The Future in Tech, Food Production, Sustainability

Jamie JohansenZimmPoll

zp-nh1Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Will you be getting the new iPhone 7?”

The new models of the iPhone are out, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. It’s seems many are waiting on the 8 or simply don’t want it. Of course, Chuck has his and we are waiting with anticipation for his review. As an avid Apple customer, I will eventually make the plunge, but I am holding out a bit. Should I be surprised there are so many Android peeps? Sometimes I am tempted to try one out.

Here are the poll results:

  • Yes, already have it – 12%
  • Yes, on order – 4%
  • Don’t want it – 24%
  • No, waiting for iPhone 8 – 16%
  • No, I’m Android – 40%
  • I don’t use smartphones – 4%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, What is most important to food sustainability?

More and more food companies are recognizing the importance of sustainability in agriculture, but it seems some are not understanding how technology and food production work hand-in-hand. In fact, the most recent news on the issues comes from Dannon, who believes sustainability means non-GMO. Tell us what you think. What is most important to food sustainability…biotech, water management, precision ag, etc?

North Dakota Facility Aiding US Agriculture Research

Kelly MarshallGenetics, Genotyping, NCGA, Research

nagcA North Dakota science facility is helping U.S. ag research get up to speed.  Currently the nation is falling behind when it comes to agriculture research, due mainly to a lack of funding, but the National Agriculture Genotyping Center (NAGC) is committed to getting the United States back in the game.

Work related to sustainable production practices, genetic improvement and new uses is where the rubber meets the road – and, it’s also exactly the kind of work we need more of. Tangible results from these kinds of investments can take up to 15 years to fully realize. Enter the National Agricultural Genotyping Center, a small but high tech facility with the single mission of translating scientific discoveries into solutions for farmers. The facility is the brainchild of the National Corn Growers Association in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

“The name ‘National Agricultural Genotyping Center,’ or NAGC, may sound intimidating but at its core the facility and its mission is very simple,” said Larry Hoffmann, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Productivity & Quality Action Team. “They are here to identify high priority problems related to production agriculture, food safety, functional foods, bioenergy and national security and then use the latest technology to find an expedited solution.”

“Expediting a solution” means the NAGC will develop, run and review genetic assays, moving the U.S. back into play with countries like China, India and Brazil.  Smarter investments will lead to real answers to problems like the honey bee colony collapse or plant and animal diseases.

“NAGC is already proving its worth because of its ability to quickly assess and better understand these problems,” NCGA Research Director Dr. Richard Vierling said. “When it’s done right, agricultural genotyping can alleviate the inefficiencies, redundancies, bottlenecks and gaps that impede research and commercial development.”

CAPTAIN CAPCA Fights Fear at #CAPCA16

Joanna SchroederCAPCA, Crop Protection, FMC, Pesticides, Video

CAPTAIN CAPCA and Dr Foe battled it out this morning in their last meeting to kick off the 42nd annual California Association of Pest Control Advisors (CAPCA). The event took place in no better place for a superhero and villain – Disneyland – in Anaheim, California October 16-18, 2016. This year’s theme is Feeding the Nation – Fighting the Fear and the speakers are covering all angles of what increasing consumer interest in agriculture means for the pesticide business. It’s leading to more regulation but it in the words of John Kasper, commercial business unit director for FMC Company, adversity can spur innovation and this coverage is highlighting innovation from data to drones to biopesticides to water quality and management and more.

Now, back to our superhero CAPTAIN CAPCA. He fought his last battle with Dr. Foe this morning and who won? Watch here.


Have as much fun with this as me? Then be sure to watch the episode 1 by clicking here.

Be sure to check out even more action by viewing the 42nd Annual CAPCA Photo Album.

And special thanks to FMC Corporation for covering our CAPCA adventure.

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.

4r4uThe 4R field demonstration program, called 4R4U, is a pilot program with hopes for a multi-year partnership to bring added use, awareness, and knowledge on nutrient stewardship via the 4R approach.

“As a farmer, I am committed to managing nutrients sustainably,” said Illinois Farm Bureau President Richard Guebert Jr. “This partnership will utilize many assets and produce locally driven information. Farmers and the agriculture community continue to work diligently to maximize input utilization and focus on the nutrient loss reduction strategy (NLRS),” he added.

Local plot tests will compare common practices to advanced practices on nutrient stewardship. Some of the types of tests include N-rate trials, use of multiple nitrogen applications, stabilizer utilizations, no-till planting, cover crops, and soil samples.

Illinois Farm Bureau and GROWMARK are providing funds for the project, while FS companies and county Farm Bureaus work together to carry out the 4R field demonstration strategy at a local level.

“This is a tangible commitment by all of us to sustainability,” said GROWMARK Chief Executive Officer Jim Spradlin. “Our teamwork will help elevate nutrient stewardship efforts and provide further information of 4R practices that can help meet the goals of the NLRS,” he added.

The pilot project includes 14 county Farm Bureaus and 11 FS companies in Illinois. This winter, each partnership will put a strategy in place with field demonstration days to be held in the spring and summer of 2017.

