Vet Training, Education & Leadership

Jamie Johansen March 5, 2015

A look into veterinary training, education and leadership development was another topic discussed at the recent Boehringer Ingelheim Swine Health Seminar held in Orlando, FL. Dr. Jim Lowe, Lowe Consulting, headlined that conversation as he shared insights into making the animal health profession stronger for the future.

“I really need to credit my co-authors on this, Dr. Aldridge and Dr. Ferkins. We think we have to think about learning over a lifetime, not learning over while we are in school or in a given class. How do we create an education continuum? How do we create a different ecosystem to learn in? How do we create different teachers, different classes, different student thinkings so they come together.”

Dr. Lowe said there are three key elements to this methodology moving forward. They are: time, teaching and technology. One example of this is a flip classroom. They actually watch the lecture before they come to class via video and then come to class ready for discussion and do homework with the instructor. Student directive learning is also an important aspect to this learning process. Dr. Lowe added that a goal is to deliver education across a large time and space, drive cost down while keeping it easily available and relevant.

“As a consumer of education, we have to start to demand classes that teach us differently. How do they give us the skills we need, the competencies we need? We need to be able to think, problem solve and lead teams. Not just remember facts and regurgitate them.”

Listen to my complete interview with Dr. Lowe here: Interview with Dr. Jim Lowe, Lowe Consulting

Find all the photos from the event here: 2015 BIVI Swine Health Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

BASF Xanthion In-Furrow Info at #Classic15

Cindy Zimmerman March 5, 2015

BASF Technical Marketing Manager Caren Schmidt had 10 minutes to tell the Commodity Classic attendees at a Mini WIN session last week about Xanthion™ In-furrow fungicide, which received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration in October in time for use on corn this season.

“Xanthion is our newest in-furrow fungicide for corn, and it’s the first in-furrow fungicide to combine a traditional, a chemical active ingredient, and a biological active ingredient,” she said during an interview with Cindy.

Caren said adding the biological broadens the spectrum and length of disease control, plus adds certain plant health benefits beyond disease control. She said growers have been really positive about this new fungicide.

“It’s all about getting the corn crop off to the best start possible, and growers are looking for any tool they can utilize for that,” Caren said.

Listen to all of Caren’s remarks here: Interview with Caren Schmidt, BASF

2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

2015 BASF Science Behind Photos

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by Propane Education and Research Council

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Crop Protection

Farmland Partners Adds Former USDA Economist

John Davis March 5, 2015

After serving more than 30 years in the federal government, Dr. Joseph Glauber has been appointed as an independent director to ag real estate firm Farmland Partners Inc.

Dr. Glauber has been active in the agricultural industry since the early 1980s and began working for the USDA in 1984. In addition, Dr. Glauber chaired the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors from 2008 to 2014, served as the chief U.S. agricultural negotiator in the WTO Doha Round from 2007 to 2009 and served on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors from 1991 to 1992. Dr. Glauber is currently a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute and, over the course of his career, has written numerous articles about the agricultural industry that have been published in academic and trade journals. Dr. Glauber received an A.B. in Anthropology from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Wisconsin.

“We are pleased to welcome Joe to our Board of Directors,” said Paul Pittman, the Company’s CEO. “He brings years of experience at the highest levels of the agricultural industry along with demonstrated leadership ability that will further strengthen our Board of Directors and the management of the Company. His understanding of the effect of the global economy on the farming industry will be instrumental as we continue to expand our portfolio and work to further increase shareholder value.”

Agribusiness, USDA

FMC Offering Rice Growers Incentive to Use Obey

John Davis March 5, 2015

It looks like a good season is ahead for rice, as acres are expected to be up. To get growers ready, FMC is offering producers $1.25 per acre in incentives to use Obey herbicide from FMC. At the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis, Tennessee, Don Johnson with FMC explained to Chuck that the incentive would apply for either preplanting or postemergence.

