USDA Reports Less Corn, More Soybeans Planted

Cindy ZimmermanAFBF, Corn, NCGA, Soybeans, USDA

More soybeans and less corn planted this year, according to the USDA planted acreage report released today.

USDA-LogoUSDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is estimating a record high 84.8 million acres of soybeans planted in the United States for 2014, up 11 percent from last year, while corn acreage planted is estimated at 91.6 million acres, down 4 percent from last year, representing the lowest planted acreage in the United States since 2010. However, it still represents the fifth-largest U.S. corn acreage planted since 1944.

“In 2014, U.S. corn farmers are well on the way to again growing an abundant crop,” said National Corn Growers Association President Martin Barbre said. “While critical points in the season remain ahead of us, Americans can be confident that bountiful stockpiles and adequate plantings will ensure our corn security for the year to come.”

The largest acreage decreases were seen in North Dakota and Nebraska, where corn acreage decreased by 800,000 and 650,000 acres respectively. The largest increases in soybean acreage planted compared to 2013 are seen in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota which are each expected to plant 600-850,000 more acres this year.

“This month’s report reinforces forecasts that the soybean market is in transition,” American Farm Bureau crops economist Todd Davis said. “The old-crop soybean market is managing tight stocks through higher prices while the market is waiting for a potential record-large new crop harvest.”

However, Davis is quick to caution that there is a long way to go before combines start rolling this fall and Mother Nature will have the final say.

“July is a critical time for corn production. Excessive heat stress or moisture stress can rob bushels, while August weather is crucial for soybean production,” Davis said.

GMO Benefits Win Over Iowa Grocery Shoppers

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Farm Bureau, GMO

Screen Shot 2014-06-30 at 3.20.13 PMNearly 9 out of 10 (87%) Iowa grocery shoppers say knowing that crops developed with genetically modified organisms (GMO) can produce foods which provide better nutritional value would influence their decision to purchase this type of food for their family; that’s according to the latest research recently completed for the Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index™, conducted online by Harris Poll.

The study also showed that Iowa grocery shoppers would be influenced to buy GMO foods once they learn that GMOs reduce pesticide use and provide food with better texture or flavor (84% and 82%, respectively).

The Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm Index ™ is a semi-annual survey of Iowa grocery shoppers to study the factors driving their food purchases. The spring survey focused on packaged food products. This survey included Iowa residents between 20 and 60 years old who have primary or shared responsibility for household grocery shopping; 506 such respondents were interviewed online in May for this spring wave of research.

“Iowa grocery shoppers are common sense food buyers, and they are also hungry for more information about GMO foods and learning why farmers choose that technology,” says Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation president and Milo grain and livestock farmer. “Iowa has long been recognized around the world for our ability to grow food and while farmers know why we choose certain kinds of seeds, consumers may need more information, and a different kind of information to answer the questions they have. This is an opportunity for all farmers to be transparent about what we grow and why we grow it to help consumers make more informed food choices,” said Hill.

Hundreds of independent tests done nearly twenty years have proven that GMO crops are safe he added. “In fact, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ‘foods from genetically engineered plants must meet the same requirements, including safety requirements, as foods from traditionally bred plants. FDA considers a consultation to be complete only when its team of scientists are satisfied with the developer’s safety assessment and have no further questions regarding safety or regulatory issues.’”

The Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index™ also showed that when it comes to the most trusted sources of food safety information for packaged food products, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (54%) rated the highest, followed by medical professionals (50%), dietitians/nutritionists (47%) and farmers (37%).

Taste (73%) and price (73%) were the most popular responses Iowa grocery shoppers cited as being among the top three factors influencing their packaged food purchases. These finding aligns with the results of the winter Iowa Farm Bureau Food & Farm Index™, which showed shoppers look for taste (76%) and price (79%) when buying meat, poultry and dairy products.

Hillary Clinton Voices Support for Ag Biotech

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, BIO, biotechnology, Government

hillary-bioPotential presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spent over an hour last week at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) convention in San Diego chatting with BIO president and CEO Jim Greenwood, a former congressman from Pennsylvania.