Tillage System to Cut Cover Crop Costs

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Cover Crops, Equipment

kelly-engineering_bannerKelly Engineering in South Australia has developed a tillage system to cut costs and boost productivity for cover crops.  The patented diamond-shaped tiller and air seeder allow the entire sowing process to be completed in a single pass.  Testing has begun in the United States and the product is expected to be available in 2017.

Timing is good for U.S. farmers looking to use cover crops to increase crop yields and decrease reliance on pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers.  Kelly Engineering is helping growers meet that goal, with their highly efficient but affordable products.

“There are government incentives for farmers in the United States to get involved with a cover crop program for environmental benefits, whether it be nutrient recycling, erosion control, soil improvements or water runoff,” Kelly said.  “In the United States, as here in Australia, there is recognition that maintaining live plants year round helps soil health and productivity.

“Farming on a global basis should be sustainable and we know that soil degradation, weeds and water-use efficiency are things affecting agriculture – we know that the tillage tools we provide can help address all of those issues.”

The Diamond Harrow uses four chains lined up in a diamond formation to allow the machine to prepare the seedbed in rough fields. The Cover Crop Seeder is integrated into the machine, which is towed by tractor. Each chain is fitted with a crop-specific row of metal discs that rotate and penetrate the soil. The design also allows the machine to work the soil, attack crop residue and manage weeds.

The machines initiate better microbial action in the soil by decomposing residue in the top layer. This allows it to access more sunlight, which dries the soil and helps kill weeds.

The North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) in the U.S. estimate a nearly 40 percent increase in the number of farmers using cover crops from 2012 to 2013.  That translates to more than 130,000 farms on 10.3 million acres in 2013.  SARE would like to see that number increased to a large of 20 million acres by 2020.

The new Diamond Harrow can help achieve that goal by saving time and offering more accurate germination in all types of weather, in addition to saving on maintenance costs, explains the company.

“One customer related that he spends $15,000 a year rebuilding his no till planter. He spends $7000 annually as a direct result of cover crops,” Kelly said.  “Wear costs on the Kelly Diamond Harrow are in the order of 30 cents per acre and the machine will go for many years without spending anything significant.  A new set of chains (on the Diamond Harrow) after 100,000 acres would cost around $25,000.”

The Australian-based company has more than two-thirds of its business in the United States and also exports to Canada, Germany and the UK.  They’re gearing up to offer products in Africa as well.

AEM: Small Tractor Sales Continue to Lead

Lizzy SchultzAEM, Ag Group, Equipment, Research, Tractor

aem The latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Ag Tractor and Combine Report shows that, while U.S. retail sales of tractors under 40HP and 40-100HP continued to lead the way in September and larger tractor sales rebounded from last month, year-to-date tractor sales are still down.

The report also noted that September U.S. retail sales for 2WD tractors under 40HP gained 16.8 percent from last year, with year-to-date sales up 11.7 percent. September sales of 2WD tractors 40-100HP were also up, showing an increase of 3.9 percent year-over-year, but year-to-date sales were still down by 4.3 percent.

Sales of 2WD 100+HP tractors in the U.S. dropped 7.3 percent for September, and September year-to-date sales were down 22.7 percent. 4WD tractors sales declined 17.9 percent, with September year-to-date sales down 32.4 percent.

September U.S. combine sales were down 34.6 percent and saw a 24.2-percent drop for September year-to-date sales.

“While our current ag downturn is the result of lower commodity prices putting pressure on farm income, weak exports due to a strong U.S. dollar, and overall global economic malaise, we cannot underestimate the impact of inventories at the manufacturer and dealership level,” said AEM Senior Vice President Charlie O’Brien. “A recent co-run survey by AEM and the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA) provides some insight on the issue from the manufacturer and dealer perspectives.”

Summit Agro Expands Mission Herbicide Label

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Herbicides, Weed control

summit-agroMISSION herbicide by Summit Agro has been approved as a tool for pre-emergence and post-emergence weed control for a new crop– almonds.

“Grape, citrus, tree nut and conifer growers have increasingly taken advantage of the long-lasting residual weed control provided by MISSION since we first introduced the product in 2012” said Jon Forbis, Herbicide Marketing Manager. “We are pleased to now offer this effective herbicide tool to almond growers.”

MISSION herbicide contains the active ingredient flazasulfuron, which is absorbed through the roots and foliage of difficult to control grass and broadleaf weeds including Italian rye grass, Hairy fleabane and Filaree species.

“The broad application window, low application rate and compatibility with burndown products will provide almond growers with a great deal of flexibility.” noted Forbis.

Growers can find MISSION herbicide exclusively through Tenkoz member companies and Helena Chemical Company. For more information, visit www.summitagro-usa.com or call your local representative.

USDA Loans $25 Million for Water Quality in Iowa

Kelly MarshallUSDA, Water Quality

usda-logoUSDA’s Water and Environmental programs will help the City of Fairfield make enhancements to its wastewater facility that will improve the water quality in southeast Iowa.

