New Holland is expanding – their disk drill size that is. New Holland disk drills are now available in 50- and 60- foot widths. This allows farmers to become more productive and get the seed in the ground.
At the Commodity Classic, Chuck talked with New Holland’s Jason Hardy about the different disk drills and how they benefit the farmer. Learn more in the video below.
Hello from Memphis, TN. While the rest of the ZimmComm Team continues our annual coverage of the Commodity Classic I’m attending my first ever Mid-South Farm & Gin Show.
We’ve got a big crowd at the Cook Convention Center. I’m collecting some interviews to share of course so expect more from Memphis over the coming days mixed in with lots from Commodity Classic.
Yes, I have photos:
2014 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show Photo Album
He’s been a regular fixture at Commodity Classic, with this year his fifth appearance at the annual gathering of corn, wheat, soybean and sorghum growers. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s message to those gathered in San Antonio at this morning’s general session was how thankful he is for many things.
“It is awfully nice to come here today to talk about the PASSAGE of a Farm Bill, as opposed the need for a Farm Bill,” adding that commodity groups, such as those gathered in front of him, made the new law a reality. Vilsack said we don’t thank farmers enough for the work they do, especially considering how vital they are in the food, energy and economic security America enjoys. In return, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is charged with making sure the implementation of the Farm Bill translates into hope for all farmers, old and new alike. “Our Farm Bill, which you helped pass, for me creates a hopeful set of opportunities and rewards, and will invest in innovation.”
Looking forward, Vilsack said they want to continue the new trend of more young farmers coming back to rural America, especially encouraging minorities, women and returning military veterans to take up what has become again a strong industry. He also outlined how USDA would approach some of the new programs in the Farm Bill and how his agency would provide knowledge and flexibility to producers so they can get the most out of it and manage risks responsibly.
During the session and in a separate news conference, Vilsack talked about the importance of biofuels made from American agricultural products and how those products should be marketed to the world. “We think the world is ready for American biofuel,” he said.
The Secretary concluded saying the rest of the country needs to better understand just how important farmers are and how their value system makes America stronger. He said because of the great responsibility our producers, who make up such a small percentage of the country, take in making sure there’s a safe and plentiful food supply allows everyone else to have more free time to pursue other opportunities, such as being a lawyer or a doctor or a plumber or anything else someone wants to become in this country.
“The great flexibility, the great freedom, the great liberty that we enjoy in this country to be whatever we want to be starts with a fact that we have a strong enough agriculture … it’s because of you.”
Transcript of speech
This year at the Commodity Classic, New Holland continued the tradition of giving away a piece of farm equipment. A lucky Classic attendee was able to walk away with a Workmaster 35.
This year, numerous people were around the New Holland booth to listen if they would become the lucky winners, and a couple of names were called before Byron Gearhart of Ohio won, since you had to be present to win. You can see how excited and shocked he was to win his new Workmaster 35 from New Holland equipment in the video below. You can also see adorable little Brody from Kentucky who was this year’s drawing assistant.
Listen to the interview with Byron here and watch it below: Interview with New Holland Workmaster Winner
NAFB Past President, Jack Crowner, passed away this week. Jack was a veteran of over 45 years in Farm Broadcasting, owning and operating the FARM SERVICE RADIO NETWORK, serving radio stations in Kentucky, Indiana, and other states, providing farm news and information daily over local rural radio stations that provide necessary farm and market information to their listeners. Jack served as Farm Director for WAVE stations in Louisville, WMT stations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and television stations in Evansville, Indiana and Lexington, Kentucky for over 30 years. He also served as the Executive Secretary of the Kentucky Beef Cattle Association from 1977 to 1981. Jack was also Senior Farm Director for WHAS-Radio and for the Kentucky News Network.
Jack served as announcer for the National Farm Machinery Show, Kentucky State Fair, North American International Livestock Expo and was the only auctioneer of the Grand Champion country ham at the Kentucky State Fair since the auction’s beginning in 1964. Jack served for 20 years as a Director for Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company and also served as the Public Director of Farm Credit Services of Mid-America, including the states of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. Jack is survived by his wife, Sue, three children and five grandchildren.
Current NAFB President, Janet Adkison, paid tribute to Jack during her remarks at the general session of Commodity Classic.
Listen to more of Janet’s remarks here: NAFB President, Janet Adkison
An idea that started back when he was just an elementary school student has led a Tennessee high schooler to picking up a substantial scholarship that he says will help him further his own energy business. Caleb Brannon of Puryear, Tenn. was selected as the recipient of the 2014-2015 ASA Secure Optimal Yield (SOY) Scholarship, a $5,000 award presented to an outstanding high school senior who has achieved high academic and leadership requirements, and is planning to pursue a degree in an agriculture-related field at an accredited college or university.