The wide ranging discussion touched on a variety of topics, including agricultural biotechnology. Greenwood asked Mrs. Clinton where she stood on the use of genetically modified crops. “I stand in favor of using seeds and products that have a proven track record,” said the former first lady, adding that the case needs to be made for those who are skeptical. “There is a big gap between what the facts are and what the perceptions are,” she said, receiving applause from the packed crowd that included as many as possible of the 15,000 attendees at the convention.

Clinton noted that focusing on the benefits in terminology of the crops could help. “Genetically modified sounds ‘Frankensteinish’ – drought resistant sounds really like something you want,” she said. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/biotech/hillary-bio.mp3″ text=”Hillary Clinton at BIO convention”]

Hick Chick Chat with Ag Leader Technology

Leah GuffeyAg Leader, Audio, Data, Equipment, Farmers, Fertilizer, Hick Chick Chat, Planting, seed, water

11326519286_c9a07ae0bf_oThis week, I attended Ag Leader Technology’s field event, Where Technology Meets Dirt Road Tour. It was a beautiful and hot day, which was perfect for growers to come and see the live demonstrations and learn about seed, fertilizer, water and data.

_DSC0048During Ag Leader’s Tech Meets Dirt event near Peoria, I caught up with Matt Wolf, territory manager for Illinois and he’s thrilled with how the events are going and encourages anyone to come and see what it’s all about. [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/podcast/hickchickchat-14-agleader-wolf.mp3″ text=”Hick Chick Chat with Matt Wolf, Ag Leader”]

There’s still two more stops on the Ag Leader tour in Illinois after the 4th of July.
July 8th – 10-98 Industrial Park Rd Benton, IL 62812
July 10th – 1368 County Rd 11 Thomasboro, IL 61878

If you don’t get a chance to go in person, I’ll be posting all that I learned and interviews on here and on AgWired.com.

Join in the conversation on Twitter and on Facebook

Ag Leader Technology Meets Dirt Road Tour

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, Education, technology

_DSC0016 Ag Leader Technology is out in the fields this summer bringing the latest precision technology to Illinois farms in the Technology Meets Dirt Road Tour. Three events were held this week and two more scheduled after the July 4th holiday where you can learn how the latest technology can help you manage seed, fertilizer, water and data.

Michael Vos, dealer development manager for Ag Leader Technology, encourages growers to come out and get their hands on the equipment during the field demonstrations after they hear some about it from the experts. “The Technology Meets Dirt Road Tour is all about educating and demonstrating,” Michael says. “We’re taking the tile plow, the OptRx sensors on Hagie sprayers, the Seed Command products with Hydraulic Down Force clutches out into the field and demonstrating them.” [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/agleader/techmeetsdirt-14-agleader-vos.mp3″ text=”Interview with Michael Vos, AgLeader Technology”]

Find out more about the tour at TechMeetsDirt.com – the July dates are listed below. If it’s not your part of the country, or if you can’t make it, don’t worry. We will have posts coming up on what they had to offer.

July 8th – 10-98 Industrial Park Rd Benton, IL 62812
July 10th – 1368 County Rd 11 Thomasboro, IL 61878

AgLeader Technology Where Technology Meets Dirt photo album

NUFARM Introduces Cheetah Herbicide

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Crop Protection, Herbicides, Weed control

NufarmColorLogoNufarm announces the introduction of Cheetah® herbicide, a non-selective herbicide that provides quicker, more reliable control of glyphosate-resistant broadleaf weeds in high-value crops such as tree nuts, grapes, bushberries, pome and stone fruit, citrus, sweet corn and olives. Cheetah is also labeled for use as a desiccant on potato vines.

Cheetah herbicide is a Group 10 herbicide (glutamine synthetase chemicals which inhibit photosynthesis) with the active ingredient of glufosinate-ammonium. This means it is a much-needed tool for the control of tough, glyphosate-resistant weeds such as marestail, fleabane, malva, clover and kochia. It is one of the several ‘cats’ herbicides (including Panther® and Cheetah Max) from Nufarm that provide a range of solutions for control of numerous herbicide-tolerant or herbicide-resistant weed species across a wide spectrum of crop segments.

