PrePass Discount Program: Brand Name Burnoff Product Launches 45 Cent/Acre Disount

Dow is just announcing a 45 cent per acre discount on the 800 acre pack size of PrePass. The offer is 45 cent per acre or $360 per pac. The offer runs for the month of February. So far it sounds like a cash sale program. Booked and paid in February. I will know more as information gets to me.

PrePass is a combination of 1/2 rate of glyphosate and 40 ml per acre of florasulam (a group 2 broad leaf herbicide). PrePass improves control of wild buckwheat and sow thistle over straight glyphosate. The florasulam will control Roundup Ready canola and provide some residual control depending on soil temp. Cooler temperatures will slow the breakdown of the florasulam, keeping it active in the soil for 7 to 10 days. Don't depend on the residual but in some cases it is very handy to have extended control to help get the crop going.

I've seen the product in a burndown in front of Oats and in some fields very little broadleaf control is needed incrop. You can have problems with Canada Thistle, but otherwise you can do without incrop herbicides. Most other cereals are not competitive enough to get away with this.

Be aware of the fields you use PrePass in. The residual aspects of the florasulam can create issues. The label says barley, canola, field peas and wheat the following season (10 months). I would say be cautious after a cool or dry year with canola. Clearfield canola (group 2 resitant) could be safer.

The package is 4 barrels of 360g/L glyphosate IPA salt solution and 50g/l florasulam in a suspension concentrate. I don't know how big the florasulam container(s) will be and there is a chance the glyphosate could be in a different concentration or salt (there are lots of them now)

Last note, florasulam is the active in Dow's two Frontline herbicides and Spectrum.

OK!! One more last note. Express is another option in this market space (burnoff add ons). Express is a little cheaper, not as residual (good/bad?) and it gives you the option of using any glyphosate. On the negative side Express has no programming rebates and there can be issues if you have problems with control (Its not there glyphosate in the tank is it?)

http://www.dowagro.com/ca/prod/prepass.htm Dow's website page for PrePass information

The Evolving Ethanol Landscape: Cattle industry relocation, non-local investors

http://www.dtnethanolcenter.com/index.cfm?show=10&mid=54&pid=5
The posted link is not very in-depth. The article does point out some early changes in the industry that could further effect the rural ecomomy.

InVigor Yield Plots: Part Two

Stonewall MB

Wynyard Sask.

http://www.bayercropscience.ca/products/seed/default.aspx

Trial results link. (DST = Demo Strip Trial)

InVigor Yield Plots:

Carlyle Sask.

Dauphin MB

Melfort Sask.

Melita MB

Neepawa MB

Bayer DST Plots (Sorry I don't know what that means either?) Of course InVigors come out on top. I know this is inhouse stuff, but I think along with a lot of other people that the InVigors are the best canolas on the market.

I will post a few more. I just could not post all on this post.

P Uptake Delayed By Hot Bands Of N: Midrow Banding and P Starters: An article by John Harapiak (one of the best in the business)

Welcome to TopCropManager.com!

I found this article on "hot" bands delaying P uptake very informative. I like Harapiak's work. When he was with Westco in the late 90's they had some of the best and most current nutrient information around. Westco would provide retail fertilizer dealers with a data base of information that was really outstanding. Shrinking margins in the business killed the program and truly robbed producers of a great resource. Please take a look at this stuff and if you ever see any thing John has published take a look.

Report on Business Television: Potash Corp CEO's "Take" On The Impact Of Ethanol, Among Other Things

Report on Business Television

Great I posted my first video.

Snow Cover Map: Looks A Little Thin?

I know this cuts off at the Canadian border, Sorry!,
Snow cover has not been all that deep the past winter. This satellite image shows how wide spread it is. You don't grow a crop where we are on the moisture from snow, but it does help to build reserves.

Bayer Value program: Love 'em or Hate 'em Rebate Programs Are Still Going Strong

http://www.bayercropscience.ca/grower-programs/bayervalue/2006-bayervalue-program.aspx

The Bayer Value program. You would have had to be under a rock for the last 5 years to not know about Bayer Value. Here's the link to this year's version.

A couple of notes on the program:

• Everest ( a Group two millet/wild oat product) counts on Folicur and Rovral Flo rebates



• Select (an Aryesta generic clethodim or millet/wild oat product for oilseeds and pulses) is counted for discounts the same as Centurion ( Bayer's version of above)



• Stratego (a double mode of action fungicide) is not included in the program. The price is reduced. The same as last year. You can't go back once you cut price.

Good program. Use the seed and fungicide and you get good rebates. You spent more to start with, but yeah you get the rebates.

Click the link at the top of the post and print out the pdf handout if it helps you understand.

http://www.bayercropscience.ca/tools-and-guides/rebate-calculator.aspx Link to the Rebate calculator pages

A Little More On Fertilizer Producers: More Demand + Lower Cost = Higher Margin

Chart 1 World grain production and consumption is increasing. The first thing to note is the gap between production and comsumption. Fertilizer can fill the gap by increasing production. The second thing is the up trend in both production and consumption. Both trends speak to increased demand and long term increase.
Chart 2 Fertilizer sales growth chart showing steady growth over 3 to 6 years. This is an indicator of increased demand ( or it could be increased market share, not in this case however) for fertilizer world wide.
Chart 3 Lower cost really helps to increase margin. This chart shows how natural gas (a large part of production cost) prices have fallen. I hear this a lot from customers "gas prices have dropped, how come fertilizer is still high" . Two factors about that:

1. This price hike is all about increased demand, not covering increased cost.
2. Natural gas prices in North America are massive compared to the rest of the world. The nitrogen production landscape has changed, most N is now produced "offshore" where production costs are lower. Offshore production is less effected by Natural gas price fluctuations. (I guess that means they can charge big prices all the time. Oh sorry! That's just a sarcatic smart#^s comment isn't it) If you look at the margin chart in the previous Potash Corp. post, note the last price spike (fertilizer and natural gas) at the same time as the last drop in margin. That killed any excess North American N production.
   

