New CAV Training Video Geared for Highway Driving

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Farm Safety

Screen Shot 2015-01-15 at 3.08.12 PMCustom Application Vehicles (CAVs) purpose-built design makes them perfectly suited for floating on fields or driving over standing crops. But CAVs’ high center of gravity, liquid payloads and unique tires can be a liability when driving on roads and highways.

Safety on the Road, a 32-minute training video, addresses safe operation of CAVs. This program can help train applicators on safely manuevering to and from the field.

The professionally-produced DVD covers many basic safety issues that operators may encounter such as:
– Basic CAV safety measures
– Field entrances
– Preventing rollovers
– Overhead electric lines
– Bridge and road limits
– Crossing railroad tracks
– Nighttime operations
– Narrow roads and steep shoulders
– Navigating highway traffic
– Safely making left turns
– Sharing the roadway with others

Monsanto and FMC Extend Partnership

Cindy ZimmermanAgribusiness, FMC, Monsanto, Pesticides, Weed control

fmc-logoMonsanto and FMC Agricultural Solutions have agreed to extend an agreement which will benefit corn, cotton and soybean growers through Roundup Ready PLUS® Crop Management Solutions” by including Hero® insecticide.

Hero insecticide is a combination of two pyrethroid-based insecticides with activity against 45 labeled insects and is an effective tank-mix partner with fungicides, post-herbicides and foliar fertilizers on multi-pest complexes common in more than 80 crops including corn, soybeans and cotton.

monsanto1Monsanto’s relationship with FMC began in the fall of 2010 with the inception of Roundup Ready PLUS Weed Management Solutions which has now evolved to become Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions for the 2015 crop season. FMC herbicides that will continue to be endorsed under the agreement include the Authority® brand of soybean pre-emergence residual herbicides: Authority® Assist, Authority® First, Authority® Maxx, Authority® MTZ and Authority® XL.

“The relationship with FMC Agricultural Solutions helps us ensure that growers have an additional tool for crop management that allows their crops to thrive,” said Chris Reat, Roundup Ready PLUS marketing manager at Monsanto. “By enhancing the Roundup Ready PLUS platform with Hero® insecticide, we are ensuring corn, soybean and cotton growers have access to an excellent product for managing insects and protecting crop yield”.

Webinar on Combatting Troublesome Weeds

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Nufarm, Weed control

NufarmColorLogoPalmer amaranth and horseweed (marestail) can cause growers costly problems in soybeans, cotton and corn. Join our webinar for expert advice on how to effectively control and manage these troublesome weeds. You’ll hear from Dr. Christy Sprague from Michigan State University on management strategies for Palmer amaranth. Dr. Tom Mueller, University of Tennessee, will address glyphosate-resistant horseweed (marestail) management and Dr. Bob Bruss, Nufarm Technical Services Manager, will give a brief overview on Nufarm products to help fight these tough weeds.

Featured speakers include:
– Dr. Christy Sprague – Weed Science Extension Specialist & Associate Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil & Microbial Sciences at Michigan State university
– Dr. Tom Mueller – Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Tennessee
– Dr. Bob Bruss – Technical Services Manager for Nufarm
– Moderator for event – Robin Siktberg – Custom Content Editor for Meister Media Worldwide

Those interested in the webinar can register here:

Purdue Acquires Protea’s LAESI Technology

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Herbicides, Research

purdue agProtea Biosciences Group, Inc. announced that Purdue University has acquired Protea’s LAESI® DP-1000 Instrument System for direct molecular analysis. The system will be used in Purdue’s College of Agriculture, the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, for the molecular imaging of herbicide active ingredients and other related compounds to optimize herbicide applications and improve weed management.

Protea’s LAESI system is a next generation molecular imaging platform that directly analyzes biological samples without the need to apply chemicals or introduce tags or tracers and enables 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional imaging, displaying the distribution of molecules in the samples.

“The continued investigation of how herbicides function within the plant’s morphological architecture and physiological pathways is paramount for improving the efficiency of herbicide activity and elucidating possible mechanisms that are the basis for the herbicide-resistant weeds impacting crop production, and Protea’s DP-1000 system will enable us to map and monitor specific compounds both on and within the plants of interest,” stated Bryan Young, PhD., Associate Professor of Weed Science in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. He continued, “Understanding the molecular interactions between plants and herbicides or combinations thereof is essential to developing strategies to combat invasive and emerging herbicide-resistant weed biotypes.”

