Brownfield

What happens when you give Bob Meyer a camera?

What happens when you give Bob Meyer a camera?   Enough said.

Bayer CropScience continues to grow

With an aquisition announced today, Bayer CropScience will develop new seed treatment solutions for corn, soybeans and cotton as well as soil applied applications for use on fruits and vegetables.

Not even a week after the 2009 Bayer CropScience Herbicide Innovation Tour concluded in Frankfurt, Germany, the company has announced it acquired certain assets and technology related to biological development products of Agrogreen, Ashdod, Israel.  According to a company release:

Through this acquisition Bayer CropScience expands its broad range of crop protection solutions with biocontrol agents which offer further value added for is customers and provide the company with interesting growth opportunities in the seed treatment market. The company also sees good prospects for use of these biocontrol agents by turfgrass professionals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Dr. Rüdiger Scheitza, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer CropScience AG and responsible for Portfolio Management, comments: “Bayer CropScience is very well positioned in its core crop protection business. With this acquisition, we further strengthen our portfolio with innovative and unique crop protection solutions to help safeguard harvests and increase yields.” Mr Avraham Kuznitski, Chairman of the Minrav Group, stated: “It is exciting to see this biological technology and the products developed by Minrav being acquired by Bayer CropScience. We are convinced that our technology will be an excellent fit with the Bayer CropScience´s portfolio.”

The acquired assets include products marketed under the brand name BioNem (active ingredient Bacillus firmus), reducing nematode populations and root infestations in the soil, while stimulating increased yields.

BioNem is currently registered in Israel for use in cucumbers, eggplant, pepper, tomato, almond, apricot, olive, peach, plum, pomegranate, major herbs, flowers and garlic. Based on this Bacillus Firmus as a mixing partner, Bayer CropScience

Two weeks and counting

The Brownfield Party at National AgriMarketing Association Convention (NAMA) is just two weeks away!  The invitations are going out this week.  If you are an advertising partner with Brownfield Ag News and/or Waitt Agribusiness and will be in Atlanta, Georgia for NAMA, this is a bash you don't want to miss.

Anita Vanderwert, Director of Ag Sales for Brownfield looks forward to seeing you there!!

Julie in e-Chats

From April e-Chats newsletter from the National Association of Farm Broadcasting:

 

NAFB Members at the National Farmers Union Convention March 8-10 in Washington, D.C., (left) Ron Hays, Radio Oklahoma Network; Julie Harker, Brownfield Network; Mike Hergert, Red River Farm Network; Pam Jahnke, WTDY/Q106; Gary Jackson, Buckeye Network; and Stewart Doan, Agri-Pulse. 

Definition of sustainability

During a panel discussion at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) annual meeting this week in Louisville, the question was asked, “Does anyone have the definition for sustainable?” After much discussion, Bill Medley, VP, Market Segments, Farm Credit Services of Mid-America gave the banker definition, “If a farm can repay its loans, it’s sustainable.” Gotta love banker humor.

-Dave

By the way, Dave tells me he interviewed Bill Medley and that interview will be featured in an upcoming Rural Issues Program on Brownfield Ag News, so stay tuned!

Animal agriculture in the spotlight in Louisville

The 2009 annual meeting of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) wrapped up on Wednesday in Louisville, Kentucky. During the two days, those attending talked about food safety, animal welfare, animal health, animal ID and the direction animal agriculture needs to be taking in all those areas. I’ll be producing stories from the meeting over the next few days, be listening to your local Brownfield affiliate and visit the Brownfield web site for more.

I’ll end with this, and I wish I could remember who ended his presentation with a slide that said, “Thank you, from a proud consumer of U.S. produced meat protein.” Put your hands on the radio and say, “Amen!”

-Dave Russell

Brownfield Ag News is proud to partner with NIAA.  This is our second year as Diamond Sponsor for the annual meeting.  Dave Russell and Teres Lambert, NIAA Director of Communications posed for a picture in front of one of the sponsorship signs.

Bob's in Oshkosh --- b'gosh!

 Certainly no signs of a "down" economy at the 49th annual WPS Farm Show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin this week.  Despite the cold, blustery weather, the turnout was terriffic.  The crowds were very good on Tuesday and Wednesday found every aisle in all four hanger buildings packed.  Just like the sentiment expressed a couple of weeks ago at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin annual meeting, most dairy farmers see the current low milk prices as part of the cycle the industry goes through. 
 
While the cold weather did deter visitors to the outdoor displays, it was not too cold to deter the determined participants in the pedal tractor pull.
 
The WPS Farm Show wraps up at 3 p.m. Thursday at the E.A.A. Grounds in Oshkosh.

-Bob Meyer

Foreign corresponding

Bayer CropScience invited seven media representatives along on the 2009 Herbicide Innovations Tour in Germany last week.  The three farm broadcasters posed for a picture with Bayer CropScience hosts at the company's Frankfurt headquarters. 

Cyndi Young, farm broadcaster;  Hans Kraehmer, Research Herbicides - Head of Profiling & Safeners; Meghan Grebner, farm broadcaster; Michelle Rook, farm broadaster; Jeff Springsteen, Marketing Manager, Corn Herbicides; Hans Santel, Global Product Development Manager, Corn Herbicides.

Anniversary

Twenty-four years ago today, I started my first job in radio at WJIL in Jacksonville, Illinois.  Yes, I started in radio on April Fool's day.  WJIL is a Brownfield afffiliate radio station.

-Cyndi

What's in a name?

This is Dave Russell in Louisville, Kentucky for the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) Annual Meeting, sometimes it's little things that I find amusing, even humorous, take for instance; Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture is Richie FARMER; and the chairman of NIAA is Dr. Leonard BULL. I’m sure there are others, please share. Okay, I’ll go back to the meeting now.

Brownfield Ag News is a DIAMOND sponsor of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture Annual Meeting.  We are proud to partner with the animal agriculture industry.