Conservation Measures to Help California

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Conservation, Government, USDA, weather

USDA-LogoAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced USDA is making $20 million available for agricultural water conservation efforts throughout California to combat the effects of drought.

calif-drought“This $20 million will be directed to drought mitigation, focused on improving irrigation efficiency, providing producers resources to stabilize fallow ground and to assist with watering facilities and grazing distribution,” said Vilsack during a press conference Tuesday with Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) and California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “We expect this is the first of a number of announcements that will be made this week and in the future to provide assistance.”

“We in California are facing a disaster that has the potential to devastate our economy,” said Costa. “We have not had this dry a time period in all of California’s recorded history, that’s how bad it is.”

Interested landowners and managers have until March 3, 2014 to apply for available funds.[wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/usda/usda-ca-drought.mp3″ text=”USDA media call on California drought”]

Senate Approves Farm Bill

Cindy ZimmermanConservation, Farm Bill, Government

fb-2014The U.S. Senate today voted 68-32 to approve the Agricultural Act of 2014 – what was supposed to be the 2012 Farm Bill.

“This is not your father’s Farm Bill. It’s a new direction for American agriculture policy,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, who notes that the legislation includes “one of the largest investments in land and water conservation we’ve made in many years.”

The Agricultural Act of 2014 consolidates 23 existing conservation programs into 13 programs while strengthening tools to protect and conserve land, water and wildlife. By streamlining programs, the farm bill provides added flexibility and ensures conservation programs are working for producers in the most effective and efficient way – an approach supported by nearly 650 conservation organizations from all 50 states. These reforms increase resources for top priorities while reducing the deficit by $6 billion.

The president is expected to sign the bill into law as soon as possible.

New Collaboration Between Dupont Pioneer & DTN

Chuck ZimmermanAgribusiness, Audio, Dupont Pioneer, Markets, weather

ZimmCast 426If you’ve thought we need more precise weather information there you’re not alone. Dupont Pioneer and DTN/The Progressive Farmer announced a collaboration today that will address this very subject. The project will not only bring instant weather to customers but also market information and new electronic grain trading capabilities. I just spoke with Dan Uppena, DuPont Pioneer business manager, about the announcement. Dan says there will be more details about the new platform coming out via new announcements in the very near future.

Pioneer customers will be able to opt into an exclusive network of weather stations, including those positioned on growers’ farms, which provide accurate, real-time local information as well as environmental conditions in other regions. Data will seamlessly inform growers about forecasts and Pioneer crop models to help them make more informed management decisions for their farming operation.  In addition, customers will have access to DTN/The Progressive Farmer’s syndicated premium weather and market content to further aid decision-making.   

“At DTN/The Progressive Farmer, our mission has always been to provide the most accurate, timely and actionable information possible to our customers,” said DTN/The Progressive Farmer Vice President of Agriculture Matt Bradford. “We are excited by the opportunity to work with Pioneer to further that mission by rapidly developing a dense network of on-farm DTN/The Progressive Farmer Weather Stations, along with sophisticated decision tools, to increase operational efficiencies and maximize grower profits.”

Pioneer and DTN/The Progressive Farmer also will work together throughout 2014 and beyond to further advance electronic grain trading capabilities that link buyers with sellers for instantaneous commercial exchanges.   The tool works in real time to keep users up-to-the-minute with the highs and lows of today’s rapidly changing grain market.  The benefits include targeted price matches, 24/7 price monitoring, electronic hedging and mobile information on offers and market news with the convenience of trading anytime anywhere.  This effort will combine the cutting-edge technologies developed by DTN/The Progressive Farmer and Farms Technology, a subsidiary of DuPont Pioneer.

You can listen to this week’s program to learn more about the collaboration here in my weekly podcast. [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/zimmcast/zimmcast426-2-4-14.mp3″ text=”Dupont Pioneer – DTN Collaboration”]

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

Perfect Storm Creates Propane Pain

Cindy ZimmermanGeneral

In recent years, the U.S. propane industry has been growing by leaps and bounds, producing so much that they were even had a good export market going.

grain-bin-propaneBut a perfect storm arose this winter that has caused pain at the propane tank, with shortages and prices skyrocketing to $5 a gallon before settling back down a bit. “It pretty much began in the fall with the grain harvest that was wet and having to dry down the crops,” said Scott Long, manager of propane marketing and business development for GROWMARK, who added that the wet harvest meant nearly 5 times the amount of propane was used to dry the crop than normal.