“Cheetah has a unique mode of action with minimal weed resistance,” explains Bob Bruss, technical services manager with Nufarm. “Because it has an alternative mode of action, it provides an efficient, cost-effective option for post-emergent control of ALS-, glyphosate- and triazine-resistant weeds.”

In addition, Cheetah provides excellent crop safety. Unlike systemic herbicides such as glyphosate, Cheetah does not translocate through the plant. This crop safety advantage is key in specialty crop areas – produce crops can be especially vulnerable to herbicide damage, and any visible damage can reduce the value of the crop significantly.

“Cheetah’s crop safety advantage benefits both young and mature vineyards and orchards,” explains Rob Schwehr, Nufarm marketing manager for the tree, nut, vine and vegetable crop segments. “Protecting high-value crops from any possibility of damage is key to protecting the grower’s profitability. Using Cheetah allows crop producers to focus precious time and resources on profitability by providing better protection from weed competition and better crop safety.”

New Opportunities for WestBred® Wheat & Partners

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Monsanto, seed, wheat

westbred_logo_primaryMonsanto Company has announced changes to its WestBred® wheat seed distribution model designed to enhance business and expand opportunities for its seed partners and their growers.

“Wheat is a vital, global crop planted on over 500 million acres and supplying 25% of the world’s calories,” said Jeff Koscelny, Monsanto U.S. Wheat Commercial Lead. “Experts agree production must increase by 40% by 2050 to meet global demand. New investments, technologies and innovations in wheat will be critical to keep up with this soaring global demand.”

The new seed supplier-focused model will move the WestBred wheat seed business toward a more service-based approach. WestBred wheat seed suppliers will see a variety of immediate benefits as a result of these changes, such as the availability of more technical knowledge and additional wheat experts in the field supporting the WestBred brand. The changes will also result in better inventory management and improved product value, according to company officials.

“By making these changes, we are able to better share valuable knowledge that can significantly impact our partners’ businesses, with both short-term and long-term positive results,” said Koscelny. “We believe the new model will result in better agronomic data, leading to improved varietal development targeted to region-specific needs.”

Since acquiring the assets of Western Plant Breeders and WestBred® LLC in 2009, Monsanto has invested numerous resources into improving all aspects of its wheat business, including dedicating more personnel to wheat and applying multiple technologies from other agricultural systems to improve wheat productivity.

“Many incredible agronomic innovations are coming down the pipeline with the potential to benefit wheat farmers, including continuous advancements in breeding, biotechnology and data science which can improve crop protection and yields,” said Koscelny. “WestBred wheat strives to be a leader in delivering these innovations to our farmer customers.”

The new strategy is the latest example of Monsanto’s commitment to wheat innovation and better knowledge transfer. It follows the recent opening of the Wheat Technology Center in Twin Falls, Idaho, where Monsanto has established its primary wheat breeding research and development in the United States.

ASA Joins the PrecisionAg Institute

Jamie JohansenAg Group, ASA, Soybeans

asaThe use of precision agriculture tools and methods continues to play a growing role in the sustainability and productivity of U.S. farm operations. Recognizing this fact, the American Soybean Association (ASA) joins the PrecisionAg Institute, an organization focused on advancing precision agriculture technology and its efficiency, stewardship and profitability for farmers.

ASA represents the first farmer-led organization to join the PrecisionAg Institute and will hold a seat on the Institute’s advisory council, which sets the policy for the organization’s activities and facilitates communication among industry partners and individuals.

As a new partner in the Institute, ASA will also play an integral role in a big data workshop this summer at Iowa State University, as well as future precision agriculture educational efforts, advocacy, research activities and award programs that recognize farmers and other industry leaders for their effective use of this technology.

“Many customers of U.S. soy now want to know that we are using sustainable production practices to grow our soybeans, and precision agriculture technology plays a key part in making this possible,” said ASA President Ray Gaesser. “We’re excited to join the PrecisionAg Institute and work with its partners on a variety of efforts to help improve this technology and farmers’ understanding of how to use these important tools that can benefit our operations and improve our sustainability.”

