Using SMS Software on Your Tablet

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyThis week we caught up with Kaleb Lindquist, Ag Leader software sales specialist, who gives us an update on how growers can now utilize SMS mobile software from any tablet device they currently have.

Kaleb says SMS mobile can be used on any laptop with a Windows Operating System or tablet with the full version of Windows.

Listen to Lindquist explain

Kaleb also says you can take your tablet out to the field, attach a GPS receiver to it and that will enable you to do soil sampling, scouting or general coverage logging.

Listen to Lindquist explain

Ag Leader will begin holding SMS trainings this summer, but if you have questions prior to the spring planting season, be sure to ask your dealer or call Ag Leader customer service.

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

What is the Infection Chain of PCV2?

Joanna Schroeder

There is a lot of ongoing research around Porcine Circovirus (PCV2), a disease that has affected swine herds for nearly 40 years. During the recent Swine Health Seminar in Dallas, Texas hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr. David Baumert, staff veterinarian, Cargill Pork discussed some of his research around the virus. In particular, he looked at the infection chain of PCV2.

BIVI Dr David Baumert Cargill PorkThere are two ways pigs can be infected by PCV2. One is by co-mingling with other pigs that are infected and the second way is by being farrowed or born from a sow that has a high level of circovirus.

“Particularly in the case where the sow infects the pig, that’s where we’re staring to think of the concept as an infection chain where its moving from animal to animal or from one area of production to another area of production as if we’re following links of a chain down a pathway,” explained Baumert.

He noted that the more we think about the concept of a chain of infection, the farther back we look to find the area where we can make the biggest improvement or have the greatest opportunity of success for disease control.

Learn more about the PCV2 infection chain including horizontal and vertical transmission by listening my interview with Dr. David Baumert. What is the Infection Chain of PCV2?

Check out the BIVI guest adventures in the BIVI Big D Swine Health Seminar photo album.

Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

FMC Expands Web Series to Offer New Content

Jamie Johansen

fmc-watch-winStarting this month, Authority Minute, an online web series offered by FMC Agricultural Solutions, will transition to a new name. The Minute by FMC will feature an expanded territory covering more growing topics, more crops and more issues. Episodes of The Minute can be viewed online at www.news.FMCMinute.com.

“Since launching Authority Minute nearly a year ago, we’ve received numerous comments from growers and retailers who want information beyond soybeans and weed management,” said Paul Redhage, FMC Agricultural Solutions North America strategic communications manager. “By adding more content for a wider audience, others will be able to learn from experts around the country.”

Host Jake Turner will continue to lead viewers as he travels across the country talking with experts on topics from insect resistance and starter fertilizers to tank mixing and sprayer calibrations. Upcoming new episodes will feature a weed identification challenge and the topic of tackling summer annuals.

The transition also includes a Watch and Win Sweepstakes. Account holders who view the online episodes will automatically be entered to win the grand prize – a dream vacation of their choice from one of six destinations, valued up to $5,000. Five first-place winners will receive $500 airfare vouchers and 20 additional winners will receive digital cameras. The sweepstakes entry period ends May 30, 2014. Winners are selected at random and will be notified in June. Sweepstakes rules and regulations are posted online.

For more information on FMC crop protection products, please visit www.FMCcrop.com. Like us on Facebook.

Chuck spoke with Paul at the National Farm Machinery Show about FMC’s Watch and Win Sweepstakes. Listen to the complete interview here: Interview with Paul Redhage

Agribusiness, Audio, FMC

New Holland Sponsors Great American Wheat Harvest

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland AgricultureNext week I’ll finally get to see The Great American Wheat Harvest! AgWired has been a sponsor of this fantastic project since the beginning and now we get to see the fruit of that investment during National Ag Day Activities next week in Washington, DC. Conrad Weaver, ConjoStudios, the film producer is happy to announce another silver sponsor for the project, New Holland. Two of the harvesting crews featured in the film use New Holland equipment.