Follow that up with one of the coldest winters on record nearly everywhere in the country and propane supplies that had been abundant enough for export were quickly downsized, putting a squeeze on livestock and poultry producers. “Particularly in the broiler and turkey sector, the majority of houses are heated by propane,” said U.S. Poultry and Egg Association president John Starkey. “The bitter cold weather we’ve had throughout the poultry belt has caused shortages … so that means it’s very difficult for some folks to find propane gas right now.” [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/novus/ippe-14-starkey.MP3″ text=”Interview with John Starkey, U.S. Poultry and Egg”]

There have been calls for investigations into the high prices and some states have taken emergency actions to get more propane moving to areas that need it most. The good news, according to Long, is that things should be getting better soon. “I’m hoping that we hit our peak,” he said last week. “Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we’ll see quite a bit of relief.” [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/growmark/growmark-14-propane-long.mp3″ text=”Interview with Scott Long, GROWMARK”]

New Tech Featured at 2014 Precision Ag Conferences

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Events

SDSU Extension LogoPrecision agriculture’s technology is increasing yields and dollars on the farm and isn’t going anywhere.

“Bottomline, precision agriculture is the way we farm today and are going to farm into the future. It’s the way we’ll farm because it makes us money,” said Gregg Carlson, Professor of Plant Sciences at South Dakota State Univeristy, who has researched and provided information on the technology for more than 30 years. “What we call precision agriculture today will become conventional farming in the near future.”

Carlson and other experts in the field of precision agriculture will host two precision agriculture conferences this year. The Precision Ag Conference in Aberdeen, SD on February 12 and the Western Corn Belt Precision Farming Conference in Sioux Falls March 18-19.

The Precision Ag Conference will feature speakers covering topics including: Elevation Data – LiDAR, NED, and More; Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) Technology and Applications in Agriculture; Theories and Realities – ISOBUS in Agriculture; Cloud Computing in Agriculture; and Industry Update Sessions Ag Leader John Deere, Trimble CNH and Precision Planting.

For more information, contact Laura Edwards, SDSU Extension Climate Field Specialist, at laura.edwards@sdstate.edu or at the Aberdeen Regional Extension Center at 605-626-2870.

The Western Corn Belt Precision Farming Conference will consist of sessions focusing on GSI mapping, new technology systems and above all, planting.

“All sessions are geared toward giving information that can be used in personal operations to improve decision-making, understand new technologies and boost yields,” said Graig Reicks, SDSU Extension Research Associate with the SDSU Plant Science Department.

To learn more, contact Graig Reicks, Research Associate, SDSU Plant Science Department at 605-688-5105 or Precision Agriculture Conference Manager, Les Slunecka at 605-261-2474 or lslunecka@msn.com.

DTN Ag Essential Gives New Tools For Farm Business

Jamie JohansenAgribusiness, technology

PrintDTN/The Progressive Farmer just launched Ag Essential that will allow growers to monitor grain market values and efficiently mange their production, marketing and risk management.

“Ag Essential is a one-of-a-kind online management toolbox that helps growers save time by easily managing their farm business in one place,” said DTN/The Progressive Farmer Senior Vice President for Agriculture Matt Bradford. “Ag Essential’s digital dashboard continuously updates production, marketing and inventory information in a financial-friendly view, which enables growers to respond quickly to changing market conditions and make more informed, efficient business decisions.”

The new program will save growers money with real-time inventory and market valuations across planted fields. They can easily update, manage and organize production and marketing information all within Ag Essential. For example, the program tracks field input expenses and income that adjust as the grain is stored or sold, and it can automatically determine net profitability for bin and sales positions.

The market values are customized to the grower’s true, local market. This helps growers effectively monitor the true values of their contracted, committed and unsold grain inventories. It also gives growers the flexibility to organize their financial information based on how they run their business. Ag Essential offers the capability to produce government compliance, crop insurance compliance and financial reports and issues growers alerts on profitability levels and the timing for business decisions.

For more info on DTN Ag Essential, check out their website www.dtn.com/go/agessential.

Precision.AgWired.com Podcast: Know your soils

Meghan GrebnerAg Leader, Precision Pays Podcast, Soil Sampling, technology, yields

pp-podcastKnowing your soils could be the difference between an average crop and a bumper crop.  Neal Kinsey,  a soil fertility specialist from Charleston, Missouri says sometimes the problem isn’t that there aren’t enough nutrients – but there are too many.  And that could restrict a crop’s yield.

In this Precision.AgWired.com Podcast, sponsored by Ag Leader Technology, we’ll take a look at why soil testing is one of the tools you should be using on your farm.

[wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/01/PPP-0114.mp3″ text=”Precision.AgWired.com Podcast”]

The Precision.AgWired.com Podcast is sponsored by Ag Leader Technology.

