InfoAg 2009

Depart Crowne Plaza at 8:00am

Brandt Consolidated Research Farm

Pleasant Plains, IL

Tour research farm plots and Jenner Sales Equipment demonstration

Brandt’s Research and Development Farm is designed to provide information for objective analysis of products and farming practices by demonstrating sound agronomic principles that make economic sense. The recent focus has been on plant populations and stresses. They are learning that the close management of population, N rate, fertility and fungicides can result in the best crops and yields. New genetics used in combination with other inputs and the latest technology tools are tested in these trials. The information obtained is used with customers’ records to help provide recommendations for balanced economic approaches for all crop inputs. Also on display at the Brandt Farm will be some of the latest in precision ag and fertilizer placement equipment courtesy of Jenner Sales in Decatur, IL. A 20-row strip-till fertilizer placement unit, a fertilizer cart, and other related equipment will be available. This stop will also provide an excellent opportunity for visitors to learn first-hand about Midwest US crops and the production practices and products used for their best management.

Lunch at Brandt Consolidated Headquarters

Springfield, IL

Lunch will be served at Brandt Consolidated’s new office facilities in Springfield. Founded in 1953, Brandt Consolidated has more than 200 employees are now working in more than 10 states and in several other countries. The Specialty Formulations Division was a pioneer in the crop specialty chemical field, providing manufacturing, distributing, and marketing of crop nutrients, adjuvants, pesticides, fungicides and nematicides for row crops, fruits, and vegetables. Brandt has operated in international markets for over 20 years, and now also has offices in Paris, France, and Santiago, Chile. Brandt also reaches the golf and recreational turf industry and the greenhouse/ornamental horticulture and aquaculture industry, servicing over 2000 direct turf customers, and hundreds of distributors around America as well as in the U.K., Europe, Asia and Australia. Brandt currently operates 12 agricultural retail fertilizer outlets, providing products and services to farmers such as crop nutrients, seed, crop protection products, crop scouting, soil testing, custom application, and development of comprehensive nutrient management plans. Brandt’s CCA staff provide professional guidance and crop input recommendations to those farmers. Brandt also provides customized computer and GPS systems. Brandt's Dealer Support Division markets a range of fertilizer commodities through both agricultural and industrial dealers, distributors, and consumers.

Johnson Grain

Waverly, IL

Established in 1975, Johnson Grain was originally a truck to barge grain operation In 2003 they constructed a rail loading facility on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, to ship corn in 110 car unit train shuttles primarily into southwest Texas and Mexico. Since loading their first unit train on April 19, 2004, they have shipped 332 trainloads of corn as of June 2009. That is over 146 million bushels of central Illinois corn supplying livestock feeding operations and ethanol plants in the southwest. This loading facility and its 12 million bushels of storage make this an important marketing channel for local corn growers.

Auburn, IL

DICKEY-john has been revolutionizing electronics for more than four decades. Customers look to DICKEY-john for market-leading monitors, controllers, moisture testers, ground speed sensors, and a variety of other systems used in agricultural, public works, and analytical markets. Today, DICKEY-john has extensive expertise in the areas of engineering and manufacturing. Continuous research and customer partnerships help us develop the latest technological advances in designing precision instrumentation.

Return to Crowne Plaza at 5:00pm