Partnership for Sustainable Ag Standardizing

John DavisAg Group, sustainability

fieldtomarketsustainabilityTwo sustainable agriculture groups are joining forces to make sure measuring and reporting of information is better standardized. Field to Market and The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) say their new partnership will ensure there’s harmonized science-based approach to measure and communicate sustainability in agriculture.

In a memorandum of understanding signed last week, TSC and Field to Market have agreed to work toward greater harmonization of metrics in overlapping product categories, encourage data platform interoperability and collaborate together on innovation projects. This partnership will enable Field to Market’s metrics and benchmarks developed through a multi-stakeholder process to be utilized in reporting against TSC’s key performance indicators on continuous improvement in corn, cotton, rice, potatoes, soybeans and other crops related to a number of sustainability indicators.

“The partnership with The Sustainability Consortium is an important step in Field to Market’s efforts to create a common framework to measure the sustainability of U.S. agriculture. This move toward alignment will help the agriculture value chain communicate more clearly to consumers while creating a foundation to advance sustainable outcomes in U.S. crop production,” said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market.

“The Sustainability Consortium is built on a foundation of collaboration and alignment. A strong partnership between TSC and Field to Market will allow us to openly share information and harmonize our approaches to measuring the sustainability of key agricultural crops. We are pleased to have Field to Market as a partner and look forward to working with them as we help companies all across the supply chain capture the big opportunities sustainability has to offer.” said Sheila Bonini, CEO of TSC.

Update on Valent Products from Trade Talk

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Audio, Corn, Crop Protection, Forage, Herbicides, seed, Soybeans

nafb-valentValent was out in full force during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk to talk about their seed protection programs, plant growth regulators and everything residual herbicides.

Matt Kirkpatrick, market development specialist works with growers to find their needs and decides what products Valent can bring to the marketplace to solve their problems. Fierce XLT is an example of one of these products. It provides premium broadleaf and grass control in soybeans. Learn more about the Fierce line of products and other residual herbicides in my complete interview with Matt here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/nafb/nafb-14-valent-kirkpatrick.mp3″ text=”Interview with Matt Kirkpatrick, Valent”]

Seed protection marketing manager, Thad Haes, shared more about Valent’s soybean seed protection product known as Intego Suite protecting against Pythium and Phytophthora and also offers broad spectrum insect control. Intego Suite launches this fall. Listen to or download my interview with Thad here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/nafb/nafb-14-valent-haes.mp3″ text=”Interview with Thad Haes, Valent”]

Jim Wargo, bio-rational specialist and works with Valent’s plant growth regulators and microbial insecticides. At Trade Talk he touched on RyzUp SmartGrass®, which stimulates growth and maximizes yield in field corn, silage, pastures and hay for both organic and conventional production systems. Find more about this Valent product here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/nafb/nafb-14-valent-wargo.mp3″ text=”Interview with Jim Wargo, Valent”]

You can find photos from the event here:
2014 NAFB Convention Photos

NAFB Convention is sponsored by
NAFB Convention is sponsored by FMC

Big Data Coalition May Ease Privacy Concerns

Jamie JohansenZimmPoll

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Do you think the new coalition agreement addresses ag data privacy concerns?”

Time will tell if the big data coalition will ease the minds of concerned growers when it comes to privacy and security issues. However, the majority of those polled feel that the agreement addresses these ag data issues. We for sure will keep you posted.

Here are the poll results:

  • Yes – 47%
  • No – 26%
  • Maybe – 7%
  • I don’t know – 20%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

In year’s past we have asked your favorite Thanksgiving protein. Does your family go for the traditional turkey or maybe a ham? Or do you have your own traditional meat of choice? This year in honor of Thanksgiving, we want to know your favorite side dish. Do you prefer dressing, mashed potatoes or do you love something different? At my family’s table gravy is a side all it’s own. It covers everything but the salad.

Hick Chick Chat: 2015 NAFB Executive Officer Team

Leah GuffeyAudio, Hick Chick Chat, NAFB

execThe 71st Annual Meeting of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting wrapped up last week with a new slate of officers for 2015.

The president-elect is Brian Winnekins of Reel Country AM1430 in Wisconsin, whose job for the coming year will be to plan the next convention. The new NAFB president is Susan Littlefield of KZEN in Nebraska – pictured here to the right of Brian. Susan will soon start her new role representing the organization across the country and speaking at various farm industry meetings. To Brian’s left is our now immediate past president Janet Adkison, who will be able to relax a little more in the new year when not on the air with RFD-TV as their Washington DC reporter.

