Wednesday August 5 Ag News

Manure Utilization for Improved Crop Production Workshop, Aug. 10 in Fremont
Nathan Mueller, NE Cropping Systems & Agricultural Technologies Extension Educator

Producers that are interested in diversifying inputs, improving soil health, and increasing yields are encouraged to take part in a free workshop about utilizing livestock manure.

The workshop will take place on Monday, August 10 from 11:30 – 1:30 at the Dodge County Nebraska Extension Office at 1206 W 23rd Street in Fremont. The Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska, or AFAN, is partnering with Nebraska Extension to provide this workshop that showcases the ability of producers to diversify their nutrient portfolio with manure. We are working to promote this nutrient-rich product and help producers better understand the strides they can make when they use manure. Nebraska leads the country in overall red meat production and that offers producers to take advantage of the by-products of this growing industry.

Dr. Amy Schmidt with Nebraska Extension will head off the sessions in talking about the benefits of manure. Producers will be able to engage with numerous industry professionals. Local and supporting businesses will be on hand to help answer questions and illustrate the importance of this powerful crop nutrient resource.

Again, the workshop will take place on Monday, August 10 from 11:30 – 1:30 at the Dodge County Nebraska Extension Office at 1206 W 23rd Street in Fremont and a free lunch will be provided to attendees.

If you are interested in attending the meeting please call me at 727-2775 to RSVP.



Thayer and Fillmore Counties are Nebraska’s Newest Livestock Friendly Counties

Today, Governor Peter Ricketts announced that Thayer and Fillmore counties have become the newest counties in the state to become designated as Livestock Friendly Counties (LFC) through a program administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA).

“The Livestock Friendly County program showcases the dedication of our citizens to Grow Nebraska through the livestock industry that is so vital to our state,” said Gov. Ricketts. “Officials and residents of Thayer and Fillmore counties have taken all the extra steps necessary to assure prospective investors that they welcome the opportunity to expand the industry in their areas.”

Created in 2003 by the Nebraska Legislature, the LFC program is designed to recognize counties in the state that support the expansion of the livestock industry. In 2014, livestock receipts in the state comprised over half of the $24 billion of Nebraska’s total on-farm receipts. The LFC designation gives counties an extra promotional tool to encourage expansion of current livestock operations and attract new businesses that spur local economies.

“Expanding the livestock industry has a very positive multiplier effect to the economies of these counties,” said NDA Director Greg Ibach, “The demand for feed grains, supplies, and retail purchases all increase as livestock operations begin or expand.”

With the addition of Thayer and Fillmore Counties, there are now 32 counties designated as Livestock Friendly through the state program.

Counties wishing to apply for the LFC designation must hold a public hearing and the county board must pass a resolution to apply for the designation. Then a completed application must be submitted to NDA. Local producers or groups can encourage county officials to apply.

Additional information about the Livestock Friendly County program is available on the NDA website at www.nda.nebraska.gov or by calling 800-422-6692.



NEBRASKA 2015 FARM REAL ESTATE VALUE AND CASH RENT

Nebraska’s farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, decreased from 2014, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Farm real estate value for 2015 averaged $3,050 per acre. This is down $70 per acre or 2 percent lower than last year.

Cropland value declined 2 percent from last year to $5,070 per acre. Dryland cropland value averaged $3,970 per acre, down $30 from last year. Irrigated cropland value averaged $6,870 per acre, down $230 from a year ago. Pastureland, at $870 per acre, declined $30 from a year ago.

State-level cash rents paid to landlords in 2015 for cropland were mixed from last year. Irrigated cropland rent averaged $254 per acre, a decrease of $8 from last year. Dryland cropland rent averaged $160 per acre, up $11 from a year earlier. Pasture rented for cash, averaged $28.50 per acre, up $8 from the previous year.



IOWA 2015 FARM REAL ESTATE VALUE AND CASH RENT

Iowa’s farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $8,000 per acre in 2015, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is down $500 per acre or 6 percent below last year’s level.

