Tuesday July 9 Ag News

Darling Ingredients Opens Nature Safe Organic Fertilizer Plant in Fremont, NE

Texas-based Darling Ingredients Inc. announces the opening on July 1, 2019 of its third organic fertilizer production facility in Fremont, NE.  The facility is located on a 10-acre site with the ability to produce 35,000 tons of Nature Safe Natural & Organic Fertilizers® annually.  The new plant and finished product storage is designed to meet the needs of organic growers operating in the central region of the United States.  Darling has operated Nature Safe out of its original Henderson, Kentucky plant since the early 1990s, where it will continue to produce premium fertilizer for customers in the midwest, northeast, and southeast regions of the country.  Darling announced the opening of a new organic fertilizer plant in Turlock, CA on January 2nd of this year to serve the west.

"The company is focused on a US growth strategy where it could leverage Darling's diverse supply of animal ingredients into the organic fertilizer market," says Mike Manning, Darling's VP of Organic Fertilizer and Innovation.  With long-established US rendering facilities that produce feather meal, blood meal, and meat and bone meal, the company's Nature Safe brand produces the highest quality organic fertilizers on the market with cost-effective proficiency. The Nebraska organic fertilizer facility will utilize product from several nearby Darling rendering plants.

The Fremont plant began production July 1st, and brought on a new management team. Pat Wiegert joins Darling Ingredients as Plant Manager and Kirk Carls, Central Regional Commercial Business Manager, will execute Nature Safe's central region go-to-market strategies.



LaRue named IA’s 2019 Industry Achievement Award recipient

The Irrigation Association is excited to announce that Jake LaRue of Omaha, Nebraska, has been named the recipient of the 2019 Industry Achievement Award. This award is the IA’s highest honor and recognizes an individual whose career demonstrates outstanding contributions to the advancement of the irrigation industry, as well as its products and programs.

As head of the research and development department of Valley Irrigation, LaRue’s career has been devoted to the technological advancements of the irrigation industry. Through his leadership in the IA and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, LaRue is now a sought-after expert in center pivot and linear move irrigation and regularly advises national and international government and nongovernmental organizations regarding education, standards development and adoption of efficient irrigation technologies.

“Jake’s successes during his career demonstrate his passion for this industry and efficient irrigation,” said IA CEO Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAE. “Valley Irrigation, the IA and the irrigation industry are better off for having his expertise and leadership available whenever needed. We thank Jake for all he’s done to help advance irrigation technologies to what they are today.”

In addition to his leadership and involvement in international irrigation technology standards, LaRue also holds numerous patents and was integral in the development of several irrigation technologies, including variable rate irrigation, scheduling, telemetry and sensors.

“I am honored to be named the Industry Achievement Award recipient for 2019. I love this industry and I’m excited about the direction it’s heading,” LaRue said. “I thank Valmont Industries, the Irrigation Association, and all of my friends and colleagues with whom I have worked over the years. We’ve only reached the tip of the iceberg; I look forward to our industry continuing with even more technology advancements for years to come.”

The Industry Achievement Award will be presented to LaRue during the general session of the Irrigation Show and Education Week in Las Vegas on Thursday, Dec. 5.



Lindsay Corporation’s Riverview LLP project named 2019 IA Vanguard Award recipient

The Irrigation Association is excited to announce that Lindsay Corporation’s Riverview LLP project has been named the recipient of the 2019 Vanguard Award. The IA’s Vanguard Award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry executed by a team of individuals, companies, organizations or other group entities. Projects chosen for this award exemplify the IA’s mission of promoting efficient irrigation.

Located near Willcox, Arizona, Riverview LLP’s Coronado Farms operates 196 center pivots over more than 24,000 acres of irrigated farmland. After identifying a primary challenge to ensure the farm’s long-term sustainability through water conservation, Riverview LLP partnered with Lindsay to construct a plan to meet this challenge.

