What’s Your Opinion on US Ag Coalition for Cuba?

Jamie JohansenZimmPoll

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think were the biggest ag stories of 2014?”

We were not limited on the number of important ag stories in 2014. It looks like RFS and the drought in the West topped this poll. Immigration and agriculture documentaries were a few others people added to the list. 2015 has already started off with a bang. It will be interesting to see what the year brings.

Here are the poll results:

  • New Farm Bill – 11%
  • Water of the US rule – 5%
  • California drought – 24%
  • PED virus in swine – 8%
  • High meat prices – 5%
  • Transportation issues – 10%
  • No RFS numbers from EPA – 24%
  • Trade issues – 5%
  • Other – 8%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What do you think about new US Ag Coalition for Cuba?

More than 25 companies and organizations recently launched the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC) in Washington to liberalize trade and re-establish Cuba as a market for U.S. food and agriculture exports. In this week’s ZimmPoll, we want to know what you think about it. Will it benefit all aspects of the ag industry or is it too soon?

EXCEL Dryers Ensure High Efficiency & Grain Quality

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, Grain

ExcelDryer copySuperior Manufacturing’s EXCEL mixed-flow under-fan grain dryers use approximately half the BTUs of conventional screen dryers and only 40 cfm per bushel compared to 100 cfm. They also combine gentle heat with longer retention times for a low stress process that keeps grain quality intact.

EXCEL dryers provide highly efficient heating. The Schedule 80 internal vaporizer’s 2-inch line, the largest in the industry, vaporizes the propane over more surface area. It is placed in balanced plenum heat, which vaporizes more evenly than harsh blast heat. The propane fuels a low-emission Maxon burner that requires less than a pound of pressure to produce 1 million BTUs per linear foot. Finally, upper plenum venting increases airflow so the dryer can preheat quickly.

With capabilities ranging from 735 to 4,800 bushels per hour on single-phase power and as much as 7,500 bushels per hour on three-phase power, EXCEL grain dryers fit operations of any size, from small family farms to large commercial elevators. Superior also designs them for easy expansion. Models start at 10 tiers and can be easily expanded onsite by adding additional tiers – up to 26 – to the top of the dryer.

Superior incorporates several features into EXCEL dryers to ensure consistent dryer temperature. First, users can open or close a 4-foot true burner transition to maintain proper airflow. EXCEL dryers also feature the largest corner venting in the industry, which prevents hot spots from forming in the dryer’s corners. Finally, the mixed-flow process pushes heat up through alternating rows of ducts so grain is conditioned from both sides.

With their industry-leading holding capacities, EXCEL dryers retain grain longer while maintaining a high bushel-per-hour throughput. Combined with consistent dryer temperatures, a longer retention time ensures optimal heat transfer into the seeds’ cores and removes moisture without damaging kernels. Once grain reaches the target moisture level, it is carried to the unloading point by drag chain conveyers with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene paddles that are gentler on recently conditioned grain and cause less breakage and cracking than augers.

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New Holland Joins Canadian Curling Association

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, New Holland

new hollandNew Holland Agriculture and Construction is now an Official Partner of the Canadian Curling Association (CCA) and joins an impressive list of companies as a partner in support of the CCA’s Season of Champions series of events.

“As a company with national and international reach, New Holland has established itself as a leader in its field, and we couldn’t be happier to come to this agreement,” said Canadian Curling Association Chief Executive Officer Greg Stremlaw. “Having New Holland join the CCA family is another sign of the health and enthusiasm for the Season of Champions curling event in our country. It is companies such as New Holland that will help our ongoing goal of continuing to build the sport, not just at the championship level but at affiliated curling centers across the country.”

New Holland is the latest member of a group of corporate partners for the CCA that includes such long-standing partnerships as Tim Hortons, Kruger Products, M&M Meat Shops, Travelers Insurance, Home Hardware, World Financial Group, Bell Canada, AMJ Campbell and DuPont Pioneer.

“New Holland is excited and proud to partner with the CCA to support the great sport of curling in Canada,” said Doug Warrener, Director of Growth Initiatives for New Holland, Canada. “Curling remains an exciting sport for the Canadian audience and more specifically the rural areas where New Holland is a major supplier of agricultural products. We look forward to working with the Canadian Curling Association in their efforts to grow the sport in Canada and around the world.”