Cropland value decreased 6 percent from last year to $8,200 per acre. Pastureland, at $3,400 per acre, was unchanged from a year ago. Low grain prices weakened cropland values while record high beef prices supported pastureland values.

Cropland cash rent paid to Iowa landlords in 2015 averaged $250.00 per acre according to the USDA,National Agricultural Statistics Service. Non-irrigated cropland rent averaged $250.00 per acre, down $10.00 from a year earlier. Pasture land rented for cash averaged $50.00 per acre, unchanged from the previous year.



USDA Agricultural Land Values Highlights

The United States farm real estate value, a measurement of the value of all land and buildings on farms, averaged $3,020 per acre for 2015, up 2.4 percent from 2014 values. Regional changes in the average value of farm real estate ranged from a 6.1 percent increase in the Southern Plains region to 0.3 percent decrease in the Corn Belt region. The highest farm real estate values were in the Corn Belt region at $6,350 per acre. The Mountain region had the lowest farm real estate value at $1,100 per acre.

The United States cropland value increased by $30 per acre (0.7 percent) to $4,130 per acre from the previous year. In the Southern Plains region, the average cropland value increased 9.2 percent from the previous year. However, in the Corn Belt region, cropland values decreased by 2.3 percent.

The United States pasture value increased to $1,330 per acre, or 2.3 percent above 2014. The Southeast region was unchanged from 2014. The Lake States region had the highest increase at 15.4 percent.



NE Extension, NE Soybean Bd Hold 2015 Soybean Management Field Days

The Nebraska Soybean Board is hosting its annual Soybean Management Field Days Aug. 11–14.

The Nebraska Soybean Board is partnering with University of Nebraska–Lincoln to address issues and challenges associated with producing and marketing soybeans. The Field Days will offer advice to farmers on ways to address these challenges.

The Field Days will take place at four different locations throughout Nebraska: Holdrege, Alda, Wakefield and Greenwood, respectively. Admission is free and includes a complimentary lunch. Each day includes one-hour presentations, rotating from 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The presentations will focus on research, marketing, promotion, new uses and education.

“The Field Days aim to help soybean growers improve yields and profitability,” said Victor Bohuslavsky, executive director of the Nebraska Soybean Board. “Nebraska Extension educators and other experts will cover topics based on what farmers want to learn.”

At the events, there will be field tours and presentations by university representatives and industry consultants. Participants will learn research-based information on marketing and financial outlooks, integrated soybean production and irrigation management. Attendees will also learn through hands-on activities such as testing different soils and measuring water quality and application.

Registration for the events begins at 9 a.m. each day. CCA credits are available for participants.  For more information and directions, visit http://ardc.unl.edu/soydays or call 1-800-852-BEAN (2326).



Ethanol Stocks Fall to 7-Month Low

Ethanol stocks in the United States fell to the lowest level this year while demand spiked to a record high during the week-ended July 31, according to a report released Wednesday, Aug. 5, by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The EIA reported total ethanol stocks fell 409,000 barrels (bbl), or 2.0%, to 19.239 million bbl last week, reducing a year-over-year stock surplus to 5.4%.

The EIA report also showed domestic production fell by 4,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 0.4%, to 961,000 bpd while up 1.2% year on year.

Blender inputs, a gauge for ethanol demand, rose last week by 7,000 bpd, or 0.8%, to 910,000 bpd, the highest on record. EIA launched the weekly data series in June 2010. On a year-over-year basis, implied demand for ethanol was up 4.1%.

EIA also reported that implied demand for gasoline remained choppy, rising 348,000 bpd last week to 9.687 million bpd after dropping 410,000 bpd the prior week. Demand for the week profiled was 3.5% higher than the same week in 2014.

Also today, the EIA reported a bigger-than-expected weekly domestic crude oil stock draw and increases in demand for crude and refined products.   The EIA’s data was bullish for crude, detailing a 4.4 million bbl crude stock decline for the week-ended July 31, more than twice the 1.8 million bbl draw the market expected. It’s also a bigger draw than the 2.4 million bbl crude stock decline the American Petroleum Institute reported late Tuesday.



