Farm Progress Show attendance, exhibits up

It’s day three of the 2010 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa and the attendance, so far, is ahead of 2008, the last time the show was held here.

Farm Progress Events Manager Matt Jungmann says the rain here and there has not dampened the crowd. Jungmann says they’ll top the typical 100-thousand visitor count.

“In 2008, we hit that. And we know that our first and second days were ahead of our first and second days in 2008, so we’re ahead of our pace. You know, it’s easy to say over 100,000, maybe pushing 150,000.” And, he says a good number continue to be international visitors.

Jungman says the number of exhibitors is also up from 2008And those 550 exhibitors here are using more space per exhibit. The 2010 Farm Progress Show is scheduled to run through 4 o’clock today.

Crop insurance discussed at FPS

Production concerns and crop insurance are topics on the minds of farmers visiting with Deb Ethridge, Vice President of Insurance for Water Street Solutions in Peoria, Illinois at the 2010 Farm Progress Show.

Changes are coming, most of it in terminology, where crop insurance is concerned. Ethridge said going forward there will be revenue policies and yield policies. The terminology, explains Ethridge, will make things easier for farmers. She suggests sitting down with your crop insurance agent to understand changes.

Conversation with Deb Ethridge

Soybean issues update

Rob Joslin, a farmer from Sydney, Ohio is President of the American Soybean Association. During a visit to the Farm Progress Show, Joslin told Brownfield there are great opportunities for soybean farmers today. There are legislative challenges, including the need for biodiesel tax incentive put in place retroactively.

Joslin said farmers need to contact their elected officials. Creating opportunities for the next generation is important to Joslin and he believes that is important for farmers of all shapes and sizes need to let their voices be heard.

Conversation with Rob Joslin

Talking about seed care at Farm Progress Show

Syngenta introduced Avicta Complete Corn in 2010. A combination of Avicta seed treatment nematicide, Cruiser seed treatment insecticide and Apron XL, Maxim XL and Dynasty seed treatment fungicides, it offers critical protection during germination and stand establishment when young corn plants are unable to protect themselves against early-season pests.

Dana Stubbendeck is Regional Account Manager for Syngenta.  He was talking seed care at the 2010 Farm Progress Show.

Conversation with Dana Stubbendeck

Monsanto announces program expansion

At the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa this week, Monsanto announced full launch of the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program. John Raines, Monsanto Customer Advocacy Lead said the program is moving beyond the pilot phase and into 1201 counties in 38 states. The program gives farmers a chance to win $2,500 for their community.

“Our rural communities are the heart of America and certainly the lifeblood of America’s farmers,” said Raines. “But most rural communities don’t have today the tax base that they had years gone by and in fact rural communities are no different than most communities, they are having to stretch their dollars farther today than ever before.”

America’s Farmers Grow Communities first pilot program began in January in the states of Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas. Monsanto gave away nearly $500,000 to local communities in 179 counties.

One farmer in each county was selected to win $2,500 to benefit a local non-profit like 4-H, FFA or other civic groups.

A second pilot was launched working with Monsanto Fund, the company’s philanthropic arm, providing about $750,000 to nearly 300 counties in California, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and South Dakota.

Brett Begemann, Chairman of the Monsanto Fund and Executive Vice President of Monsanto explained that this expanded program will invest more than $3 million in our rural communities on an annual basis.

Farmers age 21 and over who are actively engaged in farming at least 250 acres of row crops, 40 acres of vegetables or 10 acres of tomatoes or peppers are eligible to sign up.

Farmers can sign up for this program Aug. 31 – Dec. 31, 2010. Monsanto Fund will donate $1 to the United Way for every entry and all of those donations will stay in the local community of the entrant.

Farmers can sign up at the Farm Progress Show or online at www.growcommunities.com or they can call 1-877-267-3332.

Conversation with John Raines

Conversation with Brett Begemann

Precision ag getting into the classroom

Are enough people being prepared educationally for the changing landscape in agriculture? Ag Leader Technology is helping to get precision ag into the classroom so that students can learn more about it. “Technology is always changing, so we want to help bridge that,” says Ag Leader’s Michael Vos.

AUDIO: Michael Vos (3 min. MP3)

Fast action needed on renewable fuels issues

Congress has just a few weeks to act on several issues, including energy legislation and ethanol tax credits, before they scatter for the election. Renewable Fuels Association Public Affairs Director Matt Hartwig says these issues are urgent for those who advocate producing fuels from renewable sources.

AUDIO: Matt Hartwig (3 min. MP3)

Public health official urges safety on farm

“Agriculture is a dangerous business,” says Iowa Public Health official Kathy Leinenkugel, at the Farm Progress Show. The booth at which Kathy is talking to farmers has a lot of grim statistics that bear out her statement, but she says the trend can be reversed by making safe farming a habit.

AUDIO: Kathy Leinenkugel (4 min. MP3)

Respect the Rotation promotes diversity

Stewardship is at the base of the Respect the Rotation initiative launched this year by Bayer CropScience. The purpose of the effort is to preserve the efficacy of existing herbicide technologies through integrated weed management. Jon Fischer with Bayer says overuse of any one technology will promote resistance in weeds, which is currently a problem in some regions.

AUDIO: Jon Fischer (4 min. MP3)

Ag Leader strives for efficiency, productivity

It might reduce the amount of overlap on field preparation or applications, it might prevent the waste associated with inefficiency, but Jessica Reis says investing in agriculture precision pays off. Ag Leader Technology, for whom Reis does marketing and communications, handles equipment that accomplishes just that. “You name it in precision ag, Ag Leader deals with it,” says Reis.

AUDIO: Jessica Reis (3 min. MP3)

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