The Zeorian Harvesting & Trucking of Manley, Nebr., and the L. Petersen Farms of Hodgeville, Saskatchewan, both run New Holland combines on the wheat harvest route from Texas and Canada. The Great American Wheat Harvest follows three other farm equipment crews and kicks off its national premiere screening at the 2014 National Ag Day on March 25 in Washington, D.C.

“We appreciate the New Holland sponsorship and the collaboration of all our sponsors who have made our national premiere screening possible,” Weaver says.

“We’re pleased New Holland, and two of our customers, have the privilege of playing a role in this important documentary. As an advocate for agriculture, we feel this film is a smart way to connect consumers with the people who harvest a crop that feeds the world,” says New Holland Vice President Abe Hughes.

New Holland now joins other Great American Wheat Harvest major sponsors, including: Legacy Sponsor, John Deere; Platinum Sponsor, U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc.; Gold Sponsors, C& B Operations and North Dakota Wheat Commission state ag and commerce collaboration; and Silver Sponsors, MacDon Industries, Case IH, Association of Canadian Custom Harvesters, TMCO/National Manufacturing, Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, and media partner, AgWired.com, an online media service.

For more information about sponsorship packages, media interviews, speaking appearances of the filmmaker and questions, contact Jody L. Lamp, GAWH National Executive Co-Coordinator, call (406) 698-9675(406) 698-9675 or by email at jody@greatamericanwheatharvest.com.

Agribusiness, Harvest, New Holland, Wheat

Agri-Women Launch ‘Call to Power’ Campaign

Jamie Johansen

Rosie Poster 2014aAmerican Agri-Women (AAW) will kick off its membership campaign, “Call to Power,” on National Agriculture Day, March 25. The campaign theme urges women to join the nation’s largest coalition of farm, ranch and agribusiness women, which includes more than 50 state, commodity and agribusiness affiliates.

“Since 1974, women across the country have banded together to network with each other, educate consumers and policy makers about agriculture and participate in leadership development opportunities. Our combined power has made a difference and we invite others to join us,” says Sue McCrum, AAW president.

The campaign runs through May 31 and includes these benefits:
– Three new members will be selected to receive free second-year memberships.
– The affiliate that signs up the most new members will receive an award to go toward their own advocacy efforts.

Go here to learn more: www.americanagriwomen.org. Members of all segments of agriculture, agri-business and consumers interested in food production are encouraged to join their state or commodity affiliate as well as the national association. Dues for the national association are just $30 and affiliates also have affordable memberships.

The “Call to Power” theme is based on a paper developed by Sr. Thomas More Bertels (1918-2000). Sr. Bertels was a long-time advocate for women in agriculture. Sr. Bertels wrote, “The most important task facing farm entrepreneurs today is capturing a significant degree of influence over the policy-making function as it relates to food, feed, fiber, forest products and flora.”

Ag Day, Ag Groups

A New Land

Melissa Sandfort

2553_10200759166482125_1402896317_nThink of anywhere in the world you’d like to live. Did you come up with a foreign country, somewhere across state lines, or did you choose right where you currently are? Where is “home” to you? I have always lived by the words that home is where the heart is… and what you make of it, not just the simple fact of geography.

My two children and I recently moved four hours away from “home”, still in Nebraska. Everything is new: the house, the school, the daycare, the schedule, the people, the landscape. We’re in the heart of cattle country, which is nice because my children can still grow up around agriculture and take tractor rides.

And it is quickly becoming home to me. Sure, bringing my decorations and antiques from the old house helps, but when I step outside and breathe the fresh air, I know it’s where I’m meant to be. When I look out off the back porch and see deer and turkeys running through the pasture, see the millions of stars at night and the moon coming in through my bedroom window, I know I’ve found my place.

The trees are starting to bud and there are signs of spring all around us – and the children are having fun riding bikes and pushing dump trucks through the dirt (yes, even the little girl in pink pants and boots is in the dirt!). This is the nearby lake, just east of my running path. Hopefully sometime soon it will look like the picture.

