New feed mill opens in east-central Illinois
Effingham-based cooperative retailer The Equity has built a new feed mill at Horace, just north of Paris, Ill. The mill will produce up to 450,000 tons of swine feed a year. According to Darwin Wohltman, vice president of feed and livestock at The Equity, that will feed 1.35 million market pigs annually. It also will add demand for 6.4 million bushels of corn and 2.7 million bushels of soybeans.

The organization hosted an open house recently. “We wanted to offer a chance for the public to come out and see the feed mill for themselves, and learn more about what we do here,” says Wohltman.

The mill began operation earlier in 2018, and consists of a mill building, a receiving and loadout building, and a warehouse. Corn is supplied from the adjacent 4 million-bushel grain elevator. The mill is set up to receive other feed ingredients at up to 300 tons per hour.

The Equity is also looking to contract with more farmers to feed pigs. “These farms provide a low-risk business opportunity for potential growth of pork production in the area,” says Wade Harrison, The Equity director of livestock contract development.

Anyone interested in learning more about the contract pork production opportunities should contact Harrison at 217-994-6397 or visit theequity.com.

Update: Illinois chemical drift
The Association of American Pesticide Control Officials has released its latest state departments of agriculture inquiry report. A quick overview for Illinois shows these numbers as of Aug. 30:

• 450 = Total number of all ag product drift cases reported in Illinois in 2018
• 318 = Total number of auxin (2,4-D, dicamba, other) complaints or cases logged for 2018
• 318 = Total number of over-the-top dicamba-related complaints to date in 2018
• 240 = Total number of over-the-top dicamba-related complaints at the same time last year

NREC elects leadership and board members
The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council met in August in Springfield, Ill., for its annual meeting, seated two new board members and elected leadership. Marshall, Ill. farmer Don Guinnip joined NREC, replacing retiring director Ted Mottaz to represent Illinois Corn Growers. Tom Kelley, agronomist for Syngenta Seeds, joined NREC to represent Certified Crop Advisers. He replaces Andy Knepp, whose term expired. Allen Grosboll officially attended his first meeting and is one of two representatives of the environmental community. Grosboll is with the Environmental Law Policy Center.

Jeff Kirwan was re-elected to serve as chairman; Ed Corrigan was re-elected as vice chairman; and Chuck Cawley, Illinois Department of Agriculture representative, will again serve as secretary. Jenny Mennenga, a representative for the Illinois Soybean Association, was elected treasurer. Julie Armstrong, executive director, says NREC also voted to continue the assessment rate at 75 cents per ton of fertilizer sold in Illinois. She also introduced Shani Golovay as the new NREC research manager, overseeing current and future research projects. The group will meet later this year to review research proposals.

See NREC's 2017 annual report online. 

Young soy leader program taking applicants
The Illinois Soybean Association encourages young soybean producers in Illinois to apply for the Young Leader Program, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience and the American Soybean Association. It’s a two-phase educational program for actively farming individuals and couples who are passionate about the future possibilities of agriculture. Phase 1 of the 2018-19 Young Leader Program will take place in Johnston, Iowa, Nov. 27-30 this year. The program continues Feb. 26-Mar. 2, 2019, in Orlando, Fla., in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show. Find more information at the ASA Young Leader Program webpage. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30.

Burrus selling Donmario soybeans
Burrus Seed has announced it’ll be marketing Donmario-brand soybeans for the 2019 crop year. Both companies are family-owned, and Donmario was started in 1982 in Argentina. The company sells soybean genetics in six countries, and markets about 16 million units of soybeans a year.

“We are excited to add another brand to our multi-brand strategy,” says Tim Greene, Burrus Seed president. “It has been an honor to work with the Bartolomé family and team over the last 16 months to make this possibility a reality.”

Ignacio Bartolomé, U.S. lead for GDM Seeds, parent company of the Donmario brand, adds, “We believe the time is right for a family-owned seed brand, with world-class genetics and a customer-first orientation, to have success in the United States. We have been strategically developing varieties in the U.S. for over 12 years to bring a fresh option to American growers.”

Donmario’s U.S. headquarters are in Gibson City, Ill.

For more information, visit donmario.com or burrusseed.com.