Related Stories

A fresh approach We need to look from the outside in to step back and reassess how we are conducting business, says retailer Tim Sanders of the DeLong Company, Clinton, BREAKING NEWS Court rules in favor of Monsanto A U.S. district court in St. Louis, MO, recently denied efforts to certify an antitrust class-action suit levied against Soybean crop protection manufacturers Advanced Biological Marketing America's Best Inoculant High Concentrate: Advanced Biological Marketing designed this 3.1-liter high concentrate inoculant Strong track record In Wyoming County in upstate New York the state's top dairy county farmers are looking for good silage hybrids as well as good hybrids for grain. Tom Innovations at Agromek Boom controller, seed monitor. LH Agro introduced its 75 Command Box at Agromek. The Command Box can command up to seven boom sections using pulse width Fungicide-insecticide combo SYNGENTA CROP Protection hosted two June field tours near Gilbert, IA, and Champaign, IL. Company seed treatment specialists, university experts and crop One up on Wal-Mart AN IMPORTANT part of the success of Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is attributed to its sophisticated inventory management systems. In the world Double-span pivot A NEW dual-span irrigation pivot from Valmont Irrigation is helping growers in the West raise high-density crops such as carrots. Two sets of spans on Complete systems THE WORD may cause some ag retailers to cringe, but not Rod Miller, seed systems manager for Crop Fertility Specialists (CFS), Rossville, IN. Miller says Stacks flood seed market SEED COMPANIES recently announced the release of their new 2006 corn hybrids and soybean varieties. Technology traits continue to dominate the market, Win free seed GARST SEED Company is celebrating its 75th anniversary in the seed business by giving away 75 acres of free Garst brand seed corn to 75 growers. Growers Treat seeds for success SINCE THE INTRODUCTION of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant traits in corn and soybeans, ag retailers have seen a huge shift Virtual terminal THE NEW IntelliAg virtual terminal from Dickey-john is designed to interface with seed sensors, shaft monitors and hydraulic valves on planters, grain Compatible data for GPS/GIS NEW SOFTWARE that allows automatic download of compatible data into major GPS/GIS software is now available from The Consulting Company of DeWitt, IA. New products from Garst GARST SEED Company, based in Slater, IA, offers 31 new corn hybrids and 18 new soybean varieties for 2006. Nine of the new hybrids contain Agrisure traits, State-of-the-art facility SYNGENTA SEEDS recently celebrated renovations to its Phillips, NE, corn production facility. The $4.7 million project increases the plant's seed-conditioning Ways to manage health-care costs AS INSURANCE rates have risen over the last few years, ag retailers have looked for more cost-effective ways to offer high-quality benefits for their Looking to lenders CROP INPUT financing programs have become as competitive as the products themselves, and all signs point to a continuation of this trend. The crop input New mix for pop-ups FMC CORPORATION has developed a new formulation of its Capture insecticide for corn that has better mixing properties than emulsifiable concentrates (EC) Pro-Chute helps fill the planter Snap the new Pro-Chute discharge chute onto a bulk seed box and watch seed slide smoothly into a planter or planter fill equipment. The Pro-Chute, from Bayer sells Trace BAYER CROPSCIENCE announced plans to sell its on-farm application seed treatment business to Chemtura Corporation, Middlebury, CT. The transaction includes Memorable field days FIELD DAY season rolls around again in just a few months. Farmers will attend, knowing they will more than likely get a good meal and a seed cap. But Seed trackers THE MANY new combinations of traits and seed-applied insecticides have quickly multiplied the number of seed choices available to growers. Although most The well-appointed Seed portfolio Not Unlike clothing stores attuned to the latest fashions, ag retailers will be carrying certain must-have seed and seed accessories for spring 2007. Shift to seed Dealing with change can be stressful, but change has created a significant upside in the business revenue of two South Dakota ag retailers Watchful waiting While U.S. soybean growers' attitudes about Asian soybean rust (ASR) range from concern to near panic, it is not a new threat to many soybean growers The meaning of full-service dealer At a recent international conference, my Brazilian pesticide stewardship counterpart, Joao Rando of the industry-run organization inpEV, described in Urban opportunities URBANIZATION HAS contributed to the demise of some ag retail operations. But for retailers able to adapt to the changing landscape, it has opened new Recycling adds up 0 Cost to grower, dealer or custom applicator, in most areas 3 Rinses per container for triple-rinse 4 Recycling contractors serving the ACRC across the Soybean rust confirmed in Georgia The USDA recently announced