer.

Listen to my interview with Ray here:
basf-ray.mp3

BASF 2008 Commodity Classic Symposium Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by:

and

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Seed

Plenty of Pictures from BASF Seminar

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

I am going to have lots of audio coming from the BASF Seed Treatment Symposium and already have a bunch of photos which I loaded into a separate Flicker Photo Album for your viewing pleasure.

BASF 2008 Commodity Classic Symposium Photo Album

The room is literally packed here with media with two more on the phone. The presenters are giving their presentations and then it will be time for one-on-one interviews.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland, Seed, Soybean, Technology

BASF Seed Treatment Seminar Starts

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

The BASF “Science Behind Seed Treatments” media seminar is underway at Commodity Classic with about 40 ag journalists participating.

The presenters are Steve Hawkins from The Context Network, Andy Lee of BASF, Dr. Gary Munkvold of Iowa State University, Dr. Dirk Voeste of BASF Seed Treatment Technology Center in Germany, and Craig Lindholm of BASF.

The reason for the seminar is simple – growers need information and lots of it. Sitting next to me here at the symposium is a “celebrity grower” – the man who produced the world champion soybean yield – Missouri’s own Kip Cullers. His picture is flashing up on the screen as I type!

Tom Dorr at National Ethanol Conference

Chuck Zimmerman February 27, 2008

Once again I got to hear our Undersecretary for Rural Development, Tom Dorr. He was first up on the program here this morning at the National Ethanol Conference to speak about the farm bill and focus on renewable fuel policies and provisions.

He says the ethanol industry is going through some growing pains, or put another way, transitional challenges. He’s convinced these will be overcome. Like many of the speakers here he talked about the attacks on ethanol, especially of late, in terms of sustainability. He said that some of the same regulatory rhetoric being discussed in Europe in regards to biofuels is creeping up in the debate in Washington, DC. He pointed out that farmers have long been working on sustainability and the facts show that they’re increasing yields while reducing inputs.

You can hear most of Dorr’s speech here (I missed the very beginning): nec-08-dorr-1.mp3

The online photo album from this event has grown to over 250 photos. I hope you enjoy them. I’ll be starting a new one from Nashville by tomorrow!

National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, USDA

A Nashville Classic

Cindy Zimmerman February 27, 2008

2008 Commodity Classic is getting underway here in Nashville at the Opryland. Little bit of snow fell this morning, but its clearing up now and folks are getting in, getting registered and getting orientated to this huge venue.

The media room is a bit far off from the main activities of the convention center but – as always – it is well staffed and offers the best facilities for media in the business. Reporters are arriving and getting set up, filing reports already.

Chuck will be here this evening, but will miss the BASF event today. Can’t wait to tell you about BASF’s Seed Treatment news!

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

2008 Commodity Classic Photo Album

BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Media, New Holland

New Media Presentation at Cal-Poly

Chuck Zimmerman February 27, 2008

Next week I’ll be flying out to San Luis Obispo and the California Polytechnic State University to do a little new media training. Scott Vernon has set up a double session for faculty and students titled, “Exploring the New Media: Using Podcasts to Drive Your Message and Expand Your Reach.”

This is going to be fun. The idea is to “Create Innovative New Ways to Communicate to the Industry, the Public, Prospective Students, Current Students and others!” I’ll be showing how to create podcasts and how we’re seeing podcasts being used in agriculture. This is on behalf of the Agricultural Education and Communication Department.

I know that more and more companies and even those in traditional media are looking for new employees with the skills to create multimedia content for websites and podcasts. These skills were once taught piecemeal but the computer tools of today are changing everything. If your school or staff would benefit from a session on the use of new communications platforms then you know who to call (the Agriblogger and Farm Podcaster).

University

The Fishy Truth

Melissa Sandfort February 27, 2008

Consumers with questions about seafood sustainability and safety now need to look no further than the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Web site for answers. At the International Boston Seafood Show, NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher launched the agency’s new Fish Watch site, designed to answer consumer questions.

“Steering the public to Fish Watch is a great way for consumers to get all the facts,” said National Fisheries Institute (NFI) President John Connelly. “The seafood-buying public deserves the most accurate and up-to-date information on safety and sustainability and NOAA has it.”

During a news conference announcing the site, Lautenbacher said, “Our hope is that you will go here for ground-truth science. It is not about making decisions for you.”

With the proliferation of unwarranted seafood health scares and myriad sources dictating what are good fish and bad fish, the new agency Web site aims to arm the public with an unbiased education and provides a balanced clearing house for consumers.

“Environmental issues are very important but mixing environmental concerns with potential health effects is confusing for consumers,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Harvard University, who joined Lautenbacher’s panel of experts at the unveiling.

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