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Talia Goes

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  • DuPont Pioneer and S&W Seed Company today announced an agreement for S&W Seed Company to acquire DuPont Pioneer alfalfa germplasm, as well as alfalfa production and research facility assets for a purchase price of up to $49 million over a period of several years.
  • Pinnacle Agriculture Holdings, LLC (“Pinnacle”) has successfully acquired the agronomy assets of Gerken’s Feed and Grain (“Gerken”) in Lake City, Minnesota.
  • International Food and Agribusiness Management Association is pleased to announce that Johan van Rooyen, Director, Standard Bank Centre for Agribusiness Leadership & Mentorship Development at Stellenbosch University in South Africa has been selected to serve as the next IFAMA President; a term beginning in June 2015-2017.
  • Syngenta announced that it has received the safety certificate for its Agrisure Viptera trait (event MIR162) from China’s regulatory authorities, formally granting import approval.
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Season’s Greetings from The Produce Mom

Jamie Johansen

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 2.45.44 PMThe Produce Mom shares how to Deck the Halls with a Strawberry Tree.

What you need:
9-12″ craft foam cone
1 starfruit, sliced
5 lbs. strawberries, cleaned and trimmed
1 box toothpicks

1 – Push a toothpick into the cleaned top of the strawberry, leaving half of the toothpick exposed.
2 – Starting at the bottom, affix the strawberries to the cone by pushing the exposed side of the toothpick into the foam.
3 – Repeat steps 1 and 2 to continue building your strawberry tree.
4 – Use a toothpick to affix your starfruit on top of the tree.
5 – Glue the base to a decorative plate for a delicious centerpiece.

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!

xoxo,
The Produce Mom

Produce

Happy Holidays from MGEX

Jamie Johansen

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 2.37.49 PMHappy Holidays from our friends at MGEX.

Wishing all a healthy and happy holiday season and a prosperous New year.
All the best to you, your family and your company,
Mark G. Bagan
Jesse Marie Green
Layne Carlson
James Facente
Blake Tiedeman

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  • The American Farm Bureau Federation has appointed new members to its national Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee for the 2015-2017 term beginning in March.
  • Case IH recently garnered six industry awards, a testament to its commitment to innovation and deep understanding of producers’ needs.
  • Mitas is planning to test the first agriculture tire made from agricultural cultivated crops.
  • Cargill executives expressed support for the White House’s plan to normalize relations between the United States and Cuba.
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Jon Doggett Named NCGA Executive Vice President

Cindy Zimmerman

ncga-doggett-headThe National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today announced the promotion of Jon Doggett to Executive Vice President, effective January 1.

Doggett has served as Vice President of Public Policy since July 2002, where he directs all aspects of NCGA efforts involving the federal government. He was also named one of Washington’s Most Influential Lobbyists by The Hill newspaper. In his new role, Doggett will lead efforts to expand NCGA’s alliances and strategic partnerships, and elevate its national profile. He will continue to manage the organization’s 10-person Washington, DC office and lead its public policy efforts.

Raised on his family’s ranch in Montana, Jon has substantial knowledge of production agriculture and more than 25 years of agricultural policy experience. Prior to joining NCGA, Doggett spent eleven years at the American Farm Bureau Federation, where he was the Bureau’s lead lobbyist on a number of public policy issues, including federal lands, climate change, land use, energy, and endangered species.

Corn, NCGA

Deere to Sell Crop Insurance Business to FMH

Cindy Zimmerman

johndeerelogoDeere & Company has announced an agreement to sell its crop insurance business, subject to regulatory approval, to Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company (FMH) of West Des Moines, Iowa.

The action is a result of Deere’s previously announced review of strategic options for the crop insurance business. The agreement will result in Deere selling both John Deere Insurance Company and John Deere Risk Protection, Inc., which together made up the crop insurance business unit of John Deere Financial.

“We are confident that customers of John Deere crop insurance will be well served with this action,” said Don Preusser, president, John Deere Insurance Company and John Deere Risk Protection, Inc. “Farmers Mutual Hail has provided tailored crop insurance packages to farmers for more than 120 years. We believe the success and long tenure of FMH speaks volumes about their dedication to customer service.”

The deal is expected to be closed during the first quarter of 2015.

