CommonGround Celebrates Six Years

Kelly Marshall November 30, 2016

CommonGround is celebrating its sixth year of connecting urban and suburban women with farm women who wish to tell the story of agriculture. The program, supported with checkoff dollars from the National Corn Growers Association of and the United Soybean Board, began with 15 female farmer volunteers from five states. Now the program boasts nearly 200 farm women from 19 states, including two of your AgWired editors.

Despite the growth, the focus is still the same: finding ways to have conversations surrounding the job of growing food.

Direct family and friends to the Facebook page to ask their questions bout farming.

Ag Groups, ASA, NCGA

Big Year for Deere

Cindy Zimmerman November 30, 2016

It’s been a big year for John Deere, as Product Marketing Manager Doug Felter can tell you. For starters, there was the addition of the Nutrient Applicator – a first for Deere. Growers and retailers are already putting it to good use this fall, applying P&K, among other nutrients.

The exact apply nozzle is another advancement for the company. “It gives you a lot better control over the output,” Felter explained at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk. “If we think about conventional systems today, if you’re trying to maximize that sprayer you can go 20 to 25 miles per hour sometimes, but there are also those parts of the field where you have to go slower to turn around or maybe for a waterway. […]It’s very critical to get the right droplet, to make sure it gets to the crop and does what it needs to do, and also that it doesn’t go into another field or something with these chemistries we’ve got. So it’s a unique tool to help us manage that.”

Row Sense and Auto Track Vision are another upgrade to the sprayer. While auto track has become common place, the sprayer is a bit of a different animal, since it goes through the field after the crop is up. Auto Track Vision uses the crop to center itself in corn, soybeans or cotton. The joint venture with Hagie was a major step forward as well, since Deere customers now have access to pretty much any application equipment you could want. The tools are in the portfolio, Felter says, and a local John Deere dealer can help you find what you need for your operation.

Listen to Felter’s interview here: Interview with Doug Felter, John Deere

NAFB Convention Photo Album

Audio, Equipment, John Deere

#HamsAcrossAmerica Encourages Giving

Jamie Johansen November 30, 2016

This Giving Tuesday, the Pork Checkoff is encouraging pig farmers to pay-it-forward with a new holiday campaign called #HamsAcrossAmerica. This first annual event encourages farmers and others involved in the pork industry to show their appreciation for friends, family and neighbors through the gift of ham – in the form of gifts or donations of ham or ham-based products.

“For pig farmers, volunteering at community events and participating in local fundraisers, has always been a part of what makes us who we are,” said Brad Greenway, 2016 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year, from Mitchell, South Dakota. “Hams Across America allows farmers to not only live the “We Care” ethical principles, but also share their love of the product that they produce.”

Pig farmers are encouraged to extend Giving Tuesday through Dec. 23 with Hams Across America by simply purchasing a gift of ham and paying-it-forward. Participants are also encouraged to share their pay-it-forward stories on social media using #RealPigFarming and #HamsAcrossAmerica.

Ag Groups, Food, Pork, Swine

Demand for #Ag Management Specialists Increasing

Joanna Schroeder November 29, 2016

Author Maggie Hammond, special to AgWired

The economy is improving rapidly these past couple of years, with agriculture being one of the industries that powered the shift towards a better economy in general. The industry itself is expanding rapidly. Larger corporations with multiple farms and ranches across the country, along with smaller farms and family-owned businesses, are bumping up production and meeting both domestic and international demands. The shift has resulted in an increased demand for agriculture management specialists.

The Business Side of the Industry
Agriculture is an industry with two sides to cover. The production side is usually filled with those specializing in agriculture in particular, including those with extensive knowledge in agriculture products and how they are produced. Stakeholders are pushing this side of the industry like never before, with products like beans, cucumbers and berries being more popular than ever. On the other hand, specialists with extensive knowledge in marketing, business administration and similar skills are needed to keep the business rolling and profitable. As mentioned before, the demand for agriculture management specialists is increasing because both corporations and individual producers are looking to expand and take advantage of the growing market.

Management Skills and Business Administration
A lot of farm and ranch owners are taking online masters in business administration degrees to help them better understand the business side of agriculture. In many other cases, family members or company employees are being encouraged to take the same course in order to support the increase in production.

Interestingly, pursing the necessary skills and knowledge in business administration is easier than ever. Universities such as Villanova University are opening their own MBA program online, allowing students from different parts of the country to pursue a master’s degree in business administration without quitting their full-time job or leaving the family farm or ranch.

These courses are allowing even the smallest family farm to expand and take advantage of the growing market. The course itself also allows students to expand their network and meet new, potential contacts in the industry. Since the degree – and the knowledge associated with it – focuses on more than just business administration, there are a lot of valuable skills to pick up along the way.

Agribusiness

Pastures For Pollinators is a Winner

Cindy Zimmerman November 29, 2016

A new clover seed mixture developed by Grassland Oregon (GO) is a win-win for livestock producers and the environment.

Pastures for Pollinators is a seed blend including a variety of flowering annual clovers that could help enhance pollinator habitat nationwide, according to GO co-founder Risa DeMasi.

“There are 400 million acres of pasture ground in the U.S., and it happens to sit right in the corridor where pollinators are migrating,” said DeMasi during an interview at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual Trade Talk. “Using these clovers we can add things that are good for livestock, good for the soil, good for the pollinators, good for the environment and also can produce good returns for farmers.”

As part of their commitment to sustainable farming practices, DeMasi says Pastures for Pollinators will be donating the profits from the program towards sustainable pasture management research.

GO has been researching and developing pollinator-friendly varieties of cover crops for the past 15 years, and the company believes the products offer benefits for livestock, pollinators, and the environment while simultaneously producing good returns for growers.