15176777854_f81e582a0b_mJoining the new officer team is vice president Tony St. James of All Ag, All Day (900AM Lubbock-Floydada, TX & 800AM Amarillo-Dumas, TX).

While at convention this past week, Cindy, intern Taylor, and I caught up with each of the officers to get their take on convention, what they have enjoyed and are looking forward to in their new roles and how being a part of the organization has affected their careers.

You can listen to my chat here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/podcast/hickchickchat-14-nafbexec.mp3″ text=”Hick Chick Chat: NAFB Executive Officer Team”]

Join in the conversation on Twitter and on Facebook


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Coverage of the NAFB convention is sponsored by
NAFB Convention is sponsored by FMC

Valley’s Irrigation Exchange

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Irrigation

Screen Shot 2014-11-21 at 11.49.29 AMDue to the growing demand for increased food production to feed the expanding population, along with rising land prices and increasing fertilizer and fuel costs, making precise choices about irrigation and nutrient management is more critical than ever.

Valley® Irrigation has developed a way to share precision irrigation data that facilitates data-driven decisions and simplifies irrigation management. The first of its kind, Irrigation Exchange™ is cutting-edge technology that provides for the seamless transfer of precision data to other ag companies from BaseStation3™, the new Valley remote irrigation management product.

“Valley is working with major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of agriculture equipment, seed and fertilizer companies, and leading agronomy service companies to design and develop the next level of integrated farm management,” said Craig Malsam, vice president of global engineering and strategic technical development. “OEMs are invited to create application programing interfaces (API) that link into BaseStation3 to synchronize irrigation with other critical and interdependent farm operations.”

Irrigation Exchange allows for data retrieval, data-based decision-making and implementation through mechanized irrigation during the most critical phase – the growing season, Malsam said. It also gives growers complete control over their data and who has access to it.

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Issues on the Plate of NCGA President

Cindy ZimmermanAg Group, Audio, biotechnology, Conservation, Corn, Cover Crops, NAFB, NCGA

nafb14-ncga-chipBiotechnology and GMO labeling, Waters of the U.S., and soil health were just a few of the issues on the mind of National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention last week.

Bowling says corn growers are very concerned about the growing number of initiatives nationwide called for labeling of GMO products, and passage of a temporary ban on biotech crop production in Maui where many agribusiness companies do research on new traits. “The issue in Hawaii is critical,” he said. “We Hawaii is a place we can grow crops all year long and the companies that test their traits out there needs to have the accessibility to those areas.” Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences have filed suit over the ban, which was passed by a slim margin, and a judge has blocked its implementation.

One of the most important issues facing farmers right now, in Bowling’s opinion, is the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule. “It’s not going to go away,” he said. “We need them to withdraw the interpretive rule and clarify what they mean to regulate and we need to make sure that it’s not overreaching.” Bowling recently had officials from EPA out to his farm in Maryland to take a look at ditches and ponds and get their opinions on how they would interpret the rule.

Bowling is pleased with NCGA’s participation in the Soil Health Partnership (SHP). “We understand that we need to be good stewards of the land,” said Bowling. “It’s all about doing the right thing at the right time and we want to make sure that the farmers that we represent have all the information that they can get.”

Bowling talks about a variety of other issues in this interview: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/nafb/nafb14-ncga-chip.MP3″ text=”Interview with Chip Bowling, NCGA president”]


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Coverage of the NAFB convention is sponsored by
NAFB Convention is sponsored by FMC

Weed Science Society Looks to Future

John DavisAg Group, Weed control

WSSA1Some upcoming meetings for the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) and its sister regional organizations will address a wide range of topics vital to the future of weed science. This WSSA news release says they’ll look at subjects ranging from how to manage herbicide-resistant weeds to new developments in weed research and expect to draw hundreds of scientists, students, educators and other individuals interested in sustainable weed management practices and the conservation.

The 55th annual meeting of WSSA will be held February 9-12, 2015, in Lexington, Kentucky. Rosalind James, Ph.D., a national program leader in USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, will deliver a keynote address on the future of the agency’s weed science research initiatives.

