Archive for September, 2009

As strip-till tillage continues to expand as a crop management practice, Sunflower from AGCO Corporation enters the category with the new Sunflower 7600 Series strip-till system, providing another tool for professional producers striving to make the most of their inputs.

Available in both 8-row and 12-row models, the machines feature a 7-inch x 7-3/8-inch wall toolbar designed with a 10-inch range of vertical travel, adjustable dual down pressure springs and shearbolt protected shank assemblies. The system effectively manages residue and subsoil compaction and is designed to create an exceptional fertilizer and planting zone.

“Sunflower has been a leader in tillage equipment for many years, and the new 7600 Series strip-till system delivers quality and durability synonymous with the Sunflower name,” says Tom Draper, product marketing manager for tillage equipment. “The 7600 Series features a simple design, solid construction and nearly unlimited adjustability to match each farm’s unique field more

SeedMatrix is a Web-based application that simplifies variety/hybrid data management for seed companies by enabling users to analyze a myriad of seed test plot data in a simple format.

Offered by PLAN, Inc., SeedMatrix currently handles variety/hybrid data on cotton, corn, soybeans, rice, wheat and sorghum. Other crops can be added as needed.

SeedMatrix represents a revolution in advanced seed comparison technology, according to the company’s CEO, Dale Logan. “There’s absolutely nothing like it,” he says. “Our web-based program provides seed companies the ability to access real time data updates on the internet to use internally. If seed companies are struggling with how to handle their internal test plot data, this service solves that problem, obsolescing whatever they’re using today.”

Other benefits include the automatic addition of public official variety trial (OVT) data. Each seed company no longer has to laboriously track down and standardize public data from multiple more

Shell Lubricants has unveiled its revamped Shell Rotella Energized Protection product portfolio, which is part of a bold initiative in brand positioning and marketing strategy for the leading brand of heavy duty engine oil in the United States.

The Shell Rotella Energized Protection portfolio features a new synthetic blend engine oil, a new formula for its full synthetic engine oil and a new performance claim for Shell Rotella T Triple Protection.

All Shell Lubricants heavy duty engine oils have been consolidated under the Shell Rotella Energized Protection portfolio in an easy to understand ladder of protection. All Shell Rimula, Pennzoil Long Life and Quaker State HDX products have been renamed and will be enfolded into the portfolio of Shell Rotella Energized Protection oils in the first quarter of 2010. The portfolio meets the requirements of on- and off-highway equipment, including the latest vehicles fitted with diesel particulate filters more

Farmers across the U.S. planning for the 2009 harvest just got another reason to try Michelin Ag radial tires. Through Nov. 30, farmers who purchase Michelin Ag radial drive or implement tires will receive $80 off per tire from participating Michelin Ag tire retail locations.

“Now more than ever, farmers are thinking about how to get the most value out of their equipment,” said Michael Burroughes, director of marketing for Michelin Ag tires North America. “The goal here is to help farmers reap the benefits of Michelin Ag radial tires while saving a little money. By running at lower inflation pressures, Michelin Ag radial tires have a wide, even footprint that can help reduce soil compaction and damage to the field, resulting in increased yields. For farmers planning for this fall’s harvest, this is the perfect time to be thinking about this.”

Farmers who purchase Michelin Ag radial drive or more

Kinze Manufacturing Harvest Commander grain auger carts offer growers an innovative, high quality grain handling option for the harvest season. These carts give growers the ability to unload 850 to 1,050 bushels of grain in just over two minutes.

The Harvest Commander line of grain carts offers growers the next level in grain handling. With a number of exclusive features, these carts are innovative, reliable and durable — precisely what crop producers need during harvest.

“Harvest is an important time for growers,” says Susanne Veatch, vice-president and chief marketing officer at Kinze Manufacturing. “The Harvest Commander line of grain carts combines the latest in grain cart technology with fast unloading speeds and the “best in class” durability and high quality that Kinze is known for.”

