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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 FROM THE TOP Tell us about your experience with Syngenta Crop Protection in Latin America and what that experience will mean to your new position here in North America. BREAKING NEWS Low Foam Technology Syngenta announces that new Touchdown Total herbicide with Low Foam Technology reduces foaming during mixing and tank fill. Low Foam CROPS Arrow herbicide Makhteshim Agan of North America (MANA) introduces Arrow herbicide, the first generic clethodim, which can be used for eliminating the FROM THE TOP Are you pleased with the acceptance of ESN Smart Nitrogen, and how does that new product fit with retailers and their relationships with their customers? New calcium products ProfitPro, Albert Lea, MN, introduces two new proprietary calcium products SoilCal and PlantCal. According to the company, SoilCal conditions the soil FROM THE TOP An interview with Stan Howell, vice president, North America Regional Commercial Unit, Dow AgroSciences Tell us about Glyphomax XRT and Durango herbicides Software developers and suppliers 2005 AGRIS Corporation 800/795-7995; Fax: 770/238-5205 E-mail: info@agris.com; sales@agris.com Web site: www.agris.com What's new: AgroGuide is an agronomy End wheel ruts WHEEL RUTS challenge growers who irrigate, especially in certain soil types. The new Spider Dual Drive by Valley helps alleviate rut problems in the field. Apache line grows EQUIPMENT Technologies unveiled two new self-propelled sprayers at a recent media event. The new AS710 and AS1010 join the Indiana company's line of Apache 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, New grass herbicide SYNGENTA Crop Protection anticipates that its new postemergence grass herbicide Axial will be approved for U.S. and Canadian registration and sale later 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 Tough pumps THE NEW Diamond series 5500 roller pumps from Delavan Ag Pumps are made of a special alloy body and end plate to help them tolerate harsh agricultural Nematode knowledge A NEW online course about cotton nematodes is now available from Syngenta Crop Protection and offers certified crop advisors one continuing education 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, New weapon in herbicide arsenal THE INTRODUCTION of a new herbicide that can be used on rangeland, pastures, wildlife habitat areas and other non-cropland areas has sparked the interest 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 Spiral stairway BROWNIE'S NEW Safe-T-Max spiral stairway system is made of all-galvanized steel and modular construction for easy installation. Smooth, circular, 1-in. Cover-All offers hybrid COVER-ALL Building Systems introduces a new building with a clean exterior design, unique shape and low roof line. Called the Meridian Building, the new Better lifting WORKSAVER HAS developed a new rail-style pallet fork that attaches to a tractor's front loader. The new PF-448 fork will easily handle bulky or palletized New formulation DUPONT'S STEWARD EC insecticide in a new formulation has received registration approval from EPA. The new formulation is in a more convenient form, according Tougher Tundra GROWERS AND retailers who want more options for a full-size pickup will have another choice next year. Toyota is releasing an all-new, next-generation New radial technology JUST WHEN you thought the radial bulge couldn't get any bigger, Michelin introduces its new Axiobib IF800/70R38 tire with technology. The tire is mounted No-shake shots CANON'S NEW Elph PowerShot SD700 IS digital camera uses image-stabilization technology from its video camera and high-end still camera lines to improve JCB Fastrac tractor THE 8250 Fastrac is the largest tractor JCB has ever built. A Tier-3-compliant, 8.3-liter Cummins QSC engine produces 280 hp and 1,179 Nm of torque. The Just-in-time fertilizer THE TIME when fertilizer dealers will be able to reliably supply customers who want to book fertilizer just before they need it is coming to an end. Dealers, NH3 nurse tank data plates THE AGRIBUSINESS Association of Iowa (AAI) has provided updated information on how to keep NH3 nurse tanks in service if the tanks' ASME data plates are Reinventing the radial Michelin Ag says it has taken radial technology to the next level. Last month the company rolled out its new IF800/70R38 Axiobib radial tire with Ultraflex Next level of guidance When lightbar guidance systems came on the market a few years back, agricultural retailers and custom applicators quickly saw their potential to improve both application quality and the quantity of work that could be accomplished in a day 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 PRODUCTS New fertilizer grades Honeywell has launched two new grades of Sulf-N ammonium sulfate (21-0-0-24S) and improved quality specifications and supply for Pollen blocker HOEGEMEYER HYBRIDS, a regional seed company based in Hooper, NE, appears to have found a way to prevent cross contamination of pollen from genetically Atrazine adjustments FOR GROWERS concerned with using atrazine to control weeds on sensitive watersheds, management alternatives are plentiful, says Bill Johnson, Purdue University 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 Highlights from Louisville farm show THE NATIONAL Farm