“I’m really thankful to the American Soybean Association and BASF who were so generous in this scholarship,” he says. Brannon, a senior at Calloway County High School, will pursue a degree in agricultural business at Murray State University, Murray, Ky. beginning this fall. He already has his very own business, Brannon Agri-Energy, a company focusing on cellulosic ethanol that he actually thought up way back in the fifth grade!
“Our family farm was in a partnership with the University of Tennessee to grow switchgrass in a pilot program to be bailed and put in a coal-fired plant [in Alabama].” While other area farmers gave up after a few years, it led Brannon to researching other crops for what is now his cellulosic ethanol business, finding his own markets.
He adds that the scholarship money will free up what he would have spent on college to invest back into his business. But he says this is more than just his future; it’s the Nation’s future.
“I want to help our country become just a little bit more energy independent. That’s really important to me.”
Listen to an interview with Brannon here: Interview with BASF SOY Scholarship Winner
Members of the National Corn Growers Association are at Commodity Classic in full force this year, as part the more than 7,000+ corn, wheat, soybean and sorghum growers who have come to San Antonio. President of NCGA, Martin Barbre, a farmer from Illinois, outlined some of his group’s priorities in this coming year, including their work with a couple of partnerships, the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food and the Soil Health Partnership.
“The goal of the [Coalition for Safe Affordable Food] is to seek a federal solution that would establish standards for the safety and labeling of food and beverage and products made with biotech ingredients,” pointing out that GMO issues have been hot in the last few years, and a hodge podge of state regulations would only cloud the issue for producers and consumers. “If we get a myriad, a patchwork of state laws, how would I as a corn grower in Illinois if I’m shipping corn out to Indiana or down the Mississippi certify [my crop].”
The Soil Health Partnership has the support of Monsanto and the Walton Family Foundation and relies on a science advisory council made up of government and university experts as well as environmental groups. “These are just examples of many of the coalitions we’ve been able to work on.”
Another big topic for the corn growers is the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), particularly what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to reduce the amount of corn-based ethanol to be mixed into the Nation’s fuel supply. Barbre said he’s proud of the outpouring of support his NCGA members have given in the form of thousands of calls and letters to the EPA and White House to reverse what they see as bad proposal.
“We’ve done our part so far. It’s an uphill battle, but we’ll keep our pressure on the Administration,” he said.
The new Farm Bill was welcomed by the NCGA, with Barbre calling it a law that makes sense, focusing help for growers when they need it, helping conservation efforts, saving taxpayers’ dollars and feeding the hungry.
Listen to more of Barbre’s remarks here: NCGA Press Conference with Martin Barbre
In its second year, the Jerry Minore Memorial Scholarship fund honors students pursuing careers in the agriculture industry. A total of four students will be awarded a $1,000 or $1,500 scholarship.
As a BASF Senior Market Manager, Minore was a liaison to the wheat industry, including the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the Foundation, and an advocate for wheat growers, who passed away unexpectedly in February 2012. To honor his advocacy for the wheat industry, BASF partnered with NAWG to fund the scholarships.
“We are pleased to partner with BASF on something that was important to Jerry,” said NWF Chairman Jimmie Musick. “This scholarship is a great way to support youth who express interest in the wheat industry and also continue to honor Jerry’s legacy.”
Lee Moore of Red Springs, North Carolina – a freshman at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, studying agricultural business management.
Trey Heitschmidt of Bushton, Kansas – will be attending Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, in the fall of 2014 and plans on studying agronomy.
Heidi Jamison of Garfield, Washington – a sophomore at the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, studying agribusiness.
Max Mielke of Davenport, Washington – will be attending Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, in the fall of 2014 and plans on studying agricultural economics.
Meet the 2014 winners in this interview: Interview with BASF Wheat Scholarship Winners
BASF at the 2014 Commodity Classic Photos
Kaleb Lindquist, Ag Leader software specialist, recently joined ZimmComm’s Cindy Zimmerman at the National Farm Machinery Show to talk about water management.
“SMS Advanced from Ag Leader allows for directional flow arrows, elevation, slope, water shed mapping and printing,” says Lindquist. “There’s also a water management module that can create a tile plan so growers know if it will be enough tile to drain their fields.
“A lot of growers don’t know this kind of software is available, but it’s extremely user-friendly and once they see it, they realize how much it can help them in their operation.”
Lindquist says you can only do tile once, and it needs to be right the first time. Growers can make their initial investment back in less than a couple hundred feet of tile run.
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