Important IndyCar Driver Work

Chuck Zimmerman

Jeff Simmons Signing AutographsIt has been a long day at the track here in Newton, IA for the lead up to the Iowa Corn Indy 250. I’ve updated my photo album and am calling it quits for the night since we’ve got to be back out at the track early.

This is what an IndyCar driver does a lot of. It’s Jeff Simmons doing an autograph session after an Iowa Corn Growers/EPIC reception at the track this afternoon.

The Rahal-Letterman team did very good today. Scott Sharp in the Patron car qualified for 4th place in the starting lineup with a speed of 181.713 mph and Jeff Simmons in the Ethanol car qualified 6th with a speed of 181.527 mph which is his highest qualifying position ever! This is a tight field with only the slightest fractions of a second separating the top qualifiers.

You can watch the race live on ABC at 12pm central time.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Ethanol

ICGA and EPIC Very Happy With Iowa IRL Race

Chuck Zimmerman

Field LogoThe logo for the Iowa Indy Corn 250, presented by Ethanol is very cool. It really looks good on the lawn in between the track and the pits here at Iowa Speedway.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association has been instrumental in making this race a reality here in Newton, IA. One of the corn growers here who’s very excited about what’s taking place is ICGA president-elect, Tim Recker. I interviewed Tim after he and other ICGA leaders unveiled the trophy for this weekend’s race. He says that the Iowa corn growers saw this race as an opportunity to really promote ethanol nationally and especially showcase all the work being done in Iowa to develop this renewable fuel resource. You can listen to my interview with Tim here: iowa-corn-07-recker.mp3

Jeff Simmons in practiceThe Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is also very involved in the promotion of this race, working very closely with organizations like the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Pioneer Hi-Bred. EPIC’s executive director Tom Slunecka was in the media center this afternoon. Tom was happy. And if Tom’s happy, I’m happy (EPIC is the founding and primary sponsor of our sister site, Domestic Fuel).

I got him to sit down for a minute and talk about how he thinks it’s going. He’s just as excited about this race as all the corn growers I’ve spoken with this week. He says that the work EPIC has been doing to create a brand that consumers are aware of and trust is really paying off and venues like this race as well as all the IRL races have been key to showcasing the performance value of ethanol.

You can listen to my interview with Tom here: iowa-corn-07-slunecka.mp3

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Ethanol

Getting Pitty With It

Chuck Zimmerman

Ethanol Car in PracticeThese representatives of the Iowa Corn Growers were getting in some pit practice action this afternoon. Jeff Simmons, driver of the #17 Ethanol car for Rahal-Letterman Racing got his first laps on this track this afternoon. He’s peeling out of his pit behind them.

He just got done dialing in the computer settings with his team in advance of what looks like some stormy weather moving in.

I’m glad these drivers got their practice in because there’s not much time left before Sunday’s Iowa Corn Indy 250. They’ll do qualifying tomorrow.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Ag Groups, Corn, Ethanol

ICGA Press Conference and Race Trophy

Chuck Zimmerman

Iowa Corn Growers Press ConferenceThe first press conference of the day was the unveiling of the trophy for Sunday’s Iowa Corn Indy 250.

It’s a tall good looking trophy.

The group show here consists of several board members and CEO, Craig Floss, speaking on the left.

Craig made a short statement which you can listen to here: iowa-corn-07-icga-press-conf.mp3

Iowa Corn Growers Press ConferenceHere’s some of the reasons why the Iowa Corn Growers is involved and supporting this inaugural race:

• Promote renewable fuels

• Give general consumers information about ethanol, specifically E85 market

• Indy Racing League (IRL) is running on 100% ethanol in the 2007 season

• Celebrating 30 years of the Iowa corn checkoff and the success of the ethanol industry we’ve worked so hard to build in the state.