that Asian soybean rust has been identified in Seminole County, GA, on volunteer soybeans. This is the first confirmed U.S. INDUSTRY ABM receives grant The USDA recently awarded Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM) an $80,000 grant for its innovative research in fungicides. ABM was one Q&A DAN TOWERY created Ag Conservation Solutions, an ag consulting business, in January 2005, after working 25 years with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Stay ahead of your customers WITH THE fast pace of change nowadays, identifying your customers' needs may seem like trying to hit a target moving at the speed of a Japanese bullet Energy money available ANYONE INTERESTED in improving energy efficiency on a farm may apply for a grant or a loan from the USDA. However, he or she must apply for the money The Phosphorus Index NEW EPA and USDA efforts to improve surface water quality throughout the nation emphasize keeping a close eye on phosphorus (P), says Antonio Mallarino, 7 conclusions from a two-year study Ohio researchers report seven conclusions from studies they conducted during 2005 and 2006 to evaluate various spray equipment for their potential to "INTIME" AERIAL IMAGES Variable-rate application has enabled growers like Mississippi’s Trip Hayes to apply treatments where they’re needed when they’re needed. Whether it’s a growth regulator for cotton, fungicide for peanuts or any number of other treatments for alfalfa, vegetables or trees, variable-rate application (VRA) is helping growers enhance their production efficiency. 3 ideas for finding good employees ASK ANY ag retailer today about his or her biggest challenges and most likely finding good employees will be at or near the top of the list. Recognizing RMP compliance Looking for help in training personnel about Risk Management Program (RMP) requirements? The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is offering myRMP, a Web-based Immigration reform Just how important is agricultural immigration reform? Judging by a letter that was sent to Congress last month, it's extremely important to almost 400 Covering new ground Venturing into new markets can have its ups and downs. Some ag retailers have successfully added lawn and garden or hobby farmer product lines, for example Dry run IN 2005, agricultural retailers confronted grower fears, procured adequate fungicide supplies and developed plans for rapid application, all for a disease 4 ideas for coping with ASR WORK HARD to manage growers' expectations about Asian soybean rust (ASR), advises Duane Mol, chemical manager for Crop Production Services, Galesburg, Weed control in small grains TWO NEW broadleaf weed herbicides geared to wheat and other small grains will be available for growers this spring. CleanWave and Starane NXTcp herbicides Price hike for services FIGURES FROM the Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicate that between the last week of February 2005 and the last week Soybean rust Is this the year? AT THIS time a year ago, retailers were scurrying to stock up on fungicides to quell panic among soybean growers about Asian soybean rust (ASR) and finalizing Grain storage spillover LIKE MANY grain-handling businesses, Buckingham Cooperative, near Waterloo, IA, needed to react quickly last year to find enough storage space to accommodate 5 ASR tune-up tips ALTHOUGH ASIAN soybean rust (ASR) already has been found on kudzu across the South (see page 18), it's not too late to fine-tune your treatment plans Annual Retailer Service Fee Survey Win back lost customers If you could increase your chance of selling to a particular customer group by 20 to 40%, would you pursue it? According to research from Marketing Metrics, Value and profits Although retailers across the country specialize in helping growers produce a wide variety of crops from rice to soybeans to peppers, retailers have one Contract savvy As more products with valuable output traits come out of the crop technology pipeline, so, too, should come new opportunities for ag retailers and growers. Invaluable service WHY SHOULD ag retailers sell services? The resulting customer interaction is invaluable and helps create long-term ties that are difficult for competitors Strip-till's profit boost AG RETAIL businesses wanting to expand sales should investigate new ways to help current customers become more profitable, says Dan Towery, ag consultant, Invaluable service WHY SHOULD ag retailers sell services? The resulting customer interaction is invaluable and helps create long-term ties that are difficult for competitors Marketing system BUYING AND selling agricultural chemicals can be an easier process thanks to a new Web-based service from AgChemAccess, an independent international agrochemical DTN goes mobile DTN INTERNET users now can get real-time access to markets and weather information on cell phones and PDAs through DTN Mobile. The service can be customized Unlimited calling THE CHATTER Bug is about the size of a computer mouse, but it has the power to provide unlimited long-distance calling in the U.S. and Canada for $9.95