Welcome back to ALCIVIA Roundtable, a series covering logistics, market access, and market fundamentals, with the end goal of helping our members make informed decisions for their operations. This week, merchandiser Dylan Beaver discusses price ratios.
Thanks for joining this week’s episode of ALCIVIA Roundtable! We’ll see you next time.
Much of Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and eastern Minnesota have experienced drier than normal starts to the growing season. As we all look and hope for the timely rains over the balance of the season, there are bound to be doubts as to what to invest into the crop. As we approach the reproductive stage of both corn and soybeans, we must stay vigilant in winning. No one wants to play the game to lose, and as we approach the next critical stages in plant development, we need to be mindful of that. Some crops have been put under significant stress and are already fighting the fight, so what can we do to help?
Fungicides, insecticides, micronutrients, and biostimulants may seem far-fetched this season, but all can bring value as the crop finishes. There is still potential to grow a strong crop, but we need to make sure to do all we can to help manage plant stress. In a weakened state, the plant will not be able to fight off disease as it could in perfect weather conditions. Don’t count on the dry weather keeping the disease out of your neighborhood. It doesn’t take much time for bugs or disease to change the future of the crop, so let’s protect what is currently there.
When it comes to micronutrients and biostimulants, pollination and ear fill is a critical time to utilize them. The plant needs micronutrients this time of year to truly help with pollination and ear fill. Look to a product like PROVANT® Pulse for a well-balanced package of the needed nutrients. The biostimulant space is filled with many products to choose from, but make sure to stay focused on what has dependable data along with a product that is built for the timeframe of reproduction. YieldOn is a biostimulant that increases row crops’ productivity in cell metabolism, division, and expansion, all while improving the transport of sugars and nutrients. All these items are critically important during the reproductive phase as the plant focuses on pollination and grain fill.
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Summer is synonymous with barbecues, parades, and fireworks. The National Safety Council advises everyone to enjoy fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals, and not to use any fireworks at home. They may be legal, but they are not safe.
In 2017, eight people died and over 12,000 were injured badly enough to require medical treatment after fireworks-related incidents. Of these, 50% of the injuries were to children and young adults under age 20. Over two-thirds (67%) of injuries took place from June 16 to July 16. And while the majority of these incidents were due to amateurs attempting to use professional-grade, homemade or other illegal fireworks or explosives, an estimated 1,200 injuries were from less powerful devices like small firecrackers and sparklers.
Additionally, fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires each year including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires and nearly 17,000 other fires.
Fireworks Safety Tips: If You Choose to Use Legal Fireworks
If consumer fireworks are legal to buy where you live and you choose to use them, be sure to follow the following safety tips:
Better yet, grab a blanket and a patch of lawn, kick back and let the experts handle the fireworks show.
Sparklers Are Dangerous
Every year, young children can be found along parade routes and at festivals with sparklers in hand, but sparklers are a lot more dangerous than most people think.
Sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing, and children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet. According to the National Fire Protection Association, sparklers alone account for more than 25% of emergency room visits for fireworks injuries. For children under 5 years of age, sparklers accounted for nearly half of the total estimated injuries.
Consider using safer alternatives, such as glow sticks, confetti poppers or colored streamers.
