CAT on the Move at ARA

Chuck Zimmerman

CAT at ARAA first time sponsor and exhibitor at this week’s Agricultural Retailers Association convention in New Orleans was Caterpillar (CAT).

Dustin Johansen with CAT says they are working to make their products more well known in the agricultural market. “We’ve always have our construction products sold in agriculture, but as the agriculture industry continues to expand, we want to really put more effort and focus on getting our products into the marketplace,” he said, adding that they just launched the new Cat® 903C compact wheel loader. “We’re pretty excited about that product for the smaller fertilizer houses.”

Johansen says they are getting more involved in trade shows like ARA and Farm Progress, as well as continuing their already strong relationships in the livestock industry. “We’ll be participating again in the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention. We’ve been a strong supporter of them for about seven years now,” he said. “With our wheel loader line, our skid steer loader line, those products are very well suited for the cow-calf operator and also the feedlot operator.”

Listen to my interview with Dustin here: Interview with Dustin Johansen

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

ARA, Cattle Industry Conference, Equipment, Fertilizer, Livestock

ResponsibleAg Getting Kicked Off

Chuck Zimmerman

Billy PirkleResponsibleAg Inc. is a non-profit organization founded this year to promote the public welfare by assisting agribusinesses as they seek to comply with federal environmental, health, safety and security rules regarding the safe handling and storage of fertilizer products.

Billy Pirkle of Crop Production Services was chosen as the first chair of the organization and he says one of their main goals is to create a stewardship program that offers credentialing of facilities. “The tool is actually a web portal that allows any participant to register into the program and we’re going to do outreach so that all ag inventory points are aware of the process,” he said in an interview at this week’s Agricultural Retailers Association Convention in New Orleans.

Pirkle says once a participant registers, an auditor will perform an assessment of their facility and once that is complete and any needed changes made, the facility will be certified.

Find out more at ResponsibleAg.org and in this interview: Interview with Billy Pirkle, ResponsibleAg chair

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

Agribusiness, ARA, Audio, Crop Protection, Fertilizer, Safety

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • The 26th MOSES Organic Farming Conference happens Feb. 26-28, 2015 at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis.
  • Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. and DuPont Crop Protection announced that Sumitomo Chemical has acquired the DuPont™ Asana® Insecticide business in the United States.
  • Brookside Agra, a leading producer of all-natural agricultural and environmental products, has partnered with soil and plant nutrition experts/consultants Ben Elliott and Andy Rynski of Cardinal Agriculture Services, Freeburg, IL.
  • Swanson Russell announces four promotions and three new hires on the public relations teams of its Lincoln and Omaha offices.
Zimfo Bytes

Update on Alltech Crop Science

Jamie Johansen

alltech cropAlltech Crop Science provides growers worldwide with natural solutions to reduce harmful effects of abiotic stress in plants. Their soil health products offer root support development and contribute to a healthy soil agribiome. Danielle Palmer, North American PR Coordinator talked Alltech’s crop science program at NAFB’s recent Trade Talk with Chuck.

“Crop science is a huge part of the business. We get to use technologies that Alltech started 30 years ago with natural yeast base fermentation on animal health. We are also getting to apply those technologies on the crop side. For example, this year a lot of farmers have had to deal with severe drought. We have to have technologies patented that can help feed the good bugs in the soil and also increase the organic matter so these plants can better withstand conditions like a drought or flooding.”

Danielle also shared what questions they get form row crop farmers who have never considered this as an option for operation’s crop protection plan. Once the farmers see the results first hand they are easily convinced it works. For those wanting more information on Alltech’s crop science solutions, email cropscience@alltech.com. They will then hook growers up with a representative in their area and find out how Alltech products can best fit each operation.

Listen Chuck’s complete interview with Danielle: Interview with Danielle Palmer, Alltech


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio, Crop Science

Ag Groups Call for Longer Tax Extensions

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 378-46 Wednesday night to approve HR 5771, which reinstates a host of tax incentives for 2014, setting up a potential Senate vote in the coming days. The package includes items important to farmers and ranchers such as Section 179 and the biodiesel tax credit, but agricultural interests would like a more long-term solution.

afbf-logo“Farmers and ranchers rely on tax provisions that give them the flexibility they need to invest in their businesses and boost their local economies,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. “We are glad to have these temporary extensions, but we know these issues will come up again. We still need a long-term solution so small businesses can have the certainty they need to plan for the future.”

American Soybean AssociationAmerican Soybean Association president and Iowa farmer Ray Gaesser echoed that sentiment.

“ASA first and foremost supports a long-term extension of several of the items included in (Wednesday’s) short-term fix,” said Gaesser. “These initiatives include the dollar-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit, expensing for farm equipment and infrastructure under the Section 179 expensing provision, and bonus depreciation on farm assets. Such an approach provides greater certainty and a more stable climate for the farmers and producers who make use of these programs, and we were very disappointed that agreement was not reached on a broader measure.”

AFBF, ASA

Pinnacle Announces Investment in Meridian Ag

Jamie Johansen

Pinnacle Ag HoldingsPinnacle Agriculture Holdings, LLC announces its investment in a new Midwestern wholesale business, Meridian Agriculture Distribution. Pinnacle is pleased to announce that Tom Hart, a veteran in the agriculture wholesale business with over 30 years of experience, will lead the development and day-to-day operation of the brand.

