USDA Corn Acreage Report Surprises

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, MGEX, Soybean, USDA

With all the weather-related planting delays we’ve had, USDA’s Acreage report out Friday was a big surprise to the trade with corn acres estimated to be three percent higher than last year. At the same time, soybean acres are estimated to be the lowest in six years.

Corn planted area for all purposes in 2019 is estimated at 91.7 million acres, up 3 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acres are up or unchanged in 40 of the 48 estimating States. Area harvested for grain, at 83.6 million acres, is up 2 percent from last year.

Soybean planted area for 2019 is estimated at 80.0 million acres, down 10 percent from last year. This represents the lowest soybean planted acreage in the United States since 2013. Compared with last year, planted acreage is down in all 29 estimating States.

USDA also estimates all wheat planted area for 2019 at 45.6 million acres, down five percent from last year and the lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. All cotton planted area for 2019 is estimated at 13.7 million acres, three percent below last year.

The MGEX Crop Report conference call featured commentary from Brian Hoops of Midwest Market Solutions.
MGEX call commentary, Brian Hoops, Midwest Market Solutions

BASF Receives EPA Registration for Revysol Fungicide

AgWired Precision, Audio, BASF, Fungicide

BASF has received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration for Revysol® fungicide. The new active ingredient (AI) is the first and only isopropanol azole of its kind in the market for a broad range of crops and disease combinations. Revysol, and its related product brands, will be available to growers for the 2020 planting season.

Revysol fungicide has a unique isopropanol link that can flex to control a broad spectrum of fungal diseases and strains resistant to demethylation inhibitors (DMI). In recent BASF trials, it has shown exceptional biological performance against several economically significant diseases, including northern corn leaf blight in corn, cercospora leaf spot in sugarbeets, frogeye leaf spot in soybean, and powdery mildew in grapes. For growers challenged with resistance and seeking to maximize their yields, Revysol fungicide offers unique benefits when compared to DMI fungicides, including:

Application for a wide variety of crops, including corn, soybeans, grapes, potatoes and sugar beets.
Faster fungicide uptake by the plant, leading to immediate and powerful disease-protective action.
Quick absorption leading to excellent rainfastness and low water solubility, allowing the AI to move through the plant for longer residual activity.
Curative activity, or post-infection applications, made prior to symptoms developing, can help stop the disease from progressing and save yield.

“Revysol fungicide will give growers the confidence to manage disease and resistance effectively while reducing their exposure to weather-related risks,” said Paula Halabicki, BASF Technical Marketing Manager. “The treatment offers longer residual properties than its competitors and protects against many weather conditions like drought, hail, frost and heat.”

The AI will be available in several customized products, including Veltyma™ fungicide in corn; Revytek™ fungicide in soybeans; Provysol™ fungicide in potatoes, sugar beets and peanuts; and Cevya® fungicide in grapes, almonds, pome and stone fruit.

Revysol was the big reveal at the 2019 BASF Science Behind media event prior to Commodity Classic. Halabicki and Matt Bradley, BASF Product Marketing Manager, provide more information about the new AI and its product brands in these audio files.

The Fungicide Landscape –
Matt Bradley, BASF – Revysol Announcement

The Future of Fungicides –
Paula Halabicki, BASF, Presentation

Introducing Fungicide Brands –
Matt Bradley, BASF – New Brands

FMC Announces $50 Million Global R&D Investment

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, FMC

Kathy Shelton, FMC, Chief Technology OfficerThis morning I spoke with Kathy Shelton, FMC Chief Technology Officer, about a major R&D announcement from the company. Over the next three years FMC will be investing more than $50 million in capital improvement projects, including a state-of-the-art reconfiguration of a greenhouse and research facility at the company’s Global Research and Development headquarters in Newark, Delaware known as the Stine Research Center.

Kathy says that FMC has not only retained R&D employees after it acquired the facility as part of the acquisition of a portion of DuPont’s crop protection business in 2017 but will be expanding the staff. She also talked about the types of work being done on new modes of action for products like herbicides. Providing a way to address resistant pests is key to this work and new products are already in the pipeline that growers can look forward to.

FMC Delaware R&DFMC plans to reconfigure an existing structure at the facility to enhance its global research and development (R&D) efforts. In support of the project, the company plans to hire 13 employees over the next three years, which would bring its total of full-time R&D employees at the Delaware campus to approximately 375. The new positions include professional scientists and skilled associates, adding approximately $1.3 million to its annual payroll. The site’s total workforce of nearly 600 includes support staff and contractors.

“We will invest nearly $2 billion in research and development through 2023 as a cornerstone of FMC’s long-term growth strategy,” said Mark Douglas, president and chief operating officer. “FMC employees at the Stine Research Center will lead much of this critical discovery and development work to serve our global business and customers. We’re pleased to partner with the State of Delaware to further our investment in the area.”

To support its expansion, the Council for Development Finance (CDF) approved a grant for $1,642,500 from the Delaware Strategic Fund, including $142,500 for a performance grant and $1.5 million for a capital expenditure grant. The grant supplements the company’s own investment over a three-year period. Both grants are contingent upon meeting employment benchmarks.

