Superior Manufacturing Upgrades Grain Bin Unloading System

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, Grain

Screen Shot 2014-10-15 at 9.33.09 AMSuperior Manufacturing has redesigned its grain bin unloading system to increase reliability, efficiency and ease of use. It maintains unload speeds up to 6,000 bushels per hour, among the fastest in the industry, and its galvanized finish ensures excellent durability and long life.

The improved unloading system features a 9-inch, under-bin grain auger inside an 11-inch U-Trough. In a traditional system, the auger forces grain through a 10-inch tube. The grain gets compacted and pressed against the inside of the tube and is often damaged as a result. By comparison, the Superior U-Trough is gentler on the product because it has no sidewalls and there is more space between the auger and the trough. With its 11-inch diameter, the U-Trough also has greater capacity. And finally, bulk grain free flows over the auger for fast unloading speeds.

To increase efficiency, Superior has attached a 7-inch power sweep to the unload with new couplers that are pressure fit for secure connections. The sweep is equipped with an improved, sturdy back plate, and a redesigned drive wheel with a 16:1 gear ratio propels the sweep into the grain mass.

All of the system’s sumps are covered with rack-and-pinion gates that are fitted with roller bearings for easy opening and closing. If the center sump becomes plugged, users can access a next-to-center sump that opens independently of the other intermediate sumps. This makes the Superior unload much safer than other systems, where users would either have to enter the bin to unplug the center sump or find an alternative way to unload. In addition, the Superior system’s controls are located outside of the bin so they can be accessed easily without entering the bin. A removable top cover makes it easy to access the rack and pinion assembly.

An adjustable motor mount, which is equipped with an over-center lever, makes engaging the auger straightforward. Superior also added hinged discharge covers that can be quickly opened or closed without having to hassle with bolts or wing nuts. They can be latched open while unloading or closed during the winter to prevent rodents or blowing snow from gaining access.

Superior bins also feature the largest vents in the industry. The pre-punched roof vent panel and durable poly air vents keep moisture out while allowing air to flow. This keeps grain dry and helps preserve commodity integrity.

Superior farm bins provide unmatched strength and reliability from top to bottom and come with the industry’s only lifetime roof warranty. The hopper, farm and commercial bins range in storage capacity from 1,850 bushels to more than 790,000 bushels.

Crop Health Laboratories Presents Sap Analysis Seminar

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, agronomy, Genetics

Screen Shot 2014-10-14 at 1.31.05 PMAvailable for the first time in North America, Plant Sap Analysis is transforming the landscape of American agriculture. With proven success in Europe for over 10 years, this technology reveals nutrient deficiency four to six weeks before standard tissue analysis.

Crop Health Laboratories is hosting a Power Growers Seminar, November 7-8, 2014 in Santa Clara, inviting growers, researchers, and consultants to weigh in on the benefits of this new technology. Feature presenters include Sjoerd Smits and Maikel van de Ven of NovaCropControl, creators of the technology. The expedited technology provides lead time, allowing growers to proactively and quickly adjust fertilization strategies quickly.

Crop Health Laboratories is the exclusive distributor of Plant Sap Analysis in the United States, which represents a significant advance over current industry standards.

“Sap analysis carries the same diagnostic value of a blood sample,” explained Program Director Michelle Gregg. “The test provides a screenshot of nutrient content in the sap prior to metabolism by plant cells. Producers can anticipate crop needs and counter imbalance with fertility inputs before the plant expresses symptoms of deficiency.”

Smits and van de Ven of the Netherlands-based NovaCropControl, will discuss their team’s experience in pioneering the Plant Sap Analysis system and why this approach produces much more valuable results than tissue or soil tests alone. Growers will leave equipped with the science and data management knowledge that ensures success.

The seminar will include presentations from Smits and van de Ven, exclusive Q &A with consultants from Crop Health Laboratories, and evening networking opportunities with users of Plant Sap Analysis. The event will be held at The Biltmore in Santa Clara, CA. Tickets for the event in California are $325 through Oct. 15 and $350 thereafter. Registration is available online at www.crophealthlabs.com, by email info@crophealthlabs or call 800-495-7938.

Ag Sales Experts Join Verdesian Life Science

Joanna SchroederAgribusiness, Company Announcement, Nutrient Management

Verdesian Life Sciences LogoVerdesian Life Sciences has increased its sales staff with the hiring of four sales experts: Bob Bischoff, John Henize, Brad Meckle and Mark Seipel who will join Verdesian as regional sales managers. The new team members will help to drive sales growth and support relationships with key customers in the plant nutrition, seed treatment and inoculants product categories.

“As we continue to grow and attract new talent, we strive to keep the focus on our customers,” said Greg Thompson, chief operating officer for Verdesian. “The plant health and nutrition markets are rapidly expanding. Creating the perfect fit with our staff’s knowledge, product strengths and geographic needs allows us to build valuable relationships and better serve our customers.”

