2025 Tech Hub Live

Can-Am Can Get The Job Done

Chuck Zimmerman

One of the newest members of the #GoldenMic Club is Andrew Howard, Can-Am. Andrew and I spoke on the closing day of the Farm Progress Show. I was really hoping to meet Andrew and learn more about the company and their models that are designed and built for my kind of activity- hunting – and pretty much anything outdoors. The company makes products especially geared to work on the farm too, including crops, dairy and other livestock.

Andrew and I are standing next to one of the new Defender series models of outdoors side by side vehicles. This Defender series has lots of options that include a six-seater version and my favorite, the Mossy Oak Hunting Edition.

Defender offers up to 20% more torque than rivals, to help you tow up to 2,000 lb (907.2 kg) or carry a total payload up to 1,500 lb (680 kg). Getting there is easy, and getting it done is, too.

You can listen to my interview with Andrew to learn a lot more about these vehicles: Interview with Andrew Howard, Can-Am

View photos from FPS here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience
Audio, Farm Machinery, Farm Progress Show, Hunting

Florida Citrus Starting to Assess Irma Damage

Cindy Zimmerman

Flooded citrus groves in Hardee and DeSoto counties – Adam Putnam

As Floridians continue to dig out from the damage and debris caused by Hurricane Irma, the extent of damage to agriculture is starting to be assessed.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam took an aerial tour yesterday to survey areas impacted by Hurricane Irma, including citrus groves in Central and Southwest Florida. “It’s still too early to know the full extent of the damage to Florida citrus,” said Putname. “But after touring groves on foot and by air, it’s clear that our signature crop has suffered serious and devastating losses from Hurricane Irma.”

Southeast AgNet has been talking with ag organizations and officials in both Florida and Georgia this week to find out how crops and livestock weathered the storm. For citrus, the early reports from Peace River Valley Citrus Growers, Gulf Citrus Growers Association, and Highlands County Citrus Growers all indicate widespread damage.

Audio file: Comments from Florida citrus groups on Irma

Audio, Citrus, Weather

Biostimulants World Congress Coming to Miami

Cindy Zimmerman

The use of biostimulants in agriculture has grown dramatically over recent years and could reach $2 billion by next year, but there is still much that needs to be learned about the diverse formulations on the market and being developed that are applied to plants or soils to regulate and enhance the crop’s physiological processes.

The 3rd Biostimulants World Congress coming up November 27-30 in Miami is an international scientific and technical congress that was specifically designed to review the latest information about these products. Professor Patrick Brown with the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis is the chairman of this Congress, which he says was developed to answer growers’ questions about the efficacy of biostimulant products.

“Many growers were suspicious of these products, thinking of them as snake oils or magical elixirs,” said Brown, who said his interest in working with New Ag International in starting the conference was to help growers make their decisions and to determine which products were truly valuable. The congresses are also helping provide information for decision-makers around the globe when it comes to legislation and regulations impacting biostimulants, which can help protect the R&D investments of manufacturers in a segment where IP protection is difficult.

The first congress was held in Strasbourg, France in 2012 and the second in 2015 in Florence. “We build the conference around five or six world experts on all aspects of plant growth and soil science,” Brown said. Among this year’s speakers are Professor Raj Khosla of Colorado State University, who will discuss Precision Agriculture and Biostimulants, and EPA scientist Dr. Russell Jones, who will speak about regulatory guidance on plant biostimulants in the U.S. The Congress will be held as scheduled in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Miami, which was not damaged by Hurricane Irma.

Find the program and get registration information at BiostimulantsWorldCongress.com and learn more in this interview: Interview with Patrick Brown, Biostimulants Congress Chair

AgWired Precision, Audio, Biologicals, Events

Would Your Soil Pass the Tighty Whitey Test?

Jamie Johansen

The Illinois Corn Growers Association had a head turning display at the 2017 Farm Progress Show centered around soil health. The question is, would your soil pass the tighty whitey test?

“Search #SoilYourUndies online and you will find how farmers from all over the U.S. and Canada are taking this approach to learning more about soil health. The better health a soil is in equals more microbiological activities. We would anticipate soil which has been under cover crops, no-till systems or pastured would have higher soil health if measured by microbial activity and organic matter,” explained Tricia Braid, director of communications, Illinois Corn.

Braid said the white cotton underwear buried in conventional fields were more intact than their counterparts buried in soil with more active microbes. A simple and very visual example of how improved soil health combined with organic matter content will equal increased microbial activity.

Listen to or download my complete chat with Tricia here: Interview with Tricia Braid, Illinois Corn Growers Association

AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Soil

Bayer Advancing Toward the Next Era of Ag

Carrie Muehling

Bayer offers a great deal of technology in today’s marketplace, with a pipeline of new technologies coming to growers in the future.

“We’re reinvesting into agriculture. We’re reinvesting into growers,” says Rob Schrick, Bayer Strategic Business Lead for North American Corn and Soy. “We’re taking our returns and hiring scientists and putting scientists to work to not only bring the next chemistry, but maybe bring the next trait or bring that next soil microbe that’s going to help the grower improve his efficiency and improve his end of the day profit.”