“Collaborating with Purdue and applying our LAESI technology to the field of herbicide research is an important commercial sector for us,” stated Steve Turner, Protea’s CEO. “The discovery of novel herbicides can have a positive effect on crop production and ultimately the ability to more economically deliver food and livestock globally. In particular LAESI’s unique ability to provide three dimensional molecular analytics of plant tissues can be incredibly useful for mapping herbicides and other molecules within the leaf, to actually see the molecular changes that are occurring within plants.”

Ag Leader Introduces AgFiniti Map View

Jamie JohansenAg Leader, Agribusiness, Data, Software

tabletAg Leader Technology, Inc., a premium provider of precision agriculture hardware and software, announced a no cost supplemental feature called Map View, for the AgFiniti® cloud-based platform. AgFiniti Map View will be used in conjunction with SMS™ Basic and Advanced desktop software programs and AgFiniti to allow maps, field statistics and other data to be viewed on any web enabled device such as tablets, laptops and phones, accessible from any location. Map View will also allow the user to view their current location and compare statistics relevant to that GPS location while in the field, when used on compatible devices.

Available free of cost to all current SMS Basic and Advanced maintenance subscribers, Map View offers the versatility to not only view maps and other data on the go but also allows simple data analysis such as viewing statistics for multiple maps via GPS location or manual selection on your favorite mobile device.

“AgFiniti Map View will offer something for every SMS user – from the field scout to the agronomist to the farmer” says Luke James, Software Sales Manager. Additionally, James is excited about the variety of devices that will be able to utilize Map View, “Growers can utilize their existing iPad, Android or Windows devices to view their data anywhere and anytime. When scouting during the summer or consulting at the dining room table with landlords and trusted advisors.”

AgFiniti Map View and SMS version 15.1 release are now available. Visit agleader.com for details or to locate a dealer.

USDA Marks New Era for Conservation Efforts

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Conservation, USDA

usda-logoAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Wednesday announced 115 new projects in all 50 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will receive more than $370 million in Federal funding as part of the new USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

“This is an entirely new approach to conservation efforts,” said Vilsack. “These partnerships empower communities to set priorities and lead the way on conservation efforts important for their region. They also encourage private sector investment so we can make an impact that’s well beyond what the Federal government could accomplish on its own. We’re giving private companies, local communities, and other non-government partners a way to invest in a new era in conservation that ultimately benefits us all. These efforts keep our land resilient and water clean, and promote economic growth in agriculture, construction, tourism, outdoor recreation, and other industries.”

Making the announcement with Vilsack was Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Jason Weller. “RCPP puts our partners in the driver’s seat,” said Weller. “Projects are led locally, and demonstrate the value of strong public-private partnerships that deliver solutions to natural resource challenges.”

Listen to Vilsack and Weller talk about the new projects: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/usda/usda-rcpp-projects.mp3″ text=”USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program”]

RCPP competitively awards funds to conservation projects designed by local partners specifically for their region. Eligible partners include private companies, universities, non-profit organizations, local and tribal governments and others joining with agricultural and conservation organizations and producers to invest money, manpower and materials to their proposed initiatives. A complete list of the projects and their descriptions is available on the NRCS website.

Conservation Districts Win RCPP Funding

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Conservation, USDA

NACD-LogoMore than 200 conservation districts from across the nation will implement innovative, solutions-oriented natural resource conservation through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects announced earlier today by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) Tom Vilsack.

“It’s no surprise that conservation districts are one of the most highly represented entities among the winning proposals,” said National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Earl Garber. “Locally led partnerships are what conservation districts are all about. Districts have a strong history of engaging with a variety of stakeholders at the local level to enact meaningful conservation on the landscape.”

Over 600 highly competitive pre-applications were submitted to USDA from every state and Puerto Rico involving hundreds of partnering organizations. More than 200 conservation districts are directly involved in the over 100 projects selected for state, national or Critical Conservation Area (CCA) RCPP funding. Furthermore, NACD recognizes that districts will be involved as projects in these three categories are implemented within their boundaries.

Conservation district representatives will be attending many of the events planned by USDA across the county this week to mark the RCPP announcement. NACD President-elect Lee McDaniel will attend the event in Maryland on January 16 with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Jason Weller.