Informa: Corn at 13.4 BB, Soy at 3.8 BB

Private analytical firm Informa Economics forecast corn production at 13.4 billion bushels and soybean production at 3.8 bb in its latest report.

Informa expects the national average corn yield to be 165.4 bushels per acre, while the average soybean yield is pegged at 45.4 bpa. Informa's production estimate for soybeans uses a 1-million-acre lower planted acreage figures than USDA's June 30 Acreage estimate.

The soybean production forecast is 23 million bushels higher than Informa's July forecast, but 180 mb below last year's production.   On corn, Informa's forecast is equal to its July estimate, but if realized would be 804 mb below last year. USDA's July estimate for corn was slightly higher 13.5 bb.

Informa forecasts all wheat production at 2.2 bb, which is 11 million bushels higher than last month and, if realized, would be 133 mb higher than last year. Winter wheat production was forecast at 1.5 bb, with 877 mb from hard red winter wheat, 389 mb from soft red winter wheat and 190 mb from white wheat.

Spring wheat production was forecast at 626 mb, up 9 mb from USDA's July estimate, with an average yield estimate of 47 bpa.

Grain sorghum production was forecast at 550 mb with an average yield of 70.7 bpa, slightly smaller than Informa's July forecast. 

In world numbers, Informa estimates Brazil's 2014 corn production at 83.0 million metric tons and Argentina's at 26.5 mmt. If USDA adjusted to those estimates, it would increase Brazil's estimate by 1.0 mmt and Argentina's by 1.5 mmt.  Informa also expects Brazil to increase soybean plantings by 3.1% in late 2015.



EPA Proposes Stronger Standards for People Applying the Pesticides with the Greatest Risk

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing stronger standards for pesticide applicators who apply “restricted-use” pesticides. These pesticides are not available for purchase by the general public, require special handling, and may only be applied by a certified applicator or someone working under his or her direct supervision.

“We are committed to keeping our communities safe, protecting our environment and protecting workers and their families, said Jim Jones, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “By improving training and certification, those who apply these restricted use pesticides will have better knowledge and ability to use these pesticides safely.”

The goal of today’s action is to reduce the likelihood of harm from the misapplication of toxic pesticides and ensure a consistent level of protection among states. Pesticide use would be safer with increased supervision and oversight.

EPA is proposing stricter standards for people certified to use restricted use pesticides and to require all people who apply restricted use pesticides to be at least 18 years old. Certifications would have to be renewed every 3 years.

EPA is proposing additional specialized licensing for certain methods of application that can pose greater risks if not conducted properly, such as fumigation and aerial application. For further protection, those working under the supervision of certified applicators would now need training on using pesticides safely and protecting their families from take-home pesticide exposure.

State agencies issue licenses to pesticide applicators who need to demonstrate under an EPA-approved program their ability to use these products safely. The proposed revisions would reduce the burden on applicators and pest control companies that work across state lines. The proposal promotes consistency across state programs by encouraging inter-state recognition of licenses.

The proposal also updates the requirements for States, Tribes, and Federal agencies that administer their own certification programs to incorporate the strengthened standards. Many states already have in place some or many of EPA’s proposed changes. The proposed changes would raise the bar nationally to a level that most states have already achieved. The estimated benefits of $80.5 million would be due to fewer acute pesticide incidents to people.

EPA encourages public comment on the proposed improvements. The 90 day public comment period will begin when the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

A copy of the proposal and more information about certification for pesticide applicators: http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/epa-proposes-stronger-standards-people-applying-riskiest-pesticides

To comment on the proposed changes, visit http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket number EPA-HQ-OPP-2011-0183 after publication in the federal register.



