CNH (Case New Holland) moves to consolidate and improve its global competitive position by closing its Concord air seeder manufacturing plant in Fargo, ND, by 2001 and its combine plant in East Moline, IL, and its tractor building plant in Racine, WI, by 2004. Planters and seeders will be manufactured in Saskatoon, Canada, combines will be made in its Grand Island, NE, plant, and tractors will be moved to a yet-to-be-named North American location.

Monsanto's new Bottom-Line Booster Guarantee program encourages growers to compare Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans in reduced tillage with conventional tillage and herbicide programs. If the RR system doesn't provide a qualified grower with a net income that is equal to or better than that from a traditional system, the company will pay the grower up to $10,000. Growers need to plant a minimum of 50 acres more of RR soybeans than they did last year, replace tillage with a preplant burndown using Roundup Ultra or UltraMAX, buy RR soybeans from an authorized dealer and spray Roundup over the top. Sign-up deadline is October 15, 2000. See your Dekalb or Asgrow dealer, call 800/768-6387 or circle 216.

Selecting RR soybeans that thrive in minimum/no-till conditions is now easier, according to Monsanto. The company has examined its 125 varieties (from Asgrow and Dekalb) and selected eight that qualify as "residue proven" varieties that exhibit strong emergence and enhanced disease protection: three Group II varieties (AG2602, AG2703, DKB26-51), two Group III (AG3003, AG3302), two Group IV (AG4301, AG4702) and one Group V (AG5901). See your local dealer or circle 217.