“Products like our cold tolerant clovers are producing incredible amounts of nitrogen for farmers to help bring up nutrients from deep within the soil, and it provides an excellent habitat for pollinators,” said DeMasi.

Learn more in this interview: Interview with Risa DeMasi, Grassland Oregon

Learn more at PasturesForPollinators.com

NAFB Convention Photo Album

Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by

Audio, cover crops, Forage, pollinators, Seed

Farm Foundation Forum on New Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman November 29, 2016

The current Farm Bill may not expire for two years yet but the process of making a new one is already starting to get in motion.

The “Next Farm Bill: What are the Agendas?” will be the topic for the Farm Foundation® Forum this Wednesday, November 30. Invited to present perspectives from their respective stakeholder groups are:

• Chuck Conner, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives;
• Scott Faber, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Environmental Working Group; and
• Daren Bakst, Agricultural Research Policy Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

Farm Foundation President Constance Cullman will moderate the discussion, which will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. EST at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. A free live audiocast will also be available. There is no charge to participate in the forum, but registration is requested.

Farm Bill, Farm Foundation

#IFAJ17 Heading to South Africa

Cindy Zimmerman November 29, 2016

“Africa – it’s time” is the theme for the 2017 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) World Congress April 2-8 in Gauteng- and the Western Cape of South Africa.

Why South Africa? For the world to feed the estimated population of 9 billion people by 2050, an increase of at least 70% in production will be required. At present the African population is over one billion and all eyes are on the continent to feed its growing population, more so because of its available resources.

South Africa is the gateway to the rest of Africa. African agriculture and the industry is increasingly depending on South Africa to lead the way. This makes South African agriculture a challenging but rewarding industry – an industry that has a wealth of experience and information to offer members of the IFAJ.

Details can be found at IFAJ-Congress.org.

Events, IFAJ

Wisconsin Christmas Tree Arrives At White House

Lizzy Schultz November 28, 2016

First Lady Michelle Obama and her nephews with Dave and Mary Vander Velden at the White House

While close to 350 million Christmas trees are growing on farms throughout the country, a Christmas tree from Wisconsin made its way to the White House Friday where it was presented to First Lady Michelle Obama. The 19-foot Balsam-Veitch fir was presented by Dave and Mary Vander Velden, owners of Whispering Pines Tree Farm in Oconto, Wisconsin.

The Vander Veldens won the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual contest this year, when a group of White House officials visited Whispering Pines and selected their tree as the contest’s top contender.

“You have to have a very good tree to win this competition,” said Vander Velden. “We’ve been doing research on different strains of trees to find one that would grow the best, and a lot of work goes into growing the trees. We even picked imperfect needles off of our winning tree with a tweezers before the competition.”

Christmas Trees are grown in all 50 states on approximately 350,000 acres of land. Wisconsin is a top producer of Christmas trees, along with Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. It takes an average of 16 years for a Christmas tree to grow to its full size from a seed, and each tree that is harvested must be replanted with anywhere from one to three new seeds.

Vander Velden explained that supporting local Christmas tree farms offers several environmental benefits to a community. Among his considerations are the fact that Christmas trees are a renewable resource, unlike plastic trees, and the ability of Christmas tree farms to preserve green space and improve the air quality of an area.

Dave tells us more about this tree and the Christmas tree farming business in this interview:
Interview with Dave Vander Velden, Whispering Pines

There was apparently a little change up in the trees at the last minute, however, and while the Vander Veldens did get to present the tree, the “official” White House Christmas Tree being displayed in the Blue Room this year is actually a 19 foot Douglas Fir donated by a tree farm in Pennsylvania, according to the official White House video of the presentation. Weather conditions in Wisconsin this fall reportedly impacted the fullness of the Vander Velden’s tree so a replacement had to be arranged to meet White House specifications, but the Wisconsin tree will still be displayed elsewhere in the White House.

Ag Groups, Audio, Farming

#ARA2016 Starts Tuesday

Chuck Zimmerman November 28, 2016

I’m heading to Orlando for the 2016 ARA Conference and Expo after a family and food weekend in South Florida. The Agricultural Retailers Association is getting together for a conference that offers everything from golf to educations sessions and speakers to awards and of course the expo hall. It is a big opportunity to network with people in the industry and coverage will be found right here on AgWired, thanks to our friends at ARA and FMC Agricultural Solutions.

Online registration is closed but there is no penalty for showing up and registering on site. If you’d like to check out the full schedule you can find it here.

There is an app for the conference which you can find to download here.

Coverage of the ARA Conference and Expo is sponsored by

ARA

CNH Autonomous Tractor Concepts Win Awards

Cindy Zimmerman November 28, 2016

The autonomous tractor concepts revealed this year from CNH Industrial brands Case IH and New Holland Agriculture are receiving Silver Innovation medals from the SIMA Organization which hosts the bi-annual international farm machinery exhibition to be held February 2017 in Paris, France. These awards recognize new developments which “demonstrate design and innovative features that have the potential to offer significant user benefits.”

Both the cabless Case IH Magnum CVX and the cabbed New Holland T8 NHDrive™ autonomous concept tractors, which were on display at the 2016 Farm Progress Show, were awarded Silver Innovation medals.

CNH Industrial’s Innovation Group has proactively developed concept autonomous technology to help farmers and agribusinesses sustainably boost production and productivity through the ability to make the most of ideal soil and weather conditions, as well as available labor. This technology is the next step in the Company’s innovation roadmap and holds significant promise for the sustainable and productive future of farming.

New Holland Agriculture also received a Special Mention for its High Efficiency Heat Rejection System, a system which features a high temperature loop to cool the engine and a low temperature loop to cool the vehicle systems locally to average the heat rejection requirements.

Case IH, New Holland

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