FMC Fall Burndown Advice

Joanna Schroeder August 31, 2015

Harvest is soon to be underway as summer gives way to the fall, and that is the time when growers need to think about getting a clean start next spring. For growers having problems with chickweed and marestail, a fall burndown program can provide good benefits.

“Fall is the best time to really deal with winter annuals,” says FMC Senior Technical Sales Manager Brent Neuberger. “You can apply a product to kill what is up but also a product that gives you some residual so come next spring you have a clean seed bed.”

The two main products FMC recommends for fall application are Authority XL and Authority MTZ.

Authority XL provides a good residual and burndown for the grower who is going to plant soybeans again while Authority MTZ provides more flexibility from a crop rotation standpoint. A grower can come back with corn or soybeans after applying Authority MTZ if you use less than 14 oz. The ideal time to begin the process is when the temperature drops down to 55 degrees or below but to be effective, Authority needs to be applied prior to the ground freezing.

Learn more about fall burndown, listen to Cindy Zimmerman’s interview with Brent Neuberger here: Interview with Brent Neuberger, FMC

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by

Audio, Farm Progress Show, FMC, Herbicide, weed management

ARA Conference & Expo Registration Open

Kelly Marshall August 31, 2015

Registration is now open for the 2015 Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference & Expo.

The event will take place December 1-3 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. The Conference & Expo will feature presentations and discussions on sustainability, water issues, fertilizer trends, branding, finical movements, personal health and wellness, and many other topics.

Discover how performance, precision and passion shapes success through presentations, networking and exhibits at the only essential event for ag retailers and suppliers: the ARA Conference & Expo.

Visit the website to see a full schedule and learn about the special events planned.

Agribusiness, ARA, Events

How @BASFAgProducts Helps Farmers #GrowSmart

Cindy Zimmerman August 31, 2015

The BASF Ag Products “Grow Smart” strategy is able to help farmers all over the country.

At a field day last week in Tennessee, BASF Technical Marketing Manager Caren Schmidt talked about the high yield Grow Smart small plot replicated trial programs. “We’re in the second year in a corn-soybean rotation program in 15 locations from North Dakota to Mississippi and Kansas to Indiana,” she said. “And what we’re looking at is incremental treatment approaches. So we’re adding additional inputs, whether that’s crop protection or agronomic inputs, and trying to see that step-wise progression that can be achieved.”

In addition to the small plot trials, Schmidt says they have on-farm Grow Smart trial programs being conducted on various crops in various areas. “This year we have 78 trials in place across the country, looking at corn and soybeans, but we’ve also added spring wheat, cotton, and potatoes,” said Schmidt.

Also at the event was national corn yield record holder Randy Dowdy of Georgia who talked about how farmers can implement the Grow Smart approach themselves. “Randy looks at his farming operation very critically and he’s really trying to affect management factors that influence yield components in his crops,” said Schmidt. “So, he’s looking at different agronomic techniques and different crop protection inputs and trying to put them all together to have a positive impact on his yields.”

And that’s what Grow Smart is all about. Learn more in this interview: Interview with Caren Schmidt, BASF

BASF Southern Media Event in Tennessee

Audio, BASF, Corn, Crop Protection, Farming

Senator Roberts Happy About WOTUS Decision

John Davis August 31, 2015

A federal judge has put the brakes on the controversial “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule in several states, and that has gained praise from the chairman of the Senate Ag Committee. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) welcomed the preliminary injunction to stop the WOTUS rule in North Dakota, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming and New Mexico.

“This is great news for parts of agriculture and rural America,” said Roberts. “I have been opposed to this ridiculous rule from its inception. The WOTUS rule is nothing but a land grab under the guise of the Clean Water Act, and I’ll continue to keep fighting the good fight to push back against EPA’s federal overreach.”

The WOTUS rule, which expands federal jurisdiction over land and waterways, has received considerable criticism from a variety of industries – including agriculture. Kansas’ lawsuit was filed with several other states in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, which denied the plea. Multiple rulings undoubtedly leads to added confusion for landowners and farmers and ranchers.

Roberts’ committee held a hearing on the WOTUS rule in March, and the senator introduced legislation in April to stop implementation of the WOTUS rule, which was approved by the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee and is now waiting on the Senate floor.

