Rugged laptop caseThe OtterBox rugged laptop carrying case is so strong you can stand it without damaging your computer; it also is waterproof, dustproof and protects laptops from falls... Compact antennaThe Wi-Fire integrates a high-gain directional antenna and strong receiver sensitivity in a compact package that allows users to connect to a wireless computer network up to 1,000 ft. away... Power PlatformBy: By Jeff Ryan The Power Platform from Custom Chassis is the ultimate power tool. It’s a heavy-duty cargo truck, it’s a tractor, it’s a service vehicle — it’s everything in one package... The fields of BrazilTeam FIN farmer Paul Gervais of Tracy, MN, along with other growers from across the United States, traveled to Brazil last year for a firsthand look at how crops, especially soybeans, are grown on the farms there. Here is his report... Agrium buys UAPAgrium Inc. announced that it will purchase UAP (United Agri Products) to create the largest agricultural retailer in North America. The combined sales of the two companies will be almost $8 billion... Great year for DeereDeere & Company capped off a very good year for sales with a two-for-one stock split in the form of 100% stock dividend. This action, taken in November,... Landoll buys ICONLandoll Corp., a manufacturer of equipment including farm implements, recently purchased ICON Industries. ICON produces pull-type construction equipment... Soybean premium on non-GMOsAsoya just announced that its 2008 production contracts for 1% ultralow linolenic soybeans will pay a premium of $1.25/bu. The Iowa City, IA-based, seed company markets the soybean oil from the non-GMO soybeans to food companies... Korean company buys BobcatThe Korean company Doosan Infracore completed its purchase of Bobcat, utility equipment and attachments businesses from the Ingersoll Rand Company... Bayer’s new allianceBayer CropScience, Mertec LLC and M.S. Technologies announced plans to collaborate on the development of innovative traits in soybeans... Carbon credit contracts openGrowers may now apply for five-year carbon credits with AgraGate Climate Credits Corp... Tailored-to-fit weed controlBy: By Karl Ohm New glyphosate-tolerance trait from DuPont will increase the number of weed-control options for your fields... Deere expands in ChinaDeere & Company plans to buy a small tractor manufacturing plant in China to begin offering low-horsepower tractors to Chinese farmers. Deere recently announced the purchase of... Education first: An interview with Brian and Darren HeftyBy: By Paul Gervais, Team FIN member Team FIN farmer Paul Gervais, Tracy, MN, interviewed Brian Hefty and Darren Hefty when they were together on a tour of the soybean farms of Brazil in January. Brian and Darren are members of the Hefty family, which owns a large farm operation in South Dakota and the Hefty Seed Company, with 13 locations spanning three Midwestern states. The brothers also are the hosts of Ag PhD TV, a half-hour television show that is shown throughout the country each week, and Ag PhD Radio, a half-hour radio show that airs on stations in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.... Corn rootworm controlBy: By Larry Stalcup Bt corn has helped many growers worry less about critters like corn rootworms. But with the 20% non-Bt refuge requirement and many corn lines still without the bug-resistance gene, knowing when, what and how much to spray can prove profitable by preventing disastrous damage.... Monsanto Purchase ApprovedMonsanto is now able to complete its purchase of Delta and Pine Land Company. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) gave approval with special terms for the purchase to move ahead. Monsanto will be required to divest certain assets including its U.S. branded cotton seed business. ... Corn Continues To Shift PlacementsBy: Courtesy of BEEF Stocker Trends newsletter It's no surprise that more cattle are going on feed in the Midwest and Corn Belt because of feed cost and access. What may surprise some is... Fertilizer prices flattenBy: By John Pocock Growers should see more supplies of fertilizer and better prices this fall than this spring. Why? By the fall, fertilizer supplies will have adjusted... USDA: largest corn planting in 63 yearsBy: Elton Robinson, Delta Farm Press U.S. corn producers are expected to plant 90.5 million acres of corn this spring -- the highest acreage planted in 63 years. According to USDA's March 30 Prospective Plantings report... Return Roundup Ready Alfalfa SeedAlfalfa growers who bought Roundup Ready seed but can't plant it need to contact their seed dealers about replacing it with conventional varieties or getting refunds, says a Monsanto spokesman. It seems likely that full refunds will be offered to growers who don't want to switch to conventional alfalfa, but Andrew Burchett, Monsanto public relations representative, can only confirm that Monsanto's technology fee will be returned. ... Injunction Jolts Roundup Ready AlfalfaA federal judge last week imposed a preliminary injunction against the sale and planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa, effectively removing the transgenic crop as a spring seeding option in much of the country. The March 12 injunction, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Northern California, states that growers who bought Roundup Ready before that date can go ahead and plant it. But the seed must be in the ground by March 30.... Soybean rust in IowaIn mid-March, Asian soybean rust was identified on soybeans from a bin located in Iowa. Iowa State University (ISU) says that soybean rust was “conclusively identified on soybean plant tissue” from soybeans produced in 2006. ISU reports that the rust fungus found on the plant tissue does not pose a risk for infection this year... New pre-ethanol process cuts DDGSA new low-cost process for separating more oil from corn kernels before they are fermented could improve the efficiency of ethanol production, as well as increase the value of the co-products. Developed by Renessen LLC, a joint venture between Cargill and Monsanto, this new process could be added on the front end of most existing dry-grind ethanol plants to make them more efficient.... AutoFarm investmentAutoFarm announces an investment in gps-Ag, a provider of precision agriculture products that can be moved from vehicle to vehicle. The Australian company’s current managers will continue to run gps-Ag as an independent company, and it will carry the same precision product lines. ... |