New Holland Agriculture Claims World Record

Jamie Johansen October 15, 2014

New Holland Agriculture has reclaimed the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title, harvesting an impressive 797.656 tonnes (29,308.84 bushels) of wheat in eight hours with the world’s most powerful combine: the 653 hp CR10.90 Elevation.

“We are extremely proud to have recaptured the Guinness World Records title for harvesting almost 30,000 bushels of wheat in eight hours, shattering the previous record by more than 4,409 bushels,” stated Hedley Cooper, Head of Harvesting Product Management. “This record demonstrates the unsurpassed capacity and productivity of the CR10.90 Elevation, especially as the current record of 24,832.87 bushels was broken after just six hours and 36 minutes!”

The record was set on August 15, 2014 at H.R. Bourn and Sons Farm in Grange de Lings, near Wragby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The field was sown with Santiago wheat in the autumn of 2013 before it was chosen in May 2014 for the record-breaking attempt, which meant that it represented real-world growing conditions.

The record-breaking day’s harvesting, which started at 11:17 a.m., was characterized by changing weather conditions, with the ambient temperature ranging from 64-70°F and light showers occurring from 5:30 p.m. onwards. The CR10.90’s average throughput was 3,663 bushels/hour and peaked at 4,960 bushels/hour in a crop yielding an average of 148.1 bushels/acre and an average moisture content of 16.2%. The record was achieved using a mere 124.6 bushels/gallon of grain harvested with the straw chopper engaged throughout the day.

Agribusiness, Equipment, Harvest, New Holland, Wheat

Bio S.I. Tech’s SD 25 Aids Drought Stricken Farm Land

Joanna Schroeder October 15, 2014

While the Midwest is rife with rain, other areas of the country including California and the southwest have been drought stricken for several years. When this occurs, the farmland needs extra help with naturally occurring microbes. Some areas use pile and burn tactics to improve soil health but not only does this strategy not restore the soil with carbon and microboal life, this is not an option for dry lands.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 30-35 percent of U.S. farmers are facing moderate to extreme drought conditions and a cold winter is anticipated. This becomes a good time for farmers to improve microbial activity – microbes are busy during winter months – as microbial activity increases soil temperature between 2-4 degrees when organic matter is available for digestion.

To see a further improvement on microbial digestion, Bio S.I. Technology recommends the use of SD 25 Field Stubble Digester, a product that capitalizes on soil microbes to digest plant debris left behind after harvest. This product aids the soil’s ability to hold nutrients and improve water efficiency. According to Bio S.I. Technology, without a proper mixture of microbes in the soil, organic matter can’t be totally broken down and the soil becomes clogged with two much undigested organic matter that ties up nutrients.

“SD 25 works beyond the growing seasons to prepare fields for future planting by releasing the nutrients tied up in leftover debris,” explained Bio S.I. founder and CEO Wayne Tucker. “Plant debris can be a real problem for the next planting season for some growers. SD 25 helps farmers re-use nutrients they have already paid for plus the benefits of adding carbon (humus) to help retain water and nutrients in their fields,”

The company literature states SD 25 is an all-natural microbial formula that is safe for organic use. Unlike other stubble digesters, SD 25 is free of preservatives, which makes it safe for use in any setting. After harvest and before the ground freezes, growers should apply the initial application. SD 25 can be used successfully in till and no-till regimens, although it is important to beat the first freeze because microbial activity and decomposition are significantly slowed by cold temperatures. Growers will notice debris is significantly decomposed within 60-75 days.

Agribusiness, Soil

Why Not Add Beets to Your Cow Ration

Jamie Johansen October 15, 2014

For the first time, Feed Beets took advantage of the World Dairy Expo and shared with producers the opportunities with adding beets into their cattle rations. Lisa Butzer, marketing manager for Feed Beets, explained the nutritional elements to feeding beets and it’s benefits to beef and dairy operations.

“What we are finding through nutritional surveys and testing is that as dairy producers add it to their rations they can decrease or eliminate their need for molasses or other sugar sources. They may also be able to decrease their corn intake. It’s a nice alternative to adding some starch in and slow release sugars.”

Lisa explained since the source of starch is a sugar it floats in the rumen and release in a slow 18-hour period. There is no sugar spike that you may see from other sources. The high dry-matter beet hybrid can be planted with a corn planter and has a five to six month grow time. Other perks to beets is it is a non-maturing crop and can be grown in all 50 states. Lisa said some areas of the country will leave the crop in the ground for 12-14 months or until needed for consumption.

Listen to my complete interview with Lisa here: Interview with Lisa Butzer, Feed Beets

Find all photos from the event here: 2014 World Dairy Expo Photo Album.