Machinery Show held February 15-18 in Louisville, KY, had a record-setting attendance year, with more than 312,000 people visiting the Interactive Web site DOW AGROSCIENCES has developed an interactive Web site to help show corn growers how soil-applied herbicides can benefit corn weed-control systems. Visitors 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 Smart nitrogen advances If David Hodges' experience with marketing Agrium's ESN (Environmentally Smart Nitrogen) fertilizer in 2006 is any indication, sales of the polymer-coated 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. Sensing direction Dryland corn farmers looking for a way to protect water quality and optimize nitrogen (N) applications can now find help through a variety of commercial Climate change winners If climate changes that are predicted as a result of global warming turn out to be true, the U.S. Corn Belt will be one of the winners in a world where BT breakdowns Corn growers may never find a method to control corn rootworms with 100% effectiveness. Even Bt rootworm hybrids sometimes stumble in their attempts Questions about seed treatment High-Rate Insecticidal seed treatments typically perform poorly where corn rootworm populations are plentiful, warn extension entomologists from several Valued partners In the last few years, distributors of crop inputs have seen their role evolve from warehouse and transportation managers to providers of information 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, Swift action Timing is the name of the game in treating Asian soybean rust. That message was sounded loud and clear by researchers and company executives at the recent Be prepared If the prospect of Asian soybean rust (ASR) hasn't already given you a scare, keeping track of the treatment options could add to the fright. A dozen Environmental protectors Agricultural businesses and individuals must project a positive image by promoting environmental stewardship of the crop protection industry to receive Learning the lessons When you've had the chance to visit with farmers, ag retailers, and farm managers for more than 30 years, there's one thing you learn right away about 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 The "git 'r done" approach Git 'r done. Anyone who has watched the Blue Collar Comedy Tour knows the phrase has been a good one for Larry the Cable Guy. It might be just as good Computers don't get tired The sole purpose of Tri-State LLC, located in Fairmount, ND, is to supply either raw or blended fertilizer for other retailers. For that reason, it has Complaint control UNCOOPERATIVE WEATHER patterns in much of the Corn Belt kept many ag retailers and applicators working overtime to keep pace with farmer demands this Service-selling tips WHEN SELLING to a customer, you must illustrate value, and to keep a customer, you must prove value over time, says John Wagner, president of AgRePlan 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 More E85 at the pump CHS ANNOUNCES it will provide a Cenex-branded E85 fuel to 22 terminals in Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska and South 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. Low impact? U.S. SOYBEAN producers, bombarded almost daily with reports of new discoveries of Asian soybean rust, may be wondering at what point new findings of the 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 3 ideas to help you keep customers THESE DAYS it's extra challenging to satisfy and keep customers, says Nancy Friedman, president, Telephone Doctor, St. Louis, MO, an international customer 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 Wireless grain COMMODITY Resource Corporation (CRC) based in Caledonia, NY, is one of a growing number of operations that are working to bring bulk commodity handling 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 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, Court good customers WHAT'S THE best way to keep good customers coming back and to attract new ones? Fix annoying problems The first step is to focus on frustrations, says To expand or not to expand EXPANSION THROUGH merger or acquisition has been taking place in the ag retail industry for some time now. Some mergers and acquisitions have gone relatively Optimal application NOT EVERY expert agrees on how best to boost a sprayer's effectiveness, but few would disagree that the ultimate objective of a crop protection application 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, Variable-rate review GLOBAL POSITIONING systems (GPS) and variable-rate technology (VRT) have been available to ag retailers and their farmer-customers for more than a decade 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 Natural disaster preparation LAST YEAR'S hurricanes and flooding made many stop and think about what they would do if they, too, were hit by such a natural disaster. Not long after Cherry-picked software solutions WHEN MIDLAND Co-op Inc. and Impact Cooperative Inc. became partners in 2002, the partnership, called Midland-Impact LLP, faced the challenge of integrating 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 The adjuvant advantage MORE THAN 4,000 adjuvants are on the market today to help improve a herbicide's performance. Bryan Young, associate professor of weed science at Southern 