Posts in Category 'North America'

Saving the Ogallala: A Sinking Feeling

Farmers on the U.S. High Plains have managed one of the great feats of modern agriculture—turning semi-arid prairies into some of the most productive land on the planet. Overcoming obstacles of less-than-ideal climate and soil, producers in the region have...

Biomass at a Glance

Biomass has been around since the dawn of man. In today’s quest to feed the world as well as quench our energy needs, the potential for biomass is huge. It’s estimated that the Earth grows about 130 billion tons of...

Women in Agriculture: Finding Common Ground

Born of a partnership between and funding from the United Soybean Board and the National Corn Growers Association, an organization called CommonGround has pulled together a network of 200 women farmers across 19 states to educate others on how food...

Running the Numbers

In my last post, I discussed the business plan for Pellet Technology USA (PTUSA) and their strategy for utilization of over 100,000 tons of densely packed corn stover. What makes this undertaking especially interesting is that they will utilize that...

You Need How Much?

What do you do when your business plan calls for over 100,000 tons of densely packed corn stover … and you will process that quantity of corn stover every year–adding value to the local economy in a sustainable way? It’s...

Harvesting Pollen: Nothing to Sneeze At

There aren’t many farmers in North America who intentionally plant and nourish weeds on their farm. But Jim Sneed, who farms about 400 acres near Sedalia, Mo., is anything but conventional. The 10-acre plot of ragweed he plants each year...

Great Hay Equipment, Great Hay Yields

“I haven’t used anything but Hesston hay equipment since I got into the hay business more than 20 years ago,” Randy McGee says, noting that his current inventory includes a WR9770 windrower and three Hesston by Massey Ferguson® balers on...

Massey Ferguson 8737: A Legacy of Quality Continues

Being named the 2015 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year was very good for Danny Kornegay. Among other prizes, the North Carolina farmer received a year’s use of a Massey Ferguson® 8737 tractor. The prize had a sort...

The increasing benefit and necessity of efficient residue management in your fields

Come fall, you’ve put in almost a year’s worth of toil and sweat to reap a plentiful harvest. When that time comes, the next thing on your (or any farmer’s) mind is the crop residue left behind. As efficiency in...