“The recent flooding in Iowa and other parts of the country has demonstrated just how important high-functioning wastewater systems are to our communities. Sanitary waste disposal systems and safe drinking water are vital not only to public health, but also to the economic vitality of rural America,” Vilsack said. “Building and maintaining water infrastructure creates jobs, boosts the economy, provides rural families with safe and reliable water, and this particular investment will help to minimize the impact of future flooding on homes and businesses in southeast Iowa.”

The water plant was built in 1966 and updated in 1984 and 2013, but is still not able to handle the heavy rains.  Rural Development is lending the City of Fairfield $24,995,000 to bring the plant into compliance with Iowa Department of Natural Resources requirements.

The loan is the largest USDA Water and Environmental Programs loan ever given in Iowa.  The funds will be used over the next 10 years to improve the treatment plant, repair much of the collection system and address high flow during rains.  Repairs to the plant include new trash screens, new grit removal systems and pumps and an enlarged flow equalization basin- all at historically low interest rates.

NCGA, USGC Sponsor Agri-Pulse Infrastructure Series

Kelly MarshallAg Group, NCGA

usgrainscouncil1The National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council understand that infrastructure is the backbone of American agriculture. That’s why they’ve signed on a sponsors of a seven-part Agri-Pulse editorial series. These special pieces will take a look at America’s infrastructure and improvements needed to keep U.S. agriculture competitive, both here in the states and abroad.

NCGA-Logo-3The series was announced after the recent Rural Infrastructure Summit in Ames, Iowa. “Keeping Rural America Competitive” was designed to continue the important conversations that took place at the Summit.

The Agri-Pulse series will take a deep look at an article by Ed Maxine that explores the role infrastructure plays in exports and the challenges involved in moving U.S. goods. Since more than 30 percent of corn is sent abroad, this issue is critical to farmers.

Look for these highlights to be featured:

  • The American Society of Civil Engineers in its nationwide, every-four-years assessment, gave Ds (on an A-to-F scale) in its 2013 national scoring of both overall infrastructure and roads. 
  • ASCE reports that from 2000 to 2013 assets of total U.S. transport equipment grew by 43 percent, to $1.2 trillion, while transportation structures (highways, streets, railroads, bridges, etc.) grew 63 percent, to $739 billion.
  • ASCE estimates that federal and state transportation funding levels have risen enough for most states to maintain roads, but are at least $11 billion a year short of what’s needed for long-term solutions and responding to growing demands on the system. 
  • A survey by the American Association of Port Authorities found that coastal ports and private port operations planned to invest $150 billion from 2016 to 2020 in capital improvements, more than triple what the same respondents had planned for 2012-2016, though the spending is concentrated on Gulf of Mexico ports.
  • Congress has been annually increasing the civil works budget of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which deepens, widens and otherwise maintains and improves harbor access for ships.

You can read the series online here.

Verdesian Life Sciences Highlights Use of Phosphorous

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Nutrient Management

Verdesian Key essential nutrients like phosphorous (P) will be an integral part of feeding 9 billion people by 2050, according to Verdesian Life Sciences and the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI). All living things require this nutrient for life-sustaining processes, like energy storage. Studies from IPNI suggest P is being under-applied in significant portions of the U.S. Corn Belt.

The issue is balance. In some instances a greater rate of phosphorous is necessary, even when it will reduce the plants’ intake of nitrogen. In other cases, the nutrient is being over-applied, and crops would benefit from less.

“The key to producing higher yields and feeding the growing world population is not simply applying more fertilizer, as one might think,” said Kenneth Avery, chief executive officer at Verdesian Life Sciences. “Rather, it is finding sustainable solutions for nutrients such as phosphorus to be used more efficiently and effectively to produce more food.”

The phosphorus situation is also challenged by many agricultural soils with insufficient levels of plant-available P, and some soils with a high capacity to fix applied P in slowly available forms due to reactions with calcium, magnesium, aluminum or iron. Crops grown in these soils are not able to obtain sufficient P to meet their needs and cannot reach their full yield potential.

If an applied rate of P is less than optimum for a crop under existing conditions, and a practice such as fertilizer placement is changed that increases nutrient use efficiency, yield will usually increase, at least in the short term. However, in other cases, nutrient use efficiency can increase with no effect on yield if a rate exceeding optimum levels is reduced to optimum.

Phosphorous differs from nitrogen in its movement within soil, air and water. Mostly, it doesn’t go anywhere once it is applied. Phosphorous loss usually comes by soil erosion, leading to water quality issues.

“Increased plant uptake of P translates into less of that nutrient being left in the soil, where it is subject to off-site movement into waterways,” Avery said. “It also allows farmers to be good stewards of the land and help minimize the environmental footprint left by P applications.”

As a 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Partner, Verdesian is committed to helping growers find solutions for nutrient management. The 4R program is build on applying nutrients from the right source, at the right time, at the right rate and in the right place.

“The 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Program provides a science-based framework for building sustainable systems,” Avery said.