How @GROWMARK Stays Ahead of the Precision Curve

Cindy Zimmermanagronomy, Audio, drone, FS System, Growmark, InfoAg, technology

growmark-parksIt’s kind of redundant these days to say “precision farming” since the vast majority of farmers now have adopted some type of precision technology on their operations. But GROWMARK and FS Services have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to new technology and bringing their customers what’s next.

“We really started in the precision emphasis back in the 1990s…so our companies have really been involved for over 20 years now,” said GROWMARK Agronomy Information Services Manager Sid Parks. He says they use On Farm Discovery to evaluate the latest products, technology and management techniques to learn what works and what doesn’t.

One of the newest areas for evaluation is Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones and how they might benefit farming operations. “We have a couple different versions of UAVs that we’re out testing and trying to evaluate potential applications,” said Parks. “Getting it up in the air and flying it is the easy part, it’s getting the information back and turning it around into some sort of a decision-making process.”

Parks will be attending the upcoming InfoAg Conference in St. Louis along with several FS member company representatives to take a look at what is coming down the pipeline. “We’re there to meet with potential vendors and customers and understand some of the presentations that will be going on,” said Parks. “We will use that conference as a way to glean through some of the offerings that might be out there and if there is a fit maybe we can incorporate that into our product offerings as well.”

Listen to my interview with Sid here – and be sure to check out our coverage of the InfoAg Conference July 28-30, sponsored in part by GROWMARK. [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/growmark-july15-parks.mp3″ text=”Interview with Sid Parks, GROWMARK”]

Setting Record Straight on Anti-GMO Distortions

John DavisGMO, Government

CSAFThe House Agriculture Committee is trying to set the record straight after some deliberate distortions by anti-GMO activists. According to the Coalition For Safe Affordable Food, the committee issued guidance on the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act that definitively declares that this bipartisan legislation creates a uniform, science-based labeling standard for foods produced using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) without infringing upon the right of state and local governments to regulate agricultural production within their jurisdictions. This is a direct repudiation of claims to the contrary made by anti-GMO activists in recent days.

Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson stated, “A centerpiece of H.R. 1599 ‘The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015,’ authored by Representatives Pompeo and Butterfield and cosponsored by 106 members including ourselves, is to avoid the patchwork of state laws dealing with biotech food labeling. The bill that the House of Representatives will soon consider provides preemption solely for food use and labeling. The preemption provision does not delve into areas beyond this —such as cultivation of crops.”

In particular, the Just Label It campaign, the Environmental Working Group and the Center for Food Safety have been pushing an unfounded narrative that is either intentionally dishonest or remarkably uninformed. Spokespeople for these groups have made statements that have resulted in inaccurate reporting.

“It is unfortunate that groups that claim the mantle of consumer advocacy would employ tactics that do nothing but undermine the public discourse,” said Claire Parker, spokesperson for the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food.

The bill also gives those who choose to buy non-GMO foods a reliable means of doing so through a USDA GMO-free certification program, a program based on the popular National Organics Program. Consumers have ready and able access to organic products, so too will they have the consistent capacity to buy GMO-free foods.

Kinze Commemorates 50 Years of Innovation

John DavisAgribusiness, Equipment, Kinze

KinzeWhat started 50 years ago in a small welding shop in Ladora, Iowa, has grown into a half-century of innovation, as Kinze Manufacturing celebrates how the company has grown into a recognized technology leader and innovator of planters for row-crop production and grain auger carts.

kinzedisplay1Kinze Manufacturing recognized its milestone anniversary with an open-to-the-public exhibit of [founder] Jon Kinzenbaw’s collection of vintage farm equipment. A selection of the historic equipment is on display in front of the Kinze Innovation Center and will remain in place for a majority of the summer.

History of Innovation
With only $25 in his pocket and a small bank loan, Kinzenbaw opened his own welding shop in Ladora, Iowa in 1965. Everyone who knew him could see that he had a gift for fixing things, but no one could have predicted his welding business would one day grow into one of the largest privately held agricultural equipment manufacturers in North America.