In addition to rapid unloading, Harvest Commander grain auger carts feature the unique “On Demand” positive drive system. This system gives growers greater efficiency and more

BASF has announced a supply agreement with Monsanto for a new fungicide seed treatment for cotton in the United States. The new product contains F500, the same active ingredient found in Headline fungicide, BASF’s top-selling Plant Health fungicide, and will be part of Monsanto’s Acceleron Seed Treatment combination. Additional details of the agreement were not disclosed.

This new seed treatment will provide cotton growers with the opportunity to give seedlings a stronger start and a higher yield potential by controlling diseases, such as those caused by Rhizoctonia solani.

“BASF scientists are focused on bringing new active ingredients with proven disease control and other early-growth benefits to seed partners and ultimately to the grower,” said Nevin McDougall, group vice-president, North America Crop Protection division, BASF. “We know that early season crop development is a major factor to yield success.”

BASF is expanding its portfolio of seed treatment offerings with the more

Agrian, the nation’s first fully integrated agridata tracking solution, has announced the growth of its manufacturer approved label database to 3,500 approved products and the availability to access the database via mobile devices.

“We are grateful to our suppliers that have supported our free and readily available label lookup tool,” said Co-founder and CEO Nishan Majarian. “Their support continues to allow universal access to critical crop protection information such as crop and pest specific application rates, re-entry intervals (REI), and pre-harvest intervals (PHI). To our knowledge, Agrian is still the only system to provide this information via our Web site for free without a login and without requiring our users to wade through labels in order to get rate, REI, and PHI information.”

Agrian features the nation’s most comprehensive label database backed by over 180 supporting manufacturers which is now accessible on Blackberry’s, i-Phone’s, and Windows-based Mobile devices. The database more

Monsanto Company has outlined changes to its Roundup brand agricultural herbicide business which are expected to result in more competitive offerings for U.S. farmers.

Business changes include adjusting the price of its Roundup brand agricultural herbicides; investing in U.S. manufacturing capacity to help provide a long-term, reliable supply; and continuing to invest in product quality and new innovations while helping farmers manage risk.

The company announced it is slashing price on its Roundup brand agricultural herbicides. “We anticipate farmers will see Roundup prices that are 50 percent of what they were last year,” said Glenn Stith, North American crop protection lead. “This new price is effective now as retailers and farmers begin planning for the 2010 planting season.”

“The global glyphosate business was incredibly volatile in 2008 and 2009 resulting in a difficult situation for both suppliers and farmers to manage through,” Stith says. “Retailers and farmers faced more

Valley Irrigation, a technology leader in precision irrigation, introduced its new 5000 series during Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Neb.

This latest addition to the comprehensive line of irrigation equipment from Valley Irrigation is designed specifically for irrigation of production agriculture on small fields, from 10 to 60 acres. The 5000 series will help producers maximize water efficiency while improving productivity.

“The 5000 series is unlike any other options producers have for small fields because it was designed specifically for production ag,” said Wade Sikkink, equipment product manager for Valley Irrigation. “Until now, growers that wanted or needed to irrigate fields smaller than 60 acres had limited options. They either chose labor intensive methods like flood or solid set, or tried to make equipment do things it wasn’t designed to do, which isn’t very efficient.

A single phase power option is also available, which will be very more

Dow AgroSciences has announced its affiliated cottonseed company, PhytoGen, has reached 10 percent of the total U.S. cottonseed units sold — noting outstanding growth in leading high-value markets, continued investment in the cotton industry, and an ongoing commitment to cotton globally.

“Dow AgroSciences has a rich history in the cotton market with more than 50 years of experience working with cotton growers and researchers to bring new ag chem products and new varieties to market,” said Stan Howell, vice-president of the North America market for Dow AgroSciences. “One of our key strengths is our innovative breeding program bringing new agronomic and trait combinations to cotton growers from coast to coast.”

Around the world, Dow AgroSciences has advanced key milestones in cotton. The company has gained registration for WideStrike Insect Protection in Brazil and it has advanced WideStrike to Phase 2 regulatory trials in India.

“Cotton being a key crop more