Crop Insurance Reporting: Verifying Harvested Production using SMS

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights Weekly

Ag Leader recently shared how SMS software can be used to assist with crop insurance reporting, in particular acreage reporting. As harvest season shifts into high gear, Ag Leader is revisiting how these same tools can be used for verifying harvested production (see pages 250 – 252 for RMA guidelines).

Listen to Luke James, Ag Leader software sales manager, as he explains more about the benefits.
[wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/10/LukeInsurance1.mp3″ text=”Listen to James explain”]

“Periodically during the harvest season I make sure to import our farms yield monitor (link Yield Monitor to http://www.agleader.com/products/yield-monitor/) data into SMS. This not only insures that the data is being recorded correctly, but it also provides an opportunity to review our farms crop yield,” says James. “In the event of production loss, I can simply access current harvest information in SMS and provide verification of loss for our crop insurance agent. This helps expedite the claim process and ensures that I’m being accurately compensated for any harvest loss.”

See the video below for more detail on using SMS software for crop insurance reporting:

James also says SMS provides valuable data when looking to next year’s crop.
[wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/10/LukeInsurance2.mp3″ text=”Listen to James explain”]

You can also sign up for free SMS software training sessions here.

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.

New App From Rabo AgriFinance

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Apps, Financing

Rabo AgriFinance has launched a new interactive mobile application for the iPad, to provide valuable financing information and enable growers to make informed seed purchasing decisions. The app is targeted to vendor finance customers of Rabo AgriFinance, which includes input manufacturers, ag retailers and producers, and can be downloaded from the iTunes store.

There is also a function that allows users to save the calculator financing scenarios for future credit application submittal.

The application has two interactive videos providing more information on Rabo AgriFinance and the Rabobank Group, and a number of Food & Agribusiness Research reports. Once downloaded to the iPad, the application is fully functional even without the availability of an internet connection. The Rabo AgriFinance Vendor Finance team will be sharing this tool with allied partners this season.

How do Cooperatives Help You?

Melissa SandfortZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What grade would you give the new student lunch program? Tell us why with a comment.”

Our poll results: seventeen percent said A; six percent said B; nine percent said C; nineteen percent said D; and forty-nine percent said F. Looks like there are a lot of frustrated parents (and kids) on this issue.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “What cooperatives play a role in your life/business?” October is National Cooperative Month and lots of rural folks rely on local cooperatives for everyday things such as supplies and fuel. Which ones impact your life? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

Leica Adds Experts to Precision Ag Team

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Leica Geosystems

Leica Geosystems has recently appointed multiple industry experts to further strengthen the growing precision agriculture business. These appointments reflect Leica Geosystems’ objective of being the leading provider of positioning and technology solutions to the agricultural sector.

Johan Arnberg was appointed as the new President of Machine Control Division, which includes the responsibility for Leica Geosystems Agriculture. Robert Johnson, former Global Service and Support Manager, has commenced his new position as Product Manager. In October, Joe Arico will commence in the position of Global Aftermarket Manager. And Steve Ims joined the US team as Regional Manager for the upper Midwest and the western US.

New Holland Supports Dairy Expo

Cindy ZimmermanDairy, Equipment, Harvesting, livestock, New Holland, Video

One of the big “new” things at the 2012 World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin this week is New Holland Agriculture which has made a major multi-year commitment to support the event.

New Holland has sponsored a 26,000 square foot Trade Center tent outside the Exhibit Hall to provide room for additional exhibitors and also has a selection of equipment on the lot outside the tent. “As you know, New Holland is a leader in hay and forage and we felt that this is a show we needed to be at,” said Abe Hughes, New Holland North America VP. “Over the years we’ve sold more than 700,000 small square balers, 200,000 round balers and at any one time we’ve got a million bales of hay on New Holland equipment being made every single month.” Hughes says if the New Holland hay and forage equipment sold in the United States were lined up in a row, it would stretch from Bangor, Maine to Salinas, California!

New Holland has some new equipment on display at World Dairy Expo, including the FR Self-Propelled Forage Harvesters and a new large square baler for professional hay makers. To help producers who are struggling financially, Hughes says they have special offers going on right now, like the New Holland Value Bonanza and the “friends and family” $500 coupons.

Watch an interview with Abe Hughes at the dairy expo below.

2012 World Dairy Expo Photo Album

New Nitrogen Study Released

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Nutrient Management, Soil Sampling

Plants’ ability to absorb increased levels of carbon dioxide in the air may have been overestimated, a new University of Minnesota study shows.

The study, published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that even though plants absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide and actually can benefit from higher levels of it, they may not get enough of the nutrients they need from typical soils to absorb as much CO2 as scientists had previously estimated. Carbon dioxide absorption is an important factor in mitigating fossil-fuel emissions.

The study, one of only three such long-term experiments in the world, is based on 13 years of research at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve north of the Twin Cities, conducted by U of M scientists Peter Reich and Sarah Hobbie.

Sightings Contest Launches FS InVISION Seed Corn

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, Corn, FS Green Plan Solution, Growmark, social media

Shawn Kinkade of Piper City, Ill., was selected as the winner of a social media contest in which people reported sightings of the new FS InVISION™ logo. Kinkade’s photograph showed the logo prominently displayed on a fertilizer storage tank at the Heritage FS facility near Herscher, Ill.