Schrick believes digitization and the ability to target challenges down the square foot in a farm field represents the future of the industry. He says breakthroughs in data collection and management will help the next generation of growers to reach higher yields while improving sustainability.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Rob Schrick at the 2017 Farm Progress Show: Interview with Rob Schrick, Bayer

View all photos from FPS here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience
Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Bayer, Crop Science, Farm Progress Show

Precision Ag Bytes 9/13

Kelly Marshall

  • AgGateway will hold a new “Seed Quick Connect” session for agricultural retailers, distributors and manufacturers to determine where and how they can better connect electronically to streamline their seed transactions. This meeting is part of AgGateway’s Annual Conference, November 6-9 in San Diego.
  • Bayer has announced 100 cotton growers have qualified for the inaugural class of the FiberMax Maximizer Club and 129 have joined the Stoneville Legacy Club.
  • Farm Bureau and John Deere are working together to give Farm Bureau members in participating states special access to John Deere’s GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program. The program provides equipment discounts, parts savings, home and workshop product discounts, and special member promotions.
  • Six Missouri farms have joined the Soil Health Partnership. They join more than 100 others in 9 states in a move that could increase the adoption of agricultural best practices and sustainability in Missouri.
  • Soil Health Institute’s 2nd Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri wrapped up, but if you missed it you can get caught up with the 2nd Annual Meeting Report.  Share clips on your social media network or watch video clips from the event on the YouTube channel.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Camso To Offer Remanufactured Wheels and Tracks

Carrie Muehling

Camso announced at the 2017 Farm Progress Show a program aimed at making the old new again. Martin Lunkenbein, Service and Aftermarket Sales Executive Director for Agriculture, says the company’s vision for the future is to offer products with multiple lives.

During the show, the Camso team shared details about the company’s new remanufactured tracks and wheels program. “Later this year, we’ll be launching our remanufactured tracks and wheels program. We’re giving multiple lives to a product farmers have always trusted, thus showing once again our commitment to provide the lowest operating cost solution,” explained Lunkenbein. Camso will remanufacture the wheels and tracks from the best, longest-lasting carcass in the industry and will use the same Camso original materials and quality. “Camso is continuously thinking about the next generation of tracks and innovation to the industry. With this program, we’ll provide customers with an economical, effective and durable solution that will extend the use of tracks and wheels on their equipment,” said Lunkenbein.

The company plans to launch pilot programs for remanufactured wheels in October 2017 and remanufactured tracks in January 2018.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Martin Lunkenbein at the 2017 Farm Progress Show: Interview with Martin Lunkenbein, Camso

View all photos from FPS here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience
Agribusiness, Equipment, Farm Progress Show

No Hurricane Damage Included in New Crop Report

Cindy Zimmerman

Two hurricanes in the past two weeks mean that the September Crop Production report is already a bit out of date.

Rainfall from Hurricane Harvey caused flooding in parts of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana, impacting data collection activities for the September report, so NASS will collect harvested acreage information in both states for a number of crops in preparation for the October report. Harvested acreage information will be collected from all producers surveyed in Louisiana for corn, Upland cotton, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and sugarcane; and in Texas for corn, Upland cotton, alfalfa hay, other hay, rice, sorghum, and soybeans. Hurricane Irma will impact next month’s reports in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina for Upland cotton, peanuts, and soybeans.

The September report increased both corn and soybean production by about one percent and cotton by six percent compared to August.

Corn, Cotton, Peanuts, Soybean, USDA

Communicating with the National Association of Wheat Growers

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 558This week’s ZimmCast continues my series visiting with farm organization Directors of Communications. At the Farm Progress Show I sat down with Caitlin Eannello, National Association of Wheat Growers, to talk about her career choice and what the challenges of the job are.

Caitlin does not have a farm background but does have a passion to help farmers and a love of food! Prior to joining NAWG she worked with BIO, the Biotech Innovation Organization, and that set her up for the transition to her current job.

As an added bonus in this program I’m including an example of Caitlin’s work. She set me up to interview the NAWG President, David Schemm, a Kansas farmer. David has been touring areas where wheat growers are suffering from drought conditions and we talk about their need for a new farm bill that takes into consideration resources to help them like crop insurance.

Both Caitlin and David are now members of the #GoldenMic Club. When will it be your turn?

I hope you enjoy the program and thank you for listening!

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast with NAWG

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here. Use this url in iTunes or your favorite news reader program/app.

The ZimmCast

sponsored by
The ZimmCast podcast is sponsored by GROWMARK
Locally owned, globally strong.
Ag Groups, Audio, Farm Progress Show, NAWG, Wheat, ZimmCast

GROWMARK Committed to Nutrient Management

Carrie Muehling

Nutrient management was a focus of the GROWMARK-FS System exhibit at the 2017 Farm Progress Show in Decatur. The regional cooperative has spearheaded a number of initiatives to help farmers learn more about nutrient management strategies and to assist them in executing those practices on their farms.

“The main thing we do when we’re working with customers is trying to help them with nutrient management plans, strategies in order to overall reduce the amount of nutrients they’re using in order to get the most output,” says Ryan Hasty with South Central FS. “The main goal is to maximize their yields and do that with the least amount of nutrients to get that yield goal.”

Programs like the 4R4U partnership with county Illinois Farm Bureaus and the N-Watch program for nitrogen management are examples of how GROWMARK is helping its customers.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Ryan Hasty at the 2017 Farm Progress Show: Interview with Ryan Hasty, South Central FS

View all photos from FPS here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience
Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Farm Progress Show, GROWMARK, Nutrient Management, Sustainability