Register Now for ARA Conference & Expo

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, ARA, Events, Retailers

Ag Retailers AssociationRegistration is now open for the 2015 Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference & Expo.

The event will take place December 1-3 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA.  The Conference & Expo will feature presentations and discussions on sustainability, water issues, fertilizer trends, branding, finical movements, personal health and wellness, and many other topics.

Discover how performance, precision and passion shapes success through presentations, networking and exhibits at the only essential event for ag retailers and suppliers: the ARA Conference & Expo. 

Visit the website to see a full schedule and learn about the special events planned.

1,800 Farmers Commit $3.5 Million to Water Quality

Kelly Marshallenvironment, Government, Water Management

cleanWaterIowaBill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Ag, has announced that $3.5 million in cost share funds have been obligated to 1,800 farmers in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.  The funds come from the Iowa Water Quality Initiative, which was established in 2013 to address the problem of reducing nitrogen and phosphorous in the water.  Practices that were eligible for this program are; cover crops, no-till or strip till, or use of a a nitrification inhibitor for fall fertilizer.

“Farmers continue to show they are willing to invest in practices focused on limiting nutrient loss and improving water quality. To consider that this program went from zero to more than 1,800 farmers over the past three years shows that farmers are committed to action and willing to invest in water quality,” Northey said.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received applications covering 187,000 acres from more than 1,800 different farmers seeking to participate in the program. Farmers in each of the 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the state received funding.

Participants include 980 farmers using a practice for the first time and more than 830 past users that are trying cover crops again and are receiving a reduced-rate of cost share. The first-time users cover 79,000 acres of cover crops, 7,450 acres of nitrification inhibitor, 7,150 acres of no-till and 3,950- acres of strip-till. The past users will use cover crops on nearly 89,500 acres.

The Iowa Department of Ag is encouraging famers to continue to keep in contact with their local Soil and Water Conservation District offices to hear about other programs that may be available.

Brett Duffy Joins Decisive Farming Board

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Data, technology

decisive-farming-logo-@2xDecisive Farming™, a North American precision agronomy and data management services provider, is please to announce the addition of Brett W Duffy to their Board of Directors. Duffy comes from 20years of global ag experience, including 16 years at Cargill as investment manager.

“Brett brings to our board a wealth of international business expertise, particularly during his tenure with Cargill as an investment manager and his active role in BDA Capital’s agricultural investments in the US and Russia,” states Remi Schmaltz, CEO & Co-founder of Decisive Farming. “We will leverage this experience as we continue to rapidly grow our customer base in Canada and the US.”

Since 2006, Decisive Farming has delivered on its vision to provide precision agronomy and data management services that help farms be more efficient and profitable. The result has been a steady growth of its customer base and a 96% whole farm retention rate. In 2014, Decisive Farming was recognized for its achievements by winning the ASTech Award for Innovation in Agricultural Science.

Decisive Farming’s farm data management and workflow automation platform, My Farm Manager™ provides a truly complete and unique solution to the agricultural marketplace by connecting the key service providers and their data in one place with the grower. Through My Farm Manager the grower is able to select from world class service providers delivering products ranging from precision agronomy, variable rate technology, crop marketing, risk management, carbon credits, equipment telematics and data analytics.

“I have been actively involved with agricultural technologies and businesses from around the world and what impressed me about Decisive Farming is their quality of services and market traction”, says Duffy. “Agriculture is a relationship business and when you can show scalable growth with the kind of customer retention Decisive Farming has maintained, it is a recipe for success. I’m excited to work with their team and build on this success.”

Decisive Farming provides growers scalable solutions, specifically in precision agronomics, data analytics and information management.

New Field Demos Set for Farm Progress Show

Kelly MarshallEvents, Farm Progress Show, Planting, UAV

FPS15-flagThe Nation’s largest outdoor farm show will be held in Decatur, IL, Sept. 1-3.  Among the attractions of the Farm Progress Show are the farmer favorite- field demonstrations.  This 62nd annual show promises the standard combining and tillage demos, along with several new features this year.

UAV Demonstrations
New at the Farm Progress Show this year will be UAV demonstrations.  Flights will be held each show day, weather permitting.

High Speed Planting
In late July, John Deere and Precision Planting planted plots that will be available for visitors to check out during the show. The goal of these plots is to show the accuracy of the technology at the higher rate of speed.

Precision Tools
Precision agriculture demonstrations return to the Farm Progress Show and will share space with the standard field demonstrations. Demonstrations will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Ride ‘n Drive
Ride ‘n drive areas will also be provided for companies that want to show equipment to potential customers up close and personal. Yamaha, Ram Trucks, Chevrolet, Honda, Trimble, Mitas Tire and Titan Tire are all participating in Ride ‘n drive. 

For more the full list of demos, more detail about those listed above or locations and times for these demonstrations please visit www.FarmProgressShow.com.

Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the 2015 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Third Year for NCGA DuPont New Leaders Program

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Corn, Dupont Pioneer, NCGA

NCGA-LogoThe NCGA DuPont New Leaders Program is now in it’s third year.  The program is designed to help new corn growers develop ag leadership skills.