You can listen to my interview with Kathy here to learn more about what the investment means: Interview with Kathy Shelton, FMC

Precision Ag Bytes 6/26

AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

  • JCB set a new British speed record for tractors with a modified version of its JCB 8000-series Fastrac. The tractor achieved an average maximum speed of 103.6 mph over two runs at Elvington Airfield in the United Kingdom. Television and motorsports personality Guy Martin was behind the wheel.
  • The ARA Invitational Golf Tournament will again be part of the 2019 ARA Conference & Expo in New Orleans on Dec. 3-5! Register before the early bird rate expires Oct. 15 and join the leaders in ag retail in “The Big Easy.”
  • The Soil Health Institute announced that Dr. C. Wesley (Wes) Wood has joined its Board of Directors.​ Dr. Wood is a Professor and Center Director of the West Florida Research and Education Center with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
  • At this year’s Bio World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and AgTech in Des Moines, Iowa, the Consider Corn Challenge II winners will be announced. The National Corn Growers Association is also a sponsor of the event and will be participating in a number of sessions.
  • Nutrien Ltd. announced it is now a Founding Member of the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium, a collection of private-sector and nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing sustainability throughout the agricultural supply chain.
  • Ceres Imaging announced the release of a new Variable Rate Application Zone Tool. The tool combines the highest accuracy aerial imagery on the market with patented data analytics to automatically generate management zones for variable rate applications of nitrogen and other inputs.

Congrats to 2019 Golden ARC Awards Winners

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, ARC, Public Relations

The Ag Relations Council (ARC) had a great annual meeting last week in Kansas City where they announced the winners for the 2019 Golden ARC Awards contest.

The Golden ARC de Excellence award is given to the best all-around entry in the campaigns division and this year that honor was 2019 Golden ARC Award Winners bestowed upon a campaign produced by Minneapolis-based agency, Padilla. “Seeding Support for Farm and Food Interests – A Greater Minnesota with Padilla” was entered into the Public Affairs division. Padilla credits John Himle for his work on the campaign.

Padilla took home seven Golden ARC awards this year, in addition to the Golden ARC de Excellence award.

Organizations receiving Golden ARC awards and merits are American Farm Bureau Federation, American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, Archer Malmo, Bader Rutter, Charleston|Orwig, Cogent Consulting and Communications, Inc., Evans, Hardy + Young, Farm Credit East, Filament, G & S Business Communications, Kansas Farm Bureau, Ketchum, Midwest Dairy, MorganMyers, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, New Boston Creative, O+B|P, Padilla, Porter Novelli, Rabo AgriFinance, Seaboard Foods, and Two Rivers Marketing.

Click here for a complete winners’ listing of the 2019 Golden ARC Awards Contest.

Congrats to all!

USDA Feral Swine Eradication Program is Good News

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Hunting, USDA

The meat of feral hogs is pretty good but we would rather have more deer, thanks very much.

Since 2013 I have hunted on a piece of land we affectionately call the Crystal Pig Hunt Club in central Georgia with my brother Paul and Gary Cooper of AgNet Media. The hogs started moving in about 2016 and have since made a dent in the deer population because they don’t get along well. Pictured here is godson and nephew Luke with his lovely wife Hope and a couple of hogs they got at the camp.

So, we were happy to hear about USDA’s new Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) in a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Applications are being accepted through Aug. 19, 2019, for partners to carry out activities as part of these pilot projects in select areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas.

Where brother Paul lives near Madison, Georgia the feral hog population has been a problem since at least 2014. The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to finally help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health.

Feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states and their population is estimated at over 6 million and is rapidly expanding. According to APHIS, feral swine were first brought to the United States in the 1500s by early explorers and settlers as a source of food. In the 1900s, the Eurasian or Russian wild boar was introduced into parts of the United States for the purpose of sport hunting. Today, feral swine are a combination of escaped domestic pigs, Eurasian wild boars, and hybrids of the two. Texas is the number one state for feral swine by far, estimated to have about half the U.S. population.

Bottom line, these beasts are nasty and destructive and probably even PETA would agree they should be eradicated.

Deere Offers New Compact Utility and Specialty Tractors

AgWired Precision, John Deere, Specialty Crops, Tractor

John Deere has announced a new compact utility tractor line up and a new specialty tractor, along with some updates.

The new John Deere 3D Series compact utility tractors, including the 3025D, 3035D and 3043D models, offer a powerful, affordable and easy to use solution for a wide range of jobs. Equipped with a gear-drive transmission and available in three horsepower offerings, the 3D Series tractors are designed to tackle everything from pulling and hauling to cutting and tilling.

“Our customers need rugged, tough machines that can tackle a variety of jobs, just like they do. Whether they own large acreage and want a simple, reliable machine for a variety of jobs, or grow crops, like fruits and nuts, and need a durable support tractor, the versatile 3D Series provides a great solution,” said DeMark Cole, product marketing manager, John Deere. “Customers are demanding a gear-drive transmission in the compact utility tractor market, and our 3D tractors provide just that – a simple, dependable, affordable gear-drive machine.”

