RFA Ethanol Podcast

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Talia Goes

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  • MGEX announces the third consecutive month of record breaking volume in Exchange history.
  • The third Borlaug Summer Institute on Global Food Security will be held June 8-21 at Purdue University for 30 graduate students from across the country taking on the challenge of helping to find solutions to world hunger.
  • Three Cover Crop Workshops aimed at Iowa producers are being held June 10, 11, 12 in Storm Lake, Waterloo, and Bettendorf, IA respectively.
  • The 2014 Answer Plot Program by WinField is underway and will continue to build upon the program’s wide array of educational programming and trials.
Zimfo Bytes

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • The NFI Salmon Council continues to expand its category marketing of farmed and wild caught salmon with the addition of new members Blumar USA and Platina Seafood USA.
  • Organizers of the International Floriculture Expo have announced plans to co-locate the 2015 and 2016 editions of the floral industry’s leading education program and trade show with the United Fresh Produce Association’s United Fresh Show, starting in Chicago June 9-11, 2015 at McCormick Place.
  • CropLife America joined by associations from fertilizer, ag retailer, equipment, and other sectors – have agreed to proceed with the formation of a new group called the Precision Ag Coalition.
  • The American Soybean Association welcomed the announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the agency will award $6 million to universities and state cooperative extension services for the development of web-based tools to assist farmers in choosing new programs within the Agricultural Act of 2014.
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AG CONNECT Fastest Growing U.S. Trade Show

Jamie Johansen

agconnectAG CONNECT Expo & Summit has been named the overall fastest growing biennial U.S. trade show for 2013, in Trade Show Executive magazine’s Fastest 50 awards. It was among only 13 shows with a “Triple Crown” win in all award growth categories: total attendance, exhibit space and number exhibitors, and ranked in the top 10 for each of the categories.

The 2013 event saw attendance nearly double from the previous years, while setting show records for exhibit space, number of exhibitors, education tickets and co-located industry events.

AG CONNECT 2013 also earned a spot on the just-announced list of 25 Fastest-Growing Expositions by net square footage compiled annually by the online Trade Show News Network (TSNN). It was also named to the TSNN Top 250 U.S. Shows list for net square footage, coming in at number 97.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) owns and produces AG CONNECT Expo & Summit. AEM shows include the international CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction exposition, ICUEE-The Demo Expo and CONEXPO Latin America.

AEM, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association announced that Commodity Classic and AG CONNECT Expo & Summit would join forces. The inaugural event is set for March 2016 in New Orleans.

Ag Groups, Commodity Classic

All Tech With Corn

Chuck Zimmerman

cutclogoWhere to next on the agriblogging highway? The Corn Utilization Technology Conference. That’s where. With thanks to the National Corn Growers Association.

The focus of this year’s conference is wet and dry milling technologies and of course, new uses. Speaking of new uses . . . I was searching around for laptop, tsa-friendly back packs and found one from Mobile Edge made with Dupont Sorona material. From the Mobile Edge website:

DuPont Sorona is made partially with Agricultural Feedstocks – Corn. This requires 30% less energy during production than Petrochemical products such as Nylon or Polyester, which reduces greenhouse emissions by 63%!

Mobile Edge designed their new Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Case Collection with this new renewable resource, reducing our dependency on oil and petrochemical products. The Sorona fibers are soft and extremely stain resistant with high strength and stiffness qualities.

Bio-PDO™ process consumes 40% less energy than the chemical PDO process it replaces.

My job next week will be to interview the researchers and see if I can get them to speak layman language to describe their projects. I’ll be posting here and on Corn Commentary, the NCGA blog. One person I look forward to interviewing is Kristin Meadors with the Kentucky Distillers Association. She’s delivering the keynote address. Yay, corn for bourbon!

“The bourbon industry’s iconic utilization of corn makes it a perfect platform in which to kick-off three days of lively discussions among the corn industry’s leading researchers, processors and business representatives,” said NCGA Research and Business Development Action Team Chair Tom Mueller. “We are excited to have Kristin Meadors discuss her industry’s impact on our economy and why this corn- based spirit continues its popularity at home and abroad.”