The first product Kinzenbaw manufactured and sold was a 13-knife, 30-foot anhydrous ammonia application toolbar. His first patent was for a high-clearance, variable-width moldboard plow. In 1971, Kinze introduced their first 435-bushel two-wheel grain auger cart. This design set a new higher standard for speed and performance in grain handling. In 1975, it was the urging of local farmers, who wondered why a planter couldn’t be “folded up” that inspired Kinzenbaw to develop the first rear-fold planter. “There is nothing more powerful than a satisfied customer. That first rear-fold planter we built sold 20 more. Those next 20 sold an additional 80. And that’s the way it happens,” said Kinzenbaw.

As the business grew, Kinze Kinze moved in 1976 to its current location in Williamsburg, Iowa, where the company has continued to be a leader with a number of industry “firsts,” including manufacturing the world’s first commercially available electric drive, multi-hybrid planter.

Farmers Who Grow Enogen Corn for Ethanol to Get Rebates

John DavisAgribusiness, Corn, Ethanol, Syngenta

syngentaGrowers of Syngenta‘s Enogen corn, especially designed for ethanol production, will get rebates on some of their agricultural equipment. Chief Agri/Industrial Division will provide Enogen corn growers rebates on grain bins and other equipment.

A growing demand for high ethanol-yielding grain is creating the potential for corn growers to increase their income per acre. Earlier this year, Syngenta introduced the Ethanol Grain Quality Solution (EGQS), an initiative that includes agronomic protocols and best practices specifically designed to contribute to higher yields, improved grain quality and more ethanol per bushel.

“Grain quality requires attention to detail,” said Roger Townsend, President of Chief Agri/Industrial Division. “The goal should be to minimize quality deterioration at each step of production and during postharvest. We look forward to working with Enogen growers to help them maximize grain quality and return on investment.”

“Corn is the single biggest input cost for an ethanol plant, and ethanol yield per bushel is one of the biggest drivers of plant profitability,” said Guy Hartwig, head of Enogen grain operations at Syngenta. “Increasingly, ethanol plants are seeking not just clean, dry corn with little or no damage and foreign material, but also grain with quality characteristics that can maximize ethanol production per bushel, including more accessible starch. Chief’s industry-leading grain-handling technology and best-in-class customer service will help Enogen growers maximize profitability, while helping to support the ethanol industry.”

Chief’s stiffened bins have a great reputation for superior strength, durability and ease of installation. Greater access to technology and expertise from Chief will enable Enogen growers to provide ethanol plants with more high-quality corn.

Monsanto Opens Wheat Technology Center

John DavisAgribusiness, Monsanto, Research, wheat

monsanto1A new center is promising to bring together people and processes to drive innovation in wheat breeding. This news release from Monsanto says the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Filer, Idaho, for the grand opening of Monsanto’s Wheat Technology Center, which will serve as the company’s core U.S. wheat breeding R&D facility.

“The Wheat Technology Center gathers some of the nation’s top wheat researchers to maximize sharing and collaboration,” said Kristin Schneider, Monsanto’s global wheat breeding lead. “From a breeding perspective, this will help us respond more quickly and efficiently to some of the challenges wheat growers face on their farms.”

Monsanto’s wheat program breeds and commercializes varieties in the major classes of wheat and has a network of hundreds of seed suppliers. In addition to a broad presence with its licensed WestBred Wheat brand in the West, Monsanto also licenses varieties to seed companies in the eastern United States. Schneider said increasing breeding efficiency will help bring wheat varieties to market with potential for increased genetic gain.

The Wheat Technology Center expansion includes a facility for wheat seed cleaning, trial preparation and seed storage, as well as two new greenhouse facilities with an additional 14,000 square feet of growing space and enhanced laboratory space. The expansion added 17 full-time employees and more than 20 contract seasonal positions at the Filer site, making it the company’s second largest in the state. Monsanto has approximately 1,000 full-time employees in Idaho.

“This is a big day in fostering research and development for agriculture, the wheat industry, and Idaho’s Magic Valley,” said Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little. “Monsanto’s Wheat Technology Center adds to an already fast-growing, world-class cluster of food science and food industry research sites in the Twin Falls area.”

