Tuesday April 17 Ag News

CVA Elgin Obtains Perfect Score During HACCP Recertification
Central Valley Ag (CVA) feed mill in Elgin Nebraska recently went through their annual HACCP recertification inspection and received a perfect score of 100 percent. This year marks the third audit that the Elgin location has undergone to obtain their HACCP certification. “In the beginning, they were scoring in the high 99 percentile, but this year was a solid 100,” said Abby Simonsen, CVA HACCP Coordinator.

HACCP certification is a program implemented to ensure the quality of feed and safety at the mills. It is up to CVA to develop a solid plan that meets the requirements, and then an auditor comes to review the locations process. The audit program looks to make sure procedures meet the Feed Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements by the FDA. HACCP auditors choose 3-4 days out of the last 8-12 months and review production records for that day to ensure that the location is implementing the plan the right way. “They look at everything we are doing at a location; receiving trucks, unloading trucks, mixing feed, finished products, and drug reconciliation,” said Simonsen. “It’s all about quality and safety of the product we are delivering to our customers.”

Validus, the company who performs these audits, informed Simonsen that scoring a 100 percent is unique and is something they don’t see very often. The Elgin location should be incredibly proud of obtaining this perfect score.

“We wanted to celebrate this location because it is the first one of our mills to get 100% on an audit. We have somebody come in from the outside to audit us, so it’s great to hear what a great job this location is doing from outside of CVA. Martin Wid and his crew, they just do a wonderful job. I can write the best plan ever, but that doesn’t mean anything unless people are living it and breathing it every day and making it happen. And that’s what happens here in Elgin.”

Robert Turek, CVA SVP of Feed, “There aren’t very many outfits that have a HACCP certification, and to score a perfect 100 is a big deal. I can’t compliment the Elgin location enough for the great job that they are doing to ensure quality products. This location is a big source of pride for CVA and the CVA feed division.”

Six of Central Valley Ag’s feed mills are currently HACCP certified.



When and Why is Hi Mag Mineral a Good Option for Cattle?
Brandi Salestrom, Central Valley Ag Coop, West Point, NE

If you are like me and are tired of this cold-long winter, you are also looking forward to green grass and getting the cow-calf pairs out of the mud.

Most of us have heard about grass tetany but what does it mean and why should we supplement our cows with Hi Mag mineral?

Grass tetany is a magnesium deficiency that can occur in ruminants, like beef cattle, after grazing pastures in early spring that have rapidly growing grass. Grass tetany is most often associated with conditions of low magnesium and high potassium in growing pastures. Soil temperature, moisture, and fertilization can affect mineral levels. A cow’s requirement for magnesium increases after calving. Older animals are more at risk than young animals because they are not able to mobilize magnesium from bones like a young animal when magnesium in blood levels drop. Symptoms are loss of muscle control, irritability and unfortunately, this can result in rapid death.

Grass tetany is preventable by offering a Hi Mag mineral 2-3 weeks before grass exposure and fed for a month after first grass growth. Recent research suggests that heifers born to mothers that received adequate mineral supplementation are more productive throughout their lives than those born to inadequately supplemented cows. Fetal programming experts say that the benefits of mineral supplementation are way beyond the animal that directly ingests the mineral supplement.

At Central Valley Ag we offer a few options for Hi Mag mineral. Weatherized Hi Mag mineral bags are very popular, or if you prefer the convenience of a tub, we have them as well. Hi Mag minerals come in combination with Availa 4 for rebreeding and have the Altosid (fly control) option.



Nebraska BQA Provides Resources Online
Larry Howard, NE Extension Educator, Cuming County

Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) provides a number of resources online at https://bqa.unl.edu for producers, veterinarians and Educators. The website offers a number of opportunities and tools to use to implement and evaluate BQA Best Management Practices for producers. 

In addition to information on BQA Training and certification, on the front page there are resources links for BQA manuals, supplemental guides and Executive Summaries of the 2016 National Beef Quality Audits for both Fed Cattle and Market Cow/Bull Audits. There is also a set of record keeping worksheets for a valid Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship, building a herd health plan, and record keeping sheets for vaccinations, treatments and Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD).