Agribusiness, EPA, politics, Water

Iowa Farmers Face Another Belt-Tightening Year

John Davis August 31, 2015

Iowa farmers are getting ready for another tight year. A new survey from Agri-Pulse and the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) shows that farm incomes are expected to drop again this year, and producers are expected to cut back on several items, including cash rent, fertilizer and farm equipment. Conservation is one of the few areas expected to have an increase in investment.

Slightly over 84 percent of the 153 poll respondents said they expect their farm income to be lower than 2014, with soybean prices trending below $9 per bushel. Thirteen percent of those surveyed expect their incomes to be about the same as last year with only three percent expecting an uptick.

For the most part, farmers expect their yields to be better or at least even with the ten-year state average of 50 bu. per acre. Thirty-five percent reported that their yields would be slightly higher than that 50 bu. per acre, while 26 percent reported yields would be about the same. Nineteen percent predicted their yields would be “significantly higher.”

That’s consistent with the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service Aug. 24.

“With the rains much of the state received last week most areas have adequate moisture. Crops remain in good condition with 82 percent of corn and 77 percent of soybeans rated as good to excellent,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.

Almost 60 percent of respondents say they plan to curtail farm equipment purchases. That’s bad news for equipment makers, as demonstrated by John Deere as it has cut 2015 profit forecast downward by two points to 21 percent as sinking corn and soybean prices reduce growers’ incomes.

In addition, 47 percent of producers say they plan to cut back on farm rent payments, 40 percent will trim fertilizer applications, 37 percent plan to trim seed purchases and 30 percent plan to reduce crop chemical purchases.

Agri-Pulse, Agribusiness, Soybean

John Deere Enhances S-Series Combines

Chuck Zimmerman August 28, 2015

Would it be helpful to push a button in your cab and have your corn head fold up in less than 60 seconds when you’re out combining? Hmm? Well you can with the new John Deere 612FC folding 12-row corn head. That, along with S Series Combine improvements, were on display during this week’s product reveal for ag media. I talked about the changes to John Deere’s Todd Verheecke.

John Deere is making some significant improvements starting with the workhorse of its grain harvesting equipment – the S-Series Combine. Internally, customers will notice a 12 percent larger cleaning sieve and a new shoe drive system with a beefed up, wider belt with double the tensile strength and durability.

In shoe-limited conditions this new Dyna-Flow™ Plus cleaning system increases combine capacity up to 10 percent in corn and 13 percent in wheat and canola and reduces tailings as much as 28 percent. The combines are designed with stronger internal bearings, pulleys and support structure for increased durability and uptime.

Along with the updates to the S-Series combines, John Deere is expanding its lineup of 600C Series Corn Heads and updating the 600F HyraFlex Draper Platforms. For the first time, the company is offering a folding 12-row corn head (612FC model). The 612FC can provide productivity of up to 30 acres more per day versus harvesting with a traditional eight-row corn head and six more acres per day versus a traditional 12-row while reducing operating costs by 15 percent. And John Deere is equipping all 600C corn heads with an improved row unit slip clutch and drive shaft interface for longer life when harvesting today’s more robust hybrids.

For soybean and small grain producers, the company has taken many of the features unique to the recently introduced 645FD and built them into other models of HydraFlex Drapers, including the 630FD, 635FD and 640FD. These features include new streamlined end dividers that reduce grain loss and crop knock down; a wider center-feed section that increases material feeding by 15 percent to better match combine capacity; and 30 percent stronger reel fingers for greater durability and improved crop pickup.

You can listen to my interview with Todd here to learn more: Todd Verheecke, John Deere

John Deere 2016 Product Reveal Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Harvest, John Deere

How @BASFAgProducts Helps Champions

Cindy Zimmerman August 28, 2015

Champion corn grower Randy Dowdy and BASF rep Chris Maurer

Georgia farmer Randy Dowdy gives a lot of credit to the “smarter people” he consults who have helped him become a high yielding corn grower. Among those people are his trusted BASF Ag Products advisers.

Chris Maurer has been a BASF sales rep in Georgia for the past 16 years and it has been his pleasure to be part of Randy’s success. “The relationship is one that I think both BASF and Randy benefit from,” says Maurer. “Randy asks a lot of questions about what he can do on his farm to push yields and what things are going to add value while we push yields. And what we try to do at BASF is look at the whole picture of what are the inputs he needs on the acre and what are some inputs that can add value.”

