The @JohnDeere Customer Solutions Plan

Chuck Zimmerman August 16, 2016

©David J Gruber/David J Photography/St. Louis

During this year’s InfoAg Conference I met John Teeple, Director, Technology – Precision Ag Solutions, John Deere. John covers a lot of territory with his position.

I asked John how John Deere is working in the precision ag sector to help farmers become more efficient while planting, spraying and harvesting. He says they look at it from three angles. “John Deere has been about precision ag really since the beginning. You could argue that the self-scouring steel plow was a precision ag application compared to the non self-scouring plows that would have been in the horse-drawn world then.” He says the company has invested in precision technology as we know it today for a lot of years with auto guidance being a genesis for those efforts. Focusing on the farmer and their trusted partners, he says the company has invested heavily in recent years to build the infrastructure of connected machines and other IoT technology to enable customer machine and data connectivity. Additionally, the company is working with third party input providers to enable them to work with their customers to help them make better informed decisions. And of course John Deere is continuing to make investments in the best new technology for machines in the field.

Listen to my interview with John to learn more: Interview with John Teeple, John Deere

2016 ICPA/InfoAg Photo Album

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Info Ag, John Deere, Precision Agriculture

I AM @USFRA – Todd Frazier @DuPontPioneer

Cindy Zimmerman August 16, 2016

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is made up of nearly 100 industry affiliates and partners. The majority of the alliance is agricultural organizations who make up the affiliates, while a handful of agribusiness companies are industry partners who help USFRA with its goals to communication with and educate consumers about agriculture.

One of those industry partners is DuPont Pioneer, one of three companies with membership on the USFRA board and Global Marketing & Commercial Effectiveness Director Todd Frazier is the company’s representative. “DuPont Pioneer was one of the founding members of USFRA and I’ve been a board member for about three years,” said Frazier. “What really drew DuPont Pioneer into USFRA was all about the group wanting to build trust and transparency…and help non-agricultural people understand what farmers and ranchers are going through, how they run their businesses, and the challenges that they face.”

The industry partners are very critical to the success of USFRA’s goals, and Frazier encourages other agribusiness companies to explore that opportunity. “The mission of USFRA is to really get the voice of agriculture in places where we don’t have a voice,” he said. “When we work on behalf of USFRA, we’re really focused on farmers and ranchers and how we get that entire voice of agriculture out to consumers, so we kind of check all the competition and egos at the door.”

Frazier appreciates many of the programs which have been developed by USFRA over the past five years, such as the FARMLAND movie and its associated educational tools. “We really expanded a lot of the footage in the documentary into smaller sections that we provided to colleges and high schools for agricultural programs and food conversations in general,” he said.

Learn more in my interview with Todd here: Interview with Todd Frazier, DuPont Pioneer

Agribusiness, Audio, Pioneer, USFRA

The 2016 #AgCatalyst is Looking for Your Registration

Chuck Zimmerman August 16, 2016

It is the third annual AgCatalyst, an event coordinated by AdFarm. This year the theme is “AgCatalyst 2016: Finding the best possible path to our customers’ hearts, minds, smartphones and back.” Registration is now open. Early bird pricing ends September 15th.

This value-packed two-day event is about fostering insight and igniting discussions around new opportunities to reach and engage with farmers in our modern consumer-empowered landscape. Attendees can look forward to hearing from top experts in the field, applying their learning in breakout sessions, and networking with the brightest minds in social media, marketing, public relations, agriculture and food communication.

“This year’s AgCatalyst promises to deliver bold insights and fresh thinking to help communicators embrace the new world of consumer awareness around food and farming,” says Roger Reierson, CEO of AdFarm, host of the annual event. “Attendees will learn how to engage, educate, connect and build positive relationships all the way from the field to the consumer – and back again.”

Keynote speakers featured at this year’s conference include Joe Schwartz, director of McGill University’s office for science and society, and Jay Baer, author of Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers and Mathew Sweezey, principal of marketing insights at Salesforce.com and author of Marketing Automation for Dummies.

