Monsanto is facing a legal challenge from organic farmers over genetically modified seed. The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) filed suit this week on behalf of 60 family farmers, seed businesses and organic agricultural organizations, against Monsanto Company as a preemptive measure “to protect themselves from being accused of patent infringement should they ever become contaminated by Monsanto’s genetically modified seed, … Read More
FS Green Plan Provides Agronomy Based Solutions
Planting season is almost upon us now, which means a new year for farmers to discover how they can increase yields and profitability. GROWMARK FS Green Plan Solutions helps farmers do just that. I recently spoke with Jim Spradlin, vice president of agronomy for FS Green Plan, about how they help their farmers. “The FS system works very hard to … Read More
2011 Commodity Classic Shatters Records
The 2011 Commodity Classic is one for the record books. Attendance at the annual meeting of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum growers shattered previous records. Total attendance was more than 4826, breaking the previous record at Nashville three years ago by almost 300. Total number of growers was over 1600, compared to the previous record of 1513 in 2009 in … Read More
Farmers Who Pursue Maximum Yields
Achieving maximum yields is the goal when you are pursuing them and that is what the farmers who participate in the GROWMARK FS Green Plan Solutions program are accomplishing. At the recent “Pursuit of Maximum Yields” (POMY) seminar in East Peoria, I talked with Justin Green of Arthur, Illinois who participated with his father and brother in the program last … Read More
Monsanto Introduces Precision Agriculture Program
Monsanto has started a program this year in the Midwest to deliver IntelliScanSM field guides and IntelliSeedSM custom planting recommendations to farmers. It’s the first phase of a program called Monsanto Prescriptive Ag Solutions, according to a company press release. “Today, farmers are looking for advances in seed technologies and precision planting practices that will enable them to produce more, … Read More
Will Precision Technologies Lead To Eco-Foods
It’s one thing for growers or livestock producers and processors to work together, or vertically integrate. But what can happen when the World Wildlife Fund, Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Cargill, Intervet/Schering-Plough and beef producer groups get together? A recent story in the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) discusses the issue and the possible eco-food results. It is a subtle, yet vital, shift in … Read More
Precision Potato Farming Aims at Sustainability
Precision agriculture is playing a much larger role in helping potato growers become more sustainable, according to a recent story in Spudman. Bruce Crapo, a grower of 6,000 acres of commercial potatoes and 2,000 acres of seed potatoes in Idaho, is a good example of how the average potato farmer looks at precision agriculture – he uses technology to reduce … Read More
Maximizing Corn and Soybean Yields
Precision agriculture means more than just the use of equipment and technology to save time and money, it also means the “application of technologies and agronomic principles to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production for the purpose of improving crop performance and environmental quality.” At the recent GROWMARK FS Green Plan Solutions “In Pursuit … Read More
GROWMARK FS Helping Farmers Pursue Maximum Yields
“The pursuit of maximum yields will take you to the next level.” That’s what GROWMARK Agronomy Services Manager Dr. Howard Brown told over 300 farmers and farm consultants meeting in Peoria on Friday for a FS Green Plan Solutions conference focused on pursuing maximum yields for corn and soybeans. “We came up with this concept of pursuit of maximum yield … Read More
Maximizing Yields for the Global Market
FS Green Plan Solutions, part of the Growmark company, sponsored a great conference in Peoria today for about 300 farmers and consultants around Illinois and surrounding states all focused on the pursuit of maximum yields for corn and soybeans. The event started off with a dynamic presentation by Purdue University economist Dr. Mike Boehlji, who discussed the good news of … Read More