“Efficient irrigation does not come easy,” said IA CEO Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAE. “The best work is done through partnerships comprised of different experts and perspectives. We are happy to see the great leadership from the team at Lindsay result in the success of the Riverview LLP project.”

The partners in this project included Riverview LLP, a Minnesota-based beef, dairy and crop production partnership; Lindsay Corporation; Lindsay dealer Whitewater Irrigation; Lindsay’s water engineering division IRZ Engineering Consultants; and Watertronics. Through this partnership, a complete solution for the operation was developed, including the construction of a radio network, implementation of remote telemetry, and customization of a pumping system with variable frequency drives and dynamic demand control to reduce pumping costs for the agricultural operation.

“On behalf of everyone here at Lindsay, I’d like to thank the Irrigation Association for this recognition. We are excited that this project was named the winner of the IA’s Vanguard Award,” said Randy Wood, president of irrigation at Lindsay. “The success of this project could not have been possible without the long-standing commitment to water efficiency made by Riverview and Coronado Farms. We congratulate everyone involved in this project; it truly was a team effort.”

The Vanguard Award will be presented to Lindsay and the team behind the Riverview LLP project during the general session of the Irrigation Show and Education Week in Las Vegas on Thursday, Dec. 5.



NEBRASKA GRAZING CONFERENCE IS AUG. 12-14 IN KEARNEY

Beginning and experienced graziers, land managers, policy makers, and those concerned with the utilization and conservation of our grazing lands are encouraged to register for the 19th annual Nebraska Grazing Conference Aug. 12-14 at the Ramada by Wyndham, 301 2nd Ave., Kearney. The conference is hosted by the Center for Grassland Studies at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

“The information delivered by our speakers this year has a two-fold purpose,” said Daren Redfearn, associate professor of agronomy and horticulture and chair of the conference steering committee. “Our goals are to build on enhancing traditional grazing lands management practices, and provide insight on implementation of practices that support the stewardship of grasslands and grazing lands resources throughout Nebraska and the Great Plains.”

Chris Helzer, director of Science in Nebraska of The Nature Conservancy, will conduct a half-day field tour to kick off the conference on Aug. 12. This will include a hands-on plant identification tour of different plant communities—sandhills, floodplain grasslands, and wetlands, including unplowed grasslands and some restored crop lands, all managed by the Nature Conservancy. Those registering for the pre-conference tour will receive dinner and a brief presentation by The Nature Conservancy staff.

Conference sessions on Aug. 13 include a rangeland health presentation from Patrick Shaver, from the University of Oregon, and Dana Larsen of Broken Heart Livestock. The grazinglands management session will feature information on an 8-year project at the Barta Brothers Ranch in the eastern Sandhills, which includes animal, vegetation, insect, and soil responses to different grazing strategies. Additional topics covered will be soil health, management for soil health and soil health applications. An extended evening social on Aug. 13 will allow attendees to network and visit exhibit booths to learn about new services and products.

The final day of the conference begins with a producer panel on winter forage strategies as part of the art and science of winter grazing session. James O’Rourke, 2018 Leopold Award recipient, will deliver a presentation on conservation, followed by the final session on rangeland resilience. Forage Extension Specialist, Bruce Anderson will close out the conference by providing a reflection of conference insights and relevance.

To register online, visit https://grassland.unl.edu/nebraska-grazing-conference-registration. For assistance with online registration, call 402-472-8747.



USDA Rule Change Gives Farmers More Forage Options

Grain and livestock farmers can both benefit from the recent rule change by the United States Department of Agriculture, which allows farmers who planted cover crops on prevented plant acres to harvest those fields beginning Sept. 1.

With the change, farmers can hay, graze or chop those fields, and USDA also has determined that silage, haylage and baleage should be treated the same as haying and grazing for this year.

The adjustment allows farmers to harvest cover crops on prevented plant acres two months earlier than most years, which will be beneficial in a year when both grain and forage crops are limited.