NCFC Applauds Senate Committee Approval of Legislation to Eliminate Duplicative Pesticide Permitting

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives today applauded the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee’s approval of S. 1500, the Sensible Environmental Protection Act. The legislation, introduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), would resolve the regulatory morass created by a misguided and poorly reasoned court decision forced on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

S. 1500 clarifies the Clean Water Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to ensure that crop protectants compliant with FIFRA do not require permits under the Clean Water Act. The legislation would eliminate the significant financial and liability burdens imposed by the ruling on thousands of farms, co-ops and other agri-businesses. Companion legislation in the House, H.R. 897, was passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“It is far past time for this issue to be dealt with once and for all. The intent of Congress has long been clear—FIFRA was always intended to regulate the registration and use of crop protectants and the EPA plays an important role in the process by ensuring that pesticides do not harm human health or the environment,” said Chuck Conner, president and CEO of NCFC. “Quite simply, under FIFRA, the label is the law. Those who do not follow a product’s label are violating the law even without a clean water permit.”

“With today’s EPW markup, we are encouraged that the Senate is, for the first time, taking concrete steps to repeal these costly and duplicative pesticide permitting requirements,” continued Conner. “I would like to thank Senators Crapo and McCaskill for their leadership on this issue and urge Senate leadership to make floor time available for S. 1500 as soon as feasible.”



Merck Animal Health Partners with NMPF in Support of Quality Animal Care

Merck Animal Health (known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada) today announced a partnership with the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), to help ensure a comprehensive, industry-wide approach to employee training and animal care in the dairy industry. The National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible ManagementTM) Animal Care Program, administered by NMPF with support from Dairy Management Inc.TM covers more than 91 percent of the nation’s milk supply. Through the partnership, dairy producers across the country will have access to tools, resources and workshops available through the Merck Animal Health Dairy C.A.R.E.™* Initiative, an extension of the Dairy Care365™animal handling training program.

Dairy C.A.R.E. was developed to help producers provide the best animal care by maintaining sound policies, hiring the right people and making sure they are properly trained. It was designed to complement the FARM Animal Care Program, developed in 2009, which establishes a nationwide, verifiable animal well-being program. Going forward, Merck Animal Health will continue to work closely with FARM Animal Care to develop supplemental materials dairy farmers can use to meet the FARM Program’s requirements.

“This partnership is a natural fit and extends the reach of both programs,” said Rick Jackson, Merck Animal Health U.S. dairy product manager. “The FARM Animal Care program does a great job of setting expectations for dairy operations, and Dairy C.A.R.E. helps provide additional training and tools to get the job done.”

Both Dairy C.A.R.E. and the FARM Animal Care program support the significant efforts of dairy producers to continuously improve the care and handling of their animals.

“Dairy C.A.R.E. helps producers meet the requirements of the FARM program, including creating a cow care agreement, developing written standard operating procedures (SOPs) and providing employee training,” according to Emily Meredith, NMPF Vice President, Animal Care. “Animal care is everyone’s responsibility in the dairy industry, and we all take it seriously. We’re excited about the partnership with Merck Animal Health to help advance this industry-wide effort.”

The Dairy C.A.R.E. Initiative includes a comprehensive resource guide; Dairy Care365 animal handling training videos; and customizable templates of animal care policies and SOPs that outline how animals should be handled to optimize their health and well-being. Merck Animal Health is conducting free workshops around the country to help dairy producers tailor the Dairy C.A.R.E. materials for their farms.

Dairy Care365 animal handling training videos feature real on-farm settings to provide a realistic representation of how cows behave and react to their surroundings. Through these videos, employees learn how to work with dairy cattle and youngstock safely and effectively, move cows to the milking parlor and handle non-ambulatory cows among other topics.

For more information about Dairy C.A.R.E. or a workshop, visit www.DairyCare365.com, email info@DairyCare365.com or contact your Merck Animal Health sales representative. For more information on NMPF’s National Dairy FARM Program, visit www.nationaldairyfarm.com. 