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 Buying flexibility A NEW 40,000-ton dry fertilizer plant standing alongside a unit-train spur in Alton, IA, has allowed its owners to largely avoid this winter's expensive Old habits die hard YOUR GROWERS' crop rotation has most likely changed over the years, but their lime applications may not reflect that change. Some Midwestern researchers 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 Tougher beans STEVE HENRY, who farms near Nevada, IA, is trying to learn everything he can about Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). However, he's frustrated with the lack Scout for western bean cutworm WESTERN BEAN cutworms (WBCs) have been a problem in the western Corn Belt since the 1940s and last year were discovered to have migrated further east Too reliant on Roundup? RYEGRASS AND marestail were the first two weeds to develop resistance to glyphosate, such as Roundup and Touchdown herbicides, but they won't likely be Friends of the environment THE DECISION to invest in new storage and handling facilities in the last few years has reaped rewards for Eastern Farmers Co-op and Farmers Elevator First-class delivery SPRAYER AIR technologies have been around for more than 20 years, but until recently, retailers and growers didn't use them much. That has changed, due Environmental edge SOME AG retail businesses have found a lucrative new enterprise in an unlikely source: manure. Take the Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS), Sioux Center, 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 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 Price predictions THIS GROWING season there is good news about nitrogen fertilizer: It appears that prices for the fertilizer will fall in late spring and early summer 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, Energy anxiety AFTER HURRICANE Katrina battered the Gulf States in August of last year and inflated the nation's energy-related prices, some ag retailers were caught 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 4 risks in buying fertilizer PERHAPS THE biggest lesson learned by the agricultural supply industry in the past year is that the business environment is riskier than ever, especially Nourishing the bottom line Offering nutrient management services requires a fair amount of investment whether it be in additional staff, training, specific software or simply more 21 days and counting It generally takes 21 days for a certain behavior to become a habit, says Colleen Francis, president of Engage Selling Solutions, a sales training company Fall fertilizer forecast Fertilizer Management has become more of a year-round responsibility than it used to be, says Gayle Melcher, manager of Clarinda Co-op Company, Clarinda, New GVM sales rep Charlie Hickman takes over as the southern sales representative for GVM, Inc. He brings 20 year’s experience in related fertilizer and crop protection 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 Crop Sensor: Q & A VIACHESLAV (SLAVA) Adamchuk is one of several U.S. land-grant researchers currently investigating innovative ways to use sensor technology for precision agriculture STEP up to stewardship The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) recently recognized three ag retailers that have gone above and beyond the requirements of their state and federal laws to ensure good stewardship in their communities Ask to learn Selling is a knowledge process. More specifically it is a knowledge gathering process that has three phases: Diagnose Problems, Evaluate Impact and Collaborate Soybean crop protection manufacturers Advanced Biological Marketing America's Best Inoculant High Concentrate: Advanced Biological Marketing designed this 3.1-liter high concentrate inoculant BREAKING NEWS New corn herbicide American Vanguard Corporation announces that its subsidiary, AMVAC Chemical Corporation, entered into an exclusive multiyear agreement 8 ways to reduce atrazine runoff ANOTHER CROP season means another season of atrazine application. Farmers and custom applicators need to take steps to protect sensitive watersheds from Wireless controls guide pivots A NEW GPS-guided irrigation control system from Reinke helps growers keep track of year-round pivot activities and ensures correct alignments with the A boom in control AUTOMATIC BOOM section control is emerging as one of the most popular features on high-tech sprayers. As controller manufacturers have added this option Ready for rust A new fungicide, plus label changes on existing fungicides, will give growers and crop advisors more choices for controlling Asian soybean rust (ASR) Reaching rust Results from a two-year Ohio spray study show air-assisted technologies consistently perform best in delivering fungicide below the middle and lower-leaf canopy where Asian soybean rust (ASR) is most likely to develop Mobile office pro When Mark Hinze began operating a computer-based office out of his pickup truck in the mid-1980s, he was among the first agronomists to adapt delicate computer electronics to the harsh field environment DuPont makes key discovery DuPont, Des Moines, IA, announces that a team of researchers from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a DuPont subsidiary, has identified a gene found in guar and carob plants that produces “gum,” a key food additive.