“American agriculture needs farmers who are strong spokespersons for our way of life,” said NCGA President Chip Bowling, a corn grower from Maryland. “We thank DuPont for its generous support, and we’re proud of the men and women who have participated in the first two years of this program. Now, we’re actively looking for more couples and individuals to get involved in this exciting program.”

Dupont PioneerIdeal participants will be farming couples or individuals from NCGA’s affiliated states, such as those considering a board position. Those interested must be at least 21 years of age, active in corn farming, NCGA members and not currently serving as an officer on their state affiliate board.

“We are proud to sponsor the NCGA DuPont New Leaders Program,” said Steve Reno, DuPont Pioneer vice president, regional business director – US & Canada. “These participants will gain skills that will help them advocate on behalf of their farm and their industry at the local, state and national level. They also will build friendships that will last a lifetime.”

“The program has encouraged me to be more involved to make a difference,” said Michael Howlett, a 2015 participant from New York. “It was well worth the time and energy, and I will be more involved from this point forward, due to the New Leaders Program.”

One couple or up to two single persons per NCGA-affiliated state will be chosen to participate in this hands-on communications and leadership training. The program will be implemented with two plenary sessions. The first will be in Iowa in February 2016 and the second in Washington in July 2016.

To join the program you must submit an application by Friday, Oct. 30.  Participants will be notified in November.

GROWMARK Financial Report

Cindy Zimmermanagronomy, FS System, Growmark, seed

gmk-amAt the GROWMARK annual meeting in Chicago last week, CEO Jim Spradlin reported the estimated year-end financial results for the cooperative to stakeholders in attendance.

For fiscal year 2015, the unaudited, estimated sales for GROWMARK are reported to be $8.8 billion with pretax income is estimated at $140 million. An estimated $61 million in patronage refunds will be returned to GROWMARK member cooperatives and farmer-owners.

“We remain committed to foundational principles that honor the wisdom and direction of our founders. We are focused on the future, and the sustainability of our System, and as a result, we must constantly pursue excellence in all we do,” said Spradlin.

Energy, Agronomy, and Retail Grain Units all achieved business growth and recorded earnings above expectations, while the retail supplies group performance was slowed due to a softening Ag economy and plenty of weather-related challenges this summer.

GROWMARK’s Seed Division reported sales exceeding 4.7 million acres in 2015 with total net income for the Seed Division expected to be the second best on record. Sales volume for the Plant Food Division, now known as the Crop Nutrients Division, will exceed 3.2 million tons, the fifth consecutive year of record volume. And the Grain Division, which announced a new Retail Grain Partnership being formed in Northern Illinois, generated $19 million in income in FY2015.

Read more here.

BASF Event Spotlights Record Corn Grower

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, BASF, Corn, Crop Protection, Soybeans

basf-tn-dowdyHe’s only been farming for less than ten years, but already Randy Dowdy of Valdosta, Georgia has made quite a name for himself by making history last year with a yield of nearly 504 bushels per acre in the National Corn Yield Contest.

During a BASF media event in Tennessee this week, Dowdy talked about his philosophy when it comes to farming. “Being a first generation farmer, I didn’t have preconceived notions so we had to learn a lot from smarter people around us instead of re-inventing the wheel,” said Dowdy. “You have to be a student of the crop…you have to have data and understand the science behind it.”

Dowdy is all about trying new things but his ultimate goal is return on investment. “You can spend $2000 on a crop, but if it only nets you $2000, what did you gain? So the goal is to be profitable, that’s what’s going to help you be sustainable,” he said.

While Dowdy expects to be getting some more big yields in corn this year, he’s been getting a little more into soybeans. “I don’t want to be one dimensional…we need rotation and we need other crops, we can’t just mono crop,” he said. “It’s been a learning experience…I’m taking notes and walking the field.”

As he said, Dowdy likes to learn a lot from “smarter people” around him, and those include BASF representatives who have been thrilled to help him achieve bigger yields and continue pushing the envelope. “You use people that you’ve built a relationship with that have that trusted adviser status, they’re not just trying to sell you something but they’re helping you reach that ultimate goal of making more money and being successful,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Randy here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/basf-tn-dowdy.mp3″ text=”Interview with Georgia farmer Randy Dowdy”]

Watch a video of part of his comments in the field at the BASF event in Tennessee below:

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BASF Southern Media Event in Tennessee

John Deere S Series Combines Improvements

Chuck ZimmermanAgribusiness, Audio, Equipment, Harvesting, John Deere

John Deere Folding Corn HeadWould it be helpful to push a button in your cab and have your corn head fold up in less than 60 seconds when you’re out combining? Hmm? Well you can with the new John Deere 612FC folding 12-row corn head. That, along with S Series Combine improvements, were on display during this week’s product reveal for ag media. I talked about the changes to John Deere’s Todd Verheecke.

