ZimmCast with Chip Blalock, Sunbelt Ag Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 562This week’s program is coming to you from the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA. With me in the program is Chip Blalock, Executive Director.

I asked Chip right away to tell me what’s new this year with the show which is celebrating forty years. To start with, there are 100 new or returning exhibitors bringing the total number of exhibits to 1,211. That’s considered a sell-out of space.

Chip is now a member of the Golden Mic Club, an elite and growing group of people who have been interviewed with our distinctive Golden ZimmComm Microphone.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast with Chip Blalock

2017 Sunbelt Ag Expo Photo Album

Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by John Deere

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Deere Spotlights New Gator™ XUV Models

Cindy Zimmerman

John Deere’s new gas-powered Gator XUV835 and diesel-powered Gator XUV865 utility vehicles were turning heads at the Sunbelt Ag Expo this week.

“It’s our first ever three passenger wide vehicle,” said Mark Davey, John Deere marketing manager. “And we have the ability to give you a factory-installed cab, plus the ability to install heat and air from the factory.”

Davey says the new full-size Gator utility vehicles help farmers and ranchers maximize productivity and comfort. “It’s got tilt steering with a fully adjustable drivers seat to fit all different sizes of folks comfortably,” he said.

Learn more from Davey in this interview – Interview with Mark Davey, Deere Gators

2017 Sunbelt Ag Expo Photo Album

Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by John Deere
Audio, John Deere, Sunbelt Ag Expo

Newer Cotton Varieties Performing For Growers

Carrie Muehling

Two cotton varieties introduced in recent years are helping growers to fight diseases that are prevalent in the northern High Plains, according to Tim Culpepper, senior agronomist for Bayer Cropscience. Culpepper said FiberMax 1911 GLT provides a strong disease package, fighting verticillium wilt, bacterial blight and root knot nematode.

“These guys that are using this variety are seeing some really good control in these diseases. They’re seeing some very good results in their higher input acre as well as in their limited acre. This year everything looks very good with this variety.”

Culpepper said FiberMax 1888 GL, released in 2017, is another good option for growers as it is an easy to manage, high yielding and high fiber variety. Culpepper was at the 2017 Bayer Showcase Plot Tour in Lubbock, Texas.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Tim Culpepper here: Interview with Tim Culpepper, Bayer

Audio, Bayer, Cotton

Iowa Biofuels Interests Get White House Attention

Cindy Zimmerman

President Donald Trump called Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Wednesday to assure her that he continues to support the renewable fuels industry.

“He reached out to me,” said Gov. Reynolds during a press conference in Iowa. “He made it clear that he stood with the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

Gov. Reynolds also got a call from EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who met with Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley Tuesday about the same issue. She also has meetings set up in Washington DC next week with the president and vice president. The governor and other industry leaders have been questioning the administration’s commitment to renewable fuels in light of recent EPA proposals that threaten to rollback the RFS, and she vowed to keep the pressure on until the final RFS volume obligations are approved.

“They are feeling the pressure and that’s why we can’t let up,” said Reynolds. “I’m very encouraged, it was a positive conversation, and we’re going to continue that conversation next week.”

EPA recently announced it is considering cuts to the RFS for biodiesel, cellulosic ethanol, and advanced biofuels, and is also reportedly considering allowing ethanol exports to generate RINs for RFS compliance. The press conference at Two Rivers Cooperative in Pella on Wednesday also included comments from Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw, Iowa Biodiesel Board Executive Director Grant Kimberley, and
Dennis Bogaards, an Iowa soybean and corn farmer in the Pella community.

Listen to it here: Iowa RFS press conference

Audio, Biodiesel, Ethanol

Updated Deere Utility Tractors in the Sunbelt

Cindy Zimmerman

John Deere is updating its popular 3-cylinder 5E Series Utility Tractors for model year 2018 and these versatile machines are on display this week at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia.

“We lowered the hood down about five inches to give more visibility,” said John Doyle, product marketing manager for Deere. “We increased the size of the operator platform by about 20 percent and we lowered it …. and it has a higher backrest on it to give you more comfort.”