 FARM Program Needs Feedback from Producers on Tools to Improve Dairy Beef

In January, the FARM Animal Care Program embarked on a partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association to explore opportunities and synergies around improving the quality of dairy beef. NMPF worked with NCBA staff managing the Beef Quality Assurance Program to devise educational materials and other resources for producers to use as part of the FARM Animal Care Program.

To ensure the FARM Program is both beneficial to producers and increases consumer confidence, farmers are now being asked for their input through the Dairy Producer Education Programs Survey. The 15-minute survey will help NMPF understand how FARM can better serve producers, and will help NMPF and NCBA identify what additional tools are necessary to improve dairy beef quality. Producers are encouraged to complete the survey and to share the survey link with others.  Take the survey here.... https://udenver.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_d6bTpSSQSqPAAuN. 



Dairy Products Exported with CWT's Help Top 16.5 Million Pounds in July

In July, members of Cooperatives Working Together received 59 contracts to sell dairy products to customers in 21 countries. The 5.4 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 11.2 million pounds of whole milk powder will be shipped from July through January 2016.

The July contracts bring the year-to-date sales totals to 43.7 million pounds of cheese, 30.4 million pounds of butter, and 33.3 million pounds of whole milk powder. In all, CWT-assisted transactions will move the equivalent of 1.33 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis to customers in 33 countries on five continents. These sales contracts are equivalent to more than 80 percent of the 2015 increase in U.S. milk production through June.

Developed by NMPF, CWT is a voluntary export assistance program supported by dairy farmers producing 70 percent of the nation’s milk. By helping to move U.S. dairy products into world markets, CWT helps maintain and grow U.S dairy farmers’ share of expanding export markets which, in turn, keeps dairy farmer milk prices at reasonable levels.



Study by UC Riverside Study shows flowers harbor parasites that harm bees

Despite their beauty, flowers can pose a grave danger to bees by providing a platform of parasites to visiting bees, a team of researchers has determined.

“Flowers are hotspots for parasite spread between and within pollinator populations,” said Peter Graystock, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside and a member of the research team. “Both the flower and bee species play a role in how likely parasite dispersal will occur.”

The study, published online in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, is the first to show that not only can bees disperse parasites around the environment but also that flowers are platforms for a host of pollinator parasites subsequently dispersed onto visiting bees.

“By showing that visits from parasite-carrying bees can turn flowers into parasite platforms, we can say that it is likely that heavily visited flowers may become more ‘dirty’ with bee parasites,” said Graystock, the research paper’s first author.  “Planting more flowers would provide bees with more options, and parasite spread may thus be reduced.”

The researchers found four common honey bee and bumblebee parasites dispersed via flowers: Nosema apis (causes a honey bee disease), Nosema ceranae (causes an emergent disease in honey bees and bumblebees), Crithidia bombi (causes a bumblebee disease) and Apicystis bombi (mostly found in bumblebees). These parasites are known to cause, lethargy, dysentery, colony collapse, and queen death in heavily infected bees.

Currently, bees are frequently transported across state and international territories.  Quarantine and parasite screening usually cover only the screening of host-specific diseases.  But bumblebees can transport honey bee parasites, and vice versa, the research team has now shown, and proposes that increased screening protocols be employed to protect pollinator diversity.
Photo shows a honey bee (Apis mellifera) foraging on a pansy flower. Photo credit: Kathy Keatley Garvey, UC Davis.

“With some 20,000 bee species, it is a surprise that only recently has research in pollinator health considered the interactions between bee species,” Graystock said. “Our finding may also affect the national and international trade of flowers unless sterilization of parasites on these flowers can be guaranteed. Otherwise flower movements may also be moving pollinator parasites to new territories.”

He explained that commercially imported bumblebees have been found to contain a cocktail of parasites that are harmful to both bumblebees and honeybees.

“We know these commercially imported bumblebees, when given the opportunity, will forage on the same flowers as wild bees and honeybees,” he said.