My run takes me along the gravel path, but it always leads back home. Just like it used to.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

How Will You Celebrate Ag Day?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think of the Open Ag Data Alliance?”

Over half of those who participated in this week’s poll thought the Open Ag Data Alliance (OADA) was a great idea. Even though many are for this new software project, there are many who are questioning it’s benefits and believe it is confusing. If the learning curve was easy, would more be for it?

Our poll results:

  • Great idea – 54%
  • Terrible idea – 16%
  • No idea what it is – 22%
  • Other – 8%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How will you celebrate Ag Day?”

National Ag Day is Tuesday, March 25. The agriculture community will be taking part in festivities across the country to celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Chuck and Cindy will be in Washington D.C. Chuck is covering the National Ag Day Activities and Cindy the American Coalition for Ethanol Biofuels Beltway March. Whether big or small, we can all do something to recognize the contributions of farmers and ranchers to our nation. What will you do?

ZimmPoll

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

Breaking ZimmGlass News

Chuck Zimmerman

New ZimmGlass FramesI just got my new ZimmGlass frames with my prescription lenses installed! That’s news! These give me my full trifocal prescription, allow me to read the Glass screen and are transitions to boot. No need to worry about being out in the sun and wondering what to do. The old frames I had did have clip in sunglass lenses though.

This frame is very comfortable and I can see wearing these for extended periods of time when needed. I’ve already worn them inside and out and they transition very quickly. They also don’t have quite as much agnerdiness to them.

You can bet I’ll have these on during some upcoming shows and field days. Probably also on a beach bike ride, fishing trip, hunting trip, etc.

BTW. You’ve no doubt heard about some places not allowing Google Glass but have you heard about places trying to attract Glass wearers? It’s true. This hotel has their own pairs of Glass and are offering guests Glass Packages! I don’t think I’ve seen more pre-release publicity for a product since the iPhone was introduced.

Do you think these will be game changers in the mobile communications sector? Would you wear them?

Look for another exciting announcement about ZimmGlass coming up soon.

Technology

Farmers Present Case for Immigration Reform

Cindy Zimmerman

The Partnership for a New American Economy and the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform released a report Tuesday entitled “No Longer Home Grown: How Labor Shortages are Increasing America’s Reliance on Imported Fresh Produce and Slowing U.S. Economic Growth.”

The report found that the share of fresh fruits and vegetables imported and consumed by American families has grown by almost 80 percent in recent years and that while fresh produce consumption in the United States has grown, production levels have been near stagnant or declining.

pnae“American consumers want fresh U.S grown fruits and vegetables, but our farmers don’t have the labor force available to meet that demand,” said John Feinblatt, Chairman of the Partnership for a New American Economy. “We need to pass immigration reform now, so our food remains homegrown and our economy strong.”

American Farm Bureau FederationThe report is part of the #iFarmImmigration campaign launched last month by the American Farm Bureau Federation and more than 70 other agriculture organizations. “On the issue of farm labor, we have a growing amount of evidence that all points in the same direction: Farmers and consumers both need responsible immigration reform,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.

Four farmers representing different areas of the country appeared at the National Press Club Tuesday morning to talk about the report’s findings and present the “Farmers’ Case for Immigration Reform.”

immigration-farmThe panel included (left to right) Chalmers Carr from South Carolina, Mary Kraft of Colorado, Russell Boening of Texas, and Carlos Castaneda from California.

Russell, who is a state director with the Texas Farm Bureau, says the current H2A system doesn’t work. “On our operation – a full time farm, dairy, beef operation – it hasn’t worked for us at all because of needing full time workers,” he said. “We need some type of new worker visa program that would work for us who need full time people.”

Listen to or download comments each farmer made after the Press Club appearance:
Chalmers Carr – Titan Farms, South Carolina Mary Kraft - Badger Creek Farm and Quail Ridge Dairy, Colorado Russell Boening - Loma Vista Farms & Boening Brothers Dairy, Texas Carlos Castaneda – Castaneda & Sons, California
Photo album from Press Club event

AFBF, Ag Groups, Audio, labor