• Iowa is the leader in corn and ethanol production and we are working to be the leader in renewable fuel usage.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Ethanol

Pioneer’s Russ Sanders Talks About Ethanol and Indy

Chuck Zimmerman

Russ Sanders, Pioneer Hi-BredOne of the people attending the ethanol pump promotion in West Des Moines was Pioneer Hi-Bred Marketing Director for Quality Traits, Russ Sanders. I interviewed Russ as things were heating up (quite literally) at this Kum & Go facility.

Here’s Russ posing next to the #17 Indy Ethanol car which Pioneer is a sponsor of this year.

Russ says that Pioneer is working hard on new corn traits that will be more productive in the ethanol production process while also creating a more nutritious animal feed component from the by-products of the ethanol production process. He says it’s a time for American corn growers to be proud Pioneer Hi-Bred - Toledo, IA Plantof what they are accomplishing in helping our country become more independent of foreign oil while helping create a cleaner environment.

He also says that Pioneer will have several hundred of their customers here at the race this weekend.

Pioneer has a plant in Toledo, IA which is right near where I’m staying on this trip. I just happened to be driving by it last night on the way back from Des Moines.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Ethanol, Pioneer, Video

KXNO Radio Remote in Des Moines

Chuck Zimmerman

KXNO Radio RemoteThe sister AM sports station to WHO in Des Moines is KXNO. Morning show man Larry Cotlar interviewed IndyCar driver Jeff Simmons at today’s pump promotion.

It was just a short live spot but I thought you might be interested to see Jeff in action with the media. This was one of many interviews he did today.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Ethanol, Video

Promoting Ethanol in Iowa

Chuck Zimmerman

Kum & Go PromotionIt’s ethanol promotion time in Iowa and things are in full gear starting with this afternoon’s pump promotion at the Kum & Go in West Des Moines. I’ll be off to one taking place at a HyVee right near here (I’m working in Panera Bread at the moment) in just a little while.

I got a few laughs today in describing this weekend’s Iowa Corn Indy 250 as possibly the biggest tailgate party of corn growers in history. I’m hearing estimates of thousands of corn growers who will actually be attending Sunday’s sold out race.

I’ve got some interviews and lots of pictures which are being posted into an online photo album as usual. Feel free to visit often.

Iowa Corn Indy 250 Photo Album

Corn, Ethanol

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • Garst Seed Company, based in Slater, Iowa, recently awarded $1,000 scholarships to 26 FFA students pursuing college degrees in the field of agriculture. Among this year’s recipients are future crop scientists, seed sales managers, farm broadcasters, marketing specialists and U.S. farmers. Garst committed $75,000 to the FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program in 2005 as part of its 75th anniversary celebration and pledged to award 75 $1,000 scholarships over a three-year period.
  • Preemergent control of tough weeds in no-till sunflowers is available with Aim herbicide and Spartan herbicide from FMC Corporation (NYSE:FMC). These herbicides are two excellent tools that can become part of an overall burndown program with glyphosate. The combination of Aim and Spartan provides control of tough weeds in no-till sunflowers, whether used in a one-shot program (a tank mix of Spartan, glyphosate and Aim) or a two-shot program of Spartan followed by a tank mix of Aim and glyphosate.
  • Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced that it has completed its divestitures of the Stoneville and NexGen businesses and will begin combining existing operations with the Delta and Pine Land Company (D&PL). This process will bring together two industry leaders to combine their expertise and resources for the benefit of U.S. cotton producers. Monsanto’s entire Southern business will be known as Delta and Pine Land, and will include D&PL brands of cotton and soybeans, as well as Monsanto’s DEKALB® corn, Asgrow® soybeans and Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. The Delta and Pine Land business will support Monsanto’s seed, biotechnology and chemistry products.
  • VeraSun Energy Corporation (NYSE: VSE), one of the nation’s largest ethanol producers, today announced the appointment of Kurt Swenson, Keith Bruinsma and Darin Fedt to the position of Vice President and the addition of Bryan Meier as Vice President and Controller. VeraSun Energy Corporation (NYSE: VSE), headquartered in Brookings, South Dakota, is a leading producer of renewable fuel. The Company has three operating ethanol production facilities located in Aurora, SD, Fort Dodge, IA, and Charles City, IA.
  • Bayer CropScience AG and Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON), two of the leading agro-companies worldwide, have entered into a series of long-term business and licensing agreements related to key enabling agricultural technologies. Within the framework of these agreements Bayer CropScience will grant Monsanto a royalty bearing, non-exclusive license for its LibertyLink® herbicide tolerance technology for use in corn and soybeans, the two largest field crops in terms of acreage in the United States. The agreements provide Monsanto with an option to market corn and soybean seeds which contain both Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® and Bayer CropScience’s LibertyLink® technologies, which could provide farmers with additional weed management solutions.
Zimfo Bytes

