Member of the National Corn Growers Association Board and director of Western Iowa Energy, LLC, Kevin Ross, chatted with Chuck after the opening session at the 2014 National Biodiesel Conference. They discuss farm policy and how precision agriculture technology has impacted his farming operation where he raises cattle and grows corn and soybeans. Kevin shared that if we don’t move … Read More
MANA Introduces Custodia Premix Fungicide
MANA is introducing Custodia premix fungicide for use on corn, soybeans and wheat. Custodia combines the two most complementary systemic fungicide active ingredients available today in an optimized ratio to deliver both preventive and curative disease control. The simultaneous movement of the active ingredients within the plant quickly knocks down diseases and provides a residual barrier that inhibits diseases from … Read More
Ag Weather Advisor Keeps Farmers Up to Date
The “polar vortex” seems to be a hot topic the last couple of days and that means farmers have to work extra hard to stay updated on what to expect while they prepare for planting. The NCGA-FMC Ag Weather Advisor, prepared by Blue Water Outlook, is a special free member benefit that can help growers stay a step ahead. “The … Read More
National Corn Yield Contest Winners for 2013
Advanced production techniques, informed growing practices and improved seed varieties helped corn growers achieve high yields in the National Corn Growers Association 2013 National Corn Yield Contest. Entrants continued to far surpass the national average corn yield, setting a contest record with a new all-time high yield of 454 bushels per acre. Additionally, a record five national entries surpassed the … Read More
Iowa Conservation Action Network Launches
The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA), the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and the Iowa Land Improvement Contractors Association (LICA) have launched a unique private sector initiative to demonstrate technology-based conservation practice planning, called the Iowa Conservation Action Network (IACAN). “What we currently use in the public sector for conservation technical assistance isn’t keeping up today,” said Roger Zylstra, a farmer … Read More
USDA Talks Numbers at NAFB Trade Talk
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) representatives were on hand at NAFB Trade Talk last month to discuss the 2013 crop and the 2012 census. The 2013 harvest is considered completed at this point and Lance Honig with NASS says with a record corn crop and near record soybean crop forecast it’s turned out to be a pretty good year, … Read More
Rabo AgriFinance Report From NAFB
Rabo AgriFinance was present for the recent Trade Talk during the 2013 NAFB Convention. The company is the leading U.S. ag lender and specializes in protein to produce and inputs to oilseeds. Their expert team monitors and evaluates the global market that influences agriculture around the world. I spoke with one of the team’s analysts at the event and he … Read More
Genscape Invokes NASA for Corn Crop Forecasting
Using NASA satellite data, Genscape has released an updated October corn yield forecast of 13.3 billion bushels. The company has noted that other analysts, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), have wide gaps in their predictions ranging from 13.2 billion bushels of corn produced during the 2013 growing season, to 14.2 billion bushels of corn. Genscape said a unique … Read More
New Holland Helping Farmers and Ethanol
Farmers who provide corn for ethanol plants can get special discounts on New Holland equipment and help the ethanol industry at the same time. New Holland district sales manager Bob Kacher says their American Ethanol Producers Club is an initiative they developed two years ago with Growth Energy to help both growers and the ethanol industry. “It offers the opportunity … Read More
Maximizing Yields With FieldScripts
Maximizing field yield is the goal of every grower, but is easier said than done. However, Monsanto’s FieldScripts program might be the answer. During the 2013 Farm Progress Show, Monsanto invited the media out to field to discuss the new opportunity and talk with FieldScripts Ground Breaker Growers. Dale Sorensen, Integrated Farming Systems Field Research Lead, shared with the group … Read More