There is also a tab on top of the page dedicated to BQA Assessment tools. This link has complete BQA Assessment Guides or the basic worksheets required to do an assessment on your operation. As assessment and audit are becoming part of doing business for feedyards, there is a complete set of templates for developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in Word format to help in developing these protocol for your operation.

As your operation prepares for summer, there is also a tab to Heat Stress information and resources to prepare your operation prior to the arrival of summer heat. Be sure to download the Heat Stress Monitor app (link available on the website).



USDA Offers Help to Blizzard-Affected Farmers and Ranchers in Nebraska

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Nancy Johner reminds farmers and ranchers affected by the recent blizzard that disaster assistance programs are available to support their recovery efforts.

FSA can assist farmers and ranchers who lost livestock, fences or eligible trees, bushes and vines as a result of a natural disaster. FSA administers a suite of safety-net programs to help producers recover from eligible losses, including the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program and the Tree Assistance Program. Detailed information on all of these disaster assistance programs can be found online at www.fsa.usda.gov/disaster.

In addition, the Emergency Conservation Program provides funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters. Producers located in counties that receive a primary or contiguous disaster designation are eligible for low-interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Compensation is also available to producers who purchased coverage through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, which protects non-insurable crops (including native grass for grazing) against natural disasters including excessive wind, that result in lower yields, crop losses or prevented planting.

“The recent blizzard may have caused losses for farmers and ranchers in our state,” said Johner. “Natural disasters such as blizzards are unavoidable, but USDA has strong safety-net programs to help producers get back on their feet.”

More Details:  USDA Offers Blizzard Recovery Assistance
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers disaster assistance and low-interest loan programs to assist agricultural producers in their recovery efforts following blizzards or other qualifying natural disasters.

Available programs and loans include:
-    Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) - provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including freeze, excessive wind and moisture. Eligible producers must have purchased NAP coverage for 2018 crops. A notice of loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of when the loss is apparent or 15 calendar days after the normal harvest date.
-    Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) - offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Eligible losses may include those determined by FSA to have been caused by wildfires, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, tropical storms, tornados, lightning, extreme heat, and extreme cold. Producers will be required to provide verifiable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to their local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent.
-    Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought.
-    Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) - provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs. ELAP covers physically damaged or destroyed livestock feed that was purchased or mechanically harvested forage or feedstuffs intended for use as feed for the producer’s eligible livestock. In order to be considered eligible, harvested forage must be baled; forage that is only cut, raked or windrowed is not eligible. ELAP also covers up to 150 lost grazing days in instances when a producer has been forced to remove livestock from a grazing pasture and for beekeepers, ELAP covers colony losses. Producers must submit a notice of loss to their local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent.
-    Emergency Loan Program – available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Presidential or Secretarial disaster designation. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses.
-    Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; includes fence loss.
-    HayNet - is an Internet-based Hay and Grazing Net Ad Service allowing farmers and ranchers to share ‘Need Hay’ ads and ‘Have Hay’ ads online. Farmers also can use another feature to post advertisements for grazing land, specifically ads announcing the availability of grazing land or ads requesting a need for land to graze. www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet.

How to Document Blizzard Losses
Producers who suffered excessive livestock death losses and grazing or feed losses due to recent blizzards may be eligible for disaster assistance programs through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs.

To participate in LIP, producers will be required to provide verifiable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to their local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent. To participate in ELAP, producers must submit a notice of loss to their local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent and should maintain documentation and receipts.

Producers should record all pertinent information regarding livestock losses due to the eligible adverse weather or loss condition, including:
-    Documentation of the number, kind, type, and weight range of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses;
-    Rendering truck receipts by kind, type and weight - important to document prior to disposal;
-    Beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts;
-    Documentation from Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Natural Resources, or other sources to substantiate eligible death losses due to an eligible loss condition;
-    Documentation that livestock were removed from grazing pastures due to an eligible adverse weather or loss condition;
-    Costs of transporting livestock feed to eligible livestock, such as receipts for equipment rental fees for hay lifts and snow removal;
-    Feed purchase receipts if feed supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed;

For more information on these programs and documentation requirements, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/disaster or contact your local FSA office.



