Golden Harvest Hybrids Built for the North
Golden Harvest and GHX are offering new corn hybrids specifically gred for those northern farmers who take pride in their ability to produce corn in a challenging environment every year.
Each of the individual Hybrids Built for the North product is named for apex predators adapted for success there:
· Hybrid G00A97-AA – The Hawk: Like a Hawk, G00A97-AA Brand is agile and able to thrive in diverse conditions. It precisely zeroes in on its prey at the right moment, with the right seeding rate.
· Hybrid G01U74-AA – The Grizzly: A force of nature, G01U74-AA Brand embodies raw power and unwavering strength. Like a Grizzly bear, it adapts to any environment and stands strong all season long.
· Hybrid G03U08-D – The Wolf: Leading the pack, The Wolf is fiercely protective and resilient. Like the northern predator, G03U08-D Brand thrives in tough terrains and challenges, delivering powerful results.
According to Rex Gray, Golden Harvest and GHX corn product manager, “To thrive in the North, a farmer needs products built specifically for their environment, with unique characteristics that provide a competitive edge. Our Hybrids Built for the North are strong, fierce and up to the challenge.”
In an interview at Farm Progress Show this year, Gray talked about the 14 new Golden Harvest corn hybrids for 2025. “So when you have these new varieties, hybrids plus others that are already established, this is just giving your customers a whole lot more options for their specific farm or geography,” said Gray. “Everybody wants more yield, but … it’s really about that consistent yield and harvestable yield. Because what’s in their grain tank at the end of the day is what pays the bills. So each year we continue to bring out new hybrids to meet those needs, but also make sure that we’re continuing to advance a portfolio from a disease or agonomic standpoint as well.”
The Hybrids Built for the North branding effort focuses specifically on farmers in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan with products to meet their challenges best and have the potential for higher yields.
FPS24 - Interview with Rex Gray, Golden Harvest 3:03New Tech Provides Non-Invasive In-Ovo Sexing
Say hello to Cheggy, the first non-invasive in-ovo technology of its kind to determine the sex of a chick before hatching.
In a groundbreaking development for the United States egg industry, an Iowa hatchery has become the first site to offer an automated in-ovo sex determining solution in the nation. An identical machine is also operational at a hatchery in Texas. Chicks from the hatchery are expected to go to their first customer—NestFresh Eggs—by December 13, 2024, putting eggs sourced from in-ovo sexed hens into the marketplace by June 2, 2025.
The technology was created by Germany-based company Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT). “We are thrilled to introduce this revolutionary non-invasive in-ovo sexing technology to the United States,” said Jörg Hurlin, Managing Director of AAT. “The high accuracy rate and unparalleled efficiency of this machine will undoubtedly transform the egg production industry with growing demand for welfare and sustainability practices in the poultry industry.”
In-Ovo Sexed Eggs
The unveiling event for the Cheggy technology took place on Tuesday, December 10, bringing together industry leaders from the AAT and NestFresh teams to witness a live demonstration of the machine, showcasing the innovative sorting process. Cheggy is the fastest machine of its kind and has the capability to sort up to 25,000 brown layer hatching eggs per hour and unit, significantly increasing efficiency and productivity for hatcheries. In 2019, AAT started the transformation process with its Cheggy in Germany and France and is now the market leader for in-ovo sex determination of brown layer lines in Europe with 12 units in 7 countries.
Learn more about Cheggy at cheggy.com.
Animal Ag News 12/9
DWFI Shares Annual Report
The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska recently released its 2024 Annual Report celebrating 15 years of progress toward global water and food security.
DWFI continues to focus on ensuring a sustainable future with access to nutritious food and clean water and is uniquely positioned to advance water management for greater food security. Throughout its 15-year history, the institute has leveraged the world-class research at the University of Nebraska; the state’s expertise in agricultural and water resource management; and private sector partnerships to make real progress toward a water- and food-secure future for all.