In their experiments, Graystock and his colleagues allowed one species of bee (honey bees or bumblebees) from hives containing parasites to forage on flowers for three hours. The bees were then removed and a second group of flowers were added to the foraging arena along with colonies of a second bee species (a species not used before). The new bees then foraged upon both the new and previously foraged flowers for three hours. All flowers were then sampled to see if parasites had dispersed onto them. Parasites found in the original patch confirmed parasite dispersal by the original hosts.  Parasites found in the new group of flowers confirmed the non-target bee was able to disperse the parasites.

Next, Graystock, who works in the lab of Quinn McFrederick, an assistant professor of entomology, is looking at how flowers may also be hubs for transmitting not just parasites but also potentially beneficial microbes.  He is looking, too, at the role different flowers play on bee survival and development.



Reach milestone yields in 2016 with new NK® Soybean varieties

Syngenta will offer U.S. growers 22 new performance class NK® Soybean varieties, ranging in Relative Maturity (RM) from very early 0.009 to late RM 7.6., for the 2016 growing season. The award-winning Y.E.S. Yield Engineering System™ is enabling Syngenta to bring higher-yielding varieties to the market quicker.

“Growers have benefited greatly from our advanced breeding process,” said Doug Tigges, soybeans genetics product manager at Syngenta. “Since the debut of the Y.E.S. Yield Engineering System, the yield potential of our new performance class NK Soybeans has never been higher.”

By selecting NK Soybean varieties, growers can be confident that they are planting the latest technologies for their individual fields. The Y.E.S Yield Engineering System has allowed Syngenta soybean breeders to make smarter and more efficient breeding decisions, resulting in a portfolio of high-yielding elite soybean genetics, said Tigges.

In addition to increased yield potential, NK Soybean varieties feature a number of key agronomic benefits to help soybeans start strong. NK Soybeans lead the industry in sudden death syndrome (SDS) genetic resistance scores1. Additionally, new varieties offer resistance packages targeting common early-season diseases and pests, including soybean cyst nematode, iron deficiency chlorosis and Phytophthora root rot.

Chris Blome, a Syngenta Seed Advisor™ in Iowa, has experienced firsthand the benefits of planting NK Soybeans. “NK Soybeans have the best genetic lineup, the most consistent yield and the strongest defensive packages throughout the industry,” he said, “and the NK Soybeans pipeline is second to none. These seeds have worked very well for us.”

Here are few new NK Soybean varieties that will be well-suited for eastern Nebraska: 
·         S25-L9 brand: A top-performing variety with above average Phytophthora root rot field tolerance.
·         S28-D3 brand: A variety with solid sudden death syndrome tolerance and broad adaptability.
·         S30-V6 brand: A top-end variety that has superb sudden death syndrome tolerance.
·         S31-F1 brand: This variety has very good iron deficiency chlorosis tolerance and outstanding variety for Western environments.
·         S34-P7 brand: A stable performing variety that exhibits top-end performance across all geographies.
·         S39-C4 brand: An exceptionally adaptive variety across all row widths and excellent sudden death syndrome resistance. 

As the soybean industry evolves, so do NK Soybean varieties. Growers can speak with their local NK retailer or Syngenta Seed Advisor to learn more about the new varieties available for 2016 and select the best fit for their fields.



DuPont Integrated Seed Science Center Opens in Johnston

DuPont today officially opened its Integrated Seed Science Center in Johnston, Iowa. This is the second facility in the DuPont Integrated Seed Science Network that is dedicated to developing and testing seed treatment formulations, applications and seed handling techniques. The Johnston center features experts and equipment that help DuPont deliver the right seed treatments for growers’ fields to optimize genetic performance of seeds.

“The Johnston Integrated Seed Science Center ultimately helps us make our seed treatment products perform better for growers,” said Jeff Daniels, technical agronomy and application lead of the DuPont Seed Treatment Enterprise. “The facility gives us on-the-ground capabilities to match treatments with genetics for the best integrated seed solution for our customers.”

