Panel Discusses Broadband Connectivity at Classic

Carrie Muehling

Visitors to the Commodity Classic Trade Show had an opportunity to listen to a panel assembled by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). The Agricultural Executive Panel: The Infrastructure for New Technology is part of the AEM’s Infrastructure Vision 2050 Initiative, recognizing the gap between broadband infrastructure and production agriculture. The group included Nebraska corn and soybean grower Brandon Hunnicut, who said connectivity is a huge challenge for many farmers.

“There’s so much communication going back and forth very quickly that we need to make sure that all the producers have the ability to make the same decisions in a rapid amount of time that everybody else does,” said Hunnicut.

Panelists agreed that broadband availability will be even more key in the future, as autonomous equipment will require full-time, consistent connectivity. Even now, while 70 percent of corn and soybean acres have a yield monitor collecting data during harvest, only 40 percent of that data gets transmitted for analysis. That’s largely due to a lack of connectivity on those farms, according to Darryl Matthews with Trimble Agriculture. Other panel participants included moderator Bill Hurley, AGCO Corporation; Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.; and Dan Danford, Case IH.

Listen to the AEM Agricultural Executive Panel discussion here: AEM Agricultural Executive Panel

2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

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Pork Forum Panel Focuses on Gene Editing

Cindy Zimmerman

The science of gene editing and its potential for the pork industry took center stage Wednesday at the opening session of the annual Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City.

Journalist and author Michael Specter keynoted the session and moderated the panel on gene editing, which included University of Missouri animal scientist Kevin Wells, The Maschhoffs president Bradley Wolter, NPPC director of science and technology Dan Kovich, and Center for Food Integrity CEO Charlie Arnot. “Gene editing is a potentially revolutionary tool that will improve the lives of humans in clear and tangible ways,” said Specter.

Wells was part of a team at the University of Missouri who developed a PRRS resistant pig, which was sold to a private company that is now working on bringing it to market. “With current technologies, the potential is unlimited…to make animals more efficient, that are healthier, that meet our needs and theirs,” he said.

“We have to start now by generating social acceptance of gene editing,” said Arnot. “That means opening a dialogue to build both acceptance and support.”

Listen to interviews with Specter, Arnot, and Wells, as well as the entire panel in the audio files here.

Pork Forum panel on gene editing Interview with Michael Specter, journalist/author Interview with Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity Interview with Kevin Wells, University of Missouri

Download and view photos from the event here: 2018 Pork Forum Photos

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Ag Innovations Honored at Commodity Classic

Carrie Muehling

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers honored three companies with the inaugural Davidson Prize for Innovation at the 2018 Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California. The Davidson Prize is named for J.B. Davidson, the father of modern agricultural engineering, and was created to celebrate breakthrough innovations in areas of agricultural, food and biological systems engineering.

“These three products deliver on solutions that truly represent the spirit of J.B. Davidson and the innovative legacy of agriculture,” said WEM Senior Vice President of Agriculture Curt Blades.

Listen to the press conference here:
AEM Press Conference

Case IH won for its Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination applicator, designed from the ground up to be changed between the two systems.
Audio – Interview with Mark Burns, Case IH

John Deere was honored for its S700 Combine featuring the Gen4 Command Center and Combine Advisor technology.
Audio – Interview with Matt Badding, John Deere

Also recognized with the Davidson Prize was the Robovator Mechanical Weeding Machine from F. Poulsen Engineering in Denmark, which determines the shape difference between the weed and the plant and replaces workers who can then be used in other areas. Accepting the award was Bartley Walker. President/CEO of Pacific Ag Rentals.
Audio – Interview with Bartley Walker, Pacific Ag Rentals

2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

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Precision Ag Bytes 2/28

Carrie Muehling

  • BRANDT has just completed the construction of a new 2,000 square foot formulations lab in its Pleasant Plains, IL production facility. The new lab will serve as a hub for new formulation development and testing, as well as quality control.
  • Golden Harvest seeds will be a major benefactor of Syngenta’s incremental $400 million investment over the next five years. This funding is in addition to the $1.3 billion the company already invests in research and development annually. Golden Harvest will double its seed breeding staff, increase trial testing by one-third and increase new corn chassis by 58 percent, giving farmers an even more differentiated portfolio of hybrids and varieties to choose from.
  • John Deere recently became the tenth company to certify their Operations Center’s ag-data collection portal for privacy, security and transparency for farmers using this technology. Completing the Ag Data Transparent certification process — based on a third-party administered, not-for-profit evaluation — allows companies that engage in, and collect, agricultural data to align to industry-wide principles to build trust with users of ag precision technology.
  • Advanced Biological Marketing is proud to announce and welcome Kade Haas as Regional Sales Manager for the Southeast United States. In his new position, Kade will be responsible for managing sales and accounts in his specified territory, with a high focus on building a strong network and relationship with current and potential clients.
  • HELM Agro US, Inc. has hired Michael Hoger as its new national Sales Manager. In his new role, Hoger will be responsible for the leadership, planning and execution of crop protection product sales and channel partner programs for HELM Agro US distributor, retailer and grower networks.
  • Helena Chemical Company has introduced four new products to their 2018 lineup, providing all agronomic solutions in one convenient service — the Helena Acre. The new product lineup includes Ele-Max® Sulfur LC, Sultrus™, N-Fixx® XLR and Antares® Prime.
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Camso Adding Value with Smart Track Technology

Chuck Zimmerman

By getting equipment to and from the field faster with new proprietary smart track technology, Camso is helping farmers to be more profitable.

