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Beyond the Rows is a Monsanto Company blog focused on one of the world’s most important industries, agriculture. Monsanto employees write about Monsanto’s business, the agriculture industry, and the farmer.avatar Monsantoco Posts

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Tag Archives: Illinois

Teach Ag Day 2012

VIDEO: Celebrating National Teach Ag Day by Hearing from an Ag Teacher

There are days set aside to offer recognition for various foods, states, safety measures and careers. While we can’t possibly write blog posts about all of them, Thursday March 15 is a day that needs to be acknowledged. It is National Teach Ag Day. It’s the day set aside to acknowledge the work teachers of agriculture do every day of the school year and to pause and think about the importance of that job. It’s also a great time for students to give thought to pursuing a career in ag education.

I didn’t grow up in agriculture so … Full Article »

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Originally published
March 14, 2012 by Janice Person

Monsanto seed technicion Ed Umbaugh gazes at his grass-fed lambs.

Industrial Farming Gives Freedom of Choice for Farmers

From Mica: I discovered my colleague, Ed Umbaugh, through Twitter a few months ago. His Twitter bio intrigued me: “Ed Umbaugh lives on a very small farm where we raise grass fed lamb. I am a Tech at a Monsanto soybean seed plant.” I asked him if he’d be willing to share insight into his experiences with us. Here are his thoughts.

By Ed Umbaugh

I’ve been asked if there is some contradiction in raising grass-fed lamb and working for Monsanto producing transgenic (GMO) soybean seed—both of which I do.

My decision to raise lamb as opposed … Full Article »

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Originally published
September 8, 2010 by Monsantoco

Researchers from Monsanto's Chesterfield Village site come out to Jerseyville to observe new traits and technologies growing outside.

Research Is More Than Spending Time in a Lab

From the road, the Jerseyville research farm looks like any other Southwest Illinois farm: corn and soybeans dominate the landscape and a couple sheds rise above the green. Once I entered the center of the 240-acre site, I discovered how special the farm is—where nearly every row of plants receives special care.

Jerseyville is one of a handful of sites where biotech traits are tested in the field. Their performance and reaction to the conditions (much more variable than in a controlled setting like a greenhouse) are monitored and tracked throughout the season.

That’s why nearly a dozen researchers from … Full Article »

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Originally published
July 21, 2010 by Nick Weber

Ag Education: It’s More Than Learning Where Chocolate Milk Comes From

By Megan

Although I may not wear my FFA jacket as often as I did four years ago, I still feel the power of the blue and gold and the importance of agriculture education programs. Four years ago I was serving as the Illinois FFA State Secretary where I traveled over 33,000 miles in one year across Illinois promoting agricultural education and the FFA. Throughout my year in office, I was surrounded by many passionate and influential educators and business men and women who all cared deeply for the FFA and agricultural education just as I did.

The question I … Full Article »

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Originally published
July 12, 2010 by Monsantoco

Plowed Peanuts

The Farming May Be Different, But the End Goal is the Same

By Jillian

My favorite thing to do on a summer morning is to take a walk down my dirt road. Most summer days I sleep in but there are a few when I get up right after sunrise. The air is always moist with the sweet smell of earth, the birds are singing and the cows are milling around the water trough. It’s perfect.

I was raised on a peanut and cattle farm in Northwest Florida, it was a great place to grow up—I was surrounded by row-crop farms and cattle, and the beach was just a short drive away.… Full Article »

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Originally published
July 6, 2010 by Monsantoco

Learning from Farmers at the Learning Center

It’s quiet right now at Monsanto’s Monmouth, Ill., Learning Center, as least from a visitor perspective. During the late spring and summer months, a steady stream of farmers, seed dealers, investors, academics, international groups and youth organizations tour the facility to learn about the latest seed technologies being researched and tested in the field.

“And farmers come for another reason,” says Tom Eickhoff, Learning Center manager. “They come with issues and problems they’re dealing with right now on their farms, and how we might be able to help.”… Full Article »

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Originally published
January 13, 2010 by Glynn Young