Coverage of World Dairy Expo is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Beef, Dairy, Nutrition

Florida Farm Bureau Welcomes Conservation Tour

Cindy Zimmerman October 15, 2014

The president of the Florida Farm Bureau welcomed participants on the 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action tour to the Sunshine State Tuesday night as they prepared to visit the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) today.

john Hoblick spent some time telling the group, many of whom are from the Midwest, about the EAA and the efforts Florida farmers have undertaken to preserve the state’s valuable water and wildlife resources, while at the same time being one of the most diverse and productive agricultural areas in the country.

I talked with John about the state’s agricultural conservation successes, as well as policy issue and challenges facing Florida. Interview with John Hoblick, Florida Farm Bureau President

2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

Audio, Conservation, CTIC

Verdeisan Adds Sales Expertise

Joanna Schroeder October 14, 2014

Verdesian Life Sciences has increased its sales staff with the hiring of four sales experts: Bob Bischoff, John Henize, Brad Meckle and Mark Seipel who will join Verdesian as regional sales managers. The new team members will help to drive sales growth and support relationships with key customers in the plant nutrition, seed treatment and inoculants product categories.

“As we continue to grow and attract new talent, we strive to keep the focus on our customers,” said Greg Thompson, chief operating officer for Verdesian. “The plant health and nutrition markets are rapidly expanding. Creating the perfect fit with our staff’s knowledge, product strengths and geographic needs allows us to build valuable relationships and better serve our customers.”

In addition, Randy Kegler is joining Verdesian as a technical sales representative serving as a specialist in the southeast for More Than Manure® (MTM®) Nutrient Manager.

“We are pleased to have Bob, John, Brad, Mark and Randy join our Verdesian sales team,” added Thompson. “They each bring unique perspectives and expertise from their wide-ranging experiences in the agriculture industry. We look forward to the value they will offer our customers.”

Agribusiness, Seed, Verdesian

Alltech Appoints Aidan Connolly CIO

Joanna Schroeder October 14, 2014

Alltech has appointed Vice President Aidan Connolly as chief innovation office (CIO) as part of the company’s global research department. Connolly will work closely with Dr. Karl Dawson, vp and chief scientific officer in developing their innovation pipeline and take products from test scale to commercial scale.

Aidan Connolly has been named Alltech’s Chief Innovation Officer, responsible for the commercialization of Alltech’s research. He will be based at Alltech’s corporate headquarters near Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

In his new role, Connolly will put together a team within the company’s research department that will primarily focus on developing innovative, nutrition-based technologies. Their new product development will capitalize on the insights gained through the company’s considerable investment in nutrigenomics, the science of how diet affects gene expression.

“Giving a rapid and effective response, backed up by cutting-edge scientific research, to the market’s changing needs, has always been one of Alltech’s biggest strengths. It is all about how these technologies are implemented to the market,” said Connolly.

Connolly brings a strong commercial background to Alltech’s research team. He graduated from University College Dublin with a master’s degree in international marketing. He has been with Alltech for nearly 25 years, initially in Ireland, and then in France, Brazil and the U.S. He is also an adjunct professor of marketing at University College Dublin and professor of agribusiness at the China Agricultural University in Bejing.

Dawson said of the appointment, “As Alltech is moving forward to become a $4 billion company in the next 4-5 years, it is crucial that the company’s research and technical teams work hand-in-hand with sales and marketing. With Aidan joining our group, we will be even more strongly placed to support the industry with science-based nutritional solutions.”

Agribusiness, Alltech, International

Crop Health Laboratories Presents Sap Analysis Seminar

Jamie Johansen October 14, 2014

Available for the first time in North America, Plant Sap Analysis is transforming the landscape of American agriculture. With proven success in Europe for over 10 years, this technology reveals nutrient deficiency four to six weeks before standard tissue analysis.

Crop Health Laboratories is hosting a Power Growers Seminar, November 7-8, 2014 in Santa Clara, inviting growers, researchers, and consultants to weigh in on the benefits of this new technology. Feature presenters include Sjoerd Smits and Maikel van de Ven of NovaCropControl, creators of the technology. The expedited technology provides lead time, allowing growers to proactively and quickly adjust fertilization strategies quickly.

Crop Health Laboratories is the exclusive distributor of Plant Sap Analysis in the United States, which represents a significant advance over current industry standards.

“Sap analysis carries the same diagnostic value of a blood sample,” explained Program Director Michelle Gregg. “The test provides a screenshot of nutrient content in the sap prior to metabolism by plant cells. Producers can anticipate crop needs and counter imbalance with fertility inputs before the plant expresses symptoms of deficiency.”