THICKENING ALFALFA WITH SPRING CEREALS
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               How is your hay supply?  How about for next winter?  Maybe you need to think about boosting yields from some older, thinning alfalfa fields this spring.

               Let me paint a verbal picture for you.  Just a little carryover hay following winter.  Fewer alfalfa acres than ususal.  And some of that alfalfa is old and noticeably thinning.

               Does this describe your operation?  If so, how does your hay supply picture look for next winter?  Even if you receive average rainfall throughout the growing season, your hay tonnage could be down and not meet next winter’s needs.  And if it turns dry, there could be big problems.

               Maximizing tonnage from every inch of rain your alfalfa hay fields receive this year may be necessary.  Unfortunately, alfalfa uses quite a bit of water for each ton of hay, especially as temperatures rise.  So it is critical to get as much tonnage out of first cutting as possible, before summer heat sets in.

               One way to boost first cutting hay yield from older, thinner alfalfa stands is to drill cereals like oats, spring triticale, or spring barley right now into those alfalfa stands.  Try to get the seed about one inch deep.  These cereals will use spring moisture very efficiently to add tonnage to your first cutting.

               Drill 30 to 60 pounds per acre directly into your existing alfalfa stand as soon as possible.  Where alfalfa is thick you may not get much but in thin spots these cereals should fill in rapidly.  Cut the hay a little later than usual to get the most yield benefit from this addition.

               Getting the most out of each inch of moisture could be especially important this year.  Using cereals is one way to do it.



 Iowa State University Nematologist Urges Farmers to Refocus on Soybean Cyst Nematodes

Farmers preparing for spring planting would do well to renew their commitment to managing soybean cyst nematodes, according to an Iowa State University plant pathologist.

“I’m doing everything I can to convince farmers that we are on a slow-moving train heading towards a cliff,” Greg Tylka, professor of plant pathology and microbiology, said of the push to revive a program called the SCN Coalition.

The SCN Coalition started in the 1990s to raise awareness and provide information about the yield-robbing pest of soybeans. The program was successful in getting farmers to test for soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) and take steps to manage them if they were found to be a problem.

One of the popular management techniques was planting soybean varieties that had resistance to the worm, which latches on to the plant’s roots and feeds on its fluids. Tylka said that although resistant varieties worked well, most of the resistance is based on a single genetic factor called PI 88788.

His research team has documented steady increases in SCN reproduction on soybean varieties with PI 88788 and accompanying yield decreases since 2001. Other university researchers across the country report a similar trend of increased SCN reproduction.

“Unfortunately, almost all SCN-resistant varieties available nationwide have the PI 88788 source of resistance,” Tylka said. “That’s why it’s going to take active management to lower your SCN numbers and raise your yield potential.”

The number of SCN in a field can be greatly reduced through proper management, but it is impossible to eliminate SCN from fields once it has become established, so it requires continual monitoring.

Ways to manage SCN include rotating crops, because SCN doesn’t affect corn, oats or alfalfa; and rotating with a resistant soybean variety based on the PI 548402 breeding line, commonly known as Peking. Farmers also should consider using a seed treatment nematicide.

Tylka said SCN is a problem across the states that grow soybeans. The coalition’s website has more information based on location at: https://www.thescncoalition.com.

The coalition is supported by the soybean checkoff with funding from the North Central Soybean Research Program and the United Soybean Board. Coalition members include university research and extension faculty from 12 Midwestern states and Ontario, Canada plus industry partners BASF, Bayer CropScience, DuPont Pioneer, GROWMARK, Monsanto, Syngenta, Winfield United and the Corn and Soybean Digest.



Four new Crop Protection Network publications available through ISU Extension Store

Four new publications are available on the ISU Extension Store from the Crop Protection Network, representing the group’s first forays out of plant pathology by incorporating new disciplines into its available resources.

“These publications have given us the opportunity to bring in agronomists and entomologists, allowing us to provide all the information they need to make management decisions in one place,” said Daren Mueller, associate professor and extension specialist in plant pathology and microbiology at Iowa State University.

“Selecting a seed variety or treatment is not an easy decision. Our goal is to help farmers know this isn’t a decision that should be made based on a knee jerk reaction because of something that happened in their field last year. We want to make sure farmers are thinking about the best practices involved in making these decisions.”