Iteris Awarded Patents for ClearAg Harvest Advisory Services

Talia GoesAgribusiness, Iteris, technology, weather

iterisIteris, Inc., a leader in providing information solutions to the transportation and agriculture markets, has announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded five patents for key harvesting technologies that make up Iteris’ industry-leading precision farming platform, ClearAg™. The five patents are directly related to ClearAg’s Harvest Advisory Services, which are available to agribusinesses and growers globally through ClearAg application programming interfaces (APIs), the ClearAg Visualization Components suite, and the ClearAg Mobile App.

ClearAg’s harvest-time decision support capabilities help producers assess the financial impacts that weather, water, soil and crop health conditions can have on farming and harvesting operations. The patented technology guides agribusinesses and growers making harvest-related decisions that consider plant wetness and seed moisture. Specifically, the patented technology provides guidance for efficient use of desiccants and helps in the optimization of in-field and fuel-based drying of agricultural commodities.

“The ClearAg Harvest Advisors help maximize yield and capture operational efficiencies by providing real-time crop analysis information in the context of historical norms,” said Tom Blair, senior vice president of Iteris’ Performance Analytics Division. “Harvest operations require timely decisions regarding the application of desiccants and the determination of an optimal harvest window based upon crop moisture content and growth stage. Agribusinesses and growers alike can utilize ClearAg to achieve critical decision support on a global basis for the upcoming harvest season.”

ClearAg leverages Iteris’ global precision weather and soil content with the power of agronomic models to address complex agricultural challenges. The ClearAg decision support advisory services for precision agriculture, such as the Harvest Advisors, are based upon ClearAg’s precision weather capabilities, and its proprietary Land Surface Modeling technologies as well as Iteris’ EMPower™ adaptive forecasting engine. As new information becomes available, the ClearAg system adapts to provide the most accurate, location-based information available on a worldwide basis. ClearAg’s patented technologies combine global, multi-sensor weather analyses, ensemble-based weather forecasting, customized soil modeling, crop growth modeling capabilities, and a staff of expert meteorologists to create what we believe to be the most accurate, science-based environmental information available.

Read Full Release Here.

Pinnacle Acquires NH3 Service Company

John DavisAgribusiness

pinnaclePinnacle Agriculture Holdings has acquired California-based NH3 Service Company. This company news release says the new locations will be full-service agricultural input retailers providing sustainable crop protection products, crop nutrition, and precision agriculture services.

Performance Agriculture’s newest locations will remain at 945 Johnson Avenue, Salinas, California 93901, with two Salinas satellite operations located at 1110 Harkins Road and 21915 Rosehart Way. Three additional locations will remain at 41933 El Camino Real, Greenfield, California 93927; 2790 Buena Vista Road, Hollister, California 95023; and 2626 E. 14th Street, Yuma, Arizona 85365. All locations will remain under the direction of Jim Lipe, former President and CEO of NH3 Service Company, and all employees at each of NH3 Service Company’s locations will retain their current positions under the new ownership.

“We are truly excited to be a part of Performance Agriculture. Our customers, employees, and suppliers are very important to us, so we naturally wanted to ensure that they continue to experience the same level of service and integrity upon which NH3 Service Company was built,” said Jim Lipe. “My brother, Bill, and I would like to thank our customers and employees for allowing us to carry on our father’s legacy. We know he would truly be proud. Performance Agriculture is a perfect fit, and this union will enhance the selection and availability of products and innovative solutions that we bring to our customers for successful crop production. The Salinas Valley enjoys year-round farming with the most dynamic and diverse crops. We are proud to align with a team that is committed to grower success and helping ensure the most return on growers’ investments throughout the year.”

“The Salinas Valley continues to be one of the top fresh vegetable producing areas in the world, and we are delighted with the opportunity to build lasting partnerships with area growers,” said Jason White, President of Performance Agriculture. “We are confident that the growers NH3Service Company has served so well will experience a seamless transition and will continue to receive the excellent service and product offerings they have come to know over the past 77 years.”

NH3 Service Company is Pinnacle’s eighth acquisition of 2015.