Sometimes that may mean recommending solutions outside of the BASF product portfolio. “The relationship for us is not necessarily about what can BASF get out of this, BASF learns a lot through this process as well,” he added.

Maurer recently took a new position with BASF as district manager for Ohio and Michigan but he plans on keeping in touch with Randy because they have become such good friends.

Listen to my interview with Chris here: Interview with Chris Maurer, BASF

BASF Tech Services rep Sandy Newell has also had the pleasure of helping Randy continue to push the envelope for higher yields and better ROI on his farm.

Newell recalls when Randy first contacted him several years ago. “Randy called me one day and wanted to know about plant health and how some of our fungicides might help with some issues he was having around night time temperatures and corn fertilization or pollination and trying to maximize yields,” he said.

From that first conversation, Newell never would have guessed that he would be helping a farmer who managed last year to grow a record-breaking 503 bushel per acre corn crop. “I didn’t think anybody would ever attain the yields he achieved last year, but if anybody could do it I’m not surprised that he did,” said Newell.

Listen to Sandy’s comments on how Randy has been able to achieve success by paying attention to detail and being willing to experiment: Interview with Sandy Newell, BASF

BASF Southern Media Event in Tennessee

Audio, BASF, Corn, Crop Protection, Farming

TruSet Control on John Deere Combination Ripper

Chuck Zimmerman August 28, 2015

The John Deere 2730 Combination Ripper is now adjustable with the touch of a button on the new TruSet control.

This industry-exclusive technology enables users to independently adjust depth or pressure settings for each operation on their 2730 Combination Ripper from the cab, on-the-go, for maximum agronomic results.

“As conditions change throughout the field, operators running the 2730 with TruSet can quickly and efficiently respond to varying soils, compacted areas, heavier residue, and moisture,” says Nathan Kramer, product marketing manager for John Deere. “Making customized adjustments that respond to these agronomic factors help customers maximize their yield potential.”

With TruSet, operators can adjust depth settings for their disks, rippers, and closing disks on the 2730 Ripper along with pressure settings for the active hydraulic rolling baskets. These adjustments are made in cab from the GreenStar™ 3 2630 Display that also provides users with real-time data for their actual tillage settings.

“In just six seconds, TruSet operators can adjust depth and pressure settings from the cab while continuing to cover acres,” says Kramer. “That’s up to 200 times faster than conventional, manual adjustments with single-point depth control and cylinder stops”

I spoke with John Deere’s Doug Felter at this week’s product reveal to learn more about this new product. You can listen to my interview with Doug here to learn more: Doug Felter, John Deere

John Deere 2016 Product Reveal Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, John Deere

Farm Progress Show Time

Chuck Zimmerman August 28, 2015

If we don’t see you at the Farm Progress Show next week we’ll see you from right here on AgWired. The ZimmComm Team of Cindy, Jamie, Joanna, Lizzy and myself will be on location from Monday to Thursday. Thanks to the support of companies like New Holland, FMC, GROWMARK, Bayer CropScience and John Deere we’re making our final preparations for the trip to Illinois.

Here are some Farm Progress Show links you might find interesting:

Schedule of Events
Live Web Cams
UAV Demonstrations

We’ll be working out of the BASF Media Tent but you’ll see us out and about to cover as much as we can.

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by

Farm Progress Show

Friend of @GROWMARK Honored

Cindy Zimmerman August 28, 2015

Dr. Robert A. Easter, University of Illinois President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus, was honored with the “Friend of GROWMARK” award at the GROWMARK annual meeting in Chicago today.

Dr. Easter assumed the presidency of the University of Illinois July 2012. He spent his entire 40-year career as a senior administrator and faculty member on the Urbana-Champaign campus, where he earned his doctorate in animal science in 1976.

Presenting the award, GROWMARK Chairman and President John Reifsteck said, “But for those in the GROWMARK System, Easter is most commonly known not as a dean, or a university president or any of his academic titles, but rather as he wants to be known: Bob Easter.”

The Friend of GROWMARK award was established in 1989 to recognize outstanding leadership and commitment to agriculture, and friendship to the GROWMARK System. Since its inception, more than 25 individuals and organizations have been honored.

Cooperatives, FS System, GROWMARK, University

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