Publication “Crop Management Considerations for Selecting Soybean Varieties” (CPN 4004 W) deals with the main factors that should be considered when selecting soybean varieties to plant. “Crop Management Factors to Consider Before Using a Soybean Seed Treatment” describes the factors that should be considered when deciding on the right soybean seed treatment for an operation.

The final two new publications deal with fungicide use – “Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Corn Diseases” (CPN 2011 W) and “Optimizing Fungicide Use for Fusarium Head Blight (Scab) and Associated Mycotoxins” (CPN 3001).

“Fungicides aren’t all created equal, they should be used to help combat specific diseases,” Mueller said. “These two publications provide basic information on active ingredients in fungicides and the specific diseases they combat. Farmers know their field history and can see the issues that arise. They can then see what fungicides are available and make an informed decision.”



ONLINE DICAMBA-SPECIFIC APPLICATOR TRAINING NOW AVAILABLE

 The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced that online dicamba/auxin trainings have been approved for farmers and applicators who wish to use dicamba products.

Farmers and applicators can access the online trainings or find details about any upcoming in-person trainings at http://DicambaTrainingIowa.org. The expanded training requirement is based on the need to provide Iowa farmers and applicators with training around the risks associated with dicamba and should help reduce problems associated with off-target movement.

“This past growing season showed how important it is that applicators closely follow all aspects of the product label when using dicamba products and the training requirements are designed to help reduce off-site impact from the product,” said Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.  “Approximately 200 in-person training events took place in Iowa from January-March with more than 7,000 participants attending. With spring planting nearing, few in-person trainings are scheduled, so the online courses will ensure continued access for farmers and applicators.”

XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology Herbicide, DuPont FeXapan Herbicide Plus VaporGrip Technology, and Engenia Herbicide are restricted use pesticides that can only be applied by certified pesticide applicators that have completed the auxin-specific (dicamba) training.

The topics that are covered in the training are:
-    New Use Pattern for Dicamba-Tolerant Soybeans
-    Application Requirements to include Wind Speed and Direction, and Use of a Buffer
-    Temperature Inversions
-    Changes in Record-Keeping Requirements
-    Sprayer Tank Clean-Out
-    Off Target Movement

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Pesticide Bureau is responsible for responding to complaints and investigating potential misuse of pesticides. It is important all applicators read and follow the label directions on any pesticide when using. It is a violation of state and federal law to use a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with label directions.

If there is concern about a specific pesticide misuse incident, Iowans can file an “Incident Report” with the Department’s Pesticide Bureau by phoning 515‐281‐8591 or by emailing the information to pesticides@IowaAgriculture.gov. This report must be filed within 60 days after the alleged date that damages occurred.

More information about activities of the Department’s Pesticide Bureau can be found at  www.iowaagriculture.gov/pesticides.asp. 



DFA’S GARDEN CITY FACILITY NAMED 2018 SUSTAINABLE PLANT OF THE YEAR BY FOOD ENGINEERING MAGAZINE

Dairy Farmers of America’s (DFA) state-of-the-art ingredients plant in Garden City, Kan., recently received the Sustainable Plant of the Year Award from Food Engineering magazine. The award was presented at Food Engineering’s Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference and Expo in Bonita Springs, Fla., and honors a newly constructed food facility focused on reducing, reusing and recycling.

“This plant helps DFA meet the needs of domestic and global customers, while also bringing value to our farmer-owners,” says Michael Lichte, vice president and general manager, dairy powder ingredients at DFA. “Being recognized for Sustainable Plant of the Year is a tremendous honor. As a farmer-owned Cooperative, we’re committed to safely and responsibly producing high-quality, nutritious milk. This plant and its sustainability measures are absolutely a testament to that commitment.”

The plant, which is a partnership between DFA and 12 of its member farms in Southwest Kansas, fulfills a key sustainable strategy by providing a local home for local farmers’ milk, which was previously being transported to other areas of the country. Now, the moment a tanker truck enters the plant, it takes about 68 minutes to off-load the milk, clean the truck and test the milk. In the past, a tanker might have been on the road for a couple of days — now the same tanker returns to the dairy in the same day. This drastically reduces hauling and trucking costs, as well as conserves energy and resources.

