For the fifth year in a row, The Mosaic Company has signed on as tour leader for the Conservation Technology Information Center’s (CTIC) Conservation in Action Tour. This year’s tour will bring as many as 250 farmers, crop consultants, agribusiness leaders, conservation leaders, researchers and government officials to southeastern Minnesota on August 11 and 12, 2015. “At Mosaic, we work … Read More
CTIC Praises CNH for Sustainability
CNH Industrial, manufacturer of Case and New Holland farm machinery, recently released its 2014 Sustainability Report detailing sustainability in the company’s day-to-day business and plans for the future. CNH, through its Case IH division, has been a long-time member and active supporter of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). “Working with Case IH on projects ranging from conservation tillage demonstrations … Read More
Bayer’s Ayers to Head CTIC’s New Board of Directors
Bayer CropScience‘s Alan Ayers will head the new board of directors for the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). CTIC made the announcement, along with announcing Lara Moody of The Fertilizer Institute as vice-chair and Terry Tindall of the J.R. Simplot Company being named treasurer. “It’s exciting to work with such a dedicated board to continue building CTIC as a preferred … Read More
CTIC Talks Soil Health at #Classic15
Good crops start from healthy soils, so it only makes sense that the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), a national, public-private partnership that promotes environmentally beneficial soil practices, was a part of this year’s Commodity Classic in Phoenix, Arizona. Cindy caught up with Karen Scanlon, CTIC executive director, who said her organization is celebrating 2015 as the International Year of … Read More
Precision Sugarcane Harvesting
2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album In addition to seeing sugarcane planting on the the 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action tour, we also got to see harvesting – yes, they can do both at the same time of year in the sunny south! “We harvest with one mechanical harvester per row, each one geared with auto steer and … Read More
Water Policy in Florida
Florida is the third largest state in terms of population and the 14th in agricultural production, so competition for water resources is fierce in the Sunshine State. “Population growth is a big factor in driving water use demand and that will continue in Florida,” said Richard Budell, who is director of water policy for the Florida Department of Agriculture and … Read More
Precision Sugarcane Planting
2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album Planting at U.S. Sugar Corporation is done with precision, as we found out on the 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action tour last week in the Everglades Agricultural Area. Steven Stiles, U.S. Sugar farm manager, says cane is a “ratoonable crop” which refers to the stalks that are called ratoons and normally one … Read More
Rice as a Cover Crop in the Everglades
Rice has become an environmentally sensible cover crop option for sugarcane growers in the Everglades Agricultural Area. During the 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action tour last week, we heard about this from the agriculture program leader for the University of Florida Palm Beach County Extension Service, who is aptly named Ron Rice. “It’s much more than a cover crop, it’s … Read More
Growing Leaf Crops in the Everglades
2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album Paul Orsenigo has been farming in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) for nearly 30 years, growing sugarcane and rice as well as a wide variety of leafy vegetables. The operation where he grows several types of lettuce, cilantro, parsley, Chinese cabbage, spinach and more was one of our stops this week on … Read More
Controlling Phosphorus in the Everglades
2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album This may just look like a swamp but it’s actually a very sophisticated stormwater treatment area in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) which is one of several designed to remove phosphorus from urban and agricultural runoff. These public works projects are the second point of cleanup for the water, while the farmers … Read More