ScoutPro Offers Enhanced Apps Free for a Year

John DavisAgribusiness, Apps, Corn, Soybeans

scoutproScoutPro has released some enhanced versions of the company’s grower applications. And this company news release says growers will have free access to those, including ScoutPro Grower – Corn and ScoutPro Grower – Soy, for one year.

Since 2011, ScoutPro has dedicated its work to providing innovative agricultural apps that are designed to save agricultural professionals time while also providing the highest degree of accuracy. The company now offers one of the most effective and advanced platforms to help farmers and other ag professionals approach scouting crops with ease. Using ScoutPro apps, agriculture industry professionals have access to real-time, field-specific scouting reports, increased accuracy in identification and reporting through GPS coordinates, and archived data to make more informed crop decisions in current and future planting seasons.

Using an iPad, ag professionals are able to access and utilize the native app’s full functionality without an internet connection. This benefit allows the user the ability to continue using the app even in the most rural locations. The app’s ease of use and its ability to assist with accurate identification of weeds, insects, diseases, and crop disorders, has caught the attention of the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Soybean Association, and crop scouts as far away as New Zealand.

“We are eager for ag professionals to get this version of the app on their mobile devices,” said founder Michael Koenig. “The technology used by ScoutPro is unlike any other and is guaranteed to enhance the crop scouting process while also providing accuracy, consistency, and accountability.”

More information is available at www.scoutpro.org.

New Conservation Incentives Offered for Grass, Pastures

John DavisAgribusiness, Conservation, CRP, Government, USDA

usda-logoThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering new conservation incentives for working grasslands, rangeland and pastureland. This news release says the areas will still be able to be maintained as livestock grazing lands.

The CRP-Grasslands initiative will provide participants who establish long-term, resource-conserving covers with annual rental payments up to 75 percent of the grazing value of the land. Cost-share assistance also is available for up to 50 percent of the covers and other practices, such as cross fencing to support rotational grazing or improving pasture cover to benefit pollinators or other wildlife. Participants may still conduct common grazing practices, produce hay, mow, or harvest for seed production, conduct fire rehabilitation, and construct firebreaks and fences.

“A record 400 million acres and 600,000 producers and landowners are currently enrolled in USDA’s conservation programs. The Conservation Reserve Program has been one of the most successful conservation programs in the history of the country, and we are pleased to begin these grasslands incentives as we celebrate the program’s 30th year,” said [Agriculture Secretary Tom] Vilsack. “This is another great example of how agricultural production can work hand in hand with efforts to improve the environment and increase wildlife habitat.”

The initiative is part of the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a federally funded program that for 30 years has assisted agricultural producers with the cost of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain grasses, shrubs and trees to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. The Farm Service Agency will accept applications on an ongoing basis beginning Sept. 1, 2015.

New Company Vivid Life Sciences to Add Value to Crops

John DavisAgribusiness

vividA new company is promising to bring technologies that will add value to farmers’ crops. This news release from Vivid Life Sciences says the company will focus on advanced nutritionals, biologicals and enhancement technologies that increase crop yields and improve farmers’ economic returns.

“With tighter constraints and escalating populations, producing enough food will continue to be the biggest challenge growers face in the years to come,” says the company’s CEO Josh Krenz. “Vivid Life Sciences is searching the globe and vetting technologies that can offer relevant and practical solutions to match growers’ needs in North America.”

Initially, Vivid Life Sciences is leveraging the expertise and technology from its sister company, Agrichem Australia. Since 1986, Agrichem has offered an extensive range of specialty liquid fertilizers, soluble solids, plant health formulas and adjuvants for growers in Australia and internationally. Vivid Life Sciences is actively developing partnerships with other international technology companies.

Vivid Life Sciences will license IP-protected products and technologies to agricultural partners and distributors in the U.S. and Canada. Vivid Life Sciences will conduct product research trials in North America and provide product training and support for its licensed partners.

“By bringing brighter ideas in plant performance, we’re helping our ag retail customers add life to their product portfolios and ultimately helping growers reach their potential and achieve greater yields,” says Krenz.