This 5E series was designed primarily for large property owners and non-commercial ag customers with horses and livestock. Learn more in this interview: Interview with John Doyle, Deere

2017 Sunbelt Ag Expo Photo Album

Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by John Deere
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Precision Ag Bytes 10/18

Kelly Marshall

  • The Farm Foundation Forum on Wednesday, November 1 will explore the forces that drive soil and water conservation on farms today. It will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. Register to attend in person or online.
  • Wingtra, a drone company fast becoming an industry favorite for its aerial data collection, has formed a partnership with Pix4D.  The relationship will provide end-to-end solutions including 2D map and 3D model construction from aerial data, and will offer Wingtra’s users the entire Pix4D software suite.
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has appointed Jim Gulliford of Missouri as regional administrator for Region 7. Mr. Gulliford will oversee environmental protection efforts in: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
  • Partnership for Ag Resource Management is pleased to announce that 62 Great Lakes Basin ag retailers participating in the program reported 2016 sales of products and services like variable rate technology that help keep phosphorus fertilizer on cropland and out of waterways.  Variable rate phosphorus application in the Sandusky River Watershed increased 19% last year, from 51% to 70% of acreage serviced by participating ag retailers.
  • Jeremy Peters, chief executive officer of the National Association of Conservation Districts, has earned the Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri-Enveironal Research (CBEAR) prize for Agri-Environmental Innovation.

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AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

BASF Executives Discuss Bayer Acquisition

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Crop Protection business executives held a conference call with reporters Tuesday to discuss the agreement announced last Friday to purchase significant Bayer assets in the largest deal of its kind in history.

The $7 billion deal includes Bayer’s global glufosinate-ammonium non-selective herbicide business, seed businesses for canola hybrids in North America under the InVigor® brand using the LibertyLink® trait technology, oilseed mainly in European markets, cotton in the Americas and Europe as well as soybean in the Americas. The transaction also includes Bayer’s trait research and breeding capabilities for these crops and the LibertyLink® trait and trademark. In addition, over 1,800 Bayer employees will transfer to BASF, in addition to corporate, manufacturing and research facilities in Germany, the United States, and Canada, the Americas and Europe.

Listen to Paul Rea, Senior Vice President BASF Crop Protection North America, and BASF U.S. Crop VP Scott Kay give an overview of the acquisition and answer reporter questions. Paul Rea and Scott Kay, BASF

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Cotton Growers Seek Right Varieties to Fight Disease

Carrie Muehling

Growers attending the 2017 Bayer Showcase Plot Tour saw a brand new cotton breeding facility and had the opportunity to learn more about current cotton varieties as well as those that are up and coming. Western Region Agronomic Manager Kenny Melton said they especially heard questions about which varieties fit on acres affected by verticillium wilt.

“We have probably the best portfolio of varieties in the marketplace today in terms of verticillium wilt tolerance,” said Melton.

Bacterial blight resistance is also on the minds of producers, along with general yield and quality concerns.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Kenny Melton here: Interview with Kenny Melton, Bayer

Audio, Bayer, Cotton

Farm Bill Listening Session at Sunbelt Ag Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

Opening day of the 2017 Sunbelt Ag Expo featured a Farm Bill Listening Session held in the R.W. Griffin Building and hosted by Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA). Also in attendance were Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) and Rep. Al Lawson (D-FL) and all are members of the House Agriculture Committee. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black served as moderator.

The session starts with opening statements from the Congressmen and then various interested parties provided statements for them to take back to Washington.

Audio file: Sunbelt Ag Expo Farm Bill Listening Session

2017 Sunbelt Ag Expo Photo Album

Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by Stories from Sunbelt Ag Expo sponsored by John Deere
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GIPSA Rules Withdrawn by Administration

Cindy Zimmerman

The Trump administration today announced it will withdraw controversial regulations under the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) related to the buying and selling of livestock.

The action includes an interim final rule that deals with harm to competition and one proposed related rule issued in the final days of the Obama administration. The interim final rule was scheduled to be implemented this Thursday.

“The concern was that this rule as proposed would lead to unnecessary and unproductive litigation,” said Secretary Sonny Perdue during a conference call with reporters from Europe on Tuesday. “My goal at this point is to make sure that the industry abides by the USDA motto and that is Do Right and Feed everyone.”

Listen to Perdue’s comments here: Secretary Perdue comments on GIPSA rule action

Lawmakers and industry groups applauded the action, including Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and House Agriculture Committee Chair Rep. Michael Conaway (R-TX); the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the National Chicken Council.

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