USDA Finalizes Conservation Easement Program Rule

Cindy ZimmermanConservation, Government, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a final rule on the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which was created in the 2014 Farm Bill to consolidate provisions in three previous conservation easement programs. The rule changes are designed to “make the program more flexible and responsive to the unique needs of farmers and ranchers in each region of … Read More

AutoTrac™ Vision in Sight for 2017

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Guidance, John Deere, Spraying

New John Deere AutoTrac™ products available for 2017 provide a new line of vision when making postemergence sprayer applications. AutoTrac Vision uses a front-mounted camera to see early-season corn, soybeans and cotton at least 4 to 6 inches high. An industry exclusive from John Deere.. “The camera actually sees the row and steers the sprayer down the row in early … Read More

FMC Helps #CAPCA16 Fight Fear

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, CAPCA, EPA, FMC, Food, Pesticides, Regulation

How will the agriculture industry grow an increasing amount of safe, healthy food in an environment of more stringent regulations coupled with less water? This question was answered by John Kasper, commercial business unit director for FMC Corporation, during the opening session of the 42nd annual California Association of Pest Control Advisers. The sold-out event focused on feeding a nation … Read More

Illinois 4R4U Partnership Launched

Cindy ZimmermanFS System, Growmark, Nutrient Management

A partnership has been launched between the Illinois Farm Bureau and affiliated county Farm Bureaus, with GROWMARK and a number of FS companies, designed to demonstrate and investigate at the local level the impact and efficacy of 4R nutrient stewardship practices – the right source of nutrient, at the right time, at the right rate, and in the right place. … Read More

GROWMARK System Earns Ag Data Transparent Seal

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Data, Data Collection, Growmark

GROWMARK has become the first agricultural cooperative system to earn the “Ag Data Transparent” seal for ag technology providers, which recognizes GROWMARK for its transparency working with farmers and the standards of privacy and security of data. The Ag Data Transparency seal recognizes the GROWMARK System’s commitment to growers on how farm data is collected, where and how it’s stored … Read More

Top 10 Rural Entrepreneurs Announced

Cindy ZimmermanAFBF

The top ten teams in the 2017 Farm Bureau Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge have been announced, with the top four to compete for the title of Rural Entrepreneur of the Year at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual convention in January. “Entrepreneurship is alive and well in rural America,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “It’s a pleasure to recognize these … Read More

4R for the Future at Legacy Farmers Coop

Cindy Zimmermanagronomy, Audio, FS System, Growmark

Logan Haake is the precision ag manager for Legacy Farmers Cooperative in Findlay, Ohio, which means he leads all precision planting, climate, grid sampling, field scouting, variable rate prescriptions, and other precision ag programs for Legacy Agronomy. He was also one of five crop specialists named this year as the first recipients of the new GROWMARK Endure 4R Advocate award. … Read More

Congress Ratifies Plant Genetics Treaty

Cindy ZimmermanASTA, Government, International, seed

Congress this week finally passing a broadly-supported international treaty to strengthen American agriculture and enhance global food security, an action endorsed by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). First signed by President George W. Bush, and pending for nearly 15 years, the now ratified International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (“The Treaty”) will ensure U.S. public … Read More

Stewardship is Sustainability at BASF

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, BASF, Crop Protection, sustainability

Sustainability may have different meanings for different people, but stewardship is a much clearer concept and something that BASF is very cognizant of when it comes to developing new products for farmers. ‘ “We want to make this concept very tangible,” said Vincent Gros, BASF Head of Europe, Africa and Middle East, during an interview at the recent global press … Read More

Senate Panel Hears Ag Consolidation Testimony

Cindy ZimmermanAg Group, Agribusiness, Audio

At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday on “Consolidation and Competition in the U.S. Seed and Agrochemical Industry,” executives of DuPont, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta, Bayer and Monsanto defended the current spate of mergers and acquisitions as being important to continue to deliver on the innovation that farmers need to feed a growing global population, while agricultural organizations urged caution. Bayer … Read More