RCPP is about empowering local project sponsors in designing and delivering solutions that benefit natural resources where they live and work.

“As trusted and respected sources for conservation planning and assistance at the local level, conservation districts are well positioned to be leaders in these projects,” said Garber. “We appreciate USDA’s commitment to this locally-led approach to natural resource conservation. Through its flexible, public-private partnership approach, the RCPP is empowering partners to come together to deliver practical and effective solutions to address local communities’ specific resource concerns.”

USDA intends to accept proposals for the next round of RCPP sometime in spring of 2015. More information can be found here.

Bayer CropScience Cotton & Peanut Insecticide Registration

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Bayer CropScience, Cotton, Insecticide, Peanuts

bayer CropScienceBayer CropScience anticipates the registration of their newest insecticide/nematicide for the 2015 cotton and peanut season in the Southeast. Expected to become the new best management practice in southern row crops, Velum® Total insecticide/nematicide will deliver wide spectrum, long-lasting control of nematodes and early season insects for better ROI.

Velum Total is a unique blend of active ingredients that work together to combat nematodes and stop insect damage. Applied in-furrow at planting, university trials show that Velum Total enhances root health and helps establish strong early season growth, decreasing the need for additional foliar sprays to control damaging insect pests. When used in cotton and peanut university trials, Velum Total provided greater yield response than the historical standard Temik®, which is no longer available for sale or use in the United States. Furthermore, Velum Total is safe for use on crops in a tankmix with a variety of other agricultural products.

“Bayer CropScience is excited to offer growers another tool in their tool box as we look to combat insect pressure for southern row crops,” said Lee Hall, Bayer CropScience product manager. “Upon registration, Velum Total will offer growers a unique combination of long-lasting insect control and nematode management for a more efficient program that maximizes yield.”

When registered, Velum Total will be available in the Southeast for cotton and peanuts in 2015. A full launch is expected in 2016 throughout the South from Virginia to Texas with expanded crop use labels.

ScoutPro is AFBF Entrepreneur of the Year

John DavisAFBF, Ag Group, Agribusiness, Farm Bureau

Entrepreneur_Of_Year1The lead for Iowa-based ScoutPro has been honored as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Entrepreneur of the Year. This news release from AFBF says Michael Koenig was picked from four finalists and receives $30,000 in prize money to implement his business idea, which is software to assist farmers with crop maintenance, while Paul Greive represented Pasturebird, LLC, which won the People’s Choice award and $10,000 in the Farm Bureau Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge.

“Rural entrepreneurs continue to be a major driving force in our nation’s economy,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said. “We congratulate all the finalists and wish them well in their future business endeavors.”

The finalist businesses were chosen from more than 200 applicants. Golden Bridges, Inc. of Palmyra, Missouri, team lead Suzanne Ellerbrock, and Pulaski Grow of Pulaski, Virginia, team lead Lee Spiegel, were the other two finalists who competed in the final round of the challenge in San Diego.

“The seed money provided to entrepreneurs through the challenge will help them take their businesses to the next level, which can make a huge difference in small rural communities,” said Jeff Reid, founding director of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Initiative.

The awards were handed out during AFBF’s 96th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show in San Diego.

Flexi-Coil® P Series Air Carts From New Holland

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, New Holland

P4950 Air CartThe Flexi-Coil® P Series air carts from New Holland set a new standard for accurate, reliable air seeding delivery. Redesigned from the ground up, these new air carts have an unprecedented number of patent-pending features that provide advantages that increase return on investment.

“The P Series air carts are a fresh example of Flexi-Coil’s long-standing heritage of innovation,” says Jason Hardy, New Holland Crop Production Marketing Manager. “Our product design team conducted extensive research with customers to make sure the P Series met their wants and needs. The result is an air cart that sets a new standard in seeding and application accuracy, reliability and efficiency.”

– Seven models, multiple configurations, huge grain tanks up to 950 bushels
– Industry-leading distribution system for unmatched accuracy
– Blending flexibility: distribute or combine any tank to any run
– IntelliView™ IV plug and play: takes the guesswork out of rate setting
– Accurate section control option: eliminates double applications of seed and fertilizer
– EZ Flow headers: gentle seed handling can increase yield

Learn more about New Holland’s Flexi-Coil® P Series air carts here.