Soil Health Partnership
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announces its new Soil Health Partnership (SHP), designed to help farmers enhance soil health. The NCGA says its ultimate goals are to “measure and communicate the economic and environmental benefits of different soil management strategies and provide a set of regionally specific, data-driven recommendations that farmers can use to improve the productivity and sustainability of their farms.”
SHP is supported by the Walton Family Foundation and Monsanto Company and is advised by a team of industry experts, per the Science Advisory Council. During the next five years, SHP plans to aggregate regional data to catalyze a platform for farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing and create a set of best practices to improve soil health.
Farmers who are using innovative soil-management strategies and are interested in becoming one of SHP’s demonstration sites are encouraged to email soilhealth@ncga.com. For more information about the initiative, you can visit www.SoilHealthPartnership.org.
Plant Nutrition
WinField is launching its NutriSolutions 360° system, a complete solution to plant nutrition management that provides timely, critical agronomic insights and product recommendations. Spanning preplanting to postharvest, the system offers actionable insights to help farmers map and execute the individual nutrition plan that will generate the most profitable return. By using the tools in the NutriSolutions 360 system, farmers can efficiently apply nutrients that boost performance in high-potential areas of the field and minimize waste on areas with low potential. For the 2014 growing season, the company is also introducing its newest addition to its Max-In micronutrient line, Max-In Zinc, which can be used in a broad spectrum of crops. Visit www.Winfield.com for more information.
Technology for the South
DuPont Pioneer plans a limited introduction of Optimum Leptra brand corn hybrids in the southern U.S. for 2014, according to Ryan French, senior marketing manager at DuPont Pioneer. The hybrids are being introduced in areas where the agronomic conditions have created grower-demand for innovative insect solutions.
“We are communicating with growers that Optimum Leptra products may not be approved for export to all markets at the time of planting, and that they need to work with their grain buyer to understand options for harvest,” French reports. “This is one part of a robust product stewardship process that we follow when launching new technologies.”
Farmers must only sell crops with Optimum Leptra products to grain handlers that confirm their acceptance or are using crops in such a way that they do not enter the grain channel. There are several ways that growers can meet this requirement:
- Grain can be used on farm for feeding purposes.
- Grain can be delivered locally for feed, as long as the grain will be delivered directly to the feeding location and will not be exported for any reason.
- Grain can be delivered to anelevator or ethanol plant that does not allow grain or by-products to enter the export chain.
In addition to the written and verbal communication growers receive from the company, it also provides updated details at www.pioneer.com/stewardship.
French adds that DuPont Pioneer participates in the industry’s Excellence Through Stewardship initiative. He notes, “The steps we are taking to help growers understand the regulations on this new technology fall within the guidance of the program.”
