Brownfield» Managing for Profit

Let’s talk aquaponics

Bob Meyer — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:58:00 +0000

Rebecca Nelson and John Pade have an aquaponic greenhouse in Montello, Wisconsin. They feed tilapia fish in tanks, the fish waste goes through a bacteria tank and then to plants suspended in the water. The plants take the nutrients out of the water which then cycles back to the fish tanks. There are no pesticides or chemicals used in the operation, the produce, mostly lettuce is sold to schools, grocery stores and customers within a fifteen-mile radius and so are the fish. More information is available on their website here:

AUDIO: Nelson talks about aquaponics 3:00 mp3

The battle of the bugs

Meghan Grebner — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:33 +0000

There’s a good and bad side to just about everything. Many farmers took advantage of the unseasonably warm spring this year and planted corn early with hopes of maximizing their yield potential. Terry Semmel, Technology Development Rep says that same warm, dry weather could open the door for some pest problems this year.

AUDIO: Terry Semmel on Corn Rootworm (3:00mp3)

A potential for a pretty good crop

Meghan Grebner — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:02:38 +0000

The old adage is “knee-high by the fourth of July”. For some farmers that planted corn in March – it’s already knee high. I visited Illinois corn grower Garry Niemeyer’s farm in Auburn, Ill. and he says a year that starts this – has him feeling pretty good about the potential of the 2012 corn crop. And that could be pretty good for farmers.

AUDIO: Garry Niemeyer, 3:00mp3

Trade talks not dead but ‘stalemated’

Tom Steever — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:00:06 +0000

With the new millennium, a new round of World Trade Organization talks held promise for dropping trade barriers around the globe. The talks, referred to by the city in which they began, the Doha Round, are now all but stalled nowhere near a resolution. However, Rebecca Bratter, with the U.S. Grains Council, refuses to refer to the aging talks as “dead.” She’s not giving up, because there’s too much progress that’s been made and too much at stake that the talks address. Regardless, the outcome has a bearing on producers’ bottom lines. Here’s how they stand.

AUDIO: Rebecca Bratter (3 min. MP3)

Analyst sees strong cattle price recovery in second half

Ken Anderson — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:00:03 +0000

The flaps over lean finely textured beef and BSE have contributed to weaker cattle prices in the second quarter.

But an analyst for Rabobank’s Food & Agribusiness group—Don Close—believes the damage done by the negative publicity should abate by mid-summer. Close says by mid-to-late June, the market should be poised for “a very solid recovery” in the second half of the year.

AUDIO: Don Close (3:00 MP3)