USDA Investing in Mississippi River Basin Water Quality

Melissa SandfortConservation, USDA

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its partners will invest nearly $32 million this year in financial and technical assistance for five water quality and wetlands improvement projects in seven Mississippi River Basin states. When fully implemented, the projects will prevent sediment and nutrients from entering waterways, decrease flooding and improve bird and fish habitat. NRCS estimates that this investment will restore 11,400 acres to wetland habitat.

Landowners interested in applying for funding should contact their local NRCS office. Signup dates may vary based on the individual project.

NRCS provides funding for these new projects through its Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program, part of the agency’s Wetlands Reserve Program. Since 2010, NRCS has formalized WREP agreements under MRBI with 47 landowners in the Mississippi River Basin, investing $17.8 million in long-term conservation easements and wetland restoration projects.

Note: Chuck will be covering the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) 2012 Conservation in Action Tour thanks to support from CTIC and AGROTAIN.

USFRA and Ketchum Receive National SABRE Recognition

Melissa SandfortCompany Announcement, Farmers, Industry News, USFRA

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) has received national recognition for its ground-breaking campaign to help improve the dialogue with consumers about how their food is grown and raised. USFRA, along with its agency partner Ketchum Public Relations, won the prestigious Gold SABRE Award for Excellence in the Associations category. The entry, titled “Since When Did Agriculture Become a Dirty Word?,” highlighted the strategies, execution and messaging used for the public launch of USFRA at the September 2011 Food Dialogues Town Hall.

USFRA’s Communications Advisory Committee and Ketchum began their work together in March of 2011. Since that time they have worked together to create a movement that focuses on bringing the voice of farmers and ranchers to conversations centered on food and food production. Over the past fourteen months USFRA and Ketchum have implemented many successful events and tools to help farmers and ranchers have that conversation, and explain the importance of continually improving today’s agriculture. Today’s news remains filled with stories questioning the integrity of the entire food production chain, and USFRA, in response, has initiated recently the “Grow What You Know” Rapid Response System that allows farmers and ranchers to be alerted of topics in the media that lack a farmer and rancher voice. USFRA will also host two additional Food Dialogue events over the next six months to continue the conversation about how food is grown and raised.

Farmers Paying it Forward to Domino’s

Cindy ZimmermanFarmers

This weekend has officially been declared “Thank Domino’s Ag Pizza Party Weekend” by the agriculture social media community. It is our way of saying thanks to the pizza corporation for not caving into the demands of HSUS (Humane Society of the U.S.) Last month, Domino’s Pizza shareholders voted against a resolution that would have required pork suppliers to stop housing gestating sows in stalls. Domino’s made that decision after consulting industry experts about what is best for the animals.

Thousands have joined “The Truth About Agriculture” movement called “Farmers Paying it Forward with Pizza” and are planning to purchase pizza from Domino’s this weekend to say thanks! They have even created a custom thank you note for people to print out and deliver to Domino’s.

When you get your pizza this weekend, make sure to take photos and share them on the Pizza Party FB page and tweet using the hash tag #agpizzaparty with handle @dominos.

Precise Input Application Leads to Increased Time & Money Savings

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights Weekly

Spring 2012 got off to an unpredictable and unstable start with wind, rain and tornadoes in parts of the Midwest, but after Mother Nature calmed down, farmers had a decent planting season with most of the crops already in the ground or nearing completion. And with planting behind them, growers are now turning to spraying.

Rocky Brown, corn and soybean grower from LaPorte City, Iowa, says he’s used products from Ag Leader for more than 20 years and the DirectCommand system is one he wouldn’t do without.

[wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/05/Rocky1.mp3″ text=”Listen to Brown explain”]

Not only is he saving time and energy, he’s being a good steward of the land. Rocky lives in an area of Iowa that’s much like neighboring states with hills, terraces and waterways. Rocky says it’s a big change from how he used to spray.

[wpaudio url=”http://precision.agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2012/05/Rocky2.mp3″ text=”Listen to Brown explain”]

So as the old saying goes, “In like a lion and out like a lamb”, we wait to see what the rest of the growing season has in store. To find out how you can make things more efficient and less stressful for yourself, be sure to visit your Ag Leader dealer to find out what’s right for your growing operation.

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.

LightSquared Implements Voluntary Chapter 11 Restructuring

Melissa SandfortCompany Announcement, GPS, Satellite, technology

LightSquared announced that it commenced voluntarily reorganization cases under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to give it time to resolve regulatory issues that have prevented it from building its coast-to-coast integrated satellite 4G wireless network.

The company fully expects to continue normal operations throughout this process. All LightSquared distribution partners and customers, including public safety, emergency response, government and military users of LightSquared’s satellite-based communications services can continue to rely on LightSquared to provide them with mission critical communications services.

LightSquared intends to work with all key constituents to conduct an orderly restructuring process to maximize its asset value and to exit Chapter 11 in the quickest and most efficient manner possible.

Read a previous reaction from agricultural and farm equipment organizations as they urged the Federal Communications Commission to withdraw the conditional waiver granted to LightSquared in 2011 and modify the company’s satellite license to prohibit the building of a ground-based network.

BASF Polls on Resistant Weeds and Protecting Soybeans

Cindy ZimmermanBASF, production poll, Weed control

With all the talk about herbicide-resistant weeds this year, some farmers are still not concerned about the issue, according to our most recent BASF Production Poll.

