Compass Minerals has completed its purchase of one of Brazil’s leading manufactures and distributors of specialty plant nutrients. The remaining interest in Produquímica Indústria e Comércio S.A. (Produquímica) has been sold, an acquisition that is expected to add $.12 to $15 per share to Compass Minerals’ 2016 earnings. “With this acquisition complete, Compass Minerals has delivered on a key … Read More
Pioneer Introduces New Alfalfa Varieties
Alfalfa growers will now have access to DuPont Pioneer‘s HarvXtra technology. The exclusive varieties offer significant lignin reduction that enables producers to grow a higher quality hay, no matter when they cut. “These varieties are part of the DuPont Pioneer commitment to improving forage quality at every stage,” said Dan Wiersma, DuPont Pioneer alfalfa business manager. “They increase the level … Read More
ARA Wants Retailers to Dream Big at Conference
The Agricultural Retailers Association will be hosting their annual conference and expo in Orlando, Florida- a place known for magic. The keynote speaker will be conjuring up a little of that enchantment as he presents his message on leadership and world-class customer service. Lee Cockerell is a retired Disney executive, a man in charge of 73,000 team members who daily created … Read More
Spurlock Takes Lead on Corn Board
Wesley Spurlock took the lead as President of the National Corn Growers Association‘s Corn Board on Saturday. He spoke about his respect for the past while keeping his eye on the future. “This year is much like the one we just finished,” Spurlock said. “We are looking at a massive corn crop. It is still being harvested but, even with … Read More
USDA Report Shows Growing Biobased Industry
The USDA has released a report showing the biobased products industry contributed $393 billion and 4.2 million jobs to the American economy in 2014. That’s a growth of 220,000 jobs and $24 billion over 2013. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has found the biobased economy to be one of the four pillars that support the rural economy of the U.S. “When USDA released … Read More
Dow Agrees to Monsanto Use of EXZACT Platform
Monsanto Company and Dow AgroSciences have reached an agreement that allows Monsanto to use Dow AgroSciences’ EXZACT Precision Technology Platform for research and development of new crop solutions. EXZACT technology was developed by Dow under an exclusive license with Sangamo BioSciences to facility the creation of new crop varieties and improve traits. “Monsanto is pleased to pursue applications of this … Read More
Kid-Approved Bell Pepper from Syngenta
Syngenta may have just made parents around the globe happy. Their new pepper has a taste that will have kids everywhere eating their vegetables– with a nutrition content that will please parents. The resulting veggie came after two decades of research, but the Overgreen pepper is market-changing. “My vision for Overgreen peppers is to change the green pepper market – … Read More
Pod Blasting to Determine Peanut Maturity
In case you thought you’d seen it all, peanut farmers are using a new precision tool- the pressure washer. For many years, growers have used a pocketknife or other sharp object to scrape away the outer shell of the peanut to determine the level of maturity. Now, reports Kris Balkcom, a peanut research associate with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, the … Read More
DuPont Pioneer Commits $175,000 to Education
Teachers who are implementing Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) are now eligible for grants, thanks to DuPont Pioneer and the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE). The promised $175,000 will assist teachers with funding for training, equipment, materials and end-of-course online assessments CASE is a multi-year approach to teaching students about agriculture through hands-on, inquiry focused learning activities. … Read More
House Passes Water Resources & Development Act
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources and Development Act of 2016 (WRDA 2016) by a vote of 399-25. The two year, reauthorization bill provides infrastructure programs and the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund; programs that allow American farmers to remain commutative in a global market. The bill will clear the backlog of projects for the Army Corps of … Read More