Insurance, John Deere

New Holland Wins Four Innovation Awards

John Davis

ae50_LogoOur friends at New Holland are being honored for their engineering innovation. This company news release says New Holland won fourprestigious AE50 Awards for smart engineering innovations by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

“We’re proud to receive these awards recognizing industry-leading advances in technology,” says Abe Hughes, New Holland’s Vice President of North America. “In 2015, New Holland will be celebrating our 120th year as an innovator, and these AE50 awards affirm our continued commitment to providing the smart, cutting-edge technology growers need to increase their efficiency and profitability.”

The New Holland award winners include:

QuickMax™ disc cutterbar quick-change knife system
41-foot 760CG Varifeed™ grain header
Integration of LIN remote-control actuators on New Holland CR combines
Triple-Clean™ cleaning shoe technology for CX5000 and CX6000 Elevation combines

You can read more about each of the four winners here.

The AE50 awards are presented for the fifty most innovative product ideas to enter the market in 2014, honoring new product ideas that are ranked highest in innovation, significant engineering advancement, and impact on the market served.

Agribusiness, New Holland

Farm Bureau Names New Promotion Committee

John Davis

afbf-logoIn an effort to develop and centralize resources that inspire and equip Farm Bureau members to convey the significance of agriculture, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has appointed farmer and rancher members to the organization’s new national Promotion & Education Committee.

AFBF President Bob Stallman announced the appointment of the following members to the committee: Phyllis Couture, West Valley, New York (greenhouses); Melinda Groth, Houston, Minnesota (dairy cattle and crops); Chris Hoffman, McAllisterville, Pennsylvania (hogs and poultry); Hilary Maricle, Albion, Nebraska (beef cattle, hogs and crops); Renee McCauley, Lowell, Michigan (dairy cattle and crops); Teribeth Spargo, Naylor, Missouri (crops); and Val Wagner, Monango, North Dakota (crops and beef cattle).

Hoffman was appointed to a two-year term as chair of the committee; Wagner was appointed to a two-year term as vice chair.

“People today are more interested than ever in where their food comes from,” Stallman said. “The members of the national Promotion & Education Committee will fill an important role in bridging the gap between farmers and consumers by providing tools and resources to other Farm Bureau members who are eager to help share agriculture’s story.”

The national committee members are nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and will support and encourage state Farm Bureau volunteers to participate in projects and activities by providing resources for programs, communicating with state leaders and contributing collaborative ideas.

AFBF, Ag Groups

Bayer Encourages Comments on Neonic Benefits

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-css-14-beckyFarmers and other stakeholders have only a few days left to comment on the EPA report about the “Benefits of Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments to Soybean Production” which finds little or no overall benefits. The comment period concludes on December 22.

Dr. Becky Langer, Bayer CropScience Bee Care Program manager, says they developed a platform for people to comment on the report called AgVoice4Choice.com. “Where stakeholders can go and submit a letter based on their zip code, they can choose whether they’re a grower, applicator or concerned citizen, and let their concerns be voiced.”

Langer says the EPA document came out of the presidential memorandum this year to develop a national pollinator strategy. “I believe they are using the information to see what kind of response they get,” she said. “Soybean we don’t see as much yield increase as we do with some of the other crops, so perhaps that’s why they chose it to see how much interest there is.”

Becky explains more in this interview: Interview with Becky Langer, Bayer CropScience


2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

ASTA, Audio, Bayer, Insecticides, pollinators

Nufarm U.S. Promotes Schwehr

Jamie Johansen

nufarmNufarm announced that Rob Schwehr has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Innovation & Regulatory Affairs for Nufarm Americas. In this position, Schwehr will oversee product development and interactions with governmental agencies which regulate Nufarm products. In addition, he will oversee the Technical Service Group within Nufarm Americas. He will continue to be located in the company’s Morrisville, North Carolina office.

“Rob has been an integral part of our team and our success since he joined Nufarm in 2008,” said Darryl Matthews, general manager for Nufarm in North America. “With his extensive experience in the crop protection industry, he will continue to help us find new and better ways to bring innovative crop protection solutions to market, as we pursue our mission to ‘Grow a Better Tomorrow.’”

Schwehr started as a product manager with Nufarm in 2008. He then moved to Colombia and served as the general manager for Nufarm’s operations in that country. He returned to the U.S. as the tree, nut, vine and vegetable (TNVV) marketing manager in 2013. He took on the additional role of leading the Core Chemistry team at Nufarm earlier this year.

Prior to Prior to joining Nufarm, Rob worked for 25 years with Bayer CropScience and its legacy companies in technical and marketing positions, including serving as product manager for imidacloprid and thiacloprid products. He has a master’s degree from the University of Georgia.

Agribusiness