In addition, John Deere has added a new tractor to its specialty lineup – the premium high-crop 5115RH – and made ergonomic updates to its model year 2020 5GN and 5GV tractors. John Deere offers a new 5GV cab option for 5GN tractors, and a new optional front hitch for 5GNs.

The new 5115RH with base 230/95 R40 tires provides 26.9 inches (68.3 cm) of crop clearance to the drawbar and 28.6 inches (72.6 cm) of clearance to the center of the axle. Optional factory-installed integrated guidance, documentation and telematics, minimizes crop damage in fields where bedded crops like vegetables are planted.

Advancements with Ted Danson to Feature AMVAC SIMPAS

AgWired Precision, AMVAC, Audio, Precision Agriculture, technology

An upcoming episode of Advancements with Ted Danson will highlight recent advances in agriculture, including AMVAC’s unique SIMPAS® (Smart Integrated Multiproduct Prescription Application System) technology. Viewers will learn about the ISO-based tool, which allows farmers to automate and variably apply multiple inputs across a field.

“SIMPAS fulfills our dream at AMVAC of being able to apply crop inputs to a field in a manner that’s consistent with the way an inkjet printer works. Farmers install SmartCartridge™ product containers into their SIMPAS equipment and prescription software controls where each product is applied,” said Eric Wintemute, CEO of AMVAC. “SIMPAS applies only what’s prescribed precisely where it’s needed, enhancing crop yields while avoiding the expense and environmental loading that have long been associated with treating entire fields to control only the ‘localized problems’ that aren’t uniformly present throughout the field. We think this technology will be game-changing and a big win for farmers and society in general.”

The segment will also show how the SIMPAS software controls the application rate of each product through a patented system, so that farmers can apply prescriptively, exactly where needed. SmartCartridge containers eliminate the need for pouring and mixing crop protection and nutritional products, so worker productivity and safety are improved. Patented SIMPAS software enables agronomist-generated prescriptions to be easily uploaded to automatically create an immutable time-stamped record of product placement; a key element of food-chain traceability.

We got an explanation of the SIMPAS system at the 2018 Farm Progress Show from Simplot Regional SmartFarm Manager Caleb Schultz.

Audio – Caleb Schultz, Simplot, explains AMVAC SIMPAS system

AMVAC at the 2018 Farm Progress Show

Precision Ag Bytes 6/19

AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

  • InfoAg 2019 is offering a full day pre-conference tour this year of America’s Central Port in St. Louis with an afternoon of field demonstrations on Monday July 22 prior to the conference July 23-25 at Union Station.
  • In conjunction with its year long 125th Anniversary celebration, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is issuing five $10,000 grants to non-profit organizations who partner with AEM member companies and/or their distribution networks to cultivate the next generation of the equipment industry’s workforce.
  • After a record number of entries, Syngenta is proud to announce the three finalists in its annual #RootedinAg contest. These finalists, who will each receive a mini touch-screen tablet, will now compete for the grand prize – $500, plus a $1,000 donation to the winner’s favorite local charity or civic organization. The voting period for the contest, now open on the #RootedinAg Contest page, also gives anyone who casts a vote the chance to win a $50 American Express® gift card through a special drawing.
  • Smart Ag, a technology company that develops autonomous farming solutions for row crop agriculture, announced the opening of its headquarters this spring in Ames, Iowa. The 12,000-square-foot facility devotes half of its floorplan to office space for a growing number of employees, currently 25. The other half has been designed to meet Smart Ag’s unique research and development and manufacturing needs.
  • SOIL HEALTH: A Global Imperative, the 4th annual meeting of the Soil Health Institute, will be held July 16 – 18 in Sacramento. Registration is $300 for attendees with a special price of $100 for farmers and students.
  • In celebration of National Pollinator Week (June 17‒23), Syngenta is bringing awareness to a variety of individuals and organizations that champion pesticide product stewardship and help pollinators thrive. All this week, Syngenta is sharing videos on the SyngentaUS Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels highlighting people who are practicing pesticide product stewardship and the protection of pollinators.
  • Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES) announced an investment in Switzerland based agri technology firm Gamaya SA.

Two Receive ASTA Honorary Lifetime Member Award

AgWired Precision, ASTA, seed

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Honorary Lifetime Member Award was presented to two seed-industry professionals at the organization’s Policy & Leadership Development Conference this week in Denver.

Blake Curtis, Senior Vice President of Management and Sales for the family seed company Curtis & Curtis, has held a number of volunteer leadership positions over the years. From 1986 to 1995, Curtis served as Caucus Chairman, then Minority Whip, and finally Minority Leader on the New Mexico State Legislature. He has been President of the New Mexico Seedsmen’s Association, a member of the New Mexico State University Board of Regents, and held a variety of leadership positions with ASTA, including Chair from 2012-2013.

John Duesing of Corteva Agriscience, described as a “road warrior and relentless advocate for ASTA and intellectual property protection for seed,” has been an active member of ASTA’s International Executive Committee for the past five years, and has been instrumental in shaping ASTA’s U.S. Plant Variety Protection (PVP) strategy and its involvement in UPOV policy and the International Seed Federation.