NovaSource: New Frontier for Pesticides

Laura McNamara

NovaSourceFarmers can now access NovaSource.com for the latest information on crop protection. NovaSource is Tessenderlo Kerley Inc.’s business unit for developing and marketing EPA registered pesticides for niche crop protection and specialty markets.

In 2005, TKI announced an initiative to expand its product line of EPA-regulated products beyond its Sectagon® business. In an effort to better focus this effort, TKI has recently created a separate business unit within TKI to manage all of its EPA-regulated products including the Sectagon® brands of metam sodium and metam potassium. NovaSource’s mission is to seek and develop off-patent pesticide opportunities through acquisition and generic entry. The company is exploring opportunities in all market sectors, striving to innovatively differentiate its products, and employing a marketing philosophy of limited distribution to foster long term mutual success with its distribution customers.

Jordan Burns, CEO of TKI, stated, “NovaSource is the culmination of our plan to diversify our presence in the plant nutrition area by seeking complementary areas of agriculture where we can put to use our vast experience and knowledge base. Our entry into the crop protection side began in 1999 with the purchase of the metam sodium molecule. It is a natural move for TKI, and one we have initiated based upon extensive planning and future expectations. NovaSource is our new frontier.”

The first new products are now being introduced. The fosetyl aluminum based fungicides LINEBACKER™ and FLANKER™ brands of 80% WDG formulations will be marketed in the agriculture and ornamental markets respectively. This summer the company will launch a turf formulation of fosetyl al. A second family of chemistry will be launched in the 4th quarter of 2007.
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Agribusiness, Research

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved StandGuard(TM) Pour-on for fast-acting, continuous control of horn flies and lice in beef cattle of all ages. “The best news for producers is that this powerful pour-on enables them to work with their veterinarians to update and strengthen existing integrated pest-management programs.”
  • Mycogen Seeds is excited to announce that it is introducing 58 new grain corn hybrids to its lineup. Especially noteworthy are several stacked-trait hybrids containing Herculex® XTRA Insect Protection and Roundup Ready® technologies. “We have a full lineup of corn hybrids with powerful traits to protect growers’ yield all season long,” says Terry Gardner, Marketing Specialist, Mycogen Seeds. “These hybrids are proven to perform through extensive company and on-farm testing.”
  • Dow AgroSciences LLC and Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) today announced the successful completion of research milestones as part of their joint Research and Commercial License Agreement. These milestones represent the successful application of Sangamo’s zinc finger DNA-binding protein (ZFP) technology to the generation of specific traits in two major crop species – maize and canola.
  • Farmers are dedicating more acreage to the lucrative corn crop in order to produce ethanol. Although corn to ethanol may decrease prices at the gas pump, it can hurt in other ways, including the price of fertilizer and animal feed. Jim Jubak points out that the “16% increase in the acreage planted to corn has also produced a big surge in fertilizer demand—as much as an extra 1 million metric tons this year.” Farms that use Pro-Act to manage their manure treatment find they no longer need to purchase as much fertilizer. Their treated manure and water deliver a powerhouse of fertilizer, resulting in saved money and more bountiful crops.
Zimfo Bytes