In addition, Randy Kegler is joining Verdesian as a technical sales representative serving as a specialist in the southeast for More Than Manure® (MTM®) Nutrient Manager.

“We are pleased to have Bob, John, Brad, Mark and Randy join our Verdesian sales team,” added Thompson. “They each bring unique perspectives and expertise from their wide-ranging experiences in the agriculture industry. We look forward to the value they will offer our customers.”

LBIS Takes Precision Ag to a New Level

Joanna SchroederAgribusiness, agronomy, Soil, Soil Sampling, Video

Science is fun. Let me explain. During the Vedesian Life Sciences Los Alamos Media Tour we learned about a cool soil sampling technology coined Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LBIS). In an attempt to not use to much technical jargon, LBIS is a focused pulse laser beam that generates a microplasma (think spec or dot). James Barefield LANLFrom here, the emission from the plasma wavelength uses a computer to determine the elemental breakdown of the soil sample. In other words, tells you what is in the soil (i.e. carbon, nitrogen, etc.).

It is sometimes difficult to get others, including farmers, excited about science. That’s why Verdisian brought reporters to Los Alamos National Lab to learn about the science behind some of the greatest ag technologies ever discovered.

I learned about the LBIS technology from James Barefield with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The lab develops technology for the U.S. military and then looks for ways to modify the technology for other uses such as agriculture. This is why Verdesian and LANL have such a long-term, strong relationship. Verdesian’s core technology, Take-Off was first developed by LANL.

This system lives in a backpack and connects to a computer. So lets say you are worried about carbon levels in your soil. A farmer can point the laser on different areas of soil in his/her field and the soil breakdown shows up on the computer instantaneously. The farmer can then use this data to help determine his/her carbon plan. And once you’ve activated the plan, recheck the soil samples to see if the plan is working.

Here is a quick video of how LBIS works.


So let’s recap. The LBIS can be used to analyze carbon soil in samples. The preliminary data on carbon indicates similar trends when using high and low resolution LBIS systems. If there are variations in carbon between plots this can be analyzed. From here additional analysis will be needed to obtain quantitative answers but the technology provides a quick start to understanding the carbon in your fields.

View the 2014 Verdesian Los Alamos Media Tour photo album.

Phoenix® Brand Seed Corn Introduced to West

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Corn, seed

advanta-logoSpecially selected Phoenix® brand corn hybrids will now be available from Advanta US Inc., for the 2015 planting season in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas.

For this initial growing season, Advanta will offer 18 Phoenix hybrids selected for the unique growing conditions of the Southwestern and Western markets. These hybrids are available with a variety of Agrisure® traits, including: Agrisure Viptera® and Agrisure Artesian® technology from Syngenta.

“As a High Plains company, we work hard to select high performance genetics for our customers. This extends our broad grain and forage sorghum portfolio to include corn hybrids for the unique environments of the Southwestern and Western areas,” said Steve Ligon, North American business director for Advanta.

Based in Amarillo, Texas, Advanta is a leading international supplier of proprietary crop genetics and seed.

Farm to School & Cooperative Efforts

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Education, Farmers

iyffIn celebration of the United Nations’ 2014 International Year of Family Farming, this month National Farmers Union (NFU) is highlighting the importance of family farmers and local communities, as well as some of the tools available to help family farmers increase their economic footprint and clout. A great deal of emphasis is placed this month on cooperatives and farm to school efforts, as October is also both Farm to School Month and Cooperative Month.

“Family farmers are the engines that drive rural America, pumping millions of dollars into local communities as they purchase the inputs they need for their farms,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.

Johnson noted that as a result, farm output continues to rise, with market values of crops, livestock and agriculture products reaching record highs in 2012. According to the recent Census of Agriculture, 87 percent of U.S. farms are owned by families or individuals, and in 2012, there were 2.1 million farms in the U.S, with an average farm size of 418 acres. But according to that same census, those numbers of farms are falling, down more than four percent from 2007, while the average farm size has continued to grow.

“Clearly, NFU has a role to play in ensuring that family farmers remain competitive and productive in the ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment they operate in.” Johnson explained that one of the best tools available to family farmers to pool their resources and multiply both their buying and selling powers is through their involvement in farm cooperatives.

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Join the Farming Conversation on BeckAgConnects

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Education, USFRA

Screen Shot 2014-10-13 at 3.07.20 PMIn agriculture, we see a lot of pushback from consumers who are more and more removed from the farm. If you’ve not put yourself out there as an agricultural advocate, it might seem intimidating. What do you say about growth hormones or GMOs or pesticides? How do you get started?

To address this challenge, USFRA and Beck Ag collaborated to create an online forum for folks in agriculture to share their experiences, ideas and challenges in a secure community without noise and chatter from non-ag audiences. BeckAgConnects is an online community strictly for those who work in the agricultural industry. Almost 16,000 farmers, ranchers, retailers, consultants and other ag professionals currently participate in this unique environment to share information and ideas.

