BASF Growing Today for Tomorrow

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-cc14-scholarsBASF Crop Protection is committed to growing the future of agriculture by investing in the next generation of professionals for the industry.

BASF this year has continued its partnership with the American Soybean Association (ASA), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the National Wheat Foundation (NWF) to present 10 students with scholarships today during the 2014 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas. The scholarships were awarded to students across the country who are pursuing degrees in agriculture.

Dr. Gary Fellows, BASF Manager for Plant Health and Seed Treatment, presented the awards to the students at the BASF exhibit in the Classic trade show. “We’re talking about the farm of the future and these kids are the ones that are going to run that farm,” said Gary. “If you saw their applications for these scholarships, there’s an excellent bunch of students here in all aspects of agriculture from communications, to science, to research, to practical agriculture. But what they all have in common is they are advocates for agriculture to the non-agriculture world.”

We will hear from all the different winners in posts to come, but you can find a list of them all here and see photos in the album linked below.

Listen to my interview with Gary here: Interview with Gary Fellows, BASF
BASF at the 2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Soybean, Wheat

2014 Commodity Classic Ribbon Cutting

Chuck Zimmerman

Commodity ClassicThe 2014 Commodity Classic ribbon has been cut and the trade show is open for business. The media had some quiet time with exhibitors prior to the general opening which is always nice for us to get some interviews completed.

So the ZimmComm team will be on the floor in sessions and the trade show over the next couple days. I have to move on to the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis this afternoon. So I’ll be seeing you from there.


2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Commodity Classic, Video

The Intern is Here!

Kristin Liska

Group PicWe made it to the 2014 Commodity Classic! I am Kristin Liska, the intern for this semester, and the one wearing purple on the right hand side. We all arrived safely in San Antonio, TX and are awaiting the rest of the team to join us. It has been an exciting week so far with attending pre-sessions with the Commodity Classic. This is my first year at the Commodity Classic, and my first time in media! So far I have learned a lot about what is all incorporated with interviewing, taking photos and getting to know other agriculture journalists and broadcasting. We are all looking forward to the rest of the week and what it all has in store.


2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Agribusiness, Commodity Classic

Opinion on Chipotle’s Farmed & Dangerous?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “If available, would you put E15 or E85 in your vehicle?”

Although for different reasons, the majority of you said you would use E15 or E85 in your personal vehicle if it was available. It seems the availability is the question. When will we see more stations carrying different blends of ethanol beyond the Midwest?

Our poll results:

  • Yes, if save money – 29%
  • Yes, supports USA – 31%
  • Maybe, need for info – 5%
  • No, have concerns – 14%
  • I already do – 21%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What do you think about Chipotle’s Farmed & Dangerous?”

Chipotle is at it again. It seems their is no limit to their extreme marketing tactics. Many in the agriculture community have voiced their opinions via social media and other online outlets. Has that made a difference? Are we preaching to the choir or are our words only reaching deaf ears?

ZimmPoll

BASF Shares Science Behind the Advanced Acre

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-cc-14This is the eighth year for the BASF Crop Protection Science Behind media event series held prior to the kickoff of the Commodity Classic and this year the theme is The Advanced Acre.

“The advanced acre is a comprehensive approach that BASF wants to take in its relationship with growers,” said Scott Kay, BASF Vice President for U.S. Crop Protection. “It’s a very good approach to start with the agronomics, talk to the growers about what they have going on on their farm and what they’re planning to do in the future.”

basf-cc14-scottScott is carrying a different title at BASF these days than the last few times we talked to him. He recently moved from the Canadian Crop Protection division of the company back to the United States, taking the place of Paul Rea who has gone global with BASF.

Scott is excited to be back in the North Carolina BASF headquarters and sharing with the U.S. ag media what BASF is doing to help growers get the most out of every acre. “BASF is very committed to agriculture,” said Scott. “We make up roughly six percent of the overall BASF business, yet we receive 35% of the overall R&D investment. That equates to about two million dollars every day.”

BASF now expects its crop protection R&D pipeline to achieve a peak sales potential of nearly €2.1 billion ($2.9 billion), an increase of €400 million over the past year, driven primarily by global demand for BASF’s new Xemium fungicide and Kixor herbicide. BASF also plans to launch a host of new products across a wide range of crops and markets until the end of the decade. Supported by favorable market trends, the R&D pipeline and continued investments will contribute to the Crop Protection division reaching its previously-announced sales target of €8 billion ($11 billion) by 2020.