Brian Lang, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, said most years farmers are not allowed to harvest their prevented planting cover crops until Nov. 1, which greatly limits choices of what crops would provide a quality, harvestable forage product at that time.

“Before, we were trying to guess when we should plant something that would be in good condition for harvest after Nov. 1, but now we have incredible flexibility, with more time for optimal harvest of a given forage,” Lang said.

Iowa farmers are most likely done planting warm season cover crops, but Lang said they can still plant cool season species, like oats for hay, haylage or grazing, and oat-brassicas for grazing, and expect a decent return as long as they’re planted by August. Farmers looking to add hay or pastureland for the next few years could also consider an August planting alfalfa or other desirable perennial forages.

Iowa State beef specialists published an article titled “Alternative Annual Forages” (IBC 136) in May, which helps farmers compare planting and maturity dates for various species of forages, including their nutritional value.

Grain farmers with no livestock can still realize the conservation benefits of a cover crop, and if they have a neighbor with livestock, or an auction market nearby, they may be able to sell harvested forages.

“It’s not a guaranteed money maker, but a grain farmer may have a neighbor who has the equipment to harvest it out of the field,” Lang said.

More supply
Erika Lundy, beef specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, said the earlier harvest date will definitely make a difference for Iowa cattle producers who are struggling in a year of limited forages. 

“This really increases the chances that the cover crop is going to still be growing and vegetative at harvest, which will aid in higher feed quality of those cover crops,” Lundy said. 

Feed costs make up the largest expense for the cow herd, so any opportunity to extend the grazing season decreases this large production expense.  Harvesting the cover crop forage will also likely be at a lower cost than purchasing outside forage sources for many producers.    

However, Lang and Lundy both advised that each operation is unique, and the benefits of using a cover crop as a forage can vary greatly by farm location, and the type of crop grown.

Lundy said it’s also important that producers consider whether nitrogen had been applied to the fields where cover crops were later planted, at what level, and whether there is a nitrate issue. Prior herbicide use should also be considered to ensure cover crops can be legally and safely grazed or harvested.   

The nutritional value of cover crops varies greatly by species and maturity at harvest and tends to be fairly different from typical hay sources producers are used to dealing with. Therefore, Lundy said producers should spend the $20-$30 it takes to submit a feed sample to determine the nutrient quality of the feedstuff and how to best utilize the feed to meet cattle requirements, while managing feed costs. 



Farm Loan Delinquencies Higher in 2018, But Remain Historically Low

After several years of persistently low net farm income, collapsing levels of working capital, and rising debt, there has been growing concern about the overall health of the farm economy. A helpful measure is farm loan delinquency rates, which is published by the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank.

Two categories of farm loan delinquency data are published, non-real estate and real estate.

At the end of 2018, delinquencies rates for non-real estate farm loans reached 1.84%. After reaching a low of 0.7% in 2014, this measure has trended higher over the last five years. Furthermore, current levels are at the highest levels since 2011.

Considering the data since 1987 provides some helpful perspective. First, current levels (1.84%) remain below the 32-year average (2.26%). Furthermore, current levels are well below the uptick in delinquencies observed in 2009, which peaked at 3.15%. Finally, the delinquencies rate on non-real estate farm loans remains lower than levels experienced during the 1990s and early 2000s. This is all to say that even though the delinquency rate has steadily increased over the last five years, the increase was from historically low levels.

Recently, we have seen many measures of the farm economy focusing only on the last few years of data. These measures often show an unfavorable trend, like the sharp uptick observed in figure 1 since 2014. Often these are misleading as a more extended data series would provide more context and perspective. Consider the conclusions and headlines had figure 1 only included data since 2014.

While a larger share of non-real estate farm loans are classified as delinquent, it's also worth considering the size, or volume, these loans represent (Figure 2). At the low in 2014, delinquency non-real estate farm loans had a collective value of $500 million. This reached more than $1 billion in 2016 but has recently declined. In 2018, the value of these loans were $860 million.



