INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
March 30, 2016
News

Marestail expected to be a challenge this spring

A Purdue University weed specialist says farmers could see an increase in marestail this spring.
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March 30, 2016
News

New HSMSO adjuvant fights resistant weeds

An increasing number of post-emergent herbicides, key tools in the fight against glyphosate-resistant weeds, are requiring the addition of an oil-based adjuvant to contribute to their weed-killing performance.
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March 30, 2016
News

Farmers urged to participate in CTIC, SARE and ASTA Cover Crop Survey

A nationwide survey of farmers on cover crop use is seeking insight from growers around the country—whether or not they plant cover crops.
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March 30, 2016
News

California snow pack much better than last year

This could be a sign of drought recovery, but there’s a long way to go.
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March 29, 2016
News

Pressure mounts in NZ as Britain announces sugar tax

Britain's surprise decision to introduce a sugar tax on soft drinks has been hailed as a game-changer by a veteran Kiwi anti-sugar lobbyist.
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March 28, 2016
News

2015 good year for Wyoming growers

Sugarbeet growers in Wyoming are celebrating another record-breaking increase in production.
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March 28, 2016
News

Sugarbeet outlook encouraging, but GMO issue a concern

The 2016 sugarbeet crop isn't even in the ground, so it's far too soon for financial projections. But early signs for the area's sugar beet industry—an economic pillar of the Red River Valley—are encouraging.
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March 27, 2016
News

Platts Kingsman increases 2015-16 sugar deficit forecast

Droughts in the world’s largest sugar producing regions have curbed yields more than expected, Platts Kingsman said Wednesday, with demand for the sweetener expected to outstrip new supply by 7.6 million metric tons this season, a 2.5 million-ton increase
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March 26, 2016
News

Oreo closure proof of losing Trump trade policy

Presidential front-runner Donald Trump vows that he will "never eat another Oreo again" to protest the transfer of 600 cookie-making jobs from Chicago to Mexico.
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March 25, 2016
News

Report: Monsanto talking to BASF, Bayer

Monsanto reportedly has been in talks with both BASF and Bayer regarding possible acquisitions and partnerships to bolster its ag chemicals business.
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March 25, 2016
News

Vilsack sees hope for compromise GMO bill

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the failure of the Senate to advance a GMO labeling bill is not the end of the story.
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March 25, 2016
News

General Mills to implement a voluntary national GMO labeling program

General Mills has become the second major food company to begin voluntarily labeling its products that contain GMO ingredients.
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March 25, 2016
News

Mars Inc. to label foods with GM ingredients

The Mars food company is the latest to say it will label foods containing GMO ingredients.
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March 25, 2016
News

Grocery store prices down, but so is farmer’s share of food dollar

The latest Farm Bureau Marketbasket survey shows that while national retail grocery prices are declining, the farmer’s share of those food dollars is too.
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March 24, 2016
News

Electrician burned by hot water at N.D. sugarbeet plant

A Moorhead, Minn., electrician who suffered severe burns while working on a hot water tank at a sugarbeet processing plant in Wahpeton, N.D., has filed a federal lawsuit against the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative alleging negligence.
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March 24, 2016
News

Noise cannon deployed to scare geese from beet piles

With ponds, harvested corn fields and a hunter less metro area, geese have found a safe haven around Crystal Sugar, in North Moorhead.
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March 24, 2016
News

Sugar prices surge on expectations for supply deficit

Those who think there are no bull market stories in the commodity complex this year apparently have not been paying any attention to the sugar market.
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March 24, 2016
News

Rural broadband seen as infrastructure issue for ag

An economist with CoBank views access to rural broadband as an important infrastructure issue for agriculture that needs similar investment to the U.S. transportation system.
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March 23, 2016
News

Fourth major food maker to label for GMOs

A fourth major U.S. food maker reportedly will put GMO labels on foods that contain genetically modified ingredients.
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March 23, 2016
News

Climate change may redraw map of places to grow cold-sensitive crops

Oregon almonds and Louisiana oranges?
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March 23, 2016
News

Calling all Potato Growers: If You’re a #TaterCreator, Post Photos for Prize

To reward potato farmers for the long hours and hard work that comes with planting season, Protassium+ invites growers to partake in the #TaterCreator Photo Contest by sharing a potato planting photo via Facebook or Twitter.
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March 20, 2016
News

Western Sugar expansion well underway

Panhandle sugarbeet producers have several things to be thankful for as they move into an new year and a new era of processing at the Western Sugar Cooperative facilities in Fort Morgan, Colo., and Scottsbluff, Neb.
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March 18, 2016
News