“Command [from FMC] is also a complimentary product that can used in a sequential application either pre- or post. So growers need to be aware they can get the full amount of clomazone (from Obey and Command) out there this year,” he said, adding that the addition of more Command will help manage resistant barnyard grass out in the fields.

The rebate rate is based on 28 ounces per acre. Retail market managers have more details.

In addition, FMC is offering reduced prices for Aim for post-application control of broadleafs.

Listen to more of Chuck’s conversation with Don here: Interview with Don Johnson with FMC

Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, FMC, Rice

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes March 4, 2015

U.S. Wheat Associates welcomes Amanda Spoo as Communications Specialist in its Arlington, VA, headquarters effective March 9, 2015.
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs announced the convening of an expert task force, ahead of the Global Food Security Symposium 2015 on April 16 in Washington, DC, to examine the important role the agriculture and food system can play in promoting health and alleviating malnutrition.
The farm and ranch families of Farm Bureau raised more than $1.2 million and donated a record of nearly 42 million pounds of food to assist hungry Americans as part of Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program in partnership with Feeding America.
More than 150 attendees from 25 states and Puerto Rico participated in the 2015 National Farmers Union College Conference on Cooperatives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, over the weekend

Zimfo Bytes

New Holland’s Flexi-Coil® P Series Air Carts

Jamie Johansen March 4, 2015

On display at the 2015 Commodity Classic was New Holland’s Flexi-Coil® P Series Air Carts. The redesigned carts have an unprecedented number of patent-pending features for all operations. Chuck met up with New Holland’s Trevor Rempel, Global Product Marketing Manager, on the trade show floor to learn more about the rather large piece of equipment.

“We started with a completely clean sheet of paper on this and completely redesigned the entire air cart line. What we wanted to do is touch back to that Flexi-Coil heritage. You will notice that the Flex-Coil logo and name is more prominent with this air cart now, both in our marketing materials and on the cart. The reason is we want to build on the legacy that made Flexi-Coil one of the leading air-seeding companies in the world. And that is simplicity, innovation and durability.”

New Holland’s Flexi-Coil® P Series Air Carts include:
– Seven models, multiple configurations, huge grain tanks up to 950 bushels
– Industry-leading distribution system for unmatched accuracy
– Blending flexibility: distribute or combine any tank to any run
– IntelliView™ IV plug and play: takes the guesswork out of rate setting
– Accurate section control option: eliminates double applications of seed and fertilizer
– EZ Flow headers: gentle seed handling can increase yields

Listen to Chuck’s complete interview with Trevor to learn more about what Flexi-Coil can offer your operation. Interview with Trevor Rempel, New Holland

Photos from the event can be found here: 2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, New Holland, Seed

Record Breaking #Classic15

Cindy Zimmerman March 4, 2015

The 20th annual Commodity Classic was one for the record books.

Total attendance was 7,936, more than 600 over the previous record, 7,325, set in 2014. Other records broken were the number of growers, at 4,328 (compared to 3,874 in 2014); and the number of first-time attendees, at 1,409 (compared to 1,261 in 2014). Additionally, the trade show featured an all-time high of 355 participating companies, representing a record 170,500 net square feet of booth space. In 2014, 301 exhibitors used 126,200 net square feet.

Next year’s meeting of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum producers will be held in the Big Easy March 3-5 when the Association of Equipment Manufacturers and many of its members will be joining the event – which means it can only get bigger!

AgWired’s 2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album has almost 700 photos from the event and most of our coverage is compiled on AgNewsWire – with an extra page added as we keep posting more stuff!

Thanks to our sponsors for helping us bring it all to you – please feel free to download and utilize any content!

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

AEM, Ag Groups, Commodity Classic, Corn

GROWMARK Report on Perception & Commodity Pricing

Jamie Johansen March 4, 2015

A new report from GROWMARK Research demonstrates how commodity market capital flows distort our perception of the effect that news has on commodity prices.