Agencies

Bayer’s Credenz Has All the Options

Kelly Marshall August 16, 2016

Nick Weidenbenner is more than just an agronomist with Bayer. He’s also an expert on the Credenz soybean line. At the Bayer Showcase Plot Tours Jamie Johansen spoke with him about the options Credenz provides to growers.

Introduced in 2014, the idea was to offer farmers more choices, underlined by Bayer’s four pillars; tailored genetics, herbicide tolerance, state of the art breeding and on going innovation. Credenz offers these smart genetics, Weidenbenner says, and demonstrates Bayer’s commitment to the industry.

The LibertyLink system is part of the Credenz success as well. LibertyLink has proven itself with top customer satisfaction. Better weed control helps growers achieve the 2.1 bushel/acre yield advantage over the competitor, although Credenz offers varieties for both systems to ensure growers have what they need.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of positive feed back,” Weidenbenner reports. “There is a lot of excitement around LibertyLink and having a national brand to kind of carry with that flag, and really coming to market with some stellar varieties has been a lot of help to launch a top brand.”

Learn more about Credenz in Jamie’s interview here: Interview with Nick Weidenbenner, Bayer

View and download photos from the event here: Bayer Showcase Days Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Soybean

Is Ag Still Relevant at State Fairs?

Jamie Johansen August 16, 2016

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What will play the biggest role in the future of agriculture?”

During the 2016 InfoAg Conference, Jack Uldrich, acclaimed global futurist, speaker and best-selling author, shared thoughts on what the world may look like in just a few short years. Collaboration rose to the top and shows we need to keep all of the above in mind when talking about the future of agricultural technology.

Here are the poll results:

Big data – 18%
Social media – 0%
Robotics – 7%
Biotech – 17%
Nanotech – 3%
Artificial intelligence – 7%
Renewable energy – 13%
Precision tech – 14%
Collaboration – 21%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, Is agriculture still relevant at state fairs?

State fairs are taking place across the country and were originally started with agriculture in mind. But fewer and fewer state fairs have focused their efforts on agriculture. With a growing population more discounted to agriculture than every before, shouldn’t our state fairs be agriculture centered? Is agriculture still relevant at state fairs? Let us know your thoughts.

ZimmPoll

Apply for Alltech’s Corporate Career Development Program

Jamie Johansen August 16, 2016

The 5th annual Alltech Corporate Career Development Program seeks to recruit 12 recent recent bachelor’s and master’s degree graduates. Alltech invites graduates who wish to develop skills in science, veterinary science, biotechnology, information technology, marketing and finance to apply during the window of Aug. 15–Sept. 30. The program will commence in February for the 2017 group.

Alltech aims to develop future leaders within the agriculture industry and values long-term talent development through the Alltech Corporate Career Development Program, which started in 2012. This program was designed specifically by Dr. Aoife Lyons, Director of Educational Engagement at Alltech. Education, development and engagement are fundamental to the culture of Alltech, now one of the top five animal health companies in the world.

“This is a life-changing opportunity for recent graduates to interact with colleagues from other countries, develop both their technical and interpersonal skills, and share innovative ideas,” said Dr. Lyons.

“Previous Career Development Program members have worked in a variety of areas, including internal auditing for Latin America and marketing and event promotion for ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, an annual symposium with more than 3,000 global attendees,” she continued. “We strive to match successful applicants’ interests with Alltech’s global needs.”

The 12-month, salaried, full-time mentorship program will begin with an intensive three-month training period at Alltech’s global headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky, USA, where graduates will study topics including sustainable energy, communications, marketing and international business. Afterward, they will continue training and development while simultaneously managing key company projects in one of the company’s global offices, guided and mentored by senior management.

Agribusiness, Alltech, Education

ZimmCast with RFA at Sturgis

Cindy Zimmerman August 16, 2016

We’ve been going to the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to help the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) promote ethanol to bikers for six of the last eight years. This year was the 76th rally and the 35th anniversary of the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground, which is home to many of the half million bikers who attend each year.