Will Pork Producers Have a Profitable Year?

The pork outlook started this year on a downbeat, then in March and April markets recognized that African swine fever in China could cause global pork shortages and lean futures and industry optimism sailed upward. Summer lean futures exceeded $100, but cash prices could only reach the low $80s and futures came tumbling down. Then in June, hog numbers surprisingly surged nearly 9%, according to Chris Hurt, Purdue University agricultural economist.

"We are left with three key questions to sort out," Hurt says. "First, what will happen to pork supplies in coming weeks and months? For that we will review the latest Hogs and Pigs report. Second, will U.S. pork exports grow by enough to support stronger prices? Third, how will feed costs impact profits?"

Pork production was up 4% in the first half of this year, but the market did not foresee about 9% more hogs coming to market in June, Hurt notes.

"The latest Hogs and Pigs report did pick up this large increase as producers told USDA that they had 8% more hogs in the 180-pound-or-higher weight bracket in early June. These represented animals that came to market in June and early July," he says.

After the surge of hogs in June and early July, the report indicates that market hog inventories then drop to 3% greater for all weight categories down to baby pigs.

"If that is correct, this means the surge in hog numbers should be nearing an end with numbers sliding closer to the 3% increase in coming weeks. With weights perhaps 1% higher, this means pork supplies in the second half of the year will be about 4% above the same period last year," Hurt adds.

Producers indicated they have expanded the breeding herd by 1% and that they intend to keep farrowings unchanged this summer and fall compared to a year ago.

"That means pork supplies would only rise about 2% to 3% in the first half of 2020. The increase would be driven by more pigs per litter and by heavier marketing weights."

Pork export growth may lead to stronger hog and pork prices even into 2020, Hurt explains. USDA analysts now expect 2019 pork exports to be up 10% and another 7% in 2020. Using USDA estimates, pork exports this year will reach 23.7% of U.S. production--a potential new record exceeding the 23.2% previous record in 2012. Further for 2020, the USDA estimate is for exports to reach 24.6% of U.S. production, or nearly 25% of all pork production.

"Leading the way is China, who has once again been contracting for U.S. pork; most of which for this year is still unshipped. In 2017, the last calendar year before the trade conflicts, China purchased 23% of the U.S. pork export volume. That dropped to just 14% in 2018 with trade conflicts," Hurt says.

At mid-year 2019, China has commitments that represent 29% of total U.S. pork export commitments. This makes China the biggest 2019 export customer for the U.S. at mid-year. Mexico is in second place with 26% of export sales.

"Actual exports to China are expected to increase in coming months. Official Census data for January to April show the volume of exports to China was down 16%. However, May shipments were up 33%. Those large increases are likely to continue into the summer and hopefully into the fall given all the pork China has contracted," Hurt says.

"However, all is not well for U.S. agriculture as trade issues with China continue to evolve," he adds. "In recent days, Chinese authorities have suggested that their agricultural product purchases from the U.S. could be targeted for reductions if U.S. demands for intellectual property rights reforms are not lightened.

"This ups the ante as China tries to increase their bargaining position by further threatening more economic pain on U.S. agriculture. For pork it could mean that the aggressive purchases of U.S. pork in the past few months could quickly fade, providing yet one more reason for weaker hog and pork prices."

Live hog prices were depressed in the first quarter of this year, when they averaged about $41, far below the $50 estimated costs for farrow-to-finish production. The sharp rebound in the second quarter to about $58 moved production back to strong profitability. Prices are expected to average on the upper side of the mid-$50s in the third quarter of 2019 and on the lower side of the mid-$50s in the last quarter.

"Prices could be stronger in 2020 if supply growth remains moderate as currently expected and if exports expand as mentioned earlier. Live prices are expected to average in the mid-$50s for the first quarter of 2020 and then move upward toward $60 for the late spring and summer," Hurt says.

