WOMEN IN AG: THE NEWEST FARMHER

On January 8, we welcomed the newest Woman in Ag into the world! Readers, meet Violet. She is 2 months old now and has been keeping me very busy. (I’m actually rocking her as I write this!) She enjoys mornings, ceiling fans, and thinks our dog is pretty silly.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but being a mother is truly the hardest and most rewarding job I’ve ever had. Violet is the first grandchild for my parents, and, according to them, grandparenting is a pretty sweet gig. Her cousin, Owen, joined us six weeks after Violet was born. Something tells me these two little farm kids will be getting into trouble together in no time!

Things sure are changing fast around here – but in a good way. Spring will bring with it warmer weather and baby calves on our farm. Let me just say, I have a whole new respect for those momma cows out in the pasture. I’ve been there, girl. I feel your pain. Need some ice chips?

AGRIBLE APP HELPS YOU SPRAY SMART

Pocket Spray Smart is an iOS app, which works with Agrible’s Morning Farm Report software, to help farmers decide when to spray their fields. It shows a farmer, up to three days in advance, what conditions look like hour by hour for spraying.

The app provides information on wind speed and direction, timing, and duration of temperature inversions that could impact spraying, and whether the soil will support equipment in the palm of your hand to best determine when to spray herbicides. 

“Spray Smart is really going to make a big play moving forward, especially with the new release of dicamba products in soybeans and having to log all your spraying information,” says Kris Ehler of Ehler Farms, Thomasboro, Illinois. 

There is no cost for the app. All features are unlocked with a 2017 Grower AgriBundle, which is free if you are in Agrible’s sustainable yield program or are working with an ADM merchandiser.

Learn more by visiting agrible.com.

FG introduces ‘Invent your Future’ Scheme to boost participation in agriculture

As part of efforts to encourage all round participation in agriculture, the federal government has introduced the “Invent your Future “scheme.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh at the News Agency of Nigeria forum, in Abuja.

Ogbeh informed that the scheme would provide the opportunity for all categories of public or civil servants and private individuals to invest in agriculture.

“There’s a scheme we are advertising soon called `Invent your Future’, are you in the civil service, in the military; a young person or a journalist; if you have a piece of land, then, plant some trees and we will show you how to do it,’’ he said.

Ogbeh added that the Federal Government would soon establish massive coconut plantations in Lagos,  Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers states to extract coconut oil for industrial purposes.

Speaking on finance, the minister reiterated Federal government’s commitment to restructure the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to facilitate farmers’ access to loans while also encouraging youth participation in the sector.

“Once we restructure the Bank of Agric, the interest rate will not exceed seven per cent, I am pushing for five. The average rate worldwide is three per cent; it is only in Nigeria we are doing 18 to 25 per cent”, he said.

He however assured youths that the government was working to ensure that they received all the support needed to succeed in agriculture and agribusiness.

Gov. Amosun: “We’ll continue to help graduates in agriculture”

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Kwara govt apportions 250 hectares land for farming

The Kwara State Government   has disclosed plans to cultivate 250 hectares of land for 2017 Off-Takers Demand Driven Agriculture exercise (ODDA).

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr.  Goke Bamidele, revealed this on Wednesday when he inspected arable farmland at Ejidonugari in Moro Local Government Area of the state.

According to Bamidele ”The major purpose of this exercise is to earmark 250 hectares of land for the 2017 Off-Takers Demand Driven Agriculture exercise across the state. The farm land was identified by the Kwara State House of Assembly members, who desire to participate in the ODDA scheme as a group”.

“We are here to verify that the land indeed exists and that is the starting point and also to make the land available to farmers. This is because we want to make life easier  for our people by alleviating poverty through farming, so as to improve their standards of living”, he added.

While lending credence to the initiative, the Special Adviser to the governor on Agriculture and Rural Water Support Services, Mr. Anu Ibiwoye, expressed that the scheme would not only empower local indigenes and create jobs but facilitate rural development.

Ibiwoye advised young farmers in Kwara state to seize the opportunity for better agricultural practice in the state.

“I encourage young farmers to use the opportunity created by the Kwara Government in the ODDA scheme, which includes provision of seedlings, fertilisers, chemicals and other farming tools to boost production” he said.