January 2014 Archive | Welcome to Sugar Producer Magazine

January 31, 2014

Battle over GMO sugarbeets emerges in Oregon

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP)-A David-and-Goliath political battle is shaping up over genetically modified crops in Southern Oregon.

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January 31, 2014

Linking population, poverty and development

The world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history. In 2008, for the first time in history, more than half of the world's population

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January 31, 2014

The benefits of the cold winter

This has been one of the coldest winters in recent years.

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January 30, 2014

Senate to vote on farm bill next week, president to sign it

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced Thursday that the Senate will vote on the farm bill conference report next week.

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January 30, 2014

Drones have future as a farm tool

Weighing in at 5 pounds, unmanned aircraft have a bright future in farming, according to Dr. Kevin Price, an agronomist at Kansas State University.

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January 29, 2014

Farm bill passes House after years of disagreement

After years of setbacks, a nearly $100 billion-a-year compromise farm bill cleared the House on Wednesday despite strong opposition from conservatives

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January 29, 2014

RSVP now for Feb. 18 Cover Crops and Soil Health Forums

Farmers, ranchers and other ag professionals should RSVP now if they plan to attend one of more than 200 Cover Crops and Soil Health Forums taking pla

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January 29, 2014

Makhteshim Agan re-branding to ADAMA

RALEIGH, N.C.-MANA announced Tuesday that it will operate under the new corporate brand name, ADAMA, as of second quarter 2014.

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January 29, 2014

Nutra-Flo launches new liquid starter fertilizer

Nutra Flo, a producer of low salt, high orthophosphate starter fertilizers in North America, is introducing its newest starter fertilizer PureGradeT.

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January 28, 2014

Call to action on farm bill

On Monday night, the House and Senate Farm Bill Conference Committee finalized an agreement on the Agricultural Act of 2014 (commonly known as the 201

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January 28, 2014

Precision ag being replaced by "AgInformatics"

Precision ag is being replaced with "Big Data" and "AgInformatics" as sources of innovation in agriculture, Matt Bechdol, founder of GeoSilos, a consu

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January 27, 2014

Grassroots action needed on Clean Water Act

There are two things that growers need to realize about a new regulation that the Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to release in the comin

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January 26, 2014

U.S. Justice Department clears Mosaic-CF Industries deal

The U.S. Department of Justice has approved Mosaic Co's $1.4 billion purchase of CF Industries' Florida phosphate business, Mosaic said.

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January 25, 2014

IIEA elects new officers for 2014

Elections for the 2014 Officers and Board of Directors for the Idaho Irrigation Equipment Association were held recently in Burley, Idaho.

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January 25, 2014

Monsanto critics denied Supreme Court hearing on seed patents

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday upheld Monsanto Co's biotech seed patents, dealing a blow to a group attempting to ward off lawsuits by the company a

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January 24, 2014

Ag companies sue to block anti-GMO law in Hawaii

Three of the world's largest agrochemical companies have filed a lawsuit in Hawaii to block a law enacted on the island of Kauai in November to limit

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January 22, 2014

Pepsi pressured to fight Big Sugar's "land grab"

The anti-poverty group Oxfam is asking Pepsi's shareholders to approve a resolution that, if passed, would force the company to disclose its sugar sup

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January 21, 2014

Big Candy profits impress

The curtain has officially closed on 2013, and by any definition, it was a sensational year for America's candy makers. Sales were up. Profits were hi

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January 21, 2014

Is sugar addiction why so many January diets fail?

We've survived the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, when rich, sweet treats come at us non-stop. Now is the season of reform, when gym

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January 20, 2014

Crop insurance requires farmers' "skin in the game"

When the farm bill is finally passed, most of its titles will have experienced cuts, while notably, crop insurance is expected to see gains, according

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January 20, 2014

Why sugar makes us feel so good

Last week, I reported that scientists are working their way toward a consensus that sugar is addictive. While some researchers are still hesitant to l

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January 19, 2014

Managing water use with precision irrigation

Water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource, and as the demand to do more with less in the orchard grows, researchers at the University of Calif

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January 19, 2014

New University of Idaho chief meets with ag leaders

BOISE-University of Idaho's president-elect met with many of the state's farm leaders Jan. 10 and told them he recognizes how important the farming se

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January 18, 2014

New Year's weight loss resolutions should be based on science and common sense

Many have made the resolution to lose weight in 2014.

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January 18, 2014

Organic food and farm groups ask Obama to require GMO food labels

Four U.S. lawmakers joined with more than 200 food companies, organic farming groups, health and environment organizations and other groups on Thursda

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January 17, 2014

A look inside the Western Sugar facilities

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb.-Workers wearing earplugs, hardhats and hairnets greeted visitors at the 13th annual three-hour tour of the Western Sugar Cooperative

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January 17, 2014

Syngenta Agricultural Scholarship essay contest under way

GREENSBORO, N.C,-Syngenta recently announced the launch of the new national Syngenta Agricultural Scholarship essay contest.