Corn costs will be higher and cut into profit potential. Corn prices based on the U.S. average farm price received for the calendar year were $3.47 per bushel in 2018. That is $3.97 for 2019 and $4.28 for 2020 (based on current basis adjusted futures).

Soybean meal prices at Decatur averaged $345 a ton in 2018 and are expected to drop to around $315 this year. At this writing, futures markets are only expecting a modest increase in cash meal prices for 2020 to around $325 per ton. Feed prices are likely to be volatile as there is uncertainty about planted acreage and final yields.

Estimated costs rise from $50 per live hundredweight in early 2019, before weather issues, to $55 in the summer of 2020.

After estimated losses of about $12 per head in 2018, will hog producers make money in 2019? "My answer is currently, yes, but that is only $2 per head. So, given all the uncertainties, profit does not seem assured. The current outlook is for stronger hog prices in 2020 that would provide estimated profits of $10 per head," Hurt notes.

The pork industry outlook this year has already had multiple swings and uncertainties for the future remain large. The industry faces opportunities to export record volumes of pork, but also faces continued trade issues with China that could restrict the level of those pork export sales and shipments.

"Feed prices remain uncertain as markets and USDA get a better grip on planted acres and yields. Finally, hog producers say they are keeping breeding herd expansion at a low level, but there has been a recent tendency for expansion to be higher than indicated in Hogs and Pigs reports," Hurt concludes.



Harvest study highlights benefit of automatic deck plates for capturing yield

Corn growers generally express confidence in their ability to manage deck plate gaps and limit kernel loss during harvest, but a field study from Dragotec USA suggests potential yield loss may be more significant than they believe.

The study, which used electronic sensors to track the movement of Drago’s automatic, self-adjusting deck plates, revealed some eye-opening facts about the variability of stalk thickness at harvest and the potential yield loss associated with it.

“We wanted to quantify the overall ability of Drago’s automatic deck plates to minimize gaps and related yield loss in harvest conditions,” says Dustin Bollig, Iowa farmer and North American Marketing Director for Drago.

To help conduct the study, Drago worked with HeadSight®, an independent manufacturer of header height control systems, for measurement and analysis of deck plate movement. Highly accurate, the sensors could measure deck plate movements to 1/1000 of an inch.

Nearly 163 decisions per row per minute
“The sensors revealed a significant variability in stalk diameters – plant-to-plant as well as row-to-row,” Bollig says. “Harvesting at 4.0 mph, the automatic deck plates averaged 163 decisions per row per minute – adjusting from as little as one-eighth inch to as much as one-half inch.”

“We were all aware of the variability in the field and pleased to see how responsive the deck plates were adjusting to it,” Bollig says.

On a per acre basis, the automatic deck plates made nearly 5,390 decisions, involving adjustments from one-eighth inch or wider – including 1,582 decisions of a quarter-inch or more and 196 decisions of a half-inch or greater.

“Keep in mind that the threshold for deck plate yield loss starts at one-eighth inch, and each row unit averaged 606 independent decisions per acre involving that and more,” Bollig says. “The data also showed how both the left and the right deck plate of each row unit on the Drago GT worked in unison to minimize gaps.”

One of the more remarkable stats from the study was “deck plate spacing as a percentage of time,” Bollig says. “We could track the percentage of stalks at various thicknesses in the field we harvested. It showed that if your deck plates were set only for the most common stalk thickness, you would have been off nearly 75% of the time.”

Mother Nature doesn’t work that way
“Corn heads with hydraulically controlled deck plates are unable to compensate for row-to-row stalk variability, let alone the plant-to-plant variability within each row,” Bollig says. “Having the same gap setting for every row unit on a corn head assumes all of the stalks running through them are the same, too, and we know Mother Nature just doesn’t work that way.”