Corn Growers Join Cuba Ag Coalition

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Corn, International, trade

NCGA-Logo-3The National Corn Growers Association joins U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and fellow farm and food organizations seeking to end the United States’ embargo against Cuba and advance trade relations between the two nations.

The U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba is composed of more than 30 U.S. agricultural and food organizations committed to building a deeper U.S.-Cuba relationship.

Although agricultural exports to Cuba are legal, the financing and trade restrictions have hampered the ability of American farmers to compete with other countries, such as Argentina and Brazil, which do not face the same restrictions. U.S. corn exports to Cuba have decreased from nearly 800,000 metric tons in 2008 to 200,000 tons in 2013.

usaccNCGA President Chip Bowling said, “Cuba is not a level playing field for American farmers. It’s time we have a chance to better compete for Cuba’s business. NCGA has long supported normalized trade relations with Cuba, as part of our efforts to expand markets for U.S. corn and feed the world. We are proud to join this coalition. We will work closely with our fellow coalition members to advance a trade relationship with Cuba that is efficient, globally competitive, and benefits both nations.”

Among the speakers who introduced the new coalition were a list of lawmakers from a variety of states, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and representatives from a number of the organizations who are part of the new group. “Today we gather to discuss an expanded opportunity for American agriculture – our farmers and our ranchers,” said Vilsack. “Allow them to expand business opportunities in a country just 90 miles from our border – Cuba.” [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/government/usacc-vilsack.mp3″ text=”Secretary Vilsack at US Ag Coalition for Cuba kickoff”]

WinField Collaborates To Simplify Data Management

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Data, Software

Screen Shot 2015-01-08 at 4.55.12 PMWinField has increased its participation in two separate efforts to help simplify the exchange of information between software platforms while ensuring that farmers retain ownership and control of their data.

WinField and the Open Ag Data Alliance (OADA) are helping farmers put their data to work through the use of communication protocols enabling secure data transfer and common logins between cloud systems across the agricultural industry that prevent needing to enter similar or identical information multiple times. Additionally, WinField and AgGateway are working to promote standardization of data formats and conversions for better compatibility between systems.

“Our engagements with OADA and within AgGateway will enable WinField retailers to better help farmers leverage the benefits of their valuable data, while ensuring data privacy and individual ownership,” said Dave Gebhardt, Ph.D., director of agronomic data and technology, WinField. “WinField is also developing its own proprietary data management solution to perform in this environment.”

“WinField continues to provide significant leadership and positive contributions to collaborative eBusiness efforts within AgGateway,” said Rod Conner, president and chief executive officer, AgGateway. “This has included leading key efforts within our precision agriculture projects, and in other major areas that will boost business efficiency.”

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HarvestMaster Releases New Brand Identity

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Data, Harvesting

Screen Shot 2015-01-08 at 5.05.31 PMHarvestMaster™, a Juniper Systems company that provides data collection for agricultural research, now has a new, updated brand identity for a fresh look. The release of the new logo also coincides with the announcement of HarvestMaster’s new H2 High Capacity GrainGage, a high-accuracy harvest data system for agricultural research.

HarvestMaster’s previous logo has been around since the company was first founded back in 1993. So it was with an attitude of continuous improvement and forward-thinking that the company moved ahead with the new design. The new brand identity has subtle ties to the logo of HarvestMaster’s parent company, Juniper Systems, and represents a theme of “new growth,” which resonates well with HarvestMaster’s agriculturally-minded customers.

“With the release of both the new brand identity and the H2 GrainGage, HarvestMaster is taking another huge step forward. The culture here is one of continual growth and evolution, and the new logo really represents that well,” said Allen Wilson, HarvestMaster’s Market Manager. “We’re always striving to provide greater productivity, efficiency, and accuracy for our customers, and we believe the new brand identity embodies all of that.”

FAA Grants Ag Drone Exemption

Cindy Zimmermandrone, Government, UAS, UAV

uav-agThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week granted a regulatory exemption for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations for agricultural applications.

The agency awarded the exemption to Advanced Aviation Solutions in Star, Idaho to use a fixed-wing eBee Ag UAS to make photographic measurements and perform crop scouting for precision agriculture. At the same tim, the agency gave an exemptions to Douglas Trudeau with Tierra Antigua Realty in Tucson, AZ – the first for real estate photography.

Before these exemption approvals, the FAA had granted 12 exemptions to 11 companies in a variety of industries.