Ag Groups, Corn, NCGA

Crop Scouting – Using All Your Precision Ag Data

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyThe evolution of precision ag has impacted how growers and ag professionals accomplish many tasks. We’ve seen in-field crop scouting evolve from a notepad and pencil, to a GPS enabled tablet/mobile device to simply record crop and pest observations. Is it adequate for you to just document observations? Want to precisely navigate to each hybrid planted? Want to navigate to particular treatment zones? Need to navigate to an area that you’ve been struggling with in previous years?

Being able to reference valuable precision ag data from multiple field operations and years is critical to know where and how to scout. This reference information, along with recorded observations, will help you better comprehend the right management decisions to maximize your operations profitability.

Luke James, Ag Leader Software Sales Manager, says growers can record all their scouting observations, crop growth status, etc., then use those records to write a targeted prescription or have it to reference at a later date.

Listen to James explain

James also says it’s real-time data referencing.

Listen to James explain

James explains how SMS Mobile will save growers time, help them be more efficient, and add money to your bottom line.

Listen to James explain

The SMS Mobile Software provides you with the flexibility of displaying multiple reference maps at once while crop scouting. SMS desktop software users can export nearly everything in their software, including data from different brands of equipment to SMS Mobile for in-field viewing.

Interested in learning more about SMS Mobile? Please visit our website to learn more, sign up for a free introduction to SMS Mobile webinar, download a free trial version of SMS Mobile or contact us at 515-232-5363 or SMSsupport@agleader.com or reach out to a local Ag Leader Dealer.

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Ag Leader, Agribusiness

Do You Think Organic & GMO Crops Can Co-exist?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What features of MyNewHolland.com do you like?”

It’s been just over a month since the launch of New Holland North America’s MyNewHolland.com, an online destination for all things New Holland and open to all farmers. The ability to keep up with equipment inventory seems to be a highlight for those who have taken advantage of this opportunity. Whether you own New Holland equipment, used to own or would like to own, or who just want to join the farming conversation, it’s free and easy to sign up. Over 500 people from all over North America have already joined for a variety of reasons, including the spotlight discussion on growing crops for biofuels.

Our poll results:

  • My Equipment – my equip inventory – 18%
  • Precision Land Management – 6%
  • Configurator – configure your equipment – 6%
  • Calendar – 6%
  • Spotlight Discussion – 12%
  • Dealer locator – 12%
  • Links to other New Holland info – 6%
  • I have created a login – 6%
  • I have not created a login – 23%
  • Other – 5%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Can organic & GMO crops co-exist?”

A recent ban on the cultivation of genetically engineered crops has passed in two Oregon counties. This is one of many issues that puts farmer vs. farmer. Should it be the landowner’s choice or should these decisions be made at the ballot box? In this week’s ZimmPoll we want to know if you think organic and GMO crops can co-exist?

ZimmPoll

Marrone Bio Innovations Introduces New Biofungicide

Jamie Johansen

Logo_RegaliaRX_wTag_RGB.fw_Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., a leading global provider of bio-based pest management and plant health products formally introduces REGALIA® Rx, an advanced, broad-spectrum biofungicide that improves plant health and increases yield potential. REGALIA® Rx is registered for use in corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and other row crops.

Adding just one pint of REGALIA Rx to an existing fungicide program improved overall plant health and yields. Applications to both corn and soybeans produced plants with more extensive root systems, larger, fuller ears of corn, bigger and greener soybean plants and overall better yields. Similar yield response and plant health improvements were demonstrated in rice, wheat and barley trials during the same timeframe.

“The average yield increase across the REGALIA Rx trials-university and on-farm-was six bushels/acre in corn and two bushels/acre in soybeans compared to the standard fungicide program,” states Dr. Tim Johnson, Global Product Development Director for Marrone Bio Innovations.

“Adding REGALIA Rx to the fungicide program earlier in the season gives crops the optimum performance potential and benefit. In corn, our studies show that one pint of REGALIA Rx applied at the V4 and V8 stages of growth boosted yields significantly more than later season applications at V8 and VT,” explains Dr. Johnson.

The active ingredient in REGALIA Rx, which is derived from a plant extract, triggers plants’ natural defense systems to help protect against disease, improve plant health, combat fungal and bacterial diseases and boost yield potential.

It is the only commercially available fungicide with a FRAC code of P5 so it adds another mode of action to a fungicide program, which improves overall disease control and plant health. Widely recommended as a foliar application, REGALIA Rx is also labeled for use as an effective soil treatment against soil-borne plant diseases.