“The study confirmed the value of automatic, self-adjusting deck plates for minimizing gaps and capturing yield every minute and in every row the corn head is working,” Bollig says. “When you multiply the potential yield savings by the number of corn acres you grow, the difference can be significant.”

“Today’s farmers have too many distractions in the combine and too much variability in the field for operators to adequately manage their deck plates,” notes Bollig. “And it’s costing them yield. When corn was $7, we wanted every kernel, and now when corn is at $4, we need every kernel.”
*Graeme Quick field research, Iowa State University

Complete results and statistics from the study can be reviewed at dragotec.com/fieldstudy.



ProElite® line of ultra-premium horse feed now available across the US

For horse owners focused on performance, choosing the right feed can make all the difference. Now, horse owners across the U.S. have access to the best horse feed line on the market. ProElite® feeds, the market's first ultra-premium horse feed, give horse owners the confidence they need to win.

First launched regionally in 2017 by Cargill as a completely new line of products, ProElite feed is now available nationwide for horse owners looking to achieve peak performance in their horses.

Without quality nutrition, horses are at a disadvantage. That's why some of the best horse professionals count on ProElite feeds.

"Horses need a feed with premium ingredients and excellent nutrition," said Russell Mueller, U.S. retail equine marketing manager for Cargill. "ProElite feeds use a special blend of ingredients, specifically developed to support performance and stamina, as well as maintain overall condition and appearance."

Composed of an exclusive amino acid profile, ProElite feeds are designed to promote enhanced appearance, performance and wellness. Regulated levels of sugar and starches give horse owners confidence in their calorie sourcing. And with six strains of probiotics and two forms of prebiotics, ProElite helps ensure the horse's digestive tract is working at peak efficiency.

All ProElite feeds are vigorously tested to ensure consistent ingredients, appearance and nutrition in every bag. While most feeds only list a one-time nutritional value on a website, the nutritional value of ProElite feeds is listed and guaranteed right on the tag.

"We believe there can only be one best," Mueller said. "ProElite feeds are designed to give horses the competitive edge they need to rise above the rest."

To meet nationwide demand, Cargill will distribute ProElite feeds through a network of more than 20 manufacturing and stocking facilities across the U.S.



DroneDeploy Launches Single Enterprise Solution for All Drone Operations

DroneDeploy, the leading drone software company, announced today a major expansion across its products, making it a single platform for all drone operations. The launch includes automated drone fleet management, enhanced workflow integrations, a low-altitude inspection mode, and advanced analytic capabilities.

"Today's product launch is a reflection of the demand from our customers for a complete enterprise-grade drone operating system," said DroneDeploy Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Mike Winn. "We have customers with fleets of 100+ drones looking for a single enterprise platform for their entire drone program, and we believe this launch will reshape how they manage their drone operations and data."

DroneDeploy's new product release includes:
-    Drone Operations Management: Record all flight activity automatically, in one platform, providing full visibility of your entire drone program, including highlighted flight settings, maximum altitude, and speed.
-    Workflow Integrations: Customers can now sync DroneDeploy with their preferred document storage or project management applications, including Autodesk, Procore, Bluebeam, Plangrid, and OneDrive.
-    Inspection with Manual Flight: Customers can now fly in manual mode, allowing the flexibility to explore however they wish, including low-altitude inspections and custom photos and videos.
-    Drone Academy: DroneDeploy Academy is a comprehensive training program focused on teaching the basics of drone operations while offering insight into the business impact of drones.
-    Earthworks: With advanced cut & fill capabilities and new 3D analytics, customers can now quantify the amount of earth moved in a matter of hours rather than days, helping to avoid delays and cost overruns.

"With DroneDeploy's Earthworks capabilities, I have the confidence I am providing my engineers with accurate information in surveying, tracking progress, and verifying contractor work," said Greg Oetker, an Inspector at Jones Carter. "I am able to use a map and model to help visualize the site, which makes planning more efficient and accurate. This new way of surveying has saved us hours of time each time we go out and capture data."