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January 17, 2014

U.S. food makers seek federal standard for GMO labeling

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents more than 300 food companies, is preparing a petition to the chief U.S. food safety regulator

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January 16, 2014

Subsidy limits in new farm bill are "in trouble," Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry says

WASHINGTON-Advocates for tightening limits on federal farm subsidy payments rejoiced at their victory last year when their proposals were included in

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January 16, 2014

Toronto using beet juice to melt ice on city streets

Across the city, Toronto salt trucks are working with an usual recipe for keeping streets clear of ice.

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January 16, 2014

Tractor and combine sales up last year

Final numbers from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers show 2013 was a good year for tractor and combine sales in the United States.

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January 16, 2014

Two SWAT protocols open for public comment

FALLS CHURCH, Va.-Smart Water Application Technologies has released two revised testing protocols for public comment: Sprinkler Head Check Valves Vers

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January 15, 2014

Syngenta introduces seven new sugarbeet varieties

To help sugarbeet growers produce high-quality, high-percentage sugar content, Syngenta has introduced seven new Hilleshög brand varieties tailored to

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January 14, 2014

Hopefully farm bill on Washington's New Year's resolutions list

Despite predictions by some that a new farm bill would be in place by Thanksgiving, that wasn't the case.

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January 13, 2014

Authorities ID woman in Wyo. sugarbeet factory death

Anfesa Marie Galaktionoff, 28, has been named as the woman who died at the Western Sugar refinery in Lovell on Jan. 4, according to the Big Horn Count

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January 11, 2014

Amalgamated asks growers to reduce acreage

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho-Amalgamated Sugar Co. has asked its growers to slightly reduce their planted sugarbeet acres this season due to an oversupply of su

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January 10, 2014| Published in the January 2014 issue

ACH Seeds Sparkle with New Diamond Plated Treatment Series: Industry Report

ACH Seeds Crystal brand sugarbeet seed has become a major contributor to the U.S. sugarbeet industry over the last 15 years.

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January 10, 2014| Published in the January 2014 issue

Bigger, Better, Easier To Drive

Mahindra USA, the top-selling tractor brand in the world based on volume, offers the mPower 85, a full-size, heaviest-in-class tractor with an 83 HP, emission compliant mCRD engine.

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January 10, 2014| Published in the January 2014 issue

Allen Thayer

Faith, Family, Farming and Flying: Minnesota Grower Follows His Passion

Each growing season unfolds its own way—sometimes to the detriment of the grower.

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January 10, 2014

Idaho growers file complaint against subdivision decision

NAMPA, Idaho-A group of Canyon County farmers has filed a court complaint in an attempt to stop a 44-home residential subdivision from being developed

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January 10, 2014| Published in the January 2014 issue

Allen Thayer

Make Harvest Easier: Safe T-Pull Expanding to Meet Hitching Need

Helping growers make their livelihood safer is the reason behind Safe-T-Pull.

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January 10, 2014| Published in the January 2014 issue

Phillip Hayes

National News Misses Mark on Candyland

The U.S. candy business is booming.

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January 10, 2014| Published in the January 2014 issue

To Russia with R&D: U.S. Sugarbeet Delegation Explores Biotech Development Overseas

To advance the global sugarbeet industry, representatives from the grower-supported American Sugarbeet Growers Association (ASGA) and Syngenta met with industry leaders during a weeklong trip in October to the U.K., Switzerland, Sweden and Russia.

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January 09, 2014

No-till rental drill considered for growers

SODA SPRINGS, Idaho-Growers in Caribou and Bear Lake counties may soon have the opportunity to try no-till farming without having to invest in costly

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January 08, 2014

Idaho growers turn rock piles into farm land

BLACKFOOT, Idaho-When the recession started and commercial excavation jobs began to dry up, Anderson Construction fell back on a niche service it offe

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January 08, 2014

Spider mites a new problem for beet growers

NAMPA, Idaho-Sugarbeet growers in Idaho have had to deal with significant numbers of two-spotted spider mites recently and no one's sure whether the i

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January 07, 2014

Survey indicates consumers hungry for transparency

Most consumers-59 percent of them-believe it's extremely important for grocery stores and restaurants to provide information about the way food is gro

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January 06, 2014

EPA agrees to "take another look" at biofuel blending rules

NEW YORK-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to "take another look" at a controversial proposal to reduce consumption mandates f

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January 05, 2014

Idaho groundwater users gamble on wet winter

BOISE, Idaho-The state's groundwater irrigators are banking on a wet winter and may face widespread future curtailment if it doesn't materialize.

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January 04, 2014

Idaho Supreme Court rules on water calls

BOISE, Idaho-The Idaho Supreme Court has rejected surface water irrigators' arguments that they should automatically be made whole for their full wate

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