FMC Offers Fall Residual Herbicide Program Advice

Carrie Muehling

FMC is recommending growers aim for a zero tolerance policy when it comes to weeds, according to Brandon Schrage, technical service manager. Schrage said preventing weed growth in the seedbank is particularly important.

“What we want to see is that fall residual being applied once soil temperatures are 50 degrees and falling. That’s going to ensure that our product is going to be there. The microbial activity in the soil is going to be low, so we won’t have degradation. It will be present in the spring. And if we have a year like we did in 2019 where it is a very wet spring and guys couldn’t necessarily get out and apply a pre-emergence product when they wanted to, that product is going to be there to help them get to that post application time.”

Schrage said weeds like Palmer amaranth often emerge late in the season. Products like Authority MTZ have the flexibility to be applied in fall or spring to help growers best manage weed challenges. Schrage said it will depend on geography, the environment, and whether a cover crop is present, but the goal is immediate weed control during and after harvest.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Brandon here: Interview with Brandon Schrage, FMC, on fall residual herbicide programs


2019 AMS/IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Ag Media Summit, AgWired Precision, Audio, FMC, Video, weed management

Precision Ag Bytes 8/14

Carrie Muehling

  • AgroLiquid introduced the newest product in its microLink line-up. Micro 1000™ is a combination of eight essential micronutrients: zinc, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, iron, copper, cobalt, and boron; and two secondary nutrients: calcium and magnesium.
  • Ag Leader announced a limited beta release of a new grain cart connectivity feature, CartACE. Powered by Ag Leader’s InCommand display, CartACE gives the grain cart operator assistance while unloading on-the-go.
  • Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Pro Farm Technologies OY, which will increase Marrone Bio’s market share and global platform in the $4.6 billion seed- and soil-treatment market.
  • Larta Institute has announced the first wave of the 2019 cohort of early-stage AgTech and food companies to present at the 11th Annual Ag Innovation Showcase, which has moved from its origins in St. Louis to a new home in Minneapolis.
  • July 2019 saw decreases in U.S. sales of self-propelled combines and 4-wheel-drive tractors as well as total U.S. 2-wheel-drive tractor sales compared to July of last year, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
  • The National Corn Yield Contest entry deadline is Thursday, August 15, 2019. To participate and receive recognition for your yield, enter online.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Coming Soon from Farm Market iD

Cindy Zimmerman

With a database of over 2.4 million active operations, Farm Market iD is already the leading provider of farm and grower data to inform and improve agribusiness strategy, marketing and sales efforts. But the company is aiming to launch a new product soon for even more specialized data.

“What we’re essentially doing is monitoring fields on behalf of our clients,” said Farm Market iD CEO Steve Rao during the recent InfoAg Conference. This service would provide alerts for clients when there are fields that should be checked for issues.

Rao says they are also opening up their data to API developers to facilitate integration with other platforms. “Software and platforms are only as good as the data they have to power them and we can power a lot,” he said.

Learn more about some of the other Farm Market iD data products in this interview.
2019 InfoAg Interview with Steve Rao, Farm Market iD, new products

2019 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, data, Info Ag, Marketing

Ag Media Summit Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

Ag Media Summit is the annual awards extravaganza for LPC and AAEA.

AAEA, The Agricultural Communicators Network, handed out communications awards for writing, design, mar-com, photography, digital and social media, in addition to the Lifetime Achievement and Andy Markwart Horizon awards. Jim Patrico and Jo Ann Alumbaugh were honored for their career achievements, and Cassie Yontz with Charleston-Orwig received the horizon award.

Click for a list of all AAEA winners in all categories.

The Livestock Publications Council (LPC) honored its members’ outstanding work and accomplishments as well. Among this year’s LPC honorees was retiring Lyle Orwig, who received the Headliner Award; Todd Domer was inducted into the LPC Hall of Fame, and Cal-Poly professor Scott Vernon received the Distinguished Service Award.

Click here for a list of all LPC winners.

Students and interns were also honored at the event, including the LPC Forrest Bassford award, sponsored by Alltech. The winner this year was Jessica Wesson from the University of Arkansas who received a $2,000 scholarship.

If you go through the photo album you will find plenty of pictures of award winners.

