Transform Receives Section 18 Exemption
Dow AgroSciences has announced that, in response to the states’ requests, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Section 18 emergency-use exemptions in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Texas for the application of Transform WG insecticide for control of sugarcane aphids in sorghum. Section 18 approvals are still pending in five other states. Transform is a fast-acting insecticide from a proprietary class of chemistry from Dow AgroSciences that was introduced commercially in 2013 in cotton, potatoes, canola, soybeans and other crops. Last year, Section 18s were granted in several states for control of sugarcane aphids in sorghum. Refer to individual state Section 18 labels for complete application guidelines and limitations. For additional information about Transform, interested persons can go online and visit www.TransformMySorghum.com
Bayer Opens New Breeding And Trait Facility In Pikeville, N.C.
Bayer CropScience recently celebrated the grand opening for its Breeding and Trait Development Station in Pikeville, N.C. The $6.3 million state-of-the-art facility is part of Bayer CropScience’s commitment to extend its investment in research and development, in addition to efforts to expand production capacities and seed processing facilities. Situated on more than 150 acres, the facility will identify, test and develop new cotton and soybean varieties for the mid-Atlantic and southern United States agriculture markets through modern breeding methods. The facility, with eight full-time and five to 10 contractors and seasonal staff, consists of four new buildings on a renovated former Bayer Healthcare site, including a 4,227-square-foot office building, a 13,057-square-foot processing building, a 13,904- square-foot equipment barn and an outdoor pavilion. For additional information, go to www.bayer.com.
N.C. State Students Win Carter Scholarships
Two North Carolina State University students – Cassandra Ingram of High Point, N.C., and Jennifer Evans of Ayden, N.C., are recipients of scholarships made possible through the Billy Carter Cotton Leadership Scholarship Endowment. The scholarship was established in 2012 by Billy’s wife (Beverly) and their daughter, Beth Burchdell, as a permanent endowment with the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation, Inc. Additional funding was contributed by the North Carolina Cotton Producers Association (NCCPA) and friends of the Carter family. “It is very appropriate that Billy’s legacy will forever be etched through an endowment that helps others who dedicate their life’s work to agriculture just as he did,” says David Parrish, NCCPA chief executive officer.
Lummus’ Don Van Doorn Passes Away
Donald Van Doorn, 93, of Columbus and Savannah, Ga., world-renowned inventor and long-time executive with Lummus Corp., died on March 8, 2015. He grew up in central Michigan and earned his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. He also served in World War II as a naval officer and worked briefly for a small company in Dallas, Texas, before joining Lummus as a design engineer in 1947. Gifts may be directed to the University of Michigan.