John Deere is making some significant improvements starting with the workhorse of its grain harvesting equipment – the S-Series Combine. Internally, customers will notice a 12 percent larger cleaning sieve and a new shoe drive system with a beefed up, wider belt with double the tensile strength and durability.

In shoe-limited conditions this new Dyna-Flow™ Plus cleaning system increases combine capacity up to 10 percent in corn and 13 percent in wheat and canola and reduces tailings as much as 28 percent. The combines are designed with stronger internal bearings, pulleys and support structure for increased durability and uptime.

Along with the updates to the S-Series combines, John Deere is expanding its lineup of 600C Series Corn Heads and updating the 600F HyraFlex Draper Platforms. For the first time, the company is offering a folding 12-row corn head (612FC model). The 612FC can provide productivity of up to 30 acres more per day versus harvesting with a traditional eight-row corn head and six more acres per day versus a traditional 12-row while reducing operating costs by 15 percent. And John Deere is equipping all 600C corn heads with an improved row unit slip clutch and drive shaft interface for longer life when harvesting today’s more robust hybrids.

For soybean and small grain producers, the company has taken many of the features unique to the recently introduced 645FD and built them into other models of HydraFlex Drapers, including the 630FD, 635FD and 640FD. These features include new streamlined end dividers that reduce grain loss and crop knock down; a wider center-feed section that increases material feeding by 15 percent to better match combine capacity; and 30 percent stronger reel fingers for greater durability and improved crop pickup.

You can listen to my interview with Todd here to learn more: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/jd-reveal-15-verheecke.mp3″ text=”Todd Verheecke, John Deere”]

John Deere 2016 Product Reveal Photo Album

Osmington Inc. Added as Partner to Farmers Edge

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Data

farmersedgeOsmington Inc. has been added to the Farmers Edge team of investors.  This is the fourth investment partner to join in the last 12 months.

“We immediately connected with the team at Osmington in a shared values system and affection for agriculture, not only in Winnipeg, the home of our headquarters in Canada, but across the Globe,” says Founder and CEO, Wade Barnes, Farmers Edge. “We are proud to announce their investment in our business.”

The Farmers Edge™ inspiration has been on the fast track since its inception in 2005, winning such awards and recognition as one of the Top 20 Fastest Growing Companies in Canada. Inspired by the possibilities of taking technology to farmers worldwide, the company is the trailblazer of precision agriculture, offering the industry’s most complete package, for every agribusiness in every crop and every geography. Its Precision Solutions optimizes crop inputs, resulting in higher yields, better quality and less environmental impact. The company’s innovative technology includes variable rate technology, field centric weather monitoring, high-resolution satellite imagery, in-field telematics supported by a passionate real boots on the ground team with agricultural expertise.

“Although our company has invested in Canadian Farmland in Manitoba and Saskatchewan for the last few years, Farmers Edge is the first agricultural company that Osmington has invested in,” says Lawrence Zucker, President & CEO, Osmington Inc. “What we really like about Farmers Edge is that they are really good, smart people, who are passionate about what they are doing and are well positioned with their technology to be disruptive and potentially change how modern farming will occur. So that is why we made the investment. We like the values, we like the people and we certainly like what they are doing.”

Farmers Edge believes the addition of Osmington will add diversity to the team, but will also be an assets to growth in global markets, as well as contributing to big data analytics.

“We believe in the long term viability and investment returns that farming will generate,” says Zucker. “With global population growth set to rise to 9 billion people by 2044 from our current population of 7.2 billion there is going to be a greater need to increase yields to feed people and grain farming is where we are going to generate that opportunity.”

 

Corn Growers Comment on Blocking of WOTUS

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Corn, environment, NCGA, water

NCGA-Logo-3Thursday afternoon, the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota issued a preliminary injunction against the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, postponing implementation of the “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule.

Chip Bowling, president of the National Corn Growers Association and a farmer from Newburg, Maryland, issued the following statement:

“We support the judge’s decision in North Dakota, which should give the courts and the public more time to figure out how to proceed with WOTUS. The Army Corps of Engineers has stated this rule is not based on science or law and is unlikely to withstand a legal challenge. When even the federal agencies responsible for this rule can’t agree on its constitutionality, it’s time for EPA to withdraw the rule and start this process over.

“It is EPA’s view that this injunction only applies to the 13 states that filed the request. We believe EPA is incorrect. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Whether the injunction applies to 13 states or all 50, the WOTUS rule will have serious consequences for every farmer and rancher in America. It must not be allowed to stand. From the beginning, we have asked for a rule that provides farmers with clarity and certainty about their responsibilities under the Clean Water Act. Instead, what we got was less clarity and less certainty – along with more paperwork, more permits, and more hassle.

“This court decision reinforces the need to permanently repeal the WOTUS rule. We urge the Senate to pass S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, as soon as possible. This law will force EPA to withdraw WOTUS and work with farmers and other stakeholders to rewrite the rule.

“Clean water is important to all of us. NCGA is committed to working with the EPA, the Corps, and other stakeholders to protect America’s water resources.”