AgNet Online

Gainesville, May 7, 2008: The 2008 Corn Silage and Forage Field Day has been scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2008, at the UF/IFAS Plant Science and Education Research Unit; Citra, FL. There is no charge for this event, but registrations should be mailed by May 19, 2008, or faxed to Pam Gross at (352) 392-9059, by May 27, 2008, to ensure your reservation for a sponsored lunch. To register or to view the agenda, please visit http://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/CSFD/index.shtml. (more…)

With fertilizer prices continuing to increase, its more important than ever to get the most from fertilizer applications, so Specialty Fertilizer Products has developed NutriSphere-N® nitrogen fertilizer manager.

Find out more at nutrisphere-n.com.

Report(1:00 mp3)

Leverage® 2.7SE insecticide from Bayer CropScience recently received EPA registration for soybeans and is also registered for cotton.

Report (:30 mp3)

According to the Prospective Plantings report released this week by USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service, farmers intend to plant more soybeans and less corn this year and Alabama farmers are expecting to follow that trend.

Report (1:00 mp3)

 The National Agriculture Statistics Service continues their efforts to collect 2007 Census of Agriculture forms. Radley Edwards with the Georgia Ag Statistics office is asking producers who have yet to return theirs to please do so.  Report (1:00 mp3)

Today Tyron Spearman has a quick update on the fact some crops will not receive payments this time around and also reminds all farmers their 2007 Census of Agriculture forms need to be filled out and sent in as soon as possible.  Report 1 (:20 mp3)  Report 2 (:30 mp3)

With the lack of a farm bill and fluctuating commodity prices, some farmers are taking their time deciding what crops to plant this spring. A new product from DuPont called First Shot is helping farmers by allowing them to go ahead and get their burn down done before they make final planting decisions.

Report (1:00 mp3)

This coming Thursday is the deadline to purchase crop insurance for the upcoming growing season, as Tyron Spearman has this reminder.  Report (:30 mp3)

Tyron Spearman reminds growers that the deadline is nearing to purchase crop insurance for the upcoming growing season.  Report (1:00 mp3)

Making a strong statement that the Florida agriculture industry is far from waning, well over a thousand producers and ag industry leaders joined Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson for fellowship and dinner while honoring this year’s four inductees into the industry’s most exclusive club of pioneers. This year’s honors went to (l to r) “Pete” Clemons, Okeechobee; Hugh English, LaBelle; Fritz Stein Jr, Belle Glade & Dr Alto Straughn, Waldo. Each of this year’s winners were accompanied to the event by dozens of their own local supporters, and hundreds of producers and industry leaders made it a night as well. Southeast AgNet hats are off to these exceptional people who have had so much impact on an industry that is so important to all of us, economically and otherwise. Learn more about the winners (more…)

Economic Outlook Conferences were recently held by the University of Georgia across the state and Tyron Spearman gives us the scoop on it.  Tyron also tells us about an announcement which will be made by the USDA later this month.  Report (1:15 mp3)

Tyron Spearman has this reminder for growers about certain crop insurance deadlines which are nearing.  Report (:55 mp3)

Plant Health Care’s Jeff Glass has information for growers concerning their satisfaction guarantee for a couple of their products used in the upcoming season.  Report (1:00 mp3) 

FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?

Valent USA representatives at Beltwide this year say one of the hot topics was herbicide resistance, especially when it comes to pigweed, and the main recommendation to combat resistance is use of a pre-emerge herbicide like Valor.

Report (1:30 mp3)

Tyron Spearman has a look back at the various crop numbers released this past Friday by the National Agriculture Statistics Service.  Report (:30 mp3)

As a producer you should of received your Ag Census form in the mail, and you are urged to complete it and return it by the deadline.  Tyron Spearman tells us today just how important this census is.  Report (:45 mp3)

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Researchers are looking at how the recent freeze in the southeast will affect cases of Asian Soybean Rust in 2008.