American Crystal supports robotics at Crookston, Climax-Shelly schools

American Crystal Sugar Company’s grant program is part of a community giving initiative and two local schools drew support for their robotics classes.
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March 17, 2016
News

Drink: Beer from beets

No ingredient is off-limits for the infinitely creative world of craft brewing, with add-ins ranging from seasonal fruits (often wonderful) to peanut butter (always questionable).
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March 16, 2016
News

Brazil to challenge Thailand sugar subsidies at WTO

Brazil will challenge Thailand at the World Trade Organization over subsidies for sugar producers that it says have dragged down global prices for the sweetener, the Trade Ministry said.
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March 15, 2016
News

Southern Minn. joins National Sugar Marketing

National Sugar Marketing L.L.C. announced March 4 the addition of Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative (S.M.B.S.C.) as its newest member.
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March 14, 2016
News

Americans are nothing but Lucky Charms and chicken fingers, study shows

In news that should surprise absolutely no one, researchers report that Americans eat a lot of highly processed foods.
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March 13, 2016
News

Ramifications of Supreme Court not reviewing farm runoff case

Agricultural law experts are debating the consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision not to review a lower court’s ruling in a Chesapeake Bay watershed case involving farm runoff.
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March 12, 2016
News

Vilsack identifies issues for successor

USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says his successors will need to be prepared for significant changes in land ownership.
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March 11, 2016
News

American Crystal has new president

The American Crystal Sugar Company board of directors has elected Tom Astrup to be company president, effective immediately.
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March 11, 2016
News

Vilsack: “The sky is not falling”

Tom Vilsack attended his last Commodity Classic in New Orleans as U.S. Ag Secretary and said he is optimistic about the ag economy.
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March 11, 2016
News

Trimble advances its precision irrigation solution

Trimble introduced the Irrigate-IQT uniform corner, a unique solution that allows farmers to apply a consistent amount of water on the area covered by a center-pivot corner arm.
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March 10, 2016
News

Vilsack leads business leaders on trade mission to Peru, Chile

Leaders from 34 U.S. agribusinesses and organizations will accompany Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on a trade mission to Peru and Chile, March 14 to March 18, to expand export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products.
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March 10, 2016
News

EPA approves Fenstro foliar combination fungicide and insecticide

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Vive Crop Protection’s combination product Fenstro.
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March 09, 2016
News

Glyphosate Task Force expects vote despite delay

The chairman of the European Glyphosate Task Force says they expect there will be a vote of EU states as discussions continue in the coming weeks for the re-approval of glyphosate.
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March 09, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Laura Rutherford

ASGA Rep Discusses Biotechnology in London: Snake River Sugar Chairman Grant says science on grower's side

Duane Grant, 55, of Rupert, Idaho, vividly remembers the years when his sugarbeet fields would become virtually impossible to harvest because weeds could not be controlled.
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March 09, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Phillip Hayes

The Brave New World of Media

Just in case you missed this column in the last edition, let me bring you up to speed.
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March 09, 2016
News

BASF Crop Protection improves product traceability and transparency

BASF has announced the introduction of a new traceability technology for its crop protection products filling lines: Supply Chain Track and Trace (SCTT).
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March 08, 2016
News

Marrone Bio Innovations submits biofungicide to EPA for review

Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. (MBI), announced that it has submitted a new biological fungicide (MBI-110) to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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March 07, 2016
News

Syngenta says it plans "business as usual"

ChemChina’s proposed acquisition of Syngenta has raised some concerns in the agriculture industry, but the company says it plans to operate "business as usual."
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March 07, 2016
News

Vilsack says only a required GMO bill will get the votes

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says a GMO food labeling bill has to be mandatory and flexible to get the president’s signature.
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March 07, 2016
News

LemnaTec’s "cool technology" at ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit USA

Global plant phenotyping specialist LemnaTec teamed up with the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center last week in Washington, D.C., to present the Field Scanalyzer to stakeholders from across the energy and technology sectors including U.S. Secretary of E
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March 07, 2016
News

New patented adjuvant improves spray performance

Crop farmers have a new tool at their disposal to increase sustainability and maximize ROI with the immediate availability of the newly patented spray adjuvant, BB5 Platinum, from NutriAg Group.
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March 06, 2016
News

Ag companies frustrated with EPA

Some recent decisions by the EPA have led some of agriculture’s most impactful companies to question the agency’s understanding of farmers’ needs and acceptance of modern farming practices.
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March 05, 2016
News

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients launches new website

Compass Minerals has launched a redesign of its Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients website, wolftrax.com.
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March 04, 2016
News

