3RIVE 3D Application Use Growing

Ag Media Summit, AgWired Precision, Audio, Crop Protection, FMC

FMC has been working with the 3RIVE 3D application system since at least 2015 when it debuted at the National Farm Machinery Show and use of the at-plant crop protection delivery platform has just continued to grow with the development of Capture 3RIVE 3D.

At the recent Ag Media Summit, FMC product development manager Brent Jacobson said they will soon have another product to work with the application system, in addition to Capture® 3RIVE 3D® insecticide.

“It’s going to be called Ethos 3D, we anticipate registration by the end of the year,” said Jacobson. “It includes an insecticide and also a bio-fungicide.”

Jacobson says Ethos defends against corn rootworms, wireworms, grubs, seed corn maggots, cutworms and common stalk borers; as well as Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Phytophthor. “One of the neat things about the biofungicide is that it is a biological that actually grows with the root system of the plant.”

Learn more in this interview – Interview with Brent Jacobson, FMC, on 3RIVE 3D and Ethos 3D

2018 Ag Media Summit photo album

Content creation at Ag Media Summit is sponsored by
Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by FMC

AMVAC Gearing Up for Farm Progress Show

Ag Media Summit, AgWired Precision, AMVAC, Audio, Crop Protection

Like pretty much everyone in the corn and soybean belt, AMVAC Chemical is gearing up for Farm Progress Show next week in Boone, Iowa.

Neil DeStefano, AMVAC director of portfolio management and marketing communications, is really excited about this year’s show and what they will have on display for farmers. “We’re really going to have two booths in one – our traditional product portfolio and then our SIMPAS exhibit,” said DeStefano during an interview at Ag Media Summit. “SIMPAS stands for Smart Integrated Multi-Product Prescriptive Application System…so we’re going to have a really cool interactive exhibit at Farm Progress.” Watch a video about SIMPAS here.

Learn more from Neil in this interview. Interview with Neil DeStefano, AMVAC, about SIMPAS and Farm Progress preview

On the product side, ImpactZ™ Herbicide for control of glyphosate-tolerant weeds and grasses in corn will be in the spotlight. Jim Lappin, AMVAC Chemical marketing manager for corn and soybean portfolio, says ImpactZ™ has had a very successful first year on the market. “One of the segments that has been growing very quickly is adding more residual herbicides in an early post-emergence application,” said Lappin, who explains that the combination of Impact and atrazine provides two modes of action and can be tank mixed with other residual herbicides.

Listen to Lappin explain the benefits of ImpactZ.
Interview with Jim Lappin, AMVAC, about Impact Z

2018 Ag Media Summit photo album

Precision Ag Bytes 8/22

AFBF, AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Soil Health Partnership, Syngenta, USFRA

  • Syngenta announced the registration of Vibrance® Trio seed treatment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The premix of three fungicide active ingredients – mefenoxam, fludioxonil and sedaxane – is recommended for soybean growers whose main early-season concerns are strong stands and disease protection. ​​​​​​
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, has opened online applications for its 2019 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Entrepreneurs will compete for $145,000. The competition provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. Competitors are invited to submit for-profit business ideas related to food and agriculture online at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge by Sept. 24.
  • Cargill Animal Nutrition is celebrating the launch of a new line of advanced calf and heifer nutrition, HerdFirst™, with a new Facebook campaign to support The Great American Milk Drive. Cargill will donate three servings of milk — the recommended daily amount for Americans — for every person who shares how much they care for their dairy animals using the HerdFirst™ Facebook frame and hashtag #putyourherdfirst, from now until October 31.
  • Shefali Mehta is the new executive director of the Soil Health Partnership, a long-term data project that measures and quantifies the impact of farm management practices known to promote healthy soils.
  • Smart Ag Inc., an Iowa-based technology company, will conduct in late August the first-ever Farm Progress Show field demonstration of a driverless tractor system. Throughout the three-days of Farm Progress, Smart Ag will introduce to farmers AutoCart®, a software platform and aftermarket kit that fully automates an existing grain cart tractor for use during harvest.
  • Michael Stebbins, Director of External Engagement for GMO Answers, joined Kaci Creel of Dairy MAX and Allison Garriga of US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance to discuss consumer attitudes and how to reach them at the annual Agriculture Media Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. In a session entitled, “Managing Information in the Consumer Digital Space” the three panelists shared their experiences, successes, and shortcomings when sharing stories and consumer messages digitally.
  • UrtheCast Corp. and Land O’Lakes, Inc. announced they have entered a binding term sheet for the purchase of Geosys Technology Holding LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, for a purchase price of US$20 million.

