Winter, Winters, Winter! Many of us have experienced a challenging winter. Travel difficulties, vortexes and a lot of snow have been topics of conversation at the conferences and trade shows. Dealers and consultants at the conferences are also referencing problems with taking soil samples last fall. And, are looking at spring soil sampling to bring
Update From The Field – Kayla Simms
__ FROM THE HOME FRONT As snow hits the ground and continues to fall, things are just heating up at Midwest Laboratories. In my role within Sales and Client Relations, it’s important to meet all of our clients to learn what’s changing in your industry. How can Midwest Laboratories help to drive smarter decisions for
Driving Smart Decisions – February 2019 Update
A month in the books and we are closer to warmer temperatures as the past few weeks have been unusually cold. Getting Simple Our team is digging in and examining processes that touch our clients. We are looking at ways to improve how we receive samples, paperwork and the receipt of the samples. The objective
Driving Smart Decisions – November Update
November Update It is that time of the year. Harvest is in full swing and the fall cool breeze is back. The leaves have fully turned colors and are quickly making their descent to the ground. In addition, growers are in the field evaluating their current yields and contracts for 2019. At Midwest Laboratories, the
Mycotoxins Further Explained – GMO Specialist Brian Hodges
With the current weather conditions, we felt it would be appropriate to speak on the development and potential dangers of Mycotoxins. No matter where you are farming, if weather conditions are amiable for mold growth, the chances mycotoxins start to appear in your crops is significantly increased. Molds that are within the Mycophyta family have
Driving Smart Decisions – October Update
What is New? The soil sample numbers are increasing on a daily basis. It appears that the majority of samples may be sent in later this month. The rain in the midwest areas is causing delays with harvest and sampling. Soil sample drying capacity has increased to 31,000+ this fall to help accommodate the increased number
Driving Smart Decisions – September Update
New/Exciting Changes at MidwestLabs.com We updated our site! Why do you care? Well, we made sure to put your needs first. Updates have been made to the search functionality, navigation, and Industry section for tests. Find what you are looking for quicker and accessible. Not sure what you are looking for? Utilize our text, email,
Proactive Practices in Animal Feed
Trust that gut-feeling again. It doesn’t matter what industry you are hands-on in; all require a proactive mindset. Teachers must be proactive in their teaching styles to stay ahead of the technological advancements in the way humans learn and retain information. Accountants must be proactive in their financial endeavors to anticipate the economy’s ups and downs.
Driving Smart Decisions – August Update
Welcome It’s an exciting time to be at and working with Midwest Laboratories as we continue to move forward with innovative processes and initiatives to serve our customer’s needs. The business landscape is continuing to move at a vigorous pace. We are a company who believes staying innovative and ahead of the curve is essential.
Driving Smart Decisions – July Update
Welcome The Fourth of July is typically the half-way mark for summer. A time of celebration and giving thanks for our freedoms as U.S. Citizens July Announcements Stay Tuned: This month we will have some new initiatives we will be rolling out for our clients. These items are in the final stages of testing and
Driving Smart Decisions – June Update
Welcome, We are close to the start of summer. Although you would think summer has been here awhile, temperatures have been hovering around the 100-degree mark. Sample Update The end of May has seen a late spring surge in soils along with an early supply of plant samples. We are also seeing higher volumes of
Driving Smart Decisions – May Update
Welcome May is here, and so are the warm temperatures. This spring we continue to see an increase in the number of new accounts and client inquiries. We have taken some steps this month to help facilitate this increase by offering clients the ability to communicate via text message. This new system is excellent for mobile
Mineral Content of Beef Cattle Forages
Investment in forage analysis We were inspired by a recent article penned by Jim Sprinkle, Extension Beef Specialist at the University of Idaho. Jim detailed how to save dollars on mineral programs by determining the mineral status of ranch forages (January 2018; Progressive Cattleman). He suggested sampling and analyzing forage twice a year: at the
Driving Smart Decisions – March 2018
Welcome It is an exciting time of the year. We are coming out of winter and temperatures are starting to warm-up quickly. (See Graphic: Source greencastonline.com). Current Soil Temperatures in Omaha, 31 degrees F. for March 2, 2018. Many clients begin ordering their spring sampling supplies. Today, this process is a 4-step process with login on
MIDWEST LABORATORIES ANNOUNCES NEW OVERNIGHT SHIPPING PROGRAM
LaVista, NE – Midwest Laboratories announced during the 2018 Agronomy seminar, beginning March 1, 2018, they are launching a new FedEx Overnight Shipping Solution, exclusive for Midwest Laboratories clients. In order to get the data, their clients need to make critical business decisions; Midwest Laboratories will now offer $20 overnight flat rate freight for packages
Driving Smart Decisions – February 2018
Welcome One month is in the books for 2018. I look forward to the Super Bowl every year as it showcases the best teams in the NFL. It is a big event, and the buildup to the game always amazes me. An exciting time of the year. This past month it has been fascinating to
Driving Smart Decisions – January 2018
Welcome to 2018 At Midwest Laboratories, we are anticipating another exciting year of analysis. In 2017, we updated many laboratory instruments and that investment paid off nicely with the receipt of large volumes of samples in various departments. One of our goals is to identify specific analysis areas that can be updated through technology and
The Search for the Holy Bale
As the days begin to shorten and the air becomes soft and pleasant, our thoughts turn to Fall and then to Winter and then to……what am I going to feed my horse/mule until Spring? Equine owners refer to this as THE SEARCH FOR THE HOLY BALE (with apologies to King Arthur). To overwinter our trail
How Do I Test For Mycotoxins in Corn
