Verdesian Life Sciences, the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America will provide a soil health management systems webinar on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 from 2–3 p.m. Central, 3–4 p.m. Eastern. Registration is through the ASA’s Online Learning Platform. Participants will also receive a recording of the on-demand webinar. For details or to register visit agronomy.org/education/classroom/classes/533. - Following a highly successful first year, Alltech will select another cohort from across the world to participate in The Pearse Lyons Accelerator, a unique global accelerator backed by Irish entrepreneur Dr. Pearse Lyons. Last year’s startups collectively added $50 million in new qualified sales leads across 28 international markets by the end of the accelerator. Last month, seven of the 10 startups were featured by CB Insights* in “Agtech: 100+ Technology Companies Changing The Farm,” illustrating the quality of the startups involved.
- General Mills continues to invest in soil health practices on U.S. agricultural farmland with its latest contribution of $735,000 to the National Wheat Foundation who together with the Soil Health Partnership, will advance widespread adoption and implementation. The funds, equally distributed over the next three years, will be used to conduct soil health research on wheat farms and education outreach to more than 125,000 wheat farmers across the Northern and Southern Plains.
FMC Awaits Steward EC Approval
FMC‘s Great Plains Sales Manager, Tom Koranek, covers Canada to Mexico and lands between the Mississippi and the Rockies. We had the opportunity to learn about one of the products awaiting approval to combat those pesky insects interesting in corn. Steward® EC insecticide controls western corn rootworm adult populations.
“There’s resistance today of a lot of the products that are used in corn for not only corn rootworm but also the worm complex, and so Steward will offer control of some of those resistant insects. We use it in an integrated pest management approach, so it will be just another tool to use again at that silking time,” said Koranek.
Steward EC should help to extend the life of the traits used in corn today on both above ground and below ground pests. Field trials have shown excellent control of rootworm adults, especially in areas with high levels of resistance.
Listen to Jamie’s interview here: Interview with Tom Koranek, FMC
View and download photos here: 2017 NAFB Convention Photos
Coverage of the NAFB Convention is sponsored by
GROWMARK’s Wells Joins ARA Executive Committee
GROWMARK Crop Nutrients Division Manager Rod Wells is the newest member of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) executive committee. Wells has been involved in ARA for a number of years and believes it is an important place to participate.
“It’s all about being engaged in the process. It’s about advocating for the industry,” said Wells. “It’s critical that we make our voices heard and that we’re all active, and people listen. They want to hear that grassroots voice coming to them.”
Wells said in addition to policy work, ARA provides important educational and networking opportunities, as well providing for the exchange of ideas on topics like regulations and crop insurance.
Listen to Chuck’s interview with Rod Wells here: Rod Wells, GROWMARK
Missouri Farm Bureau Listening Session on #FarmBill18
The Missouri Farm Bureau held their annual meeting earlier this week and a highlight for many was the discussion on the 2018 Farm Bill. In a packed house, a Focus on the Farm Bill Seminar took place with Capitol Hill decision makers and thought-leaders in Missouri agriculture.
Panelists:
– Ranking Member House Ag Committee, Congressman Collin Peterson
– Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler
– Chairman Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Chris Giancarlo
– Former Congressman Kenny Hulshof
– Retired Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation, Dr. Bob Young,
– Senior Advisor, USDA Secretary, Brian Klippenstein
FMC’s 3RIVE 3D Part of Freedom Pass Program
We’ve done several stories on FMC’s 3RIVE 3D technology and now growers have a way to get a free system! Jamie talked with Mike Harper, FMC Industry Relations Manager, during the recent NAFB Convention about how this can happen. According to Mike the FMC Freedom Pass program has a 3RIVE 3D option.
As part of the FMC Freedom Pass program, growers can qualify for a FREE 3RIVE 3D® application system with a three-year product commitment. This unique at-plant delivery platform gives growers the freedom to farm faster, saving water, fuel, labor and time. Applicator commitment is due by February 28, 2018.
This is part of the four pillars of the Freedom Pass program, Application Innovation.