2019 AMS/IFAJ Congress Photo Album

ACN, Ag Media Summit, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, LPC

Recognition from Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow

Chuck Zimmerman

Ag Media Summit AwardI was very surprised and honored to receive an award during the Ag Media Summit from the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. Mandy Taylor, Oklahoma State and outgoing NACT President, presented me with their Distinguished Professional award.

Cindy and I were able to conduct a session for the group that attended the NAFB convention last year and we thoroughly enjoyed talking with the student group. And, yes, I’m posting this as another way to support NACT and want to encourage y’all to do the same.

Ag Media Summit

USDA Updates Acreage and Production Forecasts

Cindy Zimmerman

In the August Crop Production report released today, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) revised planted acres downwards, while at the same time increasing corn production to 13.9 billion bushels and raising the average national yield by more than 3 bushels to 169.5 bushels an acre in the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand (WASDE) report.

NASS noted that survey respondents who reported acreage as not yet planted for corn, cotton, sorghum, and soybeans in fourteen states for the Acreage report were re-contacted in July. “Excessive rainfall had led to planting delays and challenges at the time of the survey, leaving a portion of acres still to be planted for corn in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin; cotton in Arkansas; sorghum in Kansas; and soybeans in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.”

Corn production for grain is forecast at 13.9 billion bushels, down 4 percent from 2018 but up 26 million bushels from the July projection as a decline in harvested acres is offset by an increase in yield, expected to average 169.5 bushels per harvested acre, down 6.9 bushels from 2018. The report indicates that Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, and South Dakota are forecast to have yields below a year ago and Missouri is the only major producing state forecast to have yields higher than last year.

Soybean production for beans is forecast at 3.68 billion bushels, down 19 percent from 2018. Based on conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average 48.5 bushels per harvested acre, down 3.1 bushels from 2018. Area harvested for beans is forecast at 75.9 million acres, down 4 percent from the previous forecast, and down 14 percent from 2018. Area planted for all purposes totaled 76.7 million acres, down 4 percent from the previous estimate, and down 14 percent from 2018.

In the August WASDE report, 2019/20 U.S. corn outlook is for larger supplies, reduced exports and corn used for ethanol, and greater ending stocks. Corn used for ethanol is reduced 25 million bushels to 5.5 billion. Exports are lowered reflecting U.S. export competitiveness and expectations of increasing competition from Argentina, Brazil, and Ukraine. With supply rising and use falling, ending stocks are up 171 million bushels to 2.2 billion. The season-average corn price received by producers is lowered 10 cents to $3.60 per bushel.

All cotton production is forecast at 22.5 million 480-pound bales, up 23 percent from 2018. All wheat production for grain is forecast at 1.98 billion bushels, up 3 percent from the previous forecast and up 5 percent from 2018.

AgWired Precision, Corn, Soybean, USDA

Syngenta Strengthens Digital Tools for Growers

Carrie Muehling

Syngenta is focused on building practical tools for growers and advisors when it comes to technology and data, according to Marcos Castro, business development manager for digital agriculture. Castro shared a number of those tools with those attending the 2019 Ag Media Summit in Minneapolis, including a partnership with Sony on the company’s Smart Agriculture platform, the Seed Selector tool, and its FarmShots satellite imaging software, which has helped farmers with flooding reports during the 2019 growing season.

Castro said this is an important time for growers when it comes to digital agriculture.

“I have no doubt that in five to 10 years it will be even more important, but there is a very important journey from here to there. Today in the market there is a lot of hype around digital technologies, and there is also a lot of confusion,” he said. “So, growers really need to find the right tools for them to use. That’s why we take a grower-centric approach because we don’t want growers to get frustrated with technology. We really want technology to be part of their operations in a way that creates real value they can rely on.”

