Ag News for America
An opportunity to bring their financial services further east, Rabo AgriFinance has opened an office in Ohio. John Allen, Managing Director says the Dublin office will service a territory covering Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and into the northern Atlantic states.
Audio: John Allen, Rabo AgriFinance (8:40 mp3)
At this week’s Water for Food Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska, we received an update on DuPont Pioneer’s drought tolerance program from Pioneer research director Joe Keaschall.
Keaschall is responsible for corn and sorghum research activities in the western region, which includes Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. He directed the research development and launch of the Optimum AQUAmax product line in North America and is currently involved in inbred and hybrid creation, evaluation and advancement.
Several years ago a building engineer in Denver, Colorado developed a device which could eliminate bacteria in water cooling towers. The “Silver Bullet” puts ambient air through a processor which breaks down the oxygen molecule from an O2 to an O1; the gas is then injected into the water creating hydrogen peroxide in a few parts-per-million. The odorless, tasteless hydrogen peroxide is a natural biocide, killing all of the bacteria on contact in the water and replacing the use of various chemicals to treat water.
The process has been successfully used on various water systems around the country and more recently on dairy farms. Steve Bachar is CEO of Silver Bullet; he says “A Colorado State University (CSU) study confirms that Silver Bullet technology dramatically reduces bacteria in cows’ drinking troughs. Farms in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio are already reaping the benefits.” Reducing the bacteria makes for better water going into the animal.
The Silver Bullet system is installed at the dairy farm’s wellheads in less than a day; with no upfront investment, it rents by the month and is maintained by Silver Bullet or its authorized dealers.
AUDIO:Bachar talks about the system 6:50 mp3
More information is available here:
Farmers Cooperative Company (FC), the largest farmer-owned ag cooperative in Iowa, and Hoegemeyer Hybrids have formed a strategic alliance enabling FC to be an exclusive dealer of Hoegemeyer and HPT brand seed in 37 counties in Iowa.
“We’re proud to work with an amazing organization to provide our farmer-owners access to another of the largest pools of germplasm in the world,” says Gary Peter, FC vice president of agronomy sales and marketing. “With our DeKalb/Asgrow brand, we have access to the immense pool of Monsanto genetics. This collaboration rounds out our lineup and provides our growers the advantages of the DuPont Pioneer innovations in Hoegemeyer and HPT brand genetics.”
Brownfield visited with Peter about the new alliance and the decision to go with a “two-brand” seed strategy.
Tristan Mueller
The On-Farm Network, a program of the Iowa Soybean Association, is one of the longest-running and most respected on-farm research networks in the country. In fact, several other states have used the On-Farm Network’s blueprint to set up their own research networks.
Tristan Mueller, program manager for the On-Farm Network, talks about some of the topics they’ll be looking at in 2013.
AUDIO: Tristan Mueller (4:34 MP3)
On-farm sustainability efforts – how do we know they are working? Syngenta has several several pilot projects to help farmers measure sustainability. Dr. Jennifer Shaw, Syngenta’s head of Sustainable Sourcing, tells Brownfield they have been working with a coalition of others to come up with ways farmers can calculate the effects of their sustainable practices, something that more major companies and consumers are demending.
With the late start to corn planting, Catherine White, plant nutrition specialist at WinField says it’s going to be important to get that crop off to a good start. One place to start, White suggests growers consider using in-furrow starter fertilizer. But it doesn’t end there, the plant nutrition specialist also reminds farmers to pay attention to their nutrient levels throughout the growing season.
Audio: Catherine White, WinField (7:50 mp3)
The introduction of the new White Planters’ 9000 Series has created a lot of excitement in the AGCO and White organizations.
At the recent unveiling of the new planter in Davenport, Iowa, we visited with Gary Hamilton, product marketing specialist with White Planters.
AUDIO: Gary Hamilton (3:08 MP3)
We also asked AGCO product specialists Randy Peterson and John Menssen for their thoughts on the new White planter.
White dealers discuss the new 9812 model
White Planters recently unveiled its new 9000 Series planter at an event attended by dealers and the ag media in Davenport, Iowa.
Brownfield asked two AGCO-White dealers—Marty Romshek of Osceola Implement, Osceola, Nebraska and Trent Shrock of Plevna Implement, Kokomo, Indiana—to share their impressions of the new planter.
Model 9812-30
White Planters unveiled its new 9000 Series at an event this week in Davenport, Iowa. Company officials call it “the most significant introduction in a dozen years for White Planters”.
We visited with Tom Draper, product marketing manager for seeding and tillage with White.
As new agricultural products and services are developed and introduced, you'll get a "first listen" here as we talk with the men and women who work behind the scenes to develop them... and with those on the marketing front-line charged with introducing them. We’ll also take a look at those products and services that farmers and ranchers have come to know and trust.
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