BASF Living Acres Program Increases Monarch Habitat

Ag Media Summit, AgWired Precision, Audio, BASF, pollinators

BASF is helping to increase the monarch population with its Living Acres program.

“Living Acres is our biodiversity program that focuses in on monarch habitat,” explained Chip Shilling, sustainability strategy manager. “For that you need milkweed, so we’re really encouraging farmers and farm families to think about places that are outside of their field boundaries where they can plant milkweed or protect milkweed that they may already have.”

Shilling said two years ago, 500 farmers signed up for the program. Last year, they signed up more than 1,000 additional farms. To date, BASF has shipped out more than 50,000 milkweed plants to golf courses and farms. Those interested in participating in the BASF Living Acres program can sign up at monarchchallenge.com or look for the Living Acres display at a variety of farm shows around the country. Shilling was at the Ag Media Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Chip Shilling here: Interview with Chip Shilling, BASF

2018 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

GROWMARK Collaborates with NRCS on Sustainability

AgWired Precision, Audio, Growmark, sustainability

A Memorandum of Understanding between GROWMARK and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is yet another way the agricultural cooperative is showing a commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

“Our goal, or our vision, is to help to enhance the relationship and the knowledge of NRCS and our local FS team members at the local level,” said Liz Hobart, GROWMARK government relations manager.

GROWMARK will continue to provide strong agronomic advice to growers at the farm gate, while collaborating with NRCS experts to ensure the best conservation practices are followed in order to protect natural resources on the farm. The national memorandum was signed in January 2018, followed by another memorandum in the state of Iowa, where the partnership is beginning.

Hobart said the two groups are working closely together on things like training and communication, streamlining those processes wherever possible. They plan to expand and replicate the program in other states once it is well established in Iowa.

“I think as you look at some of the issues that are facing our farmers today, I think it’s very important collaboration,” said Hobart. “Partnerships, consistent messaging, science-based messaging are very important to our growers. So I think we are seeing that success, raising that awareness with our growers and helping them to be more profitable and recognizing that things are changing.”

She said GROWMARK is committed to stewardship and sustainability, helping farmers to protect assets and resources they have and helping them to achieve that sustainably.

Listen to Carrie’s interview with Liz Hobart here: Interview with Liz Hobart, GROWMARK

Corteva Agriscience Making a Name at Ag Media Summit

Ag Media Summit, AgWired Precision, Audio, Corteva Agriscience, DowDuPont

Corteva Agriscience continued the longstanding partnership of its legacy companies with the Ag Media Summit as a gold sponsor this year.

The company is working to ensure all agriculture stakeholders know the new business name and what it stands for.

“[It’s] very important for us as Corteva Agriscience in our first year to get our name out there and talk to a lot of these great ag journalists and explain to them who we are and what we’re going to be, and just get out there and make sure that we’re connecting with everyone,” said Gregg Schmidt, head of external communications.

The company’s name combines “cor” meaning heart and “teva” meaning earth, celebrating a rich agricultural history for both Dow and DuPont, the companies that merged to form the new venture.

“We’ve got a presence all around the world, but we are excited to connect with our consumers and customers and be the only pure play agriculture company in the world when we eventually spin off in 2019,” said Schmidt, who noted that senior leaders at Corteva have been meeting with farmers, customers and ag journalists to be sure the Corteva name is one everyone understands.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Gregg Schmidt here: Interview with Gregg Schmidt, Corteva Agriscience

2018 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Saving the Orange

AgWired Precision, ASTA, Citrus, Video

The American Seed Trade Association and CropLife International have launched the first video in a new series about gene editing in plants.

The video focuses on the very-real challenge of citrus greening—a devastating disease which has led to a nearly 80-percent decrease in Florida citrus production over the past 12 to 15 years.

Profiled in the video, Dr. Fred Gmitter, University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Center, calls citrus greening “the worst possible nightmare imaginable.” By using innovative breeding methods like gene editing, Dr. Gmitter and his team are working to improve orange trees, making them more resistant to the disease.

Click here to watch the video.

Case IH Improves Steiger and Magnum Series Tractors

AgWired Precision, Case IH, Equipment, Tractor

Case IH announces updates to both its Steiger® Series and Magnum™ Series tractor lines for 2019.

