The American Soybean Association (ASA) wants to hear your story about conservation. Farmers willing to share their stories about how conservation is a part of daily farm operations have a chance to be the next winner of the Conservation Legacy Award. The program is designed to showcase farm management practices of U.S. soybean producers that are both sustainable and profitable. … Read More
Buffer Crops Good Soil Runoff Strategy
University of Missouri researchers, focused on reducing soil and nutrient loss and runoff from agricultural fields, have found that using buffers between crops and trees both reduces soil runoff and maintains good growing conditions. Runoff, when fertilizer and pesticides are washed downstream, has been in the news lately as linked to “dead” areas in the Gulf of Mexico where high … Read More
BRANDT to Acquire Assets of TRAGUSA
Illinois-based BRANDT, an agriculture retailer and manufacturer of specialty agriculture products, has acquired the assets of Tratamientos Guadalquivir S.A. (TRAGUSA) under its subsidiary BRANDT Europe, S.L. TRAGUSA, based in Carmona, Spain. TRAGUSA manufactures, distributes and sells specialty fertilizers, adjuvants and a full line of crop protection and plant nutrition products. BRANDT says the acquisition, the second in 2016, will give … Read More
Nebraska a Biobased Industry Leader
Nebraska is ramping up its bio-based partnerships. According to a recent Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), bioscience companies employ more than 16,000 people in the state with the industry growing at a faster pace than the national average. For instance, several global and national companies are already located in Nebraska, including: NatureWorks (corn-based plastics), Novozymes (enzyme technology), Purac (lactic … Read More
Book Review – Coolbean The Soybean
Ahhh…Spring is here and planting has begun and it’s a perfect time for kids to meet Coolbean. This week I read “Coolbean The Soybean,” by Shawn Conley, Ph.D. who is the state soybean specialist, aka agronomist, at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Who better to write a book about the life of a soybean from seed to seed. Coolbean … Read More
Thirsty Land Debuts To Positive Response
As a hush came over the theater and the lights went down for the opening scene of the documentary Thirsty Land, the sound of rain pounding on the roof served as background noise. A bit ironic. Especially in light of meeting a community in California that has run out of water. Thirsty Land, directed and produced by Conrad Weaver, focuses … Read More
Small Farmers Show Concern Over FSMA Regs
In 2011, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was introduced by the FDA. The program serves as a new method of regulating the growth, harvesting, and processing of agricultural goods. While the aim of this new regulatory system is to increase food safety and reduce the prevalence of foodborne illness, there are some aspects that have become a burden on … Read More
GROWMARK Leader in #Propane Use Expansion
Propane continues to expand into new areas from grain drying to new irrigation engines. To learn more about propane, Cindy Zimmerman spoke with Becky Hornblower, GROWMARK’s propane marketing and technical services manager, to get a handle on all things propane including its expanded use in agriculture. As the forth largest propane retailer in the country, they have quite a member … Read More
Book Review: Planters & Cultivators with Casey & Friends
Casey & friends are back just in time for spring planting. In this just released book, Planters & Cultivators, by Holly Dufek and the 4th in the series, Casey and her lively friend Tillus the worm teach kids how to plant seeds and the importance of soil health. The CASE IH cartoon equipment characters are very content at Happy Skies … Read More