37.5% of respondents said they don’t have resistant weeds (at least not yet!). However, the same number said they would be using a mix of methods to control or prevent resistance – pre-emergence herbicide, additional sites of action, and working with a consultant on a plan. Another 25% said they would be using a pre-emerge application for control.

With soybean planting running way ahead of schedule already – 46% planted, nearly twice the five year average – our new poll asks what farmers are doing to protect that crop this year. Let us know!




See what BASF and university researchers found when they used comprehensive pest-management programs rather than common approaches.


For more information on BASF Crop Protection products, visit http://agproducts.basf.us

Hemisphere GPS Launches AgJunction Mobile

Melissa SandfortCompany Announcement, Data Collection, GPS, technology

Hemisphere GPS announced the new AgJunction Mobile for iOS, an enhancement to AgJunction, its precision agriculture data services platform.

AgJunction Mobile is an in-field data collection system featuring GPS-enabled boundary mapping and soil sampling. To take advantage of the latest technologies, AgJunction and Cogent3D, maker of PrecisionEarth, have come together to release AgJunction Mobile for iOS. Available for both iPhone and iPad, AgJunction Mobile for iOS is based on the PrecisionEarth platform with the time saving enhancement of being able to directly sync with the AgJunction cloud system.

AgJunction users can download the app from the App Store and enter their AgJunction license key, user name and password. From there, the application will automatically manage the two-way transfer of data between AgJunction Mobile and the AgJunction cloud system, eliminating the need to move data files manually.

With the first release of AgJunction Mobile for iOS, users will be able to synchronize data based on their growers, farms, fields, field boundaries, and directed sample locations. Users can then add new farms and fields as well as map field boundaries and soil sample locations. Recorded field data is automatically synchronized with the AgJunction cloud system for use in the field, back at the office, or through an agriculture service provider.

AgJunction will continue to work with Cogent3D to bring more features and benefits to AgJunction Mobile for iOS in the future. This will include downloading recorded datasets (yield, planting, as-applied, aerial imagery, soil sampling and electrical conductivity, etc.) in the field as background layers for viewing and as a reference for field sampling. Other future updates will include integration with the AgJunction electronic work order system and the AgJunction asset tracking system.

Stay In Touch With Local Reporters

Chuck ZimmermanZimmPoll

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “When was the last time you talked to a journalist about agriculture?” The question was inspired by an AgChat Twitter conversation question that had been submitted by @BASFAgro! We’re supposed to stand up for our industry and livelihoods that are threatened by lots of misinformation that gets spread by the media. What are we doing about it? How are we speaking out? Are we willing to develop a relationship with the reporters at our local mainstream media outlets (newspaper/radio/tv/web)?

Here are the results, 50% said Recently (I do frequently). Wow. Keep it up. But 22% said Never (Waste of time) and just over 9%/each said, Recently (I rarely do); Long time ago; Never (I will now though).

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Who should be responsible for child nutrition?” This question was inspired by last night’s FoodChat Twitter conversation. I appreciate the school lunch program and what USDA thinks it is accomplishing by creating rules but somehow it doesn’t sit right with me. There would be no need for this if parents would take some personal responsibility for themselves and their children. More and more government control of our lives just won’t work in the long run. At least that’s my opinion. What’s yours?

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

Value of Data: Ag Leader Goes to Oregon

Melissa SandfortAg Leader, Insights Weekly

Insights Weekly

Last month, Ag Leader Software Support Specialist Luke James, traveled to the Willamette Valley in west central Oregon to talk about the value of data. The Willamette Valley is known as the grass seed capital of the world. According to the Oregon Seed Council, about 500,000 acres of the grass seed are grown in Oregon and nearly 90 percent of that is grown in the Willamette Valley.

While in the valley, Luke had the opportunity to interview Patrick Lanz of Ag West Supply. Listen as Patrick describes agriculture in the Willamette Valley.

Like other regions, farmers in the Willamette Valley have been utilizing precision agriculture for several years. Listen as Patrick describes the different types of precision agriculture being used by farmers in the valley.

Luke and our NW Territory manager Sean Ealy, a native Oregonian, discussed the value of data with farmers and ag specialists from the Willamette valley. The meetings were informative and they discussed various items including yield monitoring, guidance, sprayer control, crop sensing using OptRx and analyzing data using the SMS Software.

While in the valley, Luke had the opportunity to interview Jammie Wutzke of Ag West Supply. Listen as Jammie explains how farmers may utilize precision ag data to improve their farms in the Willamette Valley.

Ag West Supply is one of the Ag Leader dealers located in the Willamette Valley. They focus on helping growers learn more about how precision ag can benefit their operation. Listen as Jammie defines the role that precision ag dealers play in helping farmers progress their operation.

To learn more about the SMS Software, click 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.

Barcodes Help Track and Control Insects

Melissa SandfortIndustry News, USDA

Barcodes may bring to mind the sales tags and scanners found in supermarkets and other stores. But USDA scientists are using “DNA barcodes” to monitor insects that damage crops as diverse as wheat, barley and potatoes, and to make pest management decisions.

In DNA barcoding, scientists sequence a designated part of an organism’s genome and produce a barcode from it for a systematic comparison with the sequenced DNA of other closely related species. DNA barcodes are being developed on a wide range of plants and animals as part of a global effort to catalogue the diversity of life on Earth.

DNA barcodes are now being used in an unconventional way: to identify insect predators best equipped to control the Colorado potato beetle, which is the single most damaging insect pest of potatoes in the Eastern United States.

Read more here.