Deere & Co. to lay off nearly 700 workers

MOLINE, Illinois (AP) — Farm equipment maker Deere & Co. will lay off nearly 700 workers between factories in Brazil and Iowa.
The Moline-based company says it’ll fire 502 workers at an agricultural harvesting equipment plant in Horizontina, Brazil. And 190 employees at a plant in Davenport, Iowa, which makes construction and forestry equipment, will be laid off or temporarily reassigned effective Feb. 16.

That’s according to an e-mail sent Jan. 25 to The Associated Press by Deere spokesman Ken Golden. Employees were informed the week before.

In November, Deere announced that South American market sales could drop by 20 percent and worldwide construction and forestry equipment sales could fall by 12 percent.

In the past six months, Deere has placed 188 employees on indefinite layoff at the John Deere Dubuque Works in Iowa.

Indiana, Illinois each seek
nominations for USB board

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana and Illinois soybean farmers interested in serving as their states’ representatives to the United Soybean Board (USB) are encouraged to contact the Indiana Soybean Alliance or the Illinois Soybean Assoc. for a USB director candidate application form.

The USB is comprised of 68 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Indiana has four directors on the board and one of those seats is up for reappointment this year, whereas Illinois will select one nominee and one alternate nominee.

While the USDA secretary appoints directors, the state soybean associations submit director candidate names to the USDA for his consideration. USB directors serve a three-year term and are asked to commit to attending three board meetings each year, usually in February, June and December.

For a detailed list of USB director responsibilities, visit the ISA website at www.indianasoybean.com/USB Responsibilities.doc or call the ISA office at 800-735-0195.

Any Indiana farmer who has grown soybeans in the last two years is eligible. To be considered as a nominee to the USB board, Indiana producers need to complete a USB director candidate application form, which is available online at www.indianasoybean.com/
USBDirectorCandidateForm.doc or by calling 800-735-0195. The application should be returned to the ISA by Feb. 27.

Illinois soybean producers interested in the position can request an application at any time from the Illinois Soybean Assoc. office. Completed forms must be submitted no later than March 18. More information can be obtained by calling 309-663-7692.

Dow receives approval for HERCULEX I corn in Brazil

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture has authorized Dow AgroSciences to sell its first corn hybrids with HERCULEX I Insect Protection technology.

This authorization was given for 2B710HX, 2B688HX, 2B707HX, 2C520HX and 2A525HX corn hybrids. Dow AgroSciences also announced that it plans to be able to offer the Brazilian market its full range of corn hybrids with this technology in the future.

HERCULEX I, approved in Brazil in December 2008 by the National Technical Commission of Biosafety (CTNBio), has been in use in the United States, Argentina and other countries for a number of years. According to Dow, the technology provides effective control of important corn pests by incorporating into the plant the cry1F gene, originated from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) microorganism that naturally occurs in the soil.

HERCULEX I is designed to protect the corn plant against the Spodoptora frugiperda caterpillar, the main corn pest in Brazil. This protection is extended to the entire life cycle of the plant. It also allows the control of Diatraea saccharalis. Depending upon growing conditions, these pests may cause yield losses of more than 40 percent.

Sorghum checkoff approves management entity

LUBBOCK, Texas — The new United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) board of directors has approved a contract with the National Sorghum Producers (NSP) as the management entity for the USCP.
In accordance with USDA guidelines, the USCP has initiated a contractual agreement with the NSP for management of its day-to-day activities. Both organizations will be directed by Tim Lust, CEO, but will otherwise maintain separate staffs.

Bill Greving, chair of the USCP board, said it is confident the NSP will provide sound management direction for the new organization. The two organizations will office in the same building in Lubbock.
The checkoff serves the sorghum industry through research, promotion and information. To learn more about the USCP, visit www.sorghumcheckoff.com