Listen to my interview with Scott here: Interview with Scott Kay, BASF Listen to Scott’s Science Behind presentation here: BASF Science Behind with Scott Kay
BASF at the 2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Corn, Crop Protection

Another Record Setting Classic

Cindy Zimmerman

classic14-regAnother record-setting Commodity Classic is getting underway in San Antonio where corn, soybeans, sorghum, and wheat growers are gathering from around the country.

“At last count, we had over 6500 people and typically we pick up another 500 or so once we get here, so 7000 people is within reach,” said Classic Co-Chair Rob Elliott, an Illinois farmer on the board of the National Corn Growers Association. The trade show will be the biggest ever, but perhaps most significant, there are about 1100 first time attendees and the mood is very upbeat. “We’ve got a lot of young people attending who haven’t been to Classic before.”

classic14-elliottThe event officially kicks off with the opening reception tonight but there were lots of meetings going on with all the four organizations involved in the Classic. Rob was heading into the NCGA issues briefing when we caught up and he says one of the biggest policy concerns facing them now that the farm bill is done is protecting the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “Maybe we’ll have some impact on where EPA takes this thing yet,” said Elliott.

Listen to my interview with Rob here: Interview with Rob Elliott, Classic Co-Chair


2014 Commodity Classic Photos

Ag Groups, Audio, Commodity Classic, NCGA

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Solum Inc. announced it has changed its name to Granular Inc. and launched a new cloud business software and analytics offering for farmers.
  • BASF announced that Sercadis fungicide has received full U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration.
  • Elanco, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company announced an agreement to acquire Lohmann SE (Lohmann Animal Health), a privately-held company headquartered in Cuxhaven, Germany.
  • The Tuskegee University College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences (CAENS) has received $1.5 million to add research laboratories to the newly constructed Henderson Hall.
Zimfo Bytes

Syngenta Answers Grower Questions at NFMS

Jamie Johansen

nfms-14-matt-wellsThose who walked through the dynamic Syngenta booth during the National Farm Machinery Show were not disappointed. Producers were able to ask questions and get first-hand advice from Syngenta reps while taking in all the sights.

Chuck spoke with Matt Wells, a Syngenta Sale Representative in the central/eastern region of Kentucky, about what growers are asking and what advice they are giving.

Matt said they have had a lot of questions about resistance. Growers want to know what they can do to avoid herbicide resistance on their farms.

“At the same time they are looking at commodity prices and how they have changed over the last year. How are we going to make everything work? Let’s keep our fields clean, increase our yields and take advantage of going into 2014.”

In Matt’s territory he shared that they are introducing a few new soybean varieties for growers to take advantage of. There are also some new corn varieties that he is very excited about along with new technologies Syngenta is looking at doing some testing on in the coming year.

You can listen to the interview with Matt here: Interview with Matt Wells

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS, Syngenta, Video

Ag Interest in UAVs Really Taking Off

Jamie Johansen

nfms14-uavUnmanned Aerial Vehicles – call them UAVs or drones or just remote-controlled airplanes – have been around for decades, but using them for agricultural practices is just really starting to take off.

A good crowd showed up for a session on UAVs sponsored by Farm Industry magazine at the recent National Farm Machinery Show where University of Kentucky (UK) mechanical engineer Dr. Suzanne Smith was one of the presenters. The UK recently announced the formation of an Unmanned Systems Research Consortium (USRC) to advance unmanned aerial, ground and underwater systems, and to explore commercial applications for the technology in Kentucky.

nfms14-uav-uk“It’s faculty members from across the university,” says Smith. “From ag, ag engineering, forestry, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science – all working together to advance technologies – and we’re working with companies.”

She and other panelists entertained lots of questions from the audience at the NFMS which indicated a great deal of interest from farmers in using more advanced UAV technology. “It’s very exciting right now,” she said. “In the end it’s really time-saving and efficiency, and that’s what everybody is really looking for.”

Find out more in this interview: Interview with Suzanne Smith, University of Kentucky

2014 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS, Technology

Agribusiness Needs More Young People

Chuck Zimmerman

Inci DannenbergBringing new talent into an industry like agriculture and specifically a company like Bayer CropScience was a key theme that Inci Dannenberg wanted to discuss with ag media attending the 2014 Ag Issues Forum. I got to chat with her on my ZimmGlass. She is doing an interview with another ag journalist attending the Ag Issues Forum here in San Antonio.

bayer-issues-buttonInci says that there is a big need for more young scientists in the ag field to help companies like Bayer continue to bring innovation to the field in the future. What is troubling her is seeing a decrease in the U.S. of students interested in science, technology, engineering and math. She says we need more of that to be competitive globally.

Learn more about how Bayer CropScience is encouraging new talent to come into the industry in my conversation with Inci.

2014 Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Crop Science, Farming, Video