“We welcome ASA’s support of the PrecisionAg Institute. As the first farmer organization to join the Institute, we look forward to the insights they will provide on our policies and activities in the future,” said PrecisionAg Institute Business Director Daniel Ulrich. “With the support of our partners, the PrecisionAg Institute is delivering a message about smart farming and sustainability that is changing the face of agriculture around the globe.”

“I encourage farmers to attend the Big Data workshop in August,” said Gaesser. “It’s important that we learn more about the data collected on our farms and the potential this information holds in terms of improving our productivity, and also how we can protect this valuable data.”

The PrecisionAg Institute’s corporate partners include AGCO, AgWorks, John Deere, Midwest Laboratories, Raven, Simplot SmartFarm, SST, The Climate Corporation, Topcon and WinField. ASA looks forward to strengthening a collaborative relationship with all of these innovative companies in the precision agriculture industry.

Farmers Brand Green Lightning Fertilizer Heads Southeast

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Fertilizer

Screen Shot 2014-06-26 at 2.54.11 PMFarmers Brand Green Lightning™, an amazing all-purpose fertilizer with breakthrough Nano Organic Technology™, announced distribution in the southeast with the addition of Arkansas representative Jimmie Hillburn.

President of Sales, Don Hadley commented, “We want the public to have a choice when it comes to selecting a fertilizer for their home or farm instead of being stuck with what’s out there. We are building awareness in every state that we can and are excited to add Jimmie to our growing network of representatives.”

Green Lightning™, has been called “Gatorade for the plant,” and creates rapid nutrient absorption and amazing growth in all plants.

A huge benefit of Green Lightning™ is a broad range of effectiveness on lawn, garden and landscaping, replacing the need for multiple products and saving the consumer money.

Farmers brand is a company dedicated to creating amazing products for an amazing world. Our team is passionate about creating premium quality products that can be enjoyed by consumers everywhere.

Bayer CropScience Introduces Credenz Soybean Seed

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, Bayer CropScience, seed, Soybeans

Credenz_logo_2014Offering growers a new level of choice and performance, Bayer CropScience announced the introduction of Credenz, the company’s first global soybean seed brand, commercially available in U.S. markets this month.

Delivering a wide range of varieties and traits, Credenz builds on Bayer CropScience’s substantial technology platform, integrating smart genetics, traits and varieties to maximize yield performance. The new brand will be available to growers in the South (Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina) and Midwest (Southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri) this month as they start looking ahead to their 2015 growing season.

Diego AngeloCredenz offers soybean growers:
– A wide range of varieties and traits including LibertyLink, as well as glyphosate-tolerant traits, in 27 high-performing varieties developed for Maturity Groups 2-7.
– A customized, flexible platform developed to meet a range of individual production preferences, including location, soil type, disease resistance and weed management features.
– Versatile disease tolerance to stem canker, frogeye and sudden death syndrome to protect plants and help them thrive and deliver competitive yield performance.
– Advancements in pest management, like multiple herbicide traits and nematode control.

“The Credenz launch brings much-needed innovation to the U.S. soybean market, where production is expected to increase over the next five years,” said Diego Angelo, director, US soybean operations, Bayer CropScience. ”In this rapidly evolving market, it is more important than ever to ensure growers have access to beans with unique traits tailored to address individual production needs. To meet these needs, we have invested in Credenz breeding stations in the U.S. and around the world to provide timely, custom-made solutions to meet the region-specific challenges faced by U.S. growers.”

Chuck spoke with Diego about their new product launch. Listen to the complete interview here: [wpaudio url=”http://www.zimmcomm.biz/bayer/bayer-cropscience-credenz-angelo.mp3″ text=”Interview with Diego Angelo – Bayer CropScience”]

HBK seeds, a brand from Hornbeck Seed Company which Bayer CropScience acquired in 2011, will now carry the Credenz brand name.

Credenz will be available for the 2015 growing season in the United States. Bayer CropScience anticipates availability in most US markets beginning in 2015 for the 2016 growing season.