The Steiger® Quadtrac® and Rowtrac™ tractor lineup includes new features that reinforce the series’ already proven performance. Several drive system advancements, including a new high-speed Rowtrac design, join a factory-fit enhanced telematics offering that increases management capability and flexibility. In addition, all Model Year 2019 tractors used in agriculture applications now include an industry-exclusive warranty and a one-year advanced subscription to Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) Connect™. These innovations help ensure that Model Year 2019 Steiger tractors will deliver even more power, productivity and efficiency for producers.

“For more than 20 years, we have been relentless in refinement of our track technology, giving us a head start and allowing us to lead the pack,” said Mitch Kaiser, Case IH Steiger tractor marketing manager. “This series of tractors is already strong, smart and simple, and these advancements are helping producers get even more power, performance and productivity that leads to lower total cost of ownership.”

Model Year 2019 Steiger tractors also feature an improved track design for high-speed roading, capable of up to 25 mph.

Model Year 2019 Magnum tractors also include a new warranty program, factory-fit telematics, and advanced subscription to Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) Connect™ farm management system, along with a new 21-inch track option and factory-installed Goodyear® LSW® tire options.

For more information, visit your local Case IH dealer or www.caseih.com.

AEM’s Ag Equipment Sales Numbers Remain Strong

AEM, AgWired Precision, Equipment

Self-propelled combines and 4-wheel-drive tractors lead the way in a July 2018 report by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), reflecting continued strong U.S. sales.

July U.S. sales of self-propelled combines gained 37 percent compared to last year, with year-to-date growth of nearly 24 percent compared to last-year’s January-July numbers. U.S. sales of 4-wheel-drive tractors jumped 77.5 percent for July compared to July 2017, and grew nearly 13 percent year-to-date over January-July 2017. For July, total U.S. sales of 2-wheel drive tractors grew 12 percent over last year. Sales in the 100-plus HP category led the way with 31-percent growth, followed by gains of 16 percent for under-40 HP tractors, and a dip of 1.5 percent for the 40-100 HP category. For January-July 2018, all categories of 2-wheel drive tractors were still positive compared to 2017 YTD: under-40 HP tractors grew 9.5 percent, 40-100 HP 2-wheel drive tractors increased 2.5 percent and 100-plus HP 2-wheel drive tractors gained 5 percent.

“Seven months into the year, we’re still looking at favorable numbers. Surveys of our membership show a good majority feel the market has been strong this year but are beginning to have concerns about the second half of the year. Tariffs and trade continue to dominate the conversation, with the lingering uncertainty of their impact on current positive market performance,” said Curt Blades, AEM senior vice president, AG services. “While sales of small equipment such as less than 40 HP tractors continue their growth trends over the last few years that had made them a bright spot, they have been joined by a softer upward movement started in 2017 for the larger production ag equipment such as 100+ HP 2WD tractors, 4WD tractors and self-propelled combines,” said Benjamin Duyck, AEM director, market intelligence.

Here is link to the full report online: https://www.aem.org/AEM/media/docs/Statistics/18-07-USAG_1.pdf.

Precision Ag Bytes 8/15

AgWired Precision, ASTA, Award, Precision Ag Bytes

    The PrecisionAg Awards of Excellence in the field of precision agriculture and farm technology were presented at the recent InfoAg Conference in St. Louis, MO. The awards are sponsored by the PrecisionAg Institute and presented every summer to individuals doing exceptional work in four distinct categories: Crop Adviser/Entrepreneur, Educator/Researcher, Farmer, and Legacy. Click here for a list of current and past winners.

  • International precision agriculture provider AgriTask has introduced the world’s first digital claims management system for insurance companies operating in the agricultural sector. After a comprehensive assessment of the requirements of several insurance companies, AgriTask teamed up with Mapfre, one of the largest Latin American insurance companies and the biggest in the agricultural sector. The first application was developed jointly with Mapfre’s subsidiary in Paraguay to manage inspections and claim reports directly with the use of AgriTask’s platform.
  • As harvest begins across the country, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) reminds farmers about the importance of taking precautions to ensure treated seed does not enter the grain supply. ASTA and other stakeholder groups have developed a set of recommendations to assist those involved in the process of treating, handling, transporting, or planting treated seeds. For more information, visit: seed-treatment-guide.com/.