BeckAgConnects will launch the I AM FARMLAND Forum in October, corresponding to the digital release of “FARMLAND,” the film. The forum will feature one-on-one interviews and Q&A discussions with the farmers and ranchers featured in the film. In addition, you can pick up tips and ideas for how to share agriculture’s story with consumers and ways to encourage those not directly involved in agriculture to view the film.

We encourage you to join the conversation and help spread the message about “FARMLAND”, the film, which accurately depicts life as an American farmer and rancher. Stick around to learn about advocating for agriculture and share your own experiences. And because it’s on BeckAgConnects, rest assured that your discussions are among others who care about ag as much as you do.

Kubota Introduces M7-Series Tractor Line

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, Tractor

KubotaFrom the floor of its 2014 Dealer Meeting in Nashville, Kubota Tractor Corporation introduced its M7-Series tractor line, three new mid-range tractors in the 130 to 170 horsepower range. This is the largest horsepower offering for Kubota in its tractor line-up to date.

“With the Kubota M7, we’ve set in motion a strategy for full-scale entry into new markets, setting our sights on commercial livestock and row-crop production customers, and readying Kubota to compete with other big players in the field,” said Todd Stucke, Kubota vice president, agriculture and turf division. “The M7’s ease of operation, technological advances and overall comfort factor will make it a top choice for hay producers as well.”

The introduction of the M7-Series, which will be made available to customers in select markets by the second half of 2015, was one of several key product announcements made at the Kubota Dealer Meeting, where nearly 4,000 dealers and staff from across North America are expected this week.

“Kubota has established a well-respected name for itself in the industry over the last four decades. As we move in to a new era for the company, we continue to build on the strength of the Kubota brand and grow our business into new segments,” said Mr. Masato Yoshikawa, president and CEO, Kubota Tractor Corporation. “Kubota products will serve more customer segments, across more markets than ever before. And as we offer customers more choices, we also remain committed to supporting our dealers so that they may provide their customers with the rewarding experiences Kubota is known for delivering.”

AEM Confident Despite Farm Equipment Sales Drop

Cindy ZimmermanAEM, Audio, Equipment

aemFarm equipment sales are down significantly this year, but the head of the Association of Equipment Manufacturer‘s Ag Sector remains optimistic about the industry.

“We’re in the business of feeding and harvesting food and you need equipment to do that,” says Charlie O’Brien, AEM Senior Vice President and Ag Sector Lead. “Even though the numbers for this year are down, we’re still going to have a very good year – probably one of the top ten years we’ve had.”

aem-obrienAccording to AEM, sales of 4 wheel drive farm tractors and combines are down 15 and 17 percent respectively so far this year. But O’Brien says some categories are increasing. “Smaller horse power tractors, under 40 horsepower, are up 8.7 percent and horsepower at 40-100 are up seven percent,” said O’Brien, noting that the dairy sector is purchasing equipment with the higher price of milk.

Lower commodity prices are the main reason for the drop off in sales this year, but O’Brien says farmers are still carrying strong balance sheets from previous years and there is always a need for increased productivity and efficiency. “We continue to need the technology that our equipment offers,” he said.

O’Brien adds that they are also optimistic that the Section 179 deduction and bonus depreciation will be reinstated providing farmers the incentive to purchase new equipment.

Listen to O’Brien discuss more reasons not to panic about lower farm equipment sales this year: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/AEM/aem-obrien.mp3″ text=”Interview with Charlie O’Brien, Association of Equipment Manufacturers”]

2015 Plenish® High Oleic Soy IP Contract Program

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Dupont Pioneer, Soybeans

Screen Shot 2014-10-10 at 1.45.49 PMDuPont Pioneer and Cargill announced that they will work with farmers near Cargill’s facility in Sidney, Ohio, to grow Pioneer® brand soybeans with the Plenish® high oleic trait in 2015.

Cargill will contract with soybean farmers in the Sidney, Ohio, area to grow Plenish® high oleic soybeans that will be delivered to a participating elevator or directly to Cargill for processing. Growers will be eligible for a processor-paid incentive for producing and delivering high oleic soybeans. Industry interest in Plenish® high oleic soybean oil from food and industrial product companies is growing and Cargill’s involvement in the 2015 contract program will provide even greater market momentum.

“Ohio soybean growers have always been innovators in adopting new technology to add value to their soybean production,” said Randy Minton, DuPont Pioneer business director. “This 2015 Plenish® high oleic soybean contracting program with Cargill will provide an opportunity for growers to earn more income per bushel and strengthen long-term market demand for the soybean industry.”

“The demands of the global marketplace require constant innovation,” said Jeff Kazin, vice president of oils trading for Cargill. “The Plenish® high oleic soybean program aligns with Cargill’s stated goal of helping farmers prosper and providing innovative solutions for our food customers. We look forward to working with DuPont Pioneer to better serve the total supply chain, from farmers to consumers, to create greater value for all.”

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