In addition to transportation from farm to the plant, the facility was built with a focus on conserving natural resources as much as possible, including the plant’s wastewater treatment facility. With this process, all the water utilized at the plant is recycled and can be used by the city as a source of non-potable water.

DFA Garden City produces whole and skim milk powder, nonfat dry milk powder and cream, and receives approximately 4 million pounds of milk a day from regional farms. The first load of milk was delivered in late September 2017.

The plant was designed and built by Shambaugh & Son L.P. (shambaugh.com), utilizing the company’s vertically integrated project delivery model. Shambaugh self-performed wet process/drying/packing, mechanical, electrical, refrigeration, fire protection, process controls, wastewater treatment and building automation. Tetra Pak and McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. also served as sub-contractors on the development of the plant.  



Ethanol Market Development Organizations Applaud Japan Policy Shift To Allow Use Of U.S. Ethanol

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Growth Energy and their member organizations welcome the news Tuesday that the Japanese government's new biofuel policy will allow imports of ETBE made from U.S. corn-based ethanol.

“The U.S. Grains Council is pleased by this decision and that Japan recognizes these improved benefits of U.S. product. We continue to work around the world, sharing the benefits of U.S. ethanol with other countries that are serious about reducing their GHG emissions,” said Tom Sleight, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Grains Council, which has an office in Japan working closely with the Japanese government and industry. “From this decision, it is unequivocal that continued improvements in carbon intensity reductions are critical to gain and maintain market access for U.S. ethanol.”

The change comes as part of the country’s update of its existing sustainability policy, approved in 2010, in which only sugarcane-based ethanol was eligible for import and which only allowed sugarcane-based ethanol for the production of ETBE, an oxygenate. The new policy calls for an increase in the carbon intensity reduction requirements of ethanol used as a feedstock to make ETBE to meet a 55 percent reduction, up from 50 percent, and recognizes corn-based, U.S.-produced ethanol’s ability to meet that goal, even with the higher greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction standard.

Japan will now allow U.S. ethanol to meet up to 44 percent of a total estimated demand of 217 million gallons of ethanol used to make ETBE, or potentially 95.5 million gallons of U.S.-produced ethanol annually. Japan imports nearly all of the ETBE from ethanol that it uses.

This decision by the Japanese government is based on its evaluation and life cycle assessment update of U.S. corn-based ethanol. The U.S. industry’s efforts to maximize production efficiency through technological innovations that lead to higher GHG emission reductions for corn-based ethanol and the emergence of co-products like distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) have supported this new access to the Japanese market while positively contributing to the feed and energy value chains.

"For the first time, the U.S. ethanol industry will have the opportunity to compete for a portion of Japan’s fuel blending market," said Growth Energy Chief Executive Officer Emily Skor. "This new policy represents a new trade opportunity for the U.S. to continue to work with Japan to demonstrate the economic value, sustainability, and environmental advantages of utilizing our product in their consumer market for motor fuels."

U.S. organizations promoting the global use of ethanol will continue to work closely with the Japanese government as it implements its new policy and provide updated technical information about GHG reductions and other benefits of corn-based ethanol.

Since 2014, the U.S. ethanol industry and the U.S. government have partnered to develop a robust ethanol market development program that demonstrates the environmental, health and economic benefits of ethanol use and why strong ethanol policies include a role for trade.

“We are pleased Japan now allows ETBE imports from U.S. corn-based ethanol, as this opens an important and growing market for American farmers. ETBE is an ethanol-based oxygenate frequently used in overseas markets. Japanese consumers will now have access to cleaner, cheaper, American high-octane fuels. We look forward to beginning a dialogue on how Japan’s new policy could be improved, such as moving towards direct blending rather than having to convert our ethanol into an ether like ETBE. But we certainly welcome Japan’s first step toward the use of U.S. ethanol," said RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen.



NSP Statement on Preliminary Duties from China Against U.S. Sorghum

“National Sorghum Producers is deeply disappointed in the preliminary antidumping determination issued today by China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). U.S. sorghum is not being dumped in China, and U.S. sorghum producers and exporters have not caused any injury to China’s sorghum industry.

