2009 August | NutriDense®

It’s Time for the Farm Progress Show

August 31st, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Tomorrow is the kick-off of the Farm Progress Show, the nation’s largest outdoor farm show. If you’re going to be around Decatur, Ill. this week, swing by and check it out. There you can witness cattle handling demonstrations, the “Fashion at the Farm” show, Timberworks lumberjack show and a host of other attractions and informative lectures.

While you’re there, be sure to stop by booth number 805, which we’re sharing with our friends at BASF Crop Protection, to say hi. On hand at the show will be several members of the NutriDense team: Kyle McMillian, national sales manager and interim silage product manager; Scott Friedlund, grain product manager; and Terry Schneider, program manager.

If you are unable to attend the show in person, check back here for regular updates. My colleague Kipp Bodnar will be there blogging live from the show. Leave a comment if there’s a particular exhibit you want him to report back to you on.

See you there!

Posted in General | No Comments »

New Study shows Farmers are on Top of New Media Waves

August 29th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

A recently released study from Nicholson Kovac, Inc. offers additional evidence that farmers are keeping up with Internet and social media trends. The 2009 Agriculture New Media Usage Study, which was designed to be a snapshot of one of the largest farming segments (large acreage corn and soybean growers), showed that these farmers were exploring and utilizing a number of new media forms and technological trends.

For example:
• 62% have sent or received text messages during the past year
• 48% of those who text send or receive at least 5 texts per day
• 63% have taken pictures with their mobile phones
• 47% spend 5 or more hours per week online, and 23% spend 10 or more hours per week online
• 85% of respondents indicated that they visit Web sites related to their farm operation, and 76% visit manufacturers’ sites

The study also provided information on farmers’ adoption rates and comfort levels with social networking applications like Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

Click here for more information about the study.

Posted in Research | No Comments »

Podcast: Jonathan Bryant on Drought-Tolerant Corn

August 28th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Drought-tolerant corn is an important research initiative at BASF Plant Science LLC. In this week’s podcast, Jonathan Bryant, BASF Plant Science LLC managing director, expands on what this innovation means for the future of agriculture.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Posted in Biotechnology, Podcasts, Research | No Comments »

Get a Free Genuine Ag-Bag

August 26th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Corn hybrids containing NutriDense traits provide greater feed efficiency and more energy for your cows, which means lower feed costs for you. But we don’t just want you to take our word for it – we want to give you a Genuine Ag-Bag® so you can try it in your herd and see what your cows say.

Simply purchase a minimum of 20 bags of corn silage hybrids containing NutriDense Silage traits by February 19, 2010, then click here to register for your free Ag-Bag! Plus, if you register by December 2, 2009, you will also receive a free NutriDense Silage jacket.

But the most important thing is what will be in your Ag-Bag – more energy, more protein, improved fiber digestibility and softer kernels, all this and more in NutriDense corn silage. Give it a shot!

Posted in Dairy, Energy, Silage | 1 Comment »

What is NutriDense?

August 24th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

We’ll talk a lot on this blog about NutriDense, a group of traits used in livestock feed. But what exactly is NutriDense? Here’s a quick overview to get us all on the same page.

Corn hybrids containing NutriDense traits, which improve the nutritional value of corn used for feeding livestock, can help corn farmers, dairy, hog and poultry producers increase the profitability of their operations.

NutriDense Corn Silage allows dairy producers to maintain milk production on less feed. Compared to other silage hybrids, NutriDense Silage has a higher protein level, which means producers purchase fewer feed additives. NutriDense Silage is also more digestible for the cows, so the cows receive a greater nutritional benefit and more energy from the feed.

For swine and poultry producers, corn hybrids containing NutriDense Grain traits elevate ration energy content without adding fat, increase essential amino acid content and improve phosphorus availability. At the same time, NutriDense Grain reduces the amount of soybean meal in the ration, which increases digestibility.

Corn farmers and dairy, hog and poultry producers are all seeing the difference that NutriDense traits make. Click here to hear their stories.

Posted in Dairy, Grain, Poultry, Silage, Swine | No Comments »

Podcast: Jonathan Bryant on the world’s changing food needs

August 21st, 2009 by Courtney Beck

The world population is increasing and food needs are changing. What does this mean for production agriculture? Jonathan Bryant, BASF Plant Science LLC managing director, tackles this question in this week’s podcast.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Posted in Biotechnology, Podcasts | No Comments »

Ways for Dairies to Trim the Budget

August 20th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Commodity prices and keeping businesses afloat are top of mind in today’s tough economy. Everyone is looking for ways to cut back.

It is important, however, not to cut items that are important for profitability. Dairy producers, for example, may be looking for places to save on feed costs, but there are some cutbacks that may end up costing more than they save. This article from Jerry Weigel discusses some places you should and should not look for dairy feed cost savings.

Some producers are making the changes discussed in Jerry’s article and have seen significant feed costs savings. Click here to hear one producer’s story.

Posted in Dairy, Milk Production | No Comments »

New Report Shows Number of Tech-Savvy Farmers is on the Rise

August 19th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Computer and Internet-usage among farmers is on the rise, according to newly released data from The National Agricultural Statistics Services (NASS). NASS, which is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, released its Farm Computer Usages and Ownership data sheet on Friday, August 14. The report showed an industry increase in computers and the Internet as a business resource. It also showed a nationwide increase in Internet access on farms, along with a notable increase in farms that owned or leased computers.

According to the NASS 2009 data:
• DSL Internet Access is up 9%
• 59% of farms have Internet access
• 64% of farms own or lease a computer
• 36% of farms use a computer for their business
• 65% of crop farms and 63% of livestock farms have computer access
• 60% of crop farms and 58% of livestock farms have Internet access

The chart below shows a breakdown of farm business usage and Internet access by economic class (from 1999-2009).

Posted in General, Research | No Comments »

Empire Farm Days: A Celebration of Northeastern Agriculture

August 17th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

The 76th annual Empire Farm Days wrapped up on Thursday after three days of educational presentations, seminars and exhibits. Topics were broad-sweeping, ranging from forage chopping to increasing profitability on small dairies to manure handling.

Rich Lutz, forage specialist with BASF Plant Science, attended the premier northeastern ag event. “The Dairy Profit Seminars were a highlight for me, especially since everyone is looking for ways to improve efficiency and profitability during the tough economic times the dairy industry is currently facing,” he said. “The panelists gave great information, and there was good interaction between the panelists and the audience. I’m sure that all who attended took home a tip or two which may aid in the management of their operation.”

For more information on Empire Farm Days, read Lancaster Farming’s coverage of the event.

Posted in Dairy | No Comments »

Feeding Cows in the Summer

August 14th, 2009 by Courtney Beck

Savvy dairy producers know the importance of adjusting their feeding programs during the intense summer heat. Jerry Weigel, BASF Plant Science LLC manager of nutrition and technical services, offers hot-weather tips to maintain milk production and maximize cow comfort in this week’s podcast.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Posted in Dairy, Milk Production, Nutrition | 1 Comment »