Ag Leader’s AgFiniti Connects Via the Cloud

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Data Collection, Insights Weekly

Insights WeeklyAt this week’s 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show, ZimmComm’s Joanna Schroeder caught up with Ag Leader’s Kaleb Lindquist, member of the software sales team, about the new AgFiniti cloud-based platform which allows growers to send and receive data files wirelessly from the cab. Guidance lines, prescriptions, as-applied maps and other data files can be sent and received wirelessly and backed up on a secure AgFiniti account. Files also can be accessed from a grower’s smartphone or tablet in the field or at the office and shared with trusted advisors such as dealers, coops or farm managers.

Learn more about this new product offering from Ag Leader in Joanna’s full interview with Kaleb.

[wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/01/iowapower-lindquist-14.mp3″ text=”Listen to Lindquist explain”]

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Click here to view the 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show photo album.
Sponsored by Ag Leader Technology

Ag Leader Proud to Sponsor Iowa Power Farming Show

Joanna SchroederAg Leader, Audio, Data Collection, IA Power Farming Show

Ag Leader had a great 2013 and 2014 is shaping up to be even better. I caught up with Mike Olson, Ag Leader North America Sales Manager, who gave me an overview of what 2014 will bring as well as spoke to me about their sponsorship of the 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show.

Olson said they have been an event sponsor for the past five plus years and the event in is their backyard (they are located in Ames, Iowa) so Iowa Power Farming is a good show for AgLeader Mike Olson at 2014 Iowa Power Farming Showthem to sponsor. He also noted that it’s become the third largest farm show in the country, is very well run and has been very successful.

“We’re really proud to be a part of it,” said Olson. “We have a lot of our customers who come in and share their experiences and learn about new technologies, and it just a good way to meet our customers and spend time with them.”

During the show Ag Leader held some educational seminars including one focused on “AgFiniti– Ag Leader Technology’s Cloud-Based Platform,” presented by Luke James; “Designing a Tile Drainage System Using Your Precision Ag Data,” presented by Aaron Friedlein; and “Put Your Mind at Ease and Your Seed at Proper Depth with Hydraulic Down Force,” presented by Brett Buehler.

Precision agriculture has really grown over the past few years but Olson said that an estimated 50 percent of farm operations don’t use any precision ag technology. He said because of this there are a lot of great opportunities for people to get started and the technology has gotten a lot easier to use. He said the technology is also less expensive and some of the equipment like tractors and planters are easier to interface with. “So people who aren’t in it yet shouldn’t be scared to get into it,” said Olson.

He noted that another big trend in the industry is the value of data and more operations are beginning to see the value in collecting and analyzing data. In addition, for those farmers who have been using precision technologies, Ag Leader continues to innovate and has launched some great new products including AgFiniti and Ag Leader Hydraulic Down Force.

Listen to my full interview with Mike Olson. [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agleader/iowapower-olson-14.mp3″ text=”Ag Leader Proud to Sponsor Iowa Power Farming Show”]

Click here to view the 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show photo album.

Sponsored by Ag Leader Technology

2014 Iowa Power Farming Show Round-up

Joanna SchroederAg Leader, Audio, IA Power Farming Show

Tom Junge 2014 Iowa Power Farming ShowThe 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show is in full swing this week in Des Moines, Iowa and according to Tom Junge, show director nearly 25,000 people are expected to attend the third largest farm show in the United States. The show expands 7 acres and features exhibitors from 29 states and 4 Canadian Provinces; represents 750 companies and more than 1,800 booths. Junge says there is an exhibitor waiting list of more than 100 companies.

Junge said the show has been growing each year for the past six plus years and people are driving from out of state to attend. “People are finding out how good the show is and how many exhibitors we have here and once they talk to their neighbors they seem to come the next year,” said Junge.

The farming show features a plethora of different agriculture products ranging from tractors to skid steers, combines to sprayers, planters to utility vehicles to grain trailers, landscape and turf equipment and outdoor power equipment. In addition, there were companies showcasing their precision ag electronics, management software and ag-related accessories.

Junge said that show also features seminars and workshops and new this year are workshops on covercrops. He said that out east they are doing a lot of this although Iowa may be lagging a bit behind the trend. Due to the interest of this topic, over the three days there will be 45 one-hour sessions on just this topic alone. In addition, Ag Leader hosted some precision ag seminars and Stewart-Peterson gives the attendees updates on the commodities markets.

Listen to my full interview with Tom Junge who gives a great overview of the 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show. [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/agleader/iowapower-junge-14.mp3″ text=”2014 Iowa Power Farming Show Round-up”]

Click here to view the 2014 Iowa Power Farming Show photo album.

Sponsored by Ag Leader Technology