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Monday, Sept. 24, 2012
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BASF to acquire Becker Underwood
BASF plans to acquire Becker Underwood for a price of $1.02 billion. Becker Underwood is one of the leading global providers of technologies for biological seed treatment, seed treatment colors and polymers, as well as products in the areas of biological crop protection, turf and horticulture, animal nutrition and landscape colorants and coatings. Full story.
Syngenta announces public offer for Devgen
Syngenta announced a bid for the Belgian company Devgen, a global provider of hybrid rice and RNAi technology. Completion of the transaction would enable Syngenta to combine its crop protection portfolio with Devgen’s rice hybrids and broad germplasm diversity. Full story. Purdue gets $5.2 million to develop new biofuel process
A Purdue University team received a $5.2 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to develop a plant that can make substances that could be used directly as a biofuel. Full story.
Monsanto program to fund corn rootworm research
The Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program will provide merit-based awards of up to $250,000 per year for up to three years for outstanding research projects that address specific aspects of corn rootworm biology, genomics and management issues. Full story.
Feeding micronutrients to your crop
In this free archived webinar, you will learn that good commodity prices only pay off if the grower gets the most out of his inputs. Dr. Gary Tuxhorn and Mark Goodwin will discuss how to maximize the benefits of micronutrients using techniques that are cost free but effective. Watch the webinar at your convenience. Full story.
New RT 4 herbicide will be available for 2013
A new burndown herbicide offering improvements over previous products powered by Roundup Technology will be available to wheat growers across the Western Great Plains in time for spring burndown, 2013. Full story. DynAgra Corp. to join CHS Inc.
DynAgra Corp., independent ag retailer based in Western Canada, and CHS Inc., U.S.-based farmer-owned cooperative, will combine agricultural services to producers and consumers within the Alberta Province trade territory now served by DynAgra. Full story. Farm values faring well despite drought
Farmland values appear to be holding strong and farm balance sheets remain solid despite a devastating drought that wreaked havoc on corn and soybean crops, dried up waterways and scorched pastureland in parts of the United States, one of the largest lenders to U.S. agriculture said. Full story. Cover crops help retain nitrate, prepare for future crops
Cover crops can "scavenge" residual nitrate and recycle it through biomass. The process helps reduce nutrient loss through leaching and runoff, and makes some of those nutrients available for the next cash crop. Full story. AgGateway launches new Grain Council
AgGateway, the non-profit consortium of agri-businesses working to expand electronic business within the agriculture industry, recently launched a new Grain Council in order to identify, develop and implement standards and guidelines to bring e-business efficiencies to grain, oilseed and renewable-fuel companies. Full story. Monsanto, Complix NV sign collaboration
Monsanto Company and Complix NV have entered into a collaboration agreement to evaluate and develop Complix's proprietary Alphabody protein technology in the field of agriculture. Full story.  BIG PICTURE
By Doane EconomistDoane is revising up its estimate of 2012 soybean planted acres to 77.1 million. The USDA estimate is 1 million less at 76.1 million planted. The Doane production forecast increases to 2.68 billion bushels. That compares to the latest USDA forecast at 2.634 billion. The Farm Service Administration of USDA released new data on certified planted and failed acres for major crops last Monday. USDA will use these estimates to make acreage revisions in the October crop report. The FSA data total 75.718 million acres of soybeans. Although that amount is less than the June Acreage report at 76.080 million, it does not include all acres of soybeans. Some small percentage of farmers does not participate in the farm programs and their acres are not included in the state and national totals.
Crop Fertility Resource Center
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The right time to soil test
Rising above Rhizoctonia in soybeans next season
Moving forward into 2013, growers must consider any early-season risks their soybeans might face, and a Rhizoctonia infection is no exception. Full story.
For more, visit the Soybean Resource Center.
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When it comes to nitrogen, timing is everything.
There's a right time to plant. And a right time to harvest. But without enough nitrogen at the right time, yield will suffer.
N-Serve® and Instinct® nitrogen stabilizers from Dow AgroSciences help keep more nitrogen in the soil longer. They protect nitrogen at the root zone during key stages of corn development — helping to improve standability, reduce the risk of stalk rot and optimize yield potential.
N-Serve for anhydrous ammonia and Instinct for UAN, urea or liquid manure offer a proven method of maintaining nitrogen from the company that's been the leader in nitrogen stabilization technology for more than 35 years.
Have nitrogen when it's needed. Learn more at InstinctNitrogenStabilizer.com.
® Trademark of Dow AgroSciences, LLC. Instinct is not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Do not fall-apply anhydrous ammonia south of Highway 16 in the state of Illinois. Always read and follow label directions.
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Making business decisions can be simple
With the challenges in the economy in the last few years, many leaders are getting discouraged. It used to be so easy to succeed. Now it’s more challenging. Leaders everywhere have to do more with less working with fewer resources, lower budgets and smaller staffs. It’s hard to get momentum when everything seems so hard. Full story.
For more Focus on Business articles, click here.
Wheat emergence and seedling development concerns
Over the next month or two, wheat stands will hopefully become established over most of the state, but officials warn to be watchful for the most common problems such as discoloration, stunting, loss of leaves, etc. Full story.
For more, visit the Wheat Resource Center.
Green weeds complicating early harvest
Fields with actively growing weeds from this summer's drought and recent rains could create problems for farmers during harvest, a Purdue Extension weed scientist says. Full story.
For more, visit the Corn Resource Center.
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