Listen to the interview to learn more: Interview with Mike Harper, FMC
View and download photos here: 2017 NAFB Convention Photos
Coverage of the NAFB Convention is sponsored by
ARA Conference Chair Optimistic Amid Challenges
For the past nine years, Leroy Startz with ING Capital has chaired the committee that plans the Agricultural Retailers Association annual conference. Startz said this year’s conference had strong attendance and even stronger enthusiasm from participants, even though low commodity prices continue to challenge the industry.
“Prices are not where they need to be. Everybody’s trying to figure out how to make more with less, all the way down to the farm level,” said Startz. “We need these markets to turn around a little bit. Therefore, we need that trade and we need our administration and our Secretary of Agriculture to recognize that we’ve got to open up some new markets for our products.”
U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue was among those scheduled to speak at this year’s conference.
Listen to Chuck’s interview with Leroy Startz here: Leroy Startz, ING Capital
Sechrest Recognized With NAFB President’s Awards
2017 National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) President Max Armstrong recently presented an NAFB President’s Award to Emeritus Member and 1984 NAFB President Art Sechrest at Sechrest’s home in Normal, after announcing the recognition at this year’s annual convention. Armstrong was joined for the presentation by 1999 NAFB President Mike Adams, who had also recognized Sechrest with the same award after his term of service.
Both Armstrong and Adams are professionally close to Sechrest, who suffered a stroke more than 20 years ago while serving as farm director at WJBC-AM 1230 in Bloomington, Ill. Prior to that, Sechrest worked as Radio-TV Director for the Illinois Farm Bureau, where he hired a young Max Armstrong in 1975.
GROWMARK Opens New Tank and Truck Center
Bolt cutters instead of scissors cutting through a chain instead of ribbon marked the grand opening of GROWMARK’s new Tank and Truck Center in Morton, Illinois last month.
The bolt cutters were a last minute change when weather forced the celebration inside. Tank and Truck Center Sales and Operations Manager Mike Davis says they were supposed to use a blow torch to cut the chain. “It wasn’t quite as dramatic an effect as we wanted but it symbolized what we do – we manufacture stuff and we can make changes on the fly,” said Davis.
The buildings at the Morton location had been vacant for some time and it was a perfect match when GROWMARK’s Tank and Truck Center near Tremont was in the market for a bigger home. “It’s around 30,000 square feet of office and shop space,” said Davis. “Since the building was empty we could go through and make it what we wanted.”
The Morton center is one of six that GROWMARK maintains, with three more in Illinois and two in Iowa, and Davis says they have plans to open more in the future. The facilities serve the general public as well as GROWMARK System members.
Learn more in this interview: Interview with GROWMARK Tank and Truck manager Mike Davis
SMART Farmer Lauren Arbogast
Lauren Arbogast is a city girl who married into the farm and found it so interesting that she started a blog about it.
On her blog “Paint The Town Ag”, which has also become her Facebook and Twitter platform, Lauren shares photos of musings of life on the farm with her husband and two “mini farmer” sons. She became a national spokesperson for agriculture last year when she was chosen by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) as one of their Faces of Farming and Ranching.
Learn more about Lauren in this podcast – SMART Farmer Podcast with Lauren Arbogast, Virginia poultry farmer
Animal Ag Bites 12/4
The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced the winners of the 2017 College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship competition, which prepares students to become lifelong advocates for agriculture. The top three individual winners along with a representative from each winning club will receive an expenses-paid trip to the Alliance’s 2018 Stakeholders Summit set for May 3-4 in Arlington, Va.- Hiland Dairy Foods Company, a leading farmer-owned dairy producer, is pleased to announce that the company recently received awards in 17 product categories during the 2017 World Dairy Expo (WDE) Championship Dairy Product Contest. The prestigious WDE all-dairy national contest allows Hiland Dairy and other winning companies the right to claim their products as “the best of the best” in North America.
- Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has announced the appointment of six members to serve on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board.
- Perdue also has announced the appointment of five members to serve on the National Pork Board.
- The 10th Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit is returning to the 2018 International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta. The summit, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, will focus on current sustainability topics relevant to the animal agriculture industry. The half-day program will be held Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, and is free for all registered expo attendees.
- Cattlemen gathering at the 2018 Cattlemen’s College in Phoenix, Ariz., Jan. 30 – 31 can save money by pre-registering for the event by Jan. 5. College students are eligible for additional registration discounts. For more information, or to register for the event, visit http://convention.
beefusa.org/.