UH! Sorry: I see where SWP is getting the money

Duh! In trying to get a cool headline I got ahead of myself on the Sask Wheat Pool cash bid post. If you read the article you will see they do "Show Us The Money"

Potash Corp. Has Good Year:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070125.wpotash012/BNStory/Business/?cid=al_gam_nletter_maropen

This humble prairie based fertilizer powerhouse is making a killing.

Sask Pool sweetens Agricore bid: But Where Is The Cash Coming From or "Show Me The Money"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070125.wsaskpool0125/BNStory/Business/?cid=al_gam_nletter_maropen

I may be out to lunch, but with ADM controlling over 25% of AU shares isn't it impossible to make this work?

PotashCorp - About Us:A Fertilizer companies "take" on rising prices

chart 1 This will make the investors and management happy. The blue line is increasing margin. (Note the spike) Not as happy a item to farmers, but it does indicate a healthy business.
chart 2 The gold line indicates low inventory. Low inventory is a logistics problem for a fertilizer company, but it creates higher prices and ramped up production, good things for said company
chart 3 This chart speaks to demand. We all know prices for cereals are up. You can see the price spikes here, green is corn, red is wheat. Of course the logic is better price = more acres = more demand = higher price. Demand driven markets are great to sell into. I know I'm a salesman. Price decomes less of a issue, the buyer needs the product.
chart 4 And here's the price. Note the price spikes across the board. And this is only Nitrogen



PotashCorp - About Us I know 3 of those four charts don't enlarge that well. Link the posted link and find the charts for a better look and more information.

Bayer's Big Boy Program: Cost Cutter for the Big Farm

The "Big Boy" banner. Using sex to sell farm chemical! That's a new twist.

If you enlarge the chart you can see the discounts. Keep in mind the prices are suggested retail. Actual prices will be lower across the board.

Bayer CropScience (Puma, Buctril M, Thumper) is running their "Big Boy" program again this year. The program offers 10% discounts (see the chart)on Puma, Buctril M and Thumper ordered and bought in large shuttles.

This is a great program for large acres.

Agricultural Commodity Exchange Traded Fund: A basket of Agricultural futures contracts trading on the stock exchange

If you think farming didn't have some risk and volatility try trading a basket of ag commodities on the stock market. The posted chart is 5 days.

Actually I think this is a pretty good idea, because it puts more money in the commodity market.

The stock symbol is DBA and it trades on the American Stock Exchange .

Ag Days Continues to Grow

Last week Ag-Days looked like a success. I enjoyed my stint in the a booth. I saw a lot of old friends and did a bit of business.

I think the new barns are a great addition to the show. There has never been that much "iron" at Ag Days thanks to the increased floor space they provide. The connecting isles are huge and bright. I also talked to an old friend displaying her and her "hubby's" bulls and getting good traffic flow in the barns

TradingMarkets.com / PlayBoy 2006 Stock-Picking Contest CONTESTANTS

TradingMarkets.com / PlayBoy 2006 Stock-Picking Contest CONTESTANTS

Sorry this is really off topic and theme, but it's the kind of thing males from 25 to 50 enjoy.

A Farming Fund Sprouts Up [Fool.com] January 17, 2007

A Farming Fund Sprouts Up [Fool.com] January 17, 2007 Another article from the "Kirk Report" an investing blog I monitor. I've actually bought and sold shares in this fund. This etf is really worth a look

Wall Street's billions head toward the farm - International Herald Tribune

Wall Street's billions head toward the farm - International Herald Tribune
Interesting article on how much "fund" money is pouring into agricultural futures markets. Please note the "take" on how this may increase grocery prices in the future. And how these markets are becoming more liquid

I'm off to Ag Days

My next three days will be spent at the BEST ag show in Western Canada. (a farmer told me they all say that. He's right of course)

It's a lot of fun for people in the industry to catch up with people from "back home" or from university or from a previous job. AG days is the place to do it and i'm looking forward to going. I hope I see you there.

Syngenta.ca: The best chem. company website

http://www.syngenta.ca/en/

I like Syngenta's web site. I've posted the link

http://www.farmassist.ca/

Also Syngenta's grower site. Also posted. Take a browse!!

Ag days: Manitoba's and maybe Western Canada's premier Ag Show

http://www.agdays.com/

It's the 30 th year for Ag Days. The scary thing about that is I've been to every single one.

AgDays is a great show and a must attend event for anyone involved in farming in Manitoba. It continues to evolve to meet and anticipate the needs of farmers and the businesses that serve then.

I'm working a booth after 5 or 6 years away from that part of the show and I'm looking forward to it (that's kind of scary too)

Grow Forward Program from BASF

http://www.agsolutions.ca/basf/agprocan/agsolutions/WebASSpecOffers.nsf/Attachments/SO-CIRD-6VCQWU/$File/GrowForward2007.pdf

BASF really reworked their grower programs for 2007.

I've never been a big BASF fan, but if you use Clearfield canola there are savings to be had on the herbicides.

As with most programs serious money gets back to you when you start using fungicides.

Have a look

Fertilizer pricing Chart. N is back to last March Prices

http://www.tfi.org/factsandstats/priceindexes.pdf.

N Pricing is going higher again. We are just getting a slight idea where prices will end up in spring.