The contest was launched to raise awareness of the newly re-branded FS seed corn line as FS InVISION by placing the logo in a variety of locations. Entries were received from throughout the Midwest. To celebrate the re-branding and support the next generation of local Midwest growers, the FS System also made monetary donations to the Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin state FFA associations for each sighting uploaded to the FS System on Facebook where visitors were encouraged to vote for their favorite photo. Visitors to the GROWMARK/FS exhibit at the 2012 Farm Progress Show were also able to vote and the winner was determined on August 30.

As we learned from FS Seed reps at Farm Progress Show, a focus on local development, local results, and local recommendations means that there is an FS InVISION hybrid to work in any farm operation. A key component of a successful crop is seed selection, and FS InVISION offers innovative technologies and cutting-edge genetics to ensure FS crop specialists can offer the right hybrid for any field and growing conditions. FS InVISION is powered by FS Green Plan Solutions.

Record Income for Farm Co-ops in 2011

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, FS Green Plan Solution, Growmark, USDA

October is National Cooperative Month and 2012 is the the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives, so it is extra special to celebrate record farm cooperative income in 2011.

USDA released the latest statistics today, showing that farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives posted record sales of $213 billion and $5.4 billion in net income, surpassing the previous record sales year of 2008 by $10 billion while besting the old income record by $500 million.

“These new cooperative sales and income records for 2011 underscore the strength and productivity of the nation’s farmer- and rancher-owned cooperatives, and the vital role they play in the nation’s economy,” said Dallas Tonsager, under secretary for Rural Development. “Primarily because of mergers, the number of farm co-ops continued to decline, but memberships and asset values are up.” Tonsager also noted that co-op employment levels remained strong, with cooperatives employing 184,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal workers, up slightly from 2010.

USDA’s annual list of the nation’s 100 largest agricultural cooperatives, also released today, shows that they also had record sales and income in 2011. The 100 largest ag co-ops reported revenue of $148 billion in 2011, an increase of almost 30 percent over 2010, when revenue totaled $113 billion. Net income for the 100 top co-ops was $3.17 billion, up from $2.35 billion in 2010. The previous top 100 co-op records were $130 billion for sales and $2.42 billion for income, both marks set in 2008.

The top five agricultural cooperatives remain unchanged from the previous year. CHS Inc., Saint Paul, Minn. – an energy, farm supply, grain and food co-op – was once again the nation’s largest ag co-op, with $36.9 billion in revenue in 2011. It was followed by Dairy Farmers of America, Kansas City, Mo.; with $12.9 billion in revenue. It traded places from 2010 with third-ranked Land O’ Lakes Inc., St. Paul, Minn., a dairy, food and farm supply co-op, with $12.8 billion in revenue in 2011. Rounding out the top five, GROWMARK of Bloomington, Illinois remained in the number four spot with $8.7 billion in revenue and Ag Processing of Omaha with $4.4 billion.

Tonsager’s opening remarks and questions by USDA reporter Susan Carter: [wpaudio url=”http://zimmcomm.biz/usda/usda-coops-1.mp3″ text=”USDA Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager”]

Expiration of the 2008 Farm Bill

Melissa SandfortAFBF, Agribusiness, Conservation, Corn, Farm Bill, NCGA, USDA

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is one of 15 agricultural organizations issuing joint statement today on the expiration of the 2008 farm bill:

The 2008 law governing many of our nation’s farm policies expired on Sunday, September 30th, and the 2012 Farm Bill needed to replace it is bottled up in Congress. While the Senate and the House Agriculture Committees were both able to pass their versions of the new farm bill, the full House was unable to do so. While expiration of farm bill program authorities has little or no effect on some important programs, it has terminated a number of important programs and will very adversely affect many farmers and ranchers, as well as ongoing market development and conservation efforts.

Congress will return in mid-November for a lame-duck session prior to final adjournment in December. We will work to have the first order of business for the House of Representatives be to consider a new Farm Bill. We are urging our members to seek out their House members between now and the elections and remind them of the consequences of not having a new bill in place prior to adjournment at the end of the year.

Among the programs affected by expiration of the legislation are several USDA conservation programs. About 6.5 million acres rotate out of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) this year and while current contracts are protected, no new signup will be allowed for CRP or the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Both of these programs are voluntary land retirement programs that helps agricultural producers protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, restore wildlife habitat, and safeguard ground and surface water. In addition, there cannot be sign up for the Wetlands Reserve Program or the Grasslands Reserve Program without new legislation.

In addition to the NACD, other organizations issuing the joint statement include American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the National Farmers Union.

Yield Advantage with Optimum AQUAmax Products

Melissa SandfortAgribusiness, yields

New Pioneer brand Optimum® AQUAmax™ products from DuPont Pioneer demonstrated a significant yield advantage in the second year of on-farm evaluations in North America during unprecedented drought conditions. On more than 4,000 side-by-side comparisons with competitive products, preliminary 2012 yield data from Pioneer shows an advantage of more than 8 percent with Optimum AQUAmax products in water-limited environments and almost a 2 percent yield advantage in favorable growing environments at locations harvested as of Sept. 27, 2012.

Across the past two growing seasons among more than 12,600 comparisons, Optimum AQUAmax hybrids have shown a 7.6 percent yield advantage in water-limited environments and a 2.7 percent yield advantage in favorable growing conditions.

Over the past two years, Pioneer has released 25 Optimum AQUAmax products onto the market and expects to increase that number for the 2013 growing season.