Remi Schmaltz accepts Retailer of the Year Award
DynAgra, an independent agri-retailer won top honours at the CAAR Choice Award last week in Regina. The Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers has awarded the 2009 Retailer of the Year to the Southern-Alberta based company. “We’re so excited to have won Retailer of the Year. Our goal is to service our customers in unprecedented ways and to be recognized for that is very rewarding.” commented DynAgra general manager Tasha Schmaltz.
The award demonstrates excellence across several categories including customer service and satisfaction, community and industry leadership and business innovation, efficiency and safety. “We’re always trying to come up with better ways to serve our customers and meet their needs. In doing so we have created many industry firsts.” explained Mr. Schmaltz, “We were one of the first independently owned companies to hire a full-time agronomist. We worked with Charlie Belmar (Valmar Industries) to create a prototype twin bin floater. That innovation was instrumental in the 2004 development of DynAgraVRT (Variable Rate Technology). DynAgraVRT has succeeded in taking precision farming to a new standard.” In 2009 DynAgra bolstered its technology based service offering by creating My Farm Manager™, a proprietary web based process that is simplifying and organizing data management for its growers.
The Beiseker based company is family-owned and has been passed along through three generations of Schmaltz’s. With locations in Beiseker, Carseland, Rolling Hills and Standard and the expansion of DynAgraVRT across Alberta and Saskatchewan, DynAgra also offers a wide range agricultural services and products, including: DynAgra Finance, Sure Check Soil Testing, FlexiScout, Custom Application and Spraying and a High-Speed Blending Plant.
Tags: CAAR Choice Awards, Dynagra, Dynagra Finance, DynAgraVRT
The much anticipated FarmTech 2010 took place in Edmonton last week. Growers and tech-buffs from across the country gathered to see the latest and greatest that agriculture technology has to offer. Some of the topics touched on in the conference were various ways to increase yields such as leaf genetics to optimize photosynthesis, or the idea of a zero-till system that applies no compression on the soil and in certain cases has nearly doubled yields. On the local front, discussions took place regarding new interest within Alberta for growing lentils, the medicinal crop of rose root because of the recent rise in prices and new barley and triticale varieties coming to the province. Turning to the global markets, speakers addressed the continued trend towards pulse exports to India, an increased consumption of canola oil and talks of environmental stewardship on a global level. And then back to the fields with speed versus coverage in spraying, the benefits of soil testing and the good and bad of the insect world.
One of the latest tools in agriculture represented at the conference was variable rate technology. Garth Donald, an agronomist for DynAgraVRT had this to say regarding the technology. “Today’s growers have more pressure than ever to produce. With a growing global population, and decreasing farmable land, the necessity to produce high yields is a priority. That’s where DynAgraVRT comes in. By being able to find the best producing zones in a field and optimizing the yields by putting the proper nutrients where they are needed, growers are able to produce more on the same acres. I think this is the future of agriculture, being resourceful and making the most of the land we have.” All in all, Farm Tech 2010 has covered the latest trends, ideas and news in agriculture in our own fields and across the globe.
Tags: barley, Canola, DynAgraVRT, environmental stewardship, Farm Tech 2010, India, leaf genetics, lentils, photosynthesis, pulse exports, rose root, soil testing, spraying, triticale, Variable Rate Technonlogy, zero-till system
The 2010 version of Crop Production Week is upon us. Here are my picks for some of next week’s most interesting sessions. With what has happened with GMO contamination and the new testing protocols, the Monday morning Flax Situation Update at the SaskFlax meeting will be interesting. I’m someone who likes market analysis and there will be lots of that throughout the week. Larry Weber is giving presentations at the flax and canola meetings. At the canaryseed meeting, Greg Kostal will give the market outlook for canaryseed versus competing cereals. Randy Strychar of OatInsight.com is speaking at the oat commission meeting and Steve Foster of Viterra will address the mustard commission meeting. On Friday at the Canadian Wheat Board meeting, Bruce Burnett will provide a weather and market outlook. The market analysis highlight will be the Pulse Market Outlook panels on Tuesday afternoon, particularly the panel on lentils. There’s tremendous interest in growing lentils because they’re hugely profitable right now. The worry is that we could produce too many and drive the price to unprofitable levels. Beyond market analysis, the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association has a very interesting panel discussion entitled “Declining Cereal Production: Will GM Varieties Save the Industry?” Of course, all the meeting agendas are available at www.cropweek.com. I’m Kevin Hursh.
Included in Crop Production Week is the Western Canada Crop Production Show. Taking place at Prarieland Park in Saskatoon, some of the exhibitors include DynAgraVRT, equipment manufacturers, commodity marketing and many more.
Tags: Canadian Wheat Board, Crop Production Week, DynAgraVRT, Flax Situation Update, GMO, mustard commision, OatInsight.com, Pulse Market Outlook, Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association, SaskFlax
Seeding is scheduled to start very soon at the Get More Bushels Super Crop Plot, where we will be showcasing different varieties of canola as well as new agronomic technologies. The plot is located in the Rockyford area north east of Strathmore, Alberta.
For 2009 there will be 13 different varieties tested to be compared by you. These varieties are from some great partners: FP Genetics, Nexera, Invigor, Pioneer, Dekalb and Brett Young .
We are not just testing different Canola varieties, but also new technologies. In our plot we will also be comparing DynAgraVRT, Avail and Pod Ceal.
Our goal is to create a test environment where you can compare canola with different technologies and take this valuable information to your operation We want to provide you with tools to manage the risk and maximize the profitability!
We are happy to announce that we will have regular updates on the plot on getmorebushels.com. You can also to register, view blogs from our agronomists and see the results of the plot.
Our Super Crop Plot Tour is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, 2009. This will give you the perfect opportunity to view the newest products and technologies that are available to you. Hope to see you there!
Register here:
http://www.getmorebushels.com/enter_draw.aspx
Tags: AVAIL, DynAgraVRT, GetMoreBushels.com, Pod Ceal, Super Crop Plot