“No farm equipment makes any money on the road. It makes money being in the field. We want to help them manage temperature so they know how warm the tractor is running. We want to make sure we can get the farmers from one place to another as fast as they probably can,” said Martin Lunkenbein, Service and Aftermarket Sales Executive Director for Agriculture at Camso. “Heat is the enemy of rubber. So we want to make sure we can help them manage that so they know how warm their track is running. So if they need to manage their speed, they can do it. If they don’t, they can run full out and get from one place to another as quickly as they need to.”

Sensors built into the tracks will communicate information back to a mobile device, helping farmers to lower operating costs and improve track durability. For more information, visit www.camso.co.

Learn more in the video below:


2018 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

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Sen. Cruz Allows Bill Northey Confirmation

Cindy Zimmerman

Bill Northey is at last free to take the job at USDA that he was nominated for almost six months ago after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) lifted his hold on the nomination and allowed the confirmation Tuesday. The Senate confirmed Northey on a voice vote to become USDA’s undersecretary for farm production and conservation as Sens. Cruz, Pat Toomey (R-PA), Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst of Iowa met with President Trump to discuss changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“We feel better today because we have Bill Northey,” said National Corn Growers Association president Kevin Skunes of North Dakota during a press conference at the kick off of the 2018 Commodity Classic in Anaheim Tuesday. “We believe there was no deal struck at the White House meeting.”

Audio file: NCGA Classic press conference

Suffice it to say, every agricultural group in the country is happy to see Bill Northey approved and hopes that means the rest of the jobs at USDA can be finally be filled. Ethanol organizations are also pleased that Sen. Cruz released his hold without any apparent deal that would undermine the RFS. “The general assessment so far is there is no deal, there’s going to be continued conversation,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen.

Audio file: Gaggle with RFA CEO Bob Dinneen

Growth Energy Senior Director of Government Affairs John Fuher was also pleased to hear there was no deal made during the White House meeting. “Our senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst really stood up for us and really presented an alternative case,” said Fuher.

Audio file: Interview with John Fuher, Growth Energy

President Trump has reportedly called for another meeting on Thursday with representatives from the ethanol and refinery industries.

Audio, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

FMC’s Precision Platform Provides Choices for Growers

Chuck Zimmerman

FMC is focusing on precision when it comes to crop protection. With current product 3RIVE 3D and newly acquired PrecisionPac from DuPont, the company is organizing itself around precision application technologies.

While traits are important, FMC’s Rick Ekins said they’re not the only answer. Other modes of action like precision crop protection products help to further protect the grower.

“The capability is certainly there to get very precise with the application rates, to be able to change rates on the fly, things of that nature. We’re trying to think ahead as far as we can and be compatible with the software that’s out there or the software that we can see coming and make sure that no matter what brand of planter a grower is using, they can still use our 3RIVE 3D application system,” said Ekins, who works on Precision Platforms for FMC.

Ekins said FMC is unique in agriculture because they are not constrained or tied to a seed brand, allowing growers the freedom to make decisions that are right for their crop. The new FMC Freedom Pass program is built around that concept. New products will soon expand FMC’s presence in the soybean, wheat and sunflower markets.

Learn more in the video below:


2018 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

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Restoring Consumer Trust

Jamie Johansen

Rob Schrick, strategic business lead, broad acre crops, Bayer CropScience, took the stage at the 2018 AgVocacy Forum with Global Head R&D, Adrian Percy, to have a candid conversation about restoring consumer trust. We spoke with Rob following the on-stage Q&A to hear about his excitement for future digitalization and how Bayer’s Forward Farm is connecting with consumers globally.

“Forward Farm is simple in nature. It’s highlighting growers who are utilizing technology to grow a crop sustainability and more efficiently. We are partnering with them in areas like Washington D.C., Brussels, Belgium and Paris. We bring in legislators, regulators and consumers to visit these farms and see how growers use technology, how they grow the crops, what goes into growing the food supply we all enjoy,” Schrick said,

Listen to my complete chat with Rob here: Interview with Rob Schrick, Business Lead, Broad Acre Crops, Bayer CropScience

Listen to the complete on-stage discussion with Rob and Adrian here: Q&A with Adrian & Rob, Bayer CropScience

View and download photos here: 2018 Bayer AgVocacy Forum Photo Album


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FMC Managing Resistant Weeds With New Herbicide

Carrie Muehling

Controlling resistant weeds is an ongoing challenge for growers, especially when it comes to the pigweed family including waterhemp and Palmer amaranth.

Technical Service Representative Nick Hustedde covers Illinois and Indiana for FMC. He said it’s important to use residual herbicides with multiple sites of action to manage these prolific seed producers that can germinate over a long period of time.

“The residual herbicide is going to provide that early season weed control, and that’s not only going to preserve yield potential, but it’s also going to reduce the selection pressure on the herbicide technology in combination with the trait the grower is using,” said Hustedde. “So, if we’re utilizing those pre-emergence herbicides with multiple sites of action and we can minimize the number of individuals that are exposed to that post treatment, we’re going to preserve the life cycle of that particular technology.”

Hustedde recommended using a herbicide like the new Authority Supreme from FMC along with other cultural practices like narrowing row spacing, increasing seeding rate to facilitate a quicker canopy, deep tillage where it makes sense, and maybe even cover crops to maintain weed control.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Nick Hustedde here: Interview with Nick Hustedde, FMC

2018 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

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