Castro said one priority is ensuring different systems developed in the market can connect with one another to provide growers with quality data.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Marcos here: Interview with Marcos Castro, Syngenta

2019 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit, Audio, Syngenta, Technology

Animal Ag Bites 8/12

Carrie Muehling

  • Dairy farmers can now quickly and conveniently analyze their milk component efficiency using a new online calculator from Cargill that can be accessed at www.cargilldairydreams.com/calculator.
  • U.S. Poultry & Egg Association announces the release of the U.S. poultry industry’s first-ever report quantifying antimicrobial use on broiler chicken and turkey farms. The new report shows dramatic reductions of turkey and broiler chicken antimicrobial use over a five-year time frame.
  • The Animal Agriculture Alliance released a report detailing observations from the Animal Rights National Conference, held July 25 through July 28 in Alexandria, Virginia.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is already accepting internship applications for the Summer 2020 semester. Positions for next summer (mid-May – early August 2020) include a public policy intern and law clerk. The deadline to submit an application for either position is Dec. 6, 2019. To apply for the public policy internship or law clerk position, visit http://www.beefusa.org/opportunitiesforstudents.aspx.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council launched a digital campaign focused on the value of grazing. The digital campaign was created to explore key elements of grazing that benefit the environment, rural communities, and local economies across the United States.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Farm and Biofuel Groups Dismayed by EPA Refinery Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman

Small refinery waivers will continue to take a chunk out of the gallons of biofuel that should be blended into our nation’s transportation fuel supply under the Renewable Fuel Standard, thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement late Friday that granted 31 more exemptions, representing 1.43 billion gallons of additional lost RFS demand. Only six of the requests for 2018 were denied by the agency, and this latest action brings the total number of waivers granted from 2016-2018 to 85. That compares to only 23 granted in the previous three years.

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper says they were shocked by the announcement after President Trump heard directly from farmers and ethanol plant workers about the disastrous economic impacts of these small refinery handouts during his visit to an Iowa ethanol plant two months ago. “At a time when ethanol plants in the Heartland are being mothballed and jobs are being lost, it is unfathomable and utterly reprehensible that the Trump Administration would dole out more unwarranted waivers to prosperous petroleum refiners,” said Cooper.

Interview with Cooper –
RFA CEO Geoff Cooper reacts to new waivers

“Waivers reduce demand for ethanol, lower the value of our crop and undermine the President’s support for America’s farmers,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Lynn Chrisp. “Farmers are facing a sixth consecutive year of depressed income and commodity prices, with farm income for 2019 projected to be half of what it was in 2013.”

American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings says EPA’s action reinforces the need to challenge the agency in court to restore lost volumes of renewable fuel resulting from the unprecedented number of retroactive waivers. “The RFS is supposed to ensure the use of ethanol and biodiesel increases from one year to the next, but 85 Small Refinery Exemptions later and over 4 billion waived gallons represents an enormous step backwards,” said Jennings.

The biodiesel industry is being hit especially hard by the refinery waivers, according to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).

“EPA and administration personnel are well aware that the ongoing spree of big oil exemptions destroy demand for biodiesel and render the RFS program meaningless,” said Kurt Kovarik, NBB’s Vice President of Federal Affairs, who adds that damage to the U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel industry could reach $7.7 billion or 2.54 billion gallons.

House Agriculture Committee chair Collin Peterson (D-MN) also reacted to the news. “The Administration tried to bury bad news for rural America by quietly approving 31 more waivers this Friday afternoon that undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the market for corn. On Wednesday, I hosted a packed forum at Farmfest with Secretary Perdue where farmers raised this issue again and again. Farmers are on the front lines of the tariff war and this announcement by the EPA will only make things worse.”

ACE, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

John Deere Supports Ag Journalists Worldwide

Carrie Muehling

John Deere was among companies attending the 2019 Ag Media Summit and International Federation of Ag Journalists conference in Minneapolis.

“John Deere definitely sees a value for us to support ag journalists worldwide, and so with the international folks here, as well, this year, it’s just important for us to be here and to talk to them about what’s going on in the ag economy and meet with journalists and show our support for what they do all over the world,” said Laurel Caes, John Deere’ public relations manager supporting North American agriculture.

Caes said it was fascinating to talk with people from all over the world, where cultures differ as do advancements in technology and engineering. She fielded unique questions about agriculture in the United States, as well as some questions specific to farm tours offered during the conference.

Caes said John Deere is looking forward to the fall farm show season, including a presence at the upcoming Farm Progress Show in Illinois.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Laurel here: Interview with Laurel Caes, John Deere

2019 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit, Audio, Equipment, IFAJ, John Deere