Brownfield» Managing for Profit

2012 Commodity Classic the place to be

Dave Russell — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:59:41 +0000

Martin Barbre of Illinois, co-chair of the 2012 Commodity Classic says for corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum farmers, this year’s Commodity Classic, March 1-3 in Nashville, Tennessee, is the place to be to find out where agriculture is headed, from education sessions to another sold-out trade.

Audio: Martin Barbre, IL, Co-Chair, Commodity Classic (3:00 MP3)

After 40+ years, he’s still bullish on the hog business

Ken Anderson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:09 +0000

Bill Tentinger of Le Mars, Iowa has been in the hog business since 1969. But instead of slowing down, Tentinger is making plans to expand his hog operation.

At the recent Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines, Brownfield’s Ken Anderson visited with Tentinger about changes he’s seen and changes he’s planning in his operation.

(Tentinger, by the way, is the newly-elected president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association.)

AUDIO: Bill Tentinger (3:00 MP3)

A Kansas plan to keep undocumented workers

Bob Meyer — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:16:59 +0000

A coalition of businesses and business associations in Kansas is getting behind legislation which would create a system to keep undocumented immigrant workers in the state. Allie Devine says there is a shortage of workers in Kansas and they want to keep what they have.

Participating companies would finance the plan, workers would get a Social Security number and be allowed to get a Kansas drivers license. Employers would provide the same benefits to the immigrants as they provide regular employees and abide by federal fair labor standards.

The final decision lies with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Devine says the legislation introduced in the Kansas State Legislature would show support for the plan.

AUDIO: Devine talks about the plan 3:00 mp3

The benefit of field tiling systems to the farmer

Meghan Grebner — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:12:07 +0000

A milder winter has allowed a lot of farmers to install and update their field tiling systems. Steve Baker, president of Springfield Plastics says installing drainage tile is more than keeping the water off the field. It also provides farmers with a solid return on investment. Baker tells Brownfield, with today’s commodity prices – the return can be seen in as little as two years.

AUDIO: Steve Baker, Springfield Plastics (3:00mp3)

Buying bulls with known genetics

Dave Russell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:58:33 +0000

Cattlemen looking for bulls with known genetics, a completed vaccination program and breeding soundness exam will have a couple of opportunities in Ohio. John Grimes, sale manager and Extension Beef Coordinator at the Ohio State University says the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association Seedstock Improvement Sales offer multiple breeds in one location.

Audio: John Grimes, Extension Beef Coordinator, Ohio State University (3:00 MP3)

Riding the biodiesel roller coaster

Ken Anderson — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:00:25 +0000

Denny Mauser farms near the town of Early in west-central Iowa. Mauser was one of the founding members of the Western Iowa Energy biodiesel plant near Wall Lake and still serves on the company’s board of directors.

At the recent Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit in Des Moines, we visited with Mauser about the ups and downs of the biodiesel business.

Denny Mauser (3:00 MP3)

Opportunities in Vietnam

Bob Meyer — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:25:17 +0000

Some of the biggest opportunities for U.S. agriculture lie in exports…earlier this month Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Ben Brancel spent some time in Vietnam and found a growing population, growing income and a country looking for U.S. dairy cattle and the feed to feed them.

AUDIO: Brancel talks about the opportunities 3:00 mp3

Constantly evolving technology

Meghan Grebner — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:01:34 +0000

Tremont, Ill. based Precision Planting has launched the first iPad monitor application for use in production agriculture.

“FieldView” is their latest addition to the 20/20 Seed Sense system for planter management. Sean Arians, education coordinator with Precision Planting says they have introduced an application that will put technologies like the iPad to good use while in the cab of the tractor.

AUDIO: Sean Arians, Precision Planting (3:00mp3)

What’s the insect outlook for 2012?

Dave Russell — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:12:58 +0000

Depending on where you farm, the insect outlook for 2012may be different, but here in Ohio, Andy Michel, Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at the Ohio State University says there are a couple of insects worth mentioning, the soybean aphid and a new one in Ohio that Michel and others will be monitoring, the brown marmorated stink bug.

Audio: Andy Michel, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Entomology, OSU (3:00 MP3)

Farming is evolving in the Nebraska Panhandle

Ken Anderson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:00:47 +0000

When you farm in the high desert-type, semi-arid climate of western Nebraska—with 17 to 19 inches of annual rainfall—your cropping options are somewhat limited.

But thanks to improved farming practices and better dryland corn hybrids, cropping systems in that area are evolving.

Dayton Christensen farms near the town of Big Springs in the southern Nebraska Panhandle. Traditionally wheat-summer fallow, Dayton tells us he is trying to incorporate more corn into his farming operation.

AUDIO: Dayton Christensen (3:00 MP3)