The great potential for increased sales of feed grains to China and India, and the potential loss of MAP and FMD funding—those are a couple of the topics we covered in our Commodity Classic interview with Tom Dorr, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council.
ADM official on sweetener taxes, California ethanol
March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Greg Webb is the vice president of state government relations for Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). He spends a lot of time in state capitals around the U.S. working on issues of importance to ADM and agriculture, mainly those involving ethanol and corn sweeteners. He has been actively involved in the issues surrounding ethanol usage in California. He has also been busy fighting efforts by several states to establish a special tax on sweetened products, particularly soft drinks. Webb discussed those topics with Brownfield’s Ken Anderson at Commodity Classic.
Channel agronomist offers planting advice
March 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
With excellent grain prices this year and, in some cases, a desire to make up for a disappointing crop in 2011, many growers are champing at the bit to get their crops planted this spring. Brad Hammes is a technical sales agronomist for Channel Seeds in northeast Iowa. In an interview with Brownfield at Commodity Classic in Tampa, Hammes ran through his planting time checklist and urged growers not to get in too much of a hurry.
Syngenta to merge seeds, crop protection
March 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Syngenta has unveiled a new “integrated strategy” that includes plans to merge its two biggest divisions: crop protection and seeds. At Commodity Classic in Tampa, we visited with the presidents of the two divisions—David Morgan of Syngenta Seeds and Vern Hawkins of Syngenta Crop Protection—and asked them what the merger will mean for Syngenta’s customers.
Novozymes offers innovation
March 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Novozymes’ acquisition of EMD/Merck Crop BioScience is now completed. Chuck Broughton, Director of Marketing for Novozymes BioAg told Brownfield Ag News that the deal means more innovation for farmers. He explained that Novozymes has always been a major player in biofertility and biopesticides. Now they can add bioyield enhancement.
Although on the softer side of the chemical spectrum, Broughton tells Brownfield that Novozymes brings science-based solutions, credible sales representatives and a commitment.
The company is rolling out a new bioyield enhancement for the 2011 growing season. Ratchet will provide corn and soybean growers with an easy-to-use foliar product that taps into the breakthrough performance advantages of LCO (Lipo-chitooligosaccharide) Promoter Technology.
The product is readily available for growers across the corn and soybean belt in 2011.
DuPont registering 2 new fungicides
March 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Wayne Schumacher, New Technology and Traits Manager for DuPont Crop Protection told Brownfield Ag News that more and more growers are using fungicides today for a yield boost or yield protection for corn and soybeans.
DuPont is registering 2 new fungicides in 2011 that will be available for use in 2012. Aproach will be registered for both corn and soybeans. Schumacher said this fungicide represents a whole new generation, so when farmers use Aproach, they’ll have a wider window of application. This fungicide has both preventative and curative activities. Schumacher said Aproach is the first fungicide registered for the control of soybean white mold.
The second fungicide DuPont is introducing is Vertisan, which will be utilized in wheat production.
DuPont will be demonstrating Aproach and Vertisan at a number of locations in 2011. Schumacher encourages farmers to come out and look at the difference these products can make.
Hard work paved way for NCGA policy adoption
March 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Going in to the National Corn Grower Association (NCGA) delegate session on Saturday, March 5, there was talk that discussions could become contentious, Mike Shuter, NCGA delegate from Indiana said that didn’t happen due in large part to work the delegates accomplished earlier at Commodity Classic
“I think once we had time to sit down and go over ideas with other producers and get things kind of explained a little better, we had a very good session and things went well,” said Shuter. “We got, what I think is some very good policy put in place now.”
Interview: Mike Shuter, Indiana (2:00 MP3)
Don Elsbernd, a delegate from Iowa agreed and said the end result provides clear direction.
“We sent the signals that with ethanol and the Farm Bill policies, we want to spend the dollars to provide the best safety net, the best ethanol policy, best support for the ethanol industry that we can,” Elsbernd said.
FMC highlights new and coming herbicides
March 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
FMC‘s Brent Neuberger, Senior Technical Sales Manager, tells Brownfield they’re all about “pre-emerge” herbicides. FMC’s new Authority XL, which was registered last fall, is available to growers now and they’re anticipating their wide spectrum Anthem herbicide will be ready for use by corn and soybean growers in 2012.
Monsanto’s new Mobile Experience aimed at consumers
March 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
At Commodity Classic in Tampa, Monsanto introduced its new America’s Farmers Mobile Experience. It’s a 53-foot trailer that has been transformed into a three-room, 1,000 square foot display. According to Monsanto community outreach manager Kim Skinner, the Mobile Experience was created to put a face on America’s farmers and showcase their contributions in helping meet the challenges of a growing planet.
Middle East turmoil creates uncertainty for grain exports
March 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
What does the recent social and political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa mean for U.S. wheat and feedgrain exports into that region? At Commodity Classic in Tampa this week, we put that question to Alan Tracy, president of U.S. Wheat Associates, and Tom Dorr, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council. Both men say that, while the situation holds many uncertainties, it could also create new opportunities for U.S. farmers.
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