“National Sorghum Producers, alongside our producers, stakeholders and partners, has cooperated fully with China’s antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, including submitting several thousand pages of data demonstrating conclusively that U.S. sorghum is neither dumped nor causing any injury to China. None of this information appears to have been seriously considered or used in today’s preliminary determination, which is neither fair nor appropriate.

“We continue to greatly value our Chinese customers and what has been a win-win business relationship between U.S. sorghum producers and our Chinese partners. Today’s decision in China reflects a broader trade fight in which U.S. sorghum farmers are the victim, not the cause. And U.S. sorghum farmers should not be paying the price for this larger fight.

“Understanding the serious impact this preliminary decision will have on our farmers, NSP and our partners will continue to demonstrate U.S. sorghum farmers are not injuring China. We are evaluating all legal options moving forward.”



Syngenta herbicide, Fusilade® DX, cleared for tank mix on Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans

Syngenta has received confirmation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that Fusilade® DX herbicide has been cleared for tank mixing with both XtendiMax® with VaporGrip® Technology and Engenia® herbicides. Fusilade DX will be available for use on Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans, providing growers with more options for a strong weed management plan this growing season.

Volunteer corn, one of the most common weed escapes in soybeans, is efficiently controlled by Fusilade DX. Research conducted by Syngenta in Waterloo, Nebraska, found that when it comes to yield loss, volunteer corn is more competitive than giant ragweed, velvetleaf and pigweed.

“Fusilade DX offers superior control of volunteer corn in soybeans,” said John Appel, herbicide product lead at Syngenta. “The ability to tank mix this herbicide with dicamba expands the options for growers to manage a wider variety of weeds.”

Fusilade DX offers post-emergence weed control for soybeans in all tillage situations. In addition to XtendiMax and Engenia, Fusilade DX readily tank mixes with a variety of other broadleaf herbicides. In a 2017 Syngenta cooperator trial, Fusilade DX tank mixed with XtendiMax had 87 percent control of volunteer corn 21 days after treatment, while Clethodim herbicide had only 70 percent control.

Fusilade DX, along with all of the other recently cleared Syngenta herbicide tank mixes, has been tested according to EPA approved protocol and the results are certified in accordance to the terms and conditions of registration for XtendiMax and Engenia.

Syngenta herbicides cleared for tank mixing with XtendiMax and Engenia may be used only once listed on the following websites, which will happen within 90 days of EPA clearance:  www.XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com and www.EngeniaTankMix.com. Syngenta does not recommend using any dicamba herbicide tank mixes until they are posted on these websites.



Diamond V Announces $30 Million Plant Expansion

As the structural steel rises at Diamond V's South Plant 2, the company's vision of global growth brings greatly expanded manufacturing capacity.

Construction on Diamond V's 97,000 square foot plant expansion resumed with the spring weather at the corporate campus and global headquarters on 60th Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids. The initial investment in the expansion - announced in 2016 - is $30 million. When all phases of the expansion are complete, the total cost is expected to exceed $70 million.

"We're continuing to expand to supply the needs of the industry and meet the demands of consumers who want our natural, non-antibiotic solutions," said Diamond V Executive Vice President Mike Goble. "As we meet those needs, not only domestically but internationally, we see that growth continuing to accelerate."

Diamond V's Kevin Corizzo interviewed Goble as part of the company's monthly video series "Diamond V at 75: Immune Strength for Life," which celebrates Diamond V's 75-year history in the animal and feed industries and highlights its scientific research, technical expertise, and vision for the future. As part of the April video, released this week, Corizzo also spoke with Director of Operations Pat Manternach and Project Manager Ryan Gusta.

Gusta said all the structural steel for the expansion is expected to be in place by the end of June and the new plant will be enclosed by the end of September. Machinery will be brought in around February and March of 2019 with the goal of being operational starting in May 2019.

When all systems are installed, the expansion is expected to double the current production capacity at Diamond V's south manufacturing facilities, which includes the current 126,000 square foot plant. The plant expansion is expected to create nine new jobs initially with the potential for 26 new jobs in the next five years. Diamond V also operates its north plant on G Ave. NW in Cedar Rapids.