“I am excited about the process of building Meridian. When retailers see the breadth of products, services and knowledge that Meridian can provide, they will recognize that we understand and are here to serve their businesses. The building process begins with quality people. We have already hired sales representatives in several territories and will be actively seeking good people to fill the rest of the business,” notes Hart.

In addition to providing retailers with supplier-branded products at service levels retailers expect, Meridian will offer retailers numerous opportunities to differentiate themselves from their competitors including:
– Altitude Crop InnovationsTM, LLC, Meridian’s wholesale products company, solely dedicated to independent retailers and cooperatives.
– Opti-Gro®, Pinnacle’s robust and unbiased precision ag platform. Technology optimized in Pinnacle’s southern geography, Meridian will now offer this service and technology to its customers throughout the Midwest.
– Retailer financing packages.
– Private labeling opportunities for retailers. Retailers will have the opportunity to market their own brands of products selected from Altitude Crop Innovation’s library of formulas and technologies.
– AgOne Application ServicesTM, Pinnacle’s aerial application division, that may be called on during heavy pest or disease outbreaks.
– Marketing assurance programs.

“Our first priority will be to efficiently and cost effectively distribute supplier brands. R&D companies are critical to production agriculture and Meridian will be a strong supporter and distributor for those companies. However, it is the full package of products, tools and services that we provide that will set us apart.”

Agribusiness

Ag Retailers Having Fun

Chuck Zimmerman

Ag Retailers having funAg Retailers having fun and raising money for the ARAPAC! That was the action last night at the Agricultural Retailers Association Convention & Expo.

Once again this year, Chad “Cracker” Johnson, was the auctioneer who did a masterful job managing the auction. By the way, Chad is a Gator Grad! That’s important to know.

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

Ag Groups, ARA

Ag Retailers Public Policy Update

Cindy Zimmerman

ara14-guptonTransportation issues are at the top of the list of public policy concerns for ag retailers meeting in New Orleans this week.

“We plan to make it a priority going into the new Congress,” said Agricultural Retailers Association senior VP for public policy Richard Gupton who updated the membership this morning. “Senator Thune is going to be the new chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and he has legislation to reform the Surface Transportation Board and make it more accountable and have a forum that shippers can take their case to.”

Another important issue for the ARA is a pesticide permit fix. “We think the opportunity now with the change in the Senate will allow that to take place,” said Gupton. “It’s got bi-partisan, bicameral support, it should have been done in the farm bill but we hope to get it taken care of.”

Like everyone else in agriculture, the ag retailers are also concerned about EPA’s proposed Waters of the United States rule. “Again, with the new Congress, there’s legislation to have EPA basically come back to the drawing board on the Waters of the US proposal,” Gupton said. “There’s confusion about what they proposed and they keep changing what the proposal is as you’re supposed to be commenting on the rule.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Richard here: Interview with Richard Gupton, ARA

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

Agribusiness, ARA, Audio, Fertilizer

NRCS Official Discusses Programs at NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

nafb14-nrcsSoils, climate change, pollinators, and the 2014 Farm Bill conservation programs were among the topics addressed at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention by James Tillman, southeast regional conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Tillman says NRCS has been very active in protecting pollinators, and honeybees in particular. “NRCS is working with five states – South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin – working with private landowners and helping them increase pollinator habitat and thus increase their production,” he said during an interview at Trade Talk.

Because of the impacts of climate change, Tillman says NRCS is actively engaged in maintaining and improving soil health. “A healthy soil increases water holding capacity,” he said. “As a result, less water flows downstream, less flooding.”

Tillman stressed the importance of the agricultural media to get information out to farmers and other landowners about conservation programs that are available. “It was really made a positive impact on getting folks through the door, our numbers have really gone up,” he said.

Learn more in this interview: Interview with James Tillman, USDA-NRCS


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by BASF
Audio, Conservation, NAFB, pollinators, USDA

Alta Seeds Expands Sorghum Product Line

Jamie Johansen

alta_seedsAlta Seeds, the U.S. brand for exclusive genetics and forage and grain sorghum hybrids from Advanta, was present during NAFB’s Trade Talk in Kansas City, MO. Barry Lubbers is with Alta Seeds and shared more about the sorghum industry and the new products we will see from them in the coming year in an interview with Chuck.

“In the sorghum business, we are continuing to bring on new forage products that offer solutions to growers. In the grain sorghum market we are bringing on herbicide tolerance, which is new and exciting for the sorghum industry. We anticipate to introduce three new products this next year that are herbicide tolerant and quickly follow that with another in the next two to three years.”

Barry shared more about how durable a plant sorghum is. He said with the drought in many areas over the past couple of years, farmers have turned to sorghum because of it’s unique traits and the solutions Alta Seeds provides. Sorghum is no stranger to fields, but because of technology it has been reinvented. Beyond its tolerance, sorghum has become recently popular in the biofuels industry and a substitute for gluten.

Listen Chuck’s complete interview with Barry: Interview with Barry Lubbers, Alta Seeds from Advanta


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Forage, NAFB, Seed, sorghum