Smits and van de Ven of the Netherlands-based NovaCropControl, will discuss their team’s experience in pioneering the Plant Sap Analysis system and why this approach produces much more valuable results than tissue or soil tests alone. Growers will leave equipped with the science and data management knowledge that ensures success.

The seminar will include presentations from Smits and van de Ven, exclusive Q &A with consultants from Crop Health Laboratories, and evening networking opportunities with users of Plant Sap Analysis. The event will be held at The Biltmore in Santa Clara, CA. Tickets for the event in California are $325 through Oct. 15 and $350 thereafter. Registration is available online at www.crophealthlabs.com, by email info@crophealthlabs or call 800-495-7938.

Agribusiness, Agronomy, Crop Science

Analysis of Soil Samples Using LIBS

Joanna Schroeder October 14, 2014

Science is fun. Let me explain. During the Vedesian Life Sciences Los Alamos Media Tour we learned about a cool soil sampling technology coined Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LBIS). In an attempt to not use to much technical jargon, LBIS is a focused pulse laser beam that generates a microplasma (think spec or dot). From here, the emission from the plasma wavelength uses a computer to determine the elemental breakdown of the soil sample. In other words, tells you what is in the soil (i.e. carbon, nitrogen, etc.).

It is sometimes difficult to get others, including farmers, excited about science. That’s why Verdisian brought reporters to Los Alamos National Lab to learn about the science behind some of the greatest ag technologies ever discovered.

I learned about the LBIS technology from James Barefield with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The lab develops technology for the U.S. military and then looks for ways to modify the technology for other uses such as agriculture. This is why Verdesian and LANL have such a long-term, strong relationship. Verdesian’s core technology, Take-Off was first developed by LANL.

This system lives in a backpack and connects to a computer. So lets say you are worried about carbon levels in your soil. A farmer can point the laser on different areas of soil in his/her field and the soil breakdown shows up on the computer instantaneously. The farmer can then use this data to help determine his/her carbon plan. And once you’ve activated the plan, recheck the soil samples to see if the plan is working.

Here is a quick video of how LBIS works.

So let’s recap. The LBIS can be used to analyze carbon soil in samples. The preliminary data on carbon indicates similar trends when using high and low resolution LBIS systems. If there are variations in carbon between plots this can be analyzed. From here additional analysis will be needed to obtain quantitative answers but the technology provides a quick start to understanding the carbon in your fields.

View the 2014 Verdesian Los Alamos Media Tour photo album.

Agribusiness, Agronomy, Precision Agriculture, Verdesian, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes October 14, 2014

DuPont Pioneer and Cargill announced that they will work with farmers near Cargill’s facility in Sidney, Ohio, to grow Pioneer brand soybeans with the Plenish high oleic trait in 2015.
Behind the theme of “Building Better No-Till Practices,” the 2015 National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC) from Jan. 14-17 lands on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the fifth time in the conference’s 23-year history.
Don’t forget to register for the Livestock Publication Council Fall Regional Workshop October 23rd, 2014 in Fort Collins Colorado.
Farm Journal Media launched a significant upgrade of its award winning website, AgWeb.com.

Zimfo Bytes

Join the Farming Conversation on BeckAgConnects

Jamie Johansen October 14, 2014

In agriculture, we see a lot of pushback from consumers who are more and more removed from the farm. If you’ve not put yourself out there as an agricultural advocate, it might seem intimidating. What do you say about growth hormones or GMOs or pesticides? How do you get started?

To address this challenge, USFRA and Beck Ag collaborated to create an online forum for folks in agriculture to share their experiences, ideas and challenges in a secure community without noise and chatter from non-ag audiences. BeckAgConnects is an online community strictly for those who work in the agricultural industry. Almost 16,000 farmers, ranchers, retailers, consultants and other ag professionals currently participate in this unique environment to share information and ideas.

BeckAgConnects will launch the I AM FARMLAND Forum in October, corresponding to the digital release of “FARMLAND,” the film. The forum will feature one-on-one interviews and Q&A discussions with the farmers and ranchers featured in the film. In addition, you can pick up tips and ideas for how to share agriculture’s story with consumers and ways to encourage those not directly involved in agriculture to view the film.

We encourage you to join the conversation and help spread the message about “FARMLAND”, the film, which accurately depicts life as an American farmer and rancher. Stick around to learn about advocating for agriculture and share your own experiences. And because it’s on BeckAgConnects, rest assured that your discussions are among others who care about ag as much as you do.

Ag Groups, Media, USFRA

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