Aimed at ensuring growers get the most out the seeds they plant, the Integrated Seed Science Center brings together a wide array of equipment, technology and training resources, including:

-    Laboratories to evaluate the right combination of seed-applied products to help protect the seed and optimize yield potential.

-    Treating and drying testing to better understand how components and processes interact which delivers a higher quality assurance and enhances product stewardship.

-    Real-world testing conditions for products and equipment.

-    Plantability evaluations that check for accuracy through planter meters and seed flow, essential for modern day planters.

-    Training lab to facilitate superior seed application and seed handling techniques to ensure a consistent grower experience with treated seed.

Following lab testing, seed treatment products are tested in nearby DuPont Pioneer IMPACT™ (Intensively Managed Product Advancement, Characterization and Training) plots to see how they perform with Pioneer genetics.

“We take an integrated approach to matching the right treatment to the right variety or hybrid for common agronomic conditions,” said Daniels. “We believe this is the best way to help growers advance their yields.”

DuPont opened its first Integrated Seed Science Center in Wilmington, Del., last year and a third facility is planned for South America.

The Integrated Seed Science Network supports the DuPont Seed Treatment Enterprise, which has already introduced a number of key products, including Pioneer Premium Seed Treatment (PPST) 250 offering plus DuPont™ Lumivia™ insecticide seed treatment for corn. DuPont™ Lumivia™,  introduced in spring 2015, offers a new mode of action for uniform, healthy stands and improved yield potential. Along with other offerings under the DuPont™ Lumigen™ brand, these products are making a positive change for farmers around the world.



Massey Ferguson Announces New Utility Tractors For 2015

Massey Ferguson, a global brand of AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), has introduced the new 2700E Series of utility tractors, further demonstrating that AGCO is making this year the year of the utility tractor.

"This versatile, easy-to-use tractor series provides customers a great value to complete just about every job they have," says Warren Morris, tactical marketing manager at AGCO. "These tractors are ideal for loader work, hay work, mowing and countless other applications. Rural lifestyle customers to demand a cost effective solution for completing chores around their property. That's why this is the year of the utility tractor – this is one of four new utility tractor series starting production in 2015."

Two models are available in the series: the MF2705E (49 engine HP) and the MF2706E (57 engine HP). These tractors are also offered with two transmission choices, 4-wheel drive and industry-leading, five-year power train warranty coverage. Transmission options available include an 8x8 Synchro-Shuttle and a hydrostatic, so customers can choose based on preference or application.

A hallmark of this Massey Ferguson utility tractor design is a constant quest to make the operator environment as comfortable and easy to understand as possible.

"Introducing a new generation of utility tractor presented an opportunity for more improvements," explains Mr. Morris. "The flat floor platform and intuitive controls on the 2700E Series are more comfortable and easier to operate than ever. If our customers are working hard, we want to make sure the interface with the tractor is comfortable and simple."

The 2700E Series is well suited to tackle many rear implement jobs, including rotary cutting, box blading, rotary tilling, posthole digging and more. With a hitch lift capacity of 2,425 pounds, the three-point hitch on the 2700E Series provides greater lift capacity than most in its class with greater hitch system versatility and ease of use. For example, the hitch has extendable, telescopic lower links as a part of its standard equipment.

As for other implements, the 2700E Series is available with the Massey Ferguson L135E front loader and the CB85 backhoe. The L135E is available with a skid steer–style, compatible, quick-attach system for buckets, forks and other loader attachments.

The 2700E Series not only makes lives easier for a variety of customers, it also makes it easier on the environment. It meets the EPA’s stringent Tier 4 emissions requirements. Powered by a low-maintenance, 2.2liter, four-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engines, this utility tractor achieves Tier 4 compliance with external-cooled exhaust gas recirculation and diesel oxidation catalyst without the need for a diesel particulate filter. Similar to the systems found on the most modern large tractors and other diesel-powered machines, this utility tractor's engine uses electronically controlled high-pressure, common-rail injection and turbocharging technology to increase power and fuel efficiency.