Pivot Placer: Ready access for customer support

Senninger announces its new Pivot Placer, a cloud-based portal.
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March 04, 2016
News

Rabobank: Stabilization coming in crop sector

There’s no doubt farmers are in a down cycle now but a new report says they will begin to see relief in 2017.
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March 04, 2016
News

Biological seed treatment market worth $560.98M by 2019

In order to cater to the demand for higher food production with increasing agricultural input consumption across the globe, farmers are focusing on boosting crop production and their nutritional value.
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March 03, 2016
News

Democratic senator introduces mandatory GMO labeling bill

Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, introduced a bill that would mandate GMO labeling.
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March 03, 2016
News

Policy outlook suggests wild ride in year ahead

With 2016 an election year, many in the agriculture industry are asking what the pending changes will mean for farm policy.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

A Sweet After A Deal Sour Dispute: The sugar sector is moving forward in the U.S. and Mexico

The Mexican and U.S. sugar markets are going through a structural change as a result of a new trade agreement between the two countries.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Allen Thayer

Battling Misinformation: Biotech spokewomen tell the truth about GMOs

Biotechnology and domestic policy were among the top issues under discussion at the ASGA Annual Meeting held Feb. 8-9 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Allen Thayer

Making Room for Beets: Paul Rasgorshek prizes all aspects of farming

Growing sugarbeets and myriad other crops is more than a profession for Idaho grower Paul Rasgorshek.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Allen Thayer

Changing Leadership: Snyder's term as ASGA president ends

One issue dominated John Snyder’s tenure as president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

ICON Grader/Box Scraper Models Do It All

As spring nears, growers and ranchers are thinking about cleaning out cattle pens, rebuilding terraces and other conservation work.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Michael Davis

Improving Sugarbeet Insurance Policy Takes Collaboration

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is considering changes to existing sugarbeet insurance policy regulations to better meet the risk management needs of growers.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

Landoll Introduces New 6231 Series Tandem Disc Harrows

With the introduction of a new line of 6231 Series models, Landoll Corporation has taken Tandem Disc Harrows to a new level, in part to handle the demands of today’s heavy residue and cool soil conditions.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

Maximum H20 Saves Money

Omni Enviro’s Maximum H2O system physically restructures water at a molecular level by breaking down the hydrogen bonding that naturally occurs between water molecules.
— Read More
March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

New Xcel-Wobbler UP3 TOP Available

Senninger Irrigation introduces the new Xcel-Wobbler UP3 TOP sprinkler.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

Senninger Joins Hunter Industries

Senninger Irrigation joined the Hunter Industries family of companies on Jan. 4.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

Sugar Association Names Interim President and CEO

The Sugar Association board of directors announced that Dr. Courtney Gaine has been named interim president and CEO for the organization.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue
Luther Markwart, Executive Vice President

Sugar Industry Closes in Hawaii: Impact places greater burden on remaining beet, cane states

It was a very sad day in January when Alexander & Baldwin announced that the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) was transitioning out of farming sugar and will instead pursue a diversified agricultural model.
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March 02, 2016| Published in the March 2016 issue

USDA Expands Microloans to Help Growers Buy Land

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden announced that the USDA will begin offering farm ownership microloans, creating a new financing avenue for growers to buy and improve property.
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March 02, 2016
News

Valuing groundwater during National Groundwater Awareness Week

If you value your life, you should value groundwater, the National Ground Water Association said today in recognition of National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 6-12.
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March 02, 2016
Video

Monsanto to pay $80M in SEC settlement over Roundup earnings

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March 01, 2016
News

Voluntary GMO labeling already exists

An organic industry leader says a voluntary GMO labeling system already exists.
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March 01, 2016
News

Court’s decision concerns Grassley

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear a challenge to the EPA’s Chesapeake Bay cleanup plan probably does not bode well for Iowa and other states in the Mississippi River basin.
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March 01, 2016
News

Senate Ag Committee advances voluntary GMO labeling bill

The Senate Agriculture committee advanced Chairman Pat Roberts’ voluntary GMO labeling bill Tuesday by a vote of 14 to 6.
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March 01, 2016
News

EPA moves to cancel the insecticide flubendiamide

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is issuing a notice of intent to cancel all Bayer CropScience, LP and Nichino America, Inc., flubendiamide products that pose a risk to aquatic invertebrates that are important to the health of aquatic environments
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March 01, 2016
News

Oregon lawmakers rethink biotech pre-emption

Local government authority over genetically engineered crops is being reconsidered by Oregon lawmakers roughly three years after they prohibited most city and county seed restrictions.
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