RFA board members Chuck Woodside and Dana Lewis chat with bikers getting free 10% ethanol fuel

This year, two RFA board members took part in the ethanol educational promotion that includes “Free Fuel Happy Hours” – providing bikers with a free tank of 10% ethanol blended fuel and a t-shirt, as well as answers to any questions they might have about ethanol. Dana Siefkes-Lewis of Redfield Energy in South Dakota and Chuck Woodside of KAAPA Ethanol in Nebraska joined RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White at the event and we have comments from all of them in this edition of the ZimmCast.

Learn more in this week’s program: ZimmCast from 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with RFA

RFA at 2016 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Photo Album

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

The ZimmCast

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Audio, Ethanol, RFA, ZimmCast

Year Two of LibertyLink #RealYield Sweepstakes

Jamie Johansen August 15, 2016

The 1st annual Bayer Showcase Plot Tours are underway across the country delivering diverse solutions and expertise for many pressing crop challenges. Athens, Illinois was home to one stop where I got to chat with Bayer’s Daren Bohannan to learn more about Bayer’s LibertyLink Real Yield Sweepstakes which is in it’s second year.

Growers have the chance to win up to 500 acres of the LibertyLink system for either cotton or soybeans with the 2016 Liberty Link Real Yield Sweepstakes. There will also chances to win 200 acres of the LibertyLink system for cotton and soybeans monthly. Two winners will be drawn each month through December. Once again, state FFA will have the chance to compete for dollars to support their organizations.

Growers can participate in the Sweepstakes by attending one of the Bayer Showcase Plot Tours, or by visiting RealYieldSweepstakes.com and entering their information. Six cotton growers and six soy growers will win 200 acres of LibertyLink, and one lucky winner will win 500 acres of LibertyLink for the crop of their choice.

More Showcase Days include:
Sparta, IL – August 16
Pikeville, NC – August 30
Troy, OH – September 8
Stockbridge, MI – September 13

Listen to my complete interview Daren to learn even more about the 2016 LibertyLink Real Yield Sweepstakes. Interview with Daren Bohannan, Bayer

View and download photos from the plot tours here: Bayer Showcase Days Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Cotton, Soybean

3rd Party Developer Integrations for @JohnDeere Have Tripled

Chuck Zimmerman August 15, 2016

The Operations Center of MyJohnDeere.com has become increasingly beneficial to customers with the growth in third party application developers who have integrated their software via APIs. This allows for more seamless connectivity of data into the Operations Center that can be shared out to other platforms and software. Many of these companies have attended the annual John Deere Developers Conference which I plan to attend again this year.

During the 2016 InfoAg Conference I talked with Kevin Krieg, Partner Integrations – Software Segment Manager, John Deere. Kevin describes how the John Deere Operations Center allows data to be acquired in the field and become available to a whoever the farmer wants to share that data with in a matter of minutes. This includes having the data integrate with a third party developer’s software system. This could be shared with a banker, consultant, agronomist or just back to his office. Kevin says the number of developers with integrations has tripled in the last year. Companies who are interested in creating an application that will work with John Deere’s APIs just need to go to the John Deere Developer website.

Listen to my interview with Kevin to learn more: Interview with Kevin Krieg, John Deere

2016 ICPA/InfoAg Photo Album

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Info Ag, John Deere, Precision Agriculture

GIS Tech is @Esri Specialty

Cindy Zimmerman August 15, 2016

At the recent 2016 InfoAg Conference we had the chance to learn about Esri, a software company that allows growers to integrate high-resolution imagery, field observations, and real-time data feeds to help growers manage their land more efficiently with GIS technology.

Charlie Magruder, Agriculture Lead for Esri, explained some of the unique benefits that technology is offering growers.

“What we allow an organization in agriculture to do is take and form tasks that they might want to do, whether it’s backing up database management or precision agriculture activities or tasks related to field management, we have the ability to offer that as a solution that is completely tailored to your needs and wants and is deployed in any way that you want,” said Magruder. “We have a set of tools that can be as easily deployed as downloading an app.”

Learn more about Esri in this interview. Interview with Charlie Magruder, Esri

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 ICPA/InfoAg Photo Album

Coverage of the InfoAg Conference is sponsored by

Audio, Info Ag, Precision Agriculture, Technology

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