“News, Money and Prices” shows that money flows constitute an independent causal force on prices that have a life of their own; they represent additional demand. Often, it is not the news causing prices to rise; it is that the news comes out while prices are rising. “Money flows move prices regardless of what the news is or whether there is any news at all,” according to Kel Kelly, GROWMARK economic and market research manager, and author of the report. Additionally, he shows that price responses to news are more than four times greater during periods where money flows are taking place than when they are absent.

The study indicates that what is often perceived as news events roiling markets are more often just catalysts for investors to implement pre-planned buy and sell decisions. Seeming price-altering news events are instead usually just the effect of large quantities of money flowing in and out of markets merely because it has been created and is readily available for such purposes.

Agribusiness, Cooperatives, GROWMARK, Research

3D-Printable Home Based Food Production System

Jamie Johansen March 4, 2015

A Texas patent holder and inventor has launched a collection of 3D printable objects that function as key components in a non-electric, home-based food grow system that can be operated for pennies. The story of the invention can be found at FoodRising, a project of the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center which is donating 250 grow systems to schools across America.

The Food Rising Mini-Farm Grow Box grows enormous quantities of food without using electricity or soil. It requires no weeding and uses no pumps, motors or complex parts of any kind. It grows highly-nutritious, mineral-rich foods using about 1/20 the water of conventional agriculture and about half the space of soil gardening.

Mike Adams, also known as the “Health Ranger,” developed the system based on the work of Professor Kratky and gives away the 3D printable parts via downloadable files at FoodRising. Adams is also distributing DIY videos that instruct people on how to build their own systems using inexpensive parts and common tools. Pre-built systems are offered for sale at Supply Source.

“The Maker movement is about empowering people with innovative, grassroots solutions that can substantially improve the quality of their lives,” Adams explains. “This Food Rising Mini-Farm Grow System allows people to produce their own mineral-rich, better-than-organic foods for mere pennies.”

Mike Adams is a science lab director and food activist who tested numerous grow technologies (such as hydroponics and aquaponics) before developing the Food Rising Mini-Farm Grow Box. It’s based on a concept taught by Univ. of Hawaii professor B. Kratky, and it’s called a “constant bottom feeding non-circulation hydroponics” system.

The system requires an automatic self-watering float valve to function correctly, so Adams designed a 3D printable float valve that uses readily available parts to function: A pencil eraser, a paper clip, a garden hose washer and a discarded vitamin bottle. The 3D printed parts can be printed from filament that’s made partially out of recycled plastic landfill trash, allowing people to “transform trash into food production systems,” explains Adams.

Agribusiness, Food, Technology

Doing What is Right for the Pig

Jamie Johansen March 4, 2015

Animal welfare continues to be at the forefront of discussion throughout the swine community. And Dr. Angela Baysinger’s talk at Boehringer Ingleheim’s Swine Health Seminar hit on just that. Pig welfare and doing what is right for the pig centered discussion on crates and pain mitigation in castration and tail docking. I had a chance to speak with Dr. Baysinger following her presentation and before we got to the nitty gritty, we quickly bonded over our home state…Missouri.

“The swine industry has been changing since the time I started raising pigs in the 70’s. The pendulum has swung from outdoors to pen gestation to crates and now it is swinging back. Everything in life changes over time and we as a swine industry are just going to change and adapt to what we need to do, but it is what’s best for the pig that we need to keep focus on.”

Dr. Baysinger said many of the issues on the farm include getting the message to the barn and remembering changing doesn’t mean caving. She also said that people are the most important thing we tend to forget. People are the foundation for care of the pigs. People should feel empowered to speak when they see something wrong. Training and education are key and she adds that we need to remember that they aren’t simply hired hands anymore. The key is to have a better understanding of the world in which we operate.

Listen to my complete interview where she touches on the future and discusses some conversations she has had along the way to providing a better understanding of pig welfare to producers, vets and the consumer. Interview with Dr. Angela Baysinger, PIC

Find all the photos from the event here: 2015 BIVI Swine Health Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

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