Hick Chick Chat: IDEAg Innovate Conference and Trade Show

Leah GuffeyAFBF, Audio, Data, Events, Farm Bureau, Hick Chick Chat, IDEAg

IMG_3295 copyInnovation and technology will be in the spotlight at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th annual convention, which begins this weekend in San Diego. Cindy will be there to handle all of the coverage next week, and she talked with AFBF’s Dan Durheim to get a preview of what’s new this year.

afbf-2014What is brand new is the IDEAg Innovate Conference and Trade Show that will feature topics such as managing agricultural big data, the use of drones for farming purposes, precision agriculture and Internet strategies for farmers and ranchers. The IDEAg conference will be held from 8:00 to 10:30 am on Saturday, the trade show will be open from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday and 10:30 am to 3:30 pm on Sunday.

The convention kicks off with the opening general session on Sunday morning, when AFBF President Bob Stallman will share Farm Bureau’s direction for 2015. At the general session on Monday morning, Commander Rorke Denver will provide insights on teamwork and courage when faced with pressure-filled situations, and comedian Jay Leno will leave attendees laughing at the closing general session.

Find out more here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/podcast/hickchickchat-15-ideag.mp3″ text=”Hick Chick Chat with Dan Durheim, AFBF”]

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Covering the Farm with Ayrstone Ayrmesh

Chuck ZimmermanAgNerd, Audio, Ayrstone, Cloud, Internet

ZimmCast 461It’s time for another edition of the AgNerd Cloud, a fairly regular column on new technology for the farm. In this program we’ll learn about how you can obtain a good internet cloud on your property that can include remote ethernet connections via a new wireless device!

Ayrmesh Hub2nThanks to Bill Moffitt, Ayrstone Productivity, for working with us by supplying some products that include a few Ayrmesh Hubs (Hub2n) and an Ayrmesh Receiver. These have been installed at ZimmComm World Headquarters and at the Walkin’ Z Ranch. The Walkin’ Z is my brother Paul’s Georgia farm. In this program you’ll hear him and his son Eli talk about they Ayrmesh system they set up to have good wifi coverage over all of their property and buildings. In the photo is one of Paul’s Ayrmesh Hubs that is mounted on the roof of his home. It is connected to another Hub at his guest house where Eli is living while he attends college.

Ayrmesh ReceiverAt ZimmComm World Headquarters I have an Ayrmesh hub set up that is connected to an Ayrmesh Receiver (pictured). The Receiver takes the Hub signal and provides me with an ethernet connection that I have running through an ethernet switch (splitter) to provide me with multiple ethernet cable connections in the second building on my property.

They work great! They’re simple to set up and Ayrstone support is fantastic. ‘Nuff said.

Listen in to my conversation with Paul and Eli as we talk about using the Ayrstone system: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/zimmcast/zimmcast461-1-5-15.mp3″ text=”AgNerd Cloud – Ayrstone Ayrmesh”]

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New Holland Introduces CR6.80 Combine

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Equipment, Harvesting, New Holland

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 2.13.15 PMThe CR6.80, the newest addition to New Holland’s CR combine series, is a new model focused on the mixed farming operation engaged in both livestock and crop production. The CR6.80 provides a maximum 374 hp and is designed to work with grain heads up to 30 feet wide and 8-row corn heads. Offering the same advantages of the larger models in the CR Series – capacity, productivity, less grain loss and high grain quality — the CR6.80 is for the grower who demands the smart features that New Holland combines deliver, but does not require the higher capacity of the more powerful CR models.

“The CR6.80 provides all the benefits of Twin Rotor® and other smart harvesting technology, plus the harvesting comfort of the new Harvest Suite™ Ultra cab in a package that is perfect for the customer with fewer acres,” says Dan Valen, New Holland North America Cash Crop Equipment Segment Marketing Leader. “Forty years ago, New Holland was the first in the marketplace with a rotary combine and we are still the only manufacturer with a Twin Rotor design. Now with the CR6.80 combine, smart customers with the need of a 30-foot wide grain head or 8-row corn head can enjoy the benefits the Twin Rotor delivers: highest capacity in its class, outstanding grain quality, and lowest cost of ownership.”

New Holland’s newest in the combine series provides:
– CR6.80: big combine features for mixed farming operations
– Proven technologies: Twin Rotor®, self-leveling shoe, EcoBlue™ engine
– Harvest Suite™ Ultra cab: designed for ultimate harvesting comfort