S&W Seed Company, a leader in the development of non-dormant alfalfa seed varieties, today announced that it has developed its initial "dormant" alfalfa seed variety. The seed variety, designed to succeed in high altitude and cooler climates, has been certified by the California Crop Improvement Association (CCIA).

Spring can be one of the busiest and most important seasons in terms of determining this year’s plans for sustainable and profitable production. Following are important tips for spring forage management for both hay and pasture.

GROWMARK, Inc. announced the completion of a dry and liquid plant food storage facility located in Casey, Illinois. The facility has finished storage capacity for 24,000 tons of dry fertilizer and 10,000 tons of nitrogen solution. Total Grain Marketing will provide daily operating services.

The facility has unit train receiving capabilities and is located on the CSXT railroad. On-site blending of dry fertilizer is available, meaning retailers can take the product directly from the terminal to the farm.

Checking forage plants, applying nitrogen fertilizer to grasses, conducting soil samples, grazing animals at specific plant heights and saving areas for emergency are all ways to practice good forage management. To ensure high yields and quality in the spring, check for winter damage while it’s still cold. Reseeding damaged areas now will prevent weed invasions in the spring.

A new smartphone application, or ''app,'' is available as a free download for both iPhone and Android users to access soil survey information. The app, SoilWeb, combines online soil survey information with the GPS capabilities of smartphones. The SoilWeb app is a portable version of the UC Davis California Soil Resource Lab's Web-based interface to  digital soil survey data from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Because the app provides soil survey information in a mobile form, it is particularly useful for those working in the field.

BASF has announced a $33 million investment to expand its facilities in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina. Nearly 80,000 square feet of office, laboratory and greenhouse facilities will support the company’s plant biotechnology and insect control research. This is the first in a series of investments that the Agricultural Solutions segment will make in 2012 to strengthen its global R&D platforms in line with BASF’s new “We create chemistry” strategy.

Galveston’s Lone Star Flight Museum was the scene for a night no one in attendance will ever forget. That’s where Mahindra USA, the number one selling tractor brand in the world based on volume, announced a partnership with Operation Finally Home in front of more than 600 Mahindra Tractor dealers, partners and staff gathered amongst World War II airplanes at a special event during the company’s recent National Dealer Meeting.

As planting for the 2012 season approaches, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) notes that newly revamped on-farm refuge assessments are part of the enhanced Compliance Assurance Program (CAP) implemented last year, which is designed to improve compliance with Insect Resistance Management (IRM) requirements. Corn growers found to be out of compliance with refuge requirements will be checked more frequently by the Bt corn registrants and have a higher probability of losing access to Bt corn if compliance is not established and maintained.