More than 300 presentations and poster sessions are on the annual meeting agenda, as well as two special symposia. The first will summarize a recent national-level Herbicide Resistance Summit sponsored by WSSA, while the second will explore the future of molecular-level weed research. Graduate students in weed science are organizing a special student-oriented workshop on how to prepare for jobs in weed science. For more details and registration information, visit www.wssa.net.

Several regional meetings are coming up as well, including the North Central Weed Science Society getting together December 1-4, 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the Northeastern Weed Science Society meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia, January 5-8, 2015; the Southern Weed Science Society annual meeting taking place in Savannah, Georgia, January 26-28, 2015; and the Western Society of Weed Science to meet March 9-12, 2015, in Portland, Oregon.

More information is available here.

Corn Growers’ Soil Health Partnership Fosters Conversations

John DavisAg Group, Corn, NCGA, Soil

SHP1Farmers in the Midwest are talking about more than just the weather these past few weeks. The National Corn Growers Associaton’s Soil Health Partnership (SHP) has been busy lately holding field days in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana, the Soil Health Partnership was busy holding field days, encouraging some real farmer-to-farmer conversations on how to best take care of soil health in different areas.

“The soil samples I take help me identify what soil management practices contribute to water efficiency in each of the fields where I want to make a change. After participating in this program, I expect to be better able to assess the interplay of yield with compaction and water filtration, organic matter, the nutrient cycle, and other chemical, physical and biological attributes,” [said SHP demonstration farmer Greg Whitmore from Shelby, Nebraska].

At the Forrest, Illinois field day, Mike Trainor talked about his past experience with cover crops and what he hopes to gain by participating in the Soil Health Partnership. “What is attractive about this program is the attention it places on the economic benefits of using cover crops,” said Trainor.

Leon Corzine, another SHP demonstration farmer, invited his neighbors in Assumption, Illinois to hear how soil health benefits farmers’ operations. “My son Craig now farms with me. Leaving the farm to him in better shape than I got it is important to me,” said Corzine. “I’m interested in growing cover crops but, like other farmers, I’m not quite sure what will work best. Working with Soil Health Partnership is a way for me to learn more about what I can do.”

More information on the Soil Health Partnership is available at soilhealthpartnership.org.

Crop Protection Products & Global Food Demand

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Crop Protection, Food

Screen Shot 2014-11-20 at 12.37.39 PMA panel of authors from academic institutions and the CropLife Foundation concludes that crop protection products will play a key role in supporting long-term global food production in both developed and developing countries, when paired with effective policies, proper regulations and responsible use training. The findings are published in the newest Issue Paper, “The Contributions of Pesticides to Pest Management in Meeting the Global Need for Food Production by 2050,” released Nov. 17 by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST).

Authors Albert Culbreath of the University of Georgia; Leonard Gianessi of the Crop Protection Research Institute and consultant for the CropLife Foundation; Larry Godfrey of the University of California, Davis; and Stephen C. Weller of Purdue University examine the role of pesticides in yield production and conclude that crop protection products will be important in helping farmers provide for a growing population.

“This report demonstrates that agricultural technology plays a significant role in the production of nutritious food for communities, both in the U.S. and around the world,” said Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CropLife America. “The global CropLife network thanks CAST for this critical examination of how crop protection can support a sustainable future.”

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Polar Tractor Lands in Antarctica

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, environment, Machinery

antarctica2The Massey Ferguson tractor set to spearhead an expedition to the South Pole has touched down in the Antarctic.

The ambitious Antarctica2 mission to reach the Pole by tractor is scheduled to depart on its 5000 km journey across the ice this weekend (22/23 November) depending on weather conditions.

Transported in a IL76 heavy-cargo aircraft, the tractor landed at Novo Runway from Cape Town where it has been undergoing some final preparations for its polar adventure.

“It’s wonderful to see the first pictures of our MF 5610 tractor in Antarctica which will be its place of work for the next few weeks,” says Campbell Scott, Massey Ferguson, Director Sales Engineering and Brand Development. “The arrival of the MF 5610 at this time is highly appropriate as it coincides with the official birth of the Massey Ferguson brand name on 19th November 1957.”

“We are really looking forward to the start of the mission and following the progress of the Antarctica2 expedition team as it makes its way to the Geographical South Pole. “

Together with Massey Ferguson which is supplying the tractor, Antarctica2 has enlisted the help of leading industry partners including Trelleborg, Castrol, AGCO Finance, AGCO Parts, Fuse Technologies and Mechatrac.