Among this year’s accomplishments, DWFI launched its new USAID-funded Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Irrigation and Mechanization Systems (ILIMS) providing $40 million over the next five years to support the growth of vibrant irrigation and mechanization markets in the Global South. DWFI also welcomed 14 new members to its Faculty Fellow cohort and funded 11 new students working on mission-related research this year, in addition to the 20 returning students who continued their research with the help of DWFI funding.
The institute is celebrating its 15th anniversary year, culminating in its Water for Food Global Conference April 28-May 2, 2025 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
“Together, we can create a more water and food secure world, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come,” said Peter G. McCornick, executive director of DWFI.
Industry Ag News 12/6
ALB is All About Climate Smart Sheep
This month, 150 sheep producers around the country will be selected to participate in the American Lamb Board (ALB) Climate Smart Sheep program starting in 2025.
ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert of Kansas says producers enrolled in the program will be paid up to $7,000 to develop and implement Climate Smart Sheep management practices and measure and report emissions and life cycle analysis. “We’ve just recently received a $4 million grant from USDA for Climate Smart sheep and right now we’re gathering up producers who want to take part in this,” said Ebert in a recent interview.
In addition, the grant is helping to educate producers about the benefits of targeted grazing related to carbon sequestration, soil health, and other ecosystem factors. “We’ve seen a lot of these solar panels come up and there’s vegetation underneath them. Sheep are a natural animal to help control that vegetation,” said Ebert. “So we’re working not only with solar grazing companies, but also vineyards and just grazing in general, it’s a way to embrace it.”
ALB held three workshops in different parts of the country this year on vegetation management for solar arrays, vineyards, and fire suppression, and six are planned for 2025. Learn more on the ALB website.
Learn more in this interview with Ebert.
NAFB24 Jeff Ebert, Lamb Board (3:36)
AgGateway Speaker Explores What Ag Can Learn From Others
One of the keynote topics at the recent AgGateway annual meeting was how other industries might offer lessons for agriculture in navigating sustainability data standards.
Andrew Selck, Partner with Kearney working in Agriculture and Food Practice, addressed this topic in his presentation, “Sustainability Data Standards: What Ag Can Learn from Other Sectors.”
“In my role I have been a consumer of agriculture data, and I have seen the benefit when you can leverage that data and pull it together,” says Selck. “I really believe in AgGateway’s mission – you need to make that data more interoperable and more standardized if you are going to create the value the industry needs. And the value can be discovered across the board whether it’s agronomic insights and strategic business information to farmers, efficiency and cost savings to a value chain organization, or improved employee experience.”
Listen to Selck’s address here:
AgGateway keynote Andrew Selck, Kearney (54:44)
Precision Ag News 12/4
MyLand Expands Soil as a Service to Organic Growers
Soil health company MyLand announces that its microalgae-based Soil as a Service™ is now compatible with organic growing standards and has received California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) approval.
MyLand’s Soil as a Service™ offers a regenerative solution to soil health by using microalgae to enhance the natural microbial activity within the soil. This innovative solution empowers organic farmers to build healthier, more productive soils and enhance soil biology and fertility while adhering to the strict standards of organic certification. The MyLand Service integrates with a grower’s existing irrigation system to deliver algae to the field on a continuous basis.
Dane Hague, CEO of MyLand, emphasized the importance of expanding this service to organic growers: “Organic farmers are stewards of the land, and it’s crucial that they have tools that work in harmony with nature. The MyLand Service is a perfect fit for organic farming because it uses the land’s own organics – native microalgae – to enhance soil biology. We’re proud to offer a one-of-a-kind soil health solution that shows impact year after year, contributing to the success of our growers for generations to come.”
In the soil, microalgae act as a food source for the soil food web at the very base level, setting off a natural chain of events that enriches the microbial community and contributes to increased soil organic matter and improved soil function.
To learn more, visit www.myland.ag