Agribusiness, Corn, Fungicide, Rice, Soybean, Wheat

Breanne Brammer Joins Agri-Pulse as Summer Intern

Jamie Johansen

logoAgri-Pulse is pleased to announce the appointment of Breanne Brammer as a summer intern through the American Agricultural Editor’s Association.

Brammer is a senior at the University of Missouri (MU), studying science and agricultural journalism with a dual minor in agricultural economics and international agriculture.

“We are really pleased to have a young journalist like Breanne join us in Washington this summer,” said Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse Editor and Publisher. “She will help us with our coverage of agricultural policy on Capitol Hill.”

Brammer is an officer in five MU organizations: Alpha Zeta, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) Student Council, Collegiate Farm Bureau and International Ag Club. She also served in national leadership positions in Collegiate FFA, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and Agriculture Future of America.

Brammer grew up on a family farm in Missouri, where she showed cattle and horses.

Ag Groups, Agri-Pulse, Education

Syngenta’s New Acuron Herbicide Brand Signature

Jamie Johansen

Screen Shot 2014-05-29 at 9.26.18 AMAs Acuron™ corn herbicide (SYN-A197) from Syngenta moves toward expected EPA registration for the 2015 growing season, the unveiling of the brand signature is the latest milestone in the herbicide’s development.

Within the Acuron signature, four inverted triangles adjoin to create a star. Each triangle represents the herbicide’s four active ingredients, including new bicyclopyrone. Syngenta developed the star icon to communicate the high-performance control Acuron has delivered in over 600 trials across the U.S.

“As weed resistance expands, growers need more robust pre-emerge residual herbicides with multiple modes of action to control tough weeds, and Acuron will fit nicely,” said Gordon Vail, Ph.D., technical product lead, Syngenta. “This product will take large-seeded broadleaf weed control to the next level, while still providing the same excellent performance on small-seeded broadleaf weeds that farmers have come to expect from Syngenta corn herbicides.”

Syngenta developed Acuron, which contains three modes of action, in response to the expanding problem of weed resistance and the resulting increase in demand for residual herbicide products with multiple modes of action. Acuron will be labeled to control more than 70 broadleaf weeds and annual grasses, including giant ragweed, common ragweed, marestail, kochia, Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, cocklebur, Russian thistle, sunflower and morningglory.

Growers and retailers will have a chance to see Acuron in 25–30 university trials and 15–20 Syngenta field trials this summer.

Agribusiness, Herbicide, Syngenta, weed management

The Land of the Free

Melissa Sandfort

imageAlthough the Memorial Day weekend has come and gone and people are back at work, it is one of those holidays that should be recognized every day. I spent the holiday with my parents and as I was driving home on Sunday afternoon, I couldn’t help but notice all of the American flags flying at cemeteries and homes. Some of them made quite an impressive display. I am one of those people that get chills whenever I say the Pledge of Allegiance or hear the National Anthem, and quite often a tear may even slip down my cheek.

This week I thought you might enjoy a couple of stories from Grandpa Sandfort’s World War I days and Dad’s World War II days. Enjoy might not be the right word as no aspect of war is enjoyable, but nonetheless, that’s the way it was.

Grandpa Sandfort was inducted into the army on Oct. 3, 1917. His company was sent overseas as replacements for battle casualties of World War I. They arrived in Liverpool, England and then traveled across the English Channel to Le Havre, France. It was here that his company was supplied with full battle gear before they headed to the front. The battle gear consisted of bedding, shelter half, gas mask, helmet, gun, bayonet, hand grenades, ammunition, and an extra pair of hobnail shoes. As Grandpa was picking up his gear, he discovered the army had forgotten to issue him his entrenching shovel. Sure enough, the shelling was heavy, and an order was given to “dig in.” Fortunately, he looked around and found a discarded German tool that could be used. This was the only foxhole he ever dug.

Dad was inducted into active service in the Army of the United States on March 19, 1945, as Private Robert G. Sandfort. At the conclusion of his basic training, Dad was granted a two-week leave. He went home and married Mom on Aug. 4, 1945. Less than two weeks later, he was on his way to Hawaii where he served as a Military Policeman, moved up through the ranks, and was later promoted to Staff Sergeant. As he writes in his memoirs, one of his worst responsibilities was escorting bodies, sometimes as many as 500 or 600 at a time, from the docks to the cemetery at Schofield Barracks for burial.

… Because of the Brave

Until we walk again …

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