INDUSTRY

The Mid America CropLife Association (MACA) and Apply are pleased to announce a collaboration for this year's Water Guardian Awards Program. The program each year recognizes environmental stewardship efforts by retailers in 13 Midwestern states.

“We are excited about this new partnership,” says Bonnie McCarvel, executive director of MACA. “This important program is one way for us to salute the efforts by retailers and others in this crucial area of environmental stewardship.”

MACA recognizes ag businesses and individuals that project a positive image by promoting environmental stewardship of the crop protection industry, concern about the quality of the nation's water supply and overall protection of the environment. Last year eight recipients were recognized, one each from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

MACA recently named Dr. Ron Turco, Purdue University, as the recipient of Indiana's 2003 Water Guardian Award. Dr. Turco, director of the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Institute, received the award at the Indiana Plant Food and Agricultural Chemical Association's summer outing in Carmel, IN.

Dr. Turco has conducted sound, science-based research on agriculture's impact on water quality. He has been a leader and builder of Purdue's Water Quality Research Lab, used by many to conduct research on campus and off.

State associations nominate candidates for the program based on the following criteria:

• A modern and technologically advanced place of business with a positive image,

• Community leadership,

• Compliance with federal, state and local regulations,

• Documented efforts related to pesticide handling,

• Demonstration of pollution prevention measures through responsible actions and proactive emergency action plans, and

• Active promotion of environmental stewardship within the community and the crop protection industry.

“The opportunity to assist MACA in promoting the contest and encouraging our readership to become active in the program will help the award grow and prosper,” says Ron Sorensen, publisher of Apply. “We will provide a venue for MACA to get information to retailers about the program and also recognize the winners in our April 2004 issue with feature articles and other information.”

“We have worked with Den Gardner and his editorial staff for many years and know they will be a positive influence in helping the program grow in stature,” McCarvel says. “Den was our 2002 Ruth White Media Award winner and has worked on numerous environmental programs through the years with many ag companies. We believe our collaboration with Apply will mean good things for the program.”

For more information about the Water Guardian Program, contact Bonnie McCarvel at 314/849-9446 or bonnie@maca.org.

A federal appeals court ordered a trial in a lawsuit filed on behalf of shareholders against ConAgra Foods, Omaha, NE, over fictitious sales and misreported earnings at its subsidiary, United Agri Products. The lawsuit alleges that ConAgra and several of the company's officers and directors violated federal securities laws by misrepresenting the company's financial performance to inflate its stock value. United Agri Products, Greeley, CO, accounts for approximately 9% of ConAgra's business.

Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, IN, announced that it has promoted Mitch Eviston to senior marketing specialist to manage the acetochlor herbicide lineup of Keystone, Keystone LA, FulTime, TopNotch and Surpass herbicides. Eviston, a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in agricultural economics, also will continue to manage Dow AgroSciences' sulfonamide line of herbicides.

Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, announced that its board of directors elected Hugh Grant as president and CEO of the company. Grant also was elected to the company's board of directors. Grant, a 22-year veteran of Monsanto, has served as the company's chief operating officer for the past three years. Grant is a native of Larkhill, Scotland, and holds degrees from Glasgow University, Edinburgh University and the International Management Centre in Buckingham, UK. He joined Monsanto Company in 1981.

Kalo Inc., Overland Park, KS, announced that Jim Adams has joined the company as eastern business manager. Before joining Kalo, Adams worked at the Micro Flo Company (now TopPro Specialties) where he directed its generic activities in the nonagricultural specialty markets. Adams founded Jim Adams Resources Inc., d.b.a. ResInc, in 2000. Kalo hired ResInc that same year as an independent sales organization.

Ray L. Brownfield, former president of Capital Agricultural Property Services Inc. (CAPS), Lisle, IL, announced the formation of Land Pro LLC, a farm management and agricultural consulting firm. Brownfield will head the new organization, which will focus on consulting, agricultural property management, sales and acquisitions, referrals and presentations. The market area for the company will be the upper Midwest. Brownfield has 38 years of agricultural property experience.

CROPS

NC+ Hybrids, Lincoln, NE, working in conjunction with a consortium of companies that received a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant, says the consortium is on target in its effort to identify and develop high-starch-content grain sorghum hybrids that could lead to the revitalization of the sorghum industry.

The DOE awarded the five-year, $7.5 million matching grant in 2002 to the consortium, led by NC+ Hybrids, Orion Genomics LLC and SolviGen LLC, to develop high-starch sorghum hybrids that would increase the economic efficiency of ethanol production. With the potential of becoming a primary source for ethanol production, the high-starch sorghum hybrids would offer farmers higher profit margins on production on marginal land.

For more information, visit www.nc-plus.com.

Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, NC, has reformulated its Finish 6 Pro harvest aid to provide improved defoliation and compatibility this season. Finish 6 Pro is a natural defoliant and boll opener formulated with Cotton Senses, a hormonal synergy that naturally accelerates leaf drop and boll opening.

For more information, visit www.cottonexperts.com.

Nichino America, Wilmington, DE, announces that the Environmental Protection Agency has approved ET, a cotton defoliant, potato desiccant and broadleaf herbicide in corn, soybeans and cotton.

For more information, visit www.nichino.net.

PRODUCTS

Redball LLC, Benson, MN, announces the addition of two new triple-front-fold booms to complement its line of double-fold booms. The new 120- and 132-ft. booms will enable farmers to spray more acres per hour while making fewer passes across the field.

For more information, visit www.redballproducts.com.

TECHNOLOGY

Precision Planting, Tremont, IL, announces that fertilizer and crop protection dealers can now offer the Meter Max planter calibration service to their customers. For ag retailers, the Meter Max system provides a new source of revenue and allows them to add a valued service for their customers.

For more information, visit www.precisionplanting.com.

New guidance system

AutoFarm, Division of IntegriNautics Corporation, Menlo Park, CA, announces the availability of a new DGPS tractor steering system called StepOne. It is designed as an entry-level system that brings DGPS accuracy to tillage, spraying, spreading and other broadcast operations.

For more information, visit www.gpsfarm.com.

Ultrasonic transmitter

K-Tek Corporation, Prairieville, LA, announces the release of the Ksonik III ultrasonic level transmitter. The company says the transmitter is capable of continuously measuring the level of challenging liquid and solid application over extremely long spans of 197 ft. at a high degree of accuracy.

For more information, visit www.ktekonline.com.

Web site upgrade

Precision Laboratories, Northbrook, IL, announces that it has significantly upgraded its Web site. The new site is easier to navigate and includes a full site search capability and expanded product information.

Visit the new Web site at www.precisionlab.com.

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