Check for the latest rust outbreaks here.

Report (1:00 mp3)

Sponsoring this special announcement:
Agriculture producers in North Florida and throughout the Wiregrass region of southwest Georgia and southern Alabama are invited to attend any of six grower meetings being hosted in coming days by Stallings Crop Insurance. Learn more about the meeting agenda, times, places and dates here. (more…)

Tyron Spearman reminds both crop and livestock farmers about payments being issued to those who suffered losses from natural disasters.  Report (:55 mp3) 

Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner has authorized the release of payments to tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses and faced financial hardships in recent years because of floods, wildfires, tornadoes and other weather-related disasters.
USDA is currently processing about one billion dollars in payments under the Crop Disaster Program, Livestock Compensation Program and Livestock Indemnity Program, as the sign-up for these programs continue. The programs provide payments to agricultural producers who suffered crop, livestock and feed losses from January 1, 2005 through Feb. 28, 2007. But, producers must choose only one of those years for which to receive payments. Additionally, USDA will soon issue more than 11 million dollars to growers in Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi and Oklahoma through the LCP Catfish Grant Program.

Wheat prices continue to rise and Tyron Spearman reports that’s mostly due to the fact consumption has surpassed production.  Report (:25 mp3)

Growers throughout the Southeast may be interested in finding out more about Specialty Fertilizer Products, a company who can help boost the yields of your crops.  Report (1:00 mp3)

To find out more about Specialty Fertilizer Products, click Here

Due to target prices being below current market prices, those enrolled in the Direct and Counter-cyclical payment program will not be seeing partial payments this year.  Report (:30 mp3)

According to reports, the reserves of small grains are getting smaller. Tyron Spearman has a look at the numbers.  Report (:40 mp3)

It only happens once each five years and producers of any kind of agriculture products are required to be counted. We’re working with USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service in our region again to help get the word out about the Census of Agriculture, so stay tuned for lots of information and frequent reminders about it in the coming weeks. Agriculture Census questionnaires will be mailed the last week of this year and should be returned by the first week of February 2008. Prompt action by producers will save a lot of extra time and effort to chase down the forms not returned on time. Learn more from USDA’s special Census of Agriculture website.
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The National Corn Growers Association has created a website called Farmers Matter to thank farmers and help educate consumers about growers’ dedication for producing the safest, most abundant food and feed supply on Earth, while also supplying the demands for cleaner-burning, renewable ethanol.

Report (1:00 mp3)

Monsanto brought it’s new Mobile Technology Unit to the Sunbelt Ag Expo this year, which is a unique showcase of science and innovation. On board visitors can learn more about the latest in seed breeding technology and new product development.

I had a chance to take the tour and afterwards talk with Monsanto’s Kathy Sehnert about the Mobile Unit and it’s overall purpose.

Report (3:15 mp3)

Monsanto invests nearly $2 million per day in new product research and development. This new unit was designed to provide farmers across the country with a first hand look at the company’s commitment to the industry. The next stop for the Mobile Technology Unit after Sunbelt Ag Expo is the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.

While the drought continues to be on many minds here in the Southeast, water is needed for our crops. And that’s where Valley Irrigation can help as new technologies can manage watering needs for most any type of field. I talked with Will Sheets about how Valley can help with your operation.  Report (4:30 mp3)

Trimble Agriculture is at Sunbelt Ag Expo again this year with information about what they have to offer, and that includes RTK technology. I talked with Josh Pitts & Brian Kelley with Ag Technologies L.L.C. about how this can work for you.  Report (4:30 mp3)

Bayer Crop Science holds the leadership position in the seed treatment market with 40 percent of the market share, which was a topic at the recent global press conference in Germany.

Speaking of seed, the US Department of Agriculture’s recently issued cotton variety acreage report shows that cottonseed varieties from Bayer Crop Science account for the largest share of total planted acres at over 44 percent.

Report (1:00 mp3)