DroneDeploy's more than 5,000 customers span numerous industries, from oil & gas and agriculture to construction and emergency first responders. In covering more than 90 million acres, DroneDeploy's customers have flown at over 400,000 job sites in more than 180 countries worldwide.



Dot and New Leader Unveil Autonomous Precision Fertilizer Applicator

New Leader Manufacturing will unveil the NL5000 G5 Crop Nutrient Applicator for the Dot Autonomous Robotic farming system at the Ag In Motion show, northwest of Saskatoon on July 16th.

“We are very excited to bring the G5 nutrient spreader capability to the lineup of Dot-Ready implements to help growers and custom applicators move to autonomous farming,” explains John Rathjen, Director of Product Development with New Leader. “Earlier this year we met with the Dot team and formulated a plan to build and unveil our spreader at the Ag In Motion show. We are keen to offer this as an additional option for farmers to adopt the Dot robotic platform.”

The NL5000 utilizes New Leader’s G5 technology which includes 16 section swath width control, ½ width spreading, last pass control, boundary spreading, and two product variable rate precision application technology. 

“Can you imagine; just fill the New Leader and you go home for the next load of fertilizer while Dot does the spreading. Pretty exciting isn’t it!” says Robert Saik, CEO of Dot Farm Solutions.“From an agronomic standpoint, the NL5000 G5 opens up opportunities for farmers to precisely apply top dressed nitrogen in-crop or augment their fertility program with a 100% autonomous spreading solution. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale fully robotic fertilizer spreader in the world; we are excited to reveal this on the July 16th.”

This spring saw the Dot robotic system seed and spray thousands of acres on several Saskatchewan farms. Now Dot will have variable-rate precision fertilizer capabilities as well.



Nufarm announces plans for Ag PhD Field Day, including Trunemco nematode management

Nufarm Americas announced today plans to showcase Trunemco nematode management technology and more Nufarm-exclusive solutions at Ag PhD Field Day in Baltic, SD, on July 25, 2019. Trunemco, launched earlier this year, is a new seed-applied nematode management technology that provides a leading level of protection and higher yield profiles in soybeans, cotton and corn. The patented dual defense is available to add nematode management efficacy and consistency to seed treatment programs for Crop Year 2020.

At Ag PhD Field Day, Nufarm will exhibit as well as host a Nufarm-sponsored classroom in Tent 6 that features Arkansas soybean grower, Perry Galloway. The Nufarm exhibit will serve free lemonade and give away Trunemco hats while supplies last, host a College Cornhole Challenge and offer an opportunity to win one of two 10-gallon Igloo® beverage coolers. The exhibit will welcome Field Day-goers of all ages to sit down, relax, play and enjoy.

Nufarm experts will be on hand to discuss improved nematode protection opportunities with Trunemco. Attendees can also learn about other Nufarm seed treatments, including Salient™, Sativa®, and Spirato® premixes, as well as Nufarm herbicide resistance management innovations, such as patented Panther® Pro and Credit® Xtreme herbicides, as well as Panther® SC, Scorch™, Spitfire®, Duplosan™ and Gin Out™. Growers can seek specific advice about prevented planting management as well.

“Nufarm plans a strong presence at Ag PhD Field Day to help growers find solutions to an array of unusual and challenging conditions. We’ll also help them look ahead at tools that curb herbicide resistance and add much greater consistency to nematode management plans,” said Brad Hyman, Nufarm VP, US Crop Protection. “To say it’s been a challenging year is beyond an understatement and we’re here to help.”

Trunemco seed-applied treatment is a patented technology that primes plant physiology, activating the natural nematode barriers that optimize protection. Its biochemical and microbial actives provide a dual defense, inside and out, against nematode feeding and establishment. Trunemco protects against nematode damage while supporting root health and seedling vigor to help plants thrive, delivering higher yields.