Background Mycotoxins, as defined by Webster, are “a toxic substance produced by a fungus and especially a mold” For growers, the definition goes much deeper. Quality is the key here. Everyone is a bit cautious when buying and selling grain. Seeking professional analysis from a laboratory or local grain inspection service is the way to go. In
September Update 2017
Fall Is Around the Corner Labor Day Weekend is almost here. Schools are back in session. Temperatures are starting to cool off and the days are getting shorter. That means football activities are right around the corner too. Right now we are seeing an increased demand for stalk nitrate testing. In addition, many growers and
August Update 2017
August Newsletter For many, August 21, 2017, cannot get here soon enough. Solar Eclipse 2017 is almost upon us. Many in the science community are preparing to observe this once in a lifetime event. Fall Sampling Supplies Make sure you get your sampling supplies ordered. This past week, I took a closer look at supplies
June Update 2017
The temperatures are quite comfortable as we start the month of June, but very soon we will be moving quickly toward hotter and more humid conditions in the Midwest region. This type of weather is terrific for plants as they begin to grow. May was a wet month, so it will be interesting to see what
Mid-May Update
Soil and Plant Update The spring soil testing season continues to be strong. We are seeing a strong surge of soil samples which is a little unusual for this time of the year, but it really does show that growers and retailers are continually monitoring fields to ensure proper soil nutrients are available for proper
May Update 2017
Welcome to May This month, we celebrate 42 years of service. Our campus continues to change with the spring as we look to stay connected on our 10-building campus. May is typically the time of year for school graduations and the end of academic year activities. We are proud to have our own, original owner,
April Update 2017
Introduction Welcome to April. The recent rainfall will soon have grass, trees and plants budding. The recent warm winter has accelerated these activities along with the current soil temperatures, (See Map) which are quite warm for this time of year. From an analysis perspective, the lab areas at Midwest Laboratories are always evaluating current instrumentation
March 2017 update
Spring is almost here. This past month we’ve had a slight taste of spring/summer with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s. It has made for an exciting February. Soil sample volumes are up with the warmer temperatures. The Animal Feed Laboratory is almost completed. Once complete, the Animal Feed Laboratory will have its receiving, sample
February 2017 Update
In January we unveiled a whole new website look. It is our goal going forward to continue to provide visitors with as much analysis information we can provide on analysis, method, turnaround time and cost. If you are looking for a particular analysis, consider going to our test section and locating your specific analysis. Taking
New Website Update for 2017
Welcome to the new, midwestlabs.com site! This process started in May 2016 and came to fruition in January 2017. This site is the cornerstone of a new client experience. The new site will allow users the ability to find analysis information faster, with fewer clicks. One of the best parts of the site is the
Fire Warning – Linseed Oil
Have you thought about restoring the woodwork on your deck? If you are thinking about this process, you need to watch the following news story. It really highlights the danger of hot temperatures and flammability. In addition, the video really shows that cloths coated in oils can easily catch on fire because of hot temperatures.
Your FSMA Partner
For the past year, I have been reading more and more about the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) and all of the changes that will be affecting food growers, producers, and retailers. Three key components: Hazard Analysis Preventive Controls Produce Safety Midwest Laboratories has invested in new instrumentation, new facilities, and method development to meet
GMO’s Not Harmful To Human Health
Check out this weeks story in the USAToday, “Academies of Science finds GMOs not harmful to human health” by Elizabeth Weise Genetically engineered crops are safe for humans and animals to eat and have not caused increases in cancer, obesity, gastrointestinal illnesses, kidney disease, autism or allergies, an exhaustive report from the National Academies of Science released
Bill Introduction to End Food Waste
Check out this bill being introduced by Representative, Chellie Pingree. The goal of the comprehensive bill is to re-purpose food that would typically be wasted or not sold, including giving it to food pantries.The bill aims to help farms, retailers, restaurants and schools waste less food, while diverting high quality food to food banks, and using
Mycotoxins in Food and Feed
Each week I see more and more studies related to mycotoxins in foods. This article, “What Does it Mean When Your Coffee has Mycotoxins” suggests mycotoxins can be found in coffee. In addition, the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) is bringing this issue up as a preventive control for food and feed manufacturers to look
Fuel Ethanol Lab Conference 2015
This week I have been attending the Fuel Ethanol Lab Conference hosted by Midland Scientific. It has been interesting to listen to lab managers and supporting vendors talk about the current state of ethanol being produced in the United States. It comes down to producing a quality product: Ethanol. There are many challenges from a
Are Mycotoxins the New Gluten?
I came across this article, “Are Mycotoxins The New Gluten?” February 24, 2015 It is a very interesting article. There are a number of good points in the article. Currently, the FDA does not impose any limits on Mycotoxin. Ochratoxin A, like most mycotoxins, it remains stable at normal food processing temperatures of 176 – 248
Estimating Corn Yields
I really think this video does a great job explaining the math behind estimating corn yields before harvesting. Math teachers are always looking for real-world examples. I would encourage them to watch this video too. Too many times, we take these numbers for granted as consumers. Growers consciously are looking at these numbers in order
Tour of Missouri Crops
Check out this video of crop fields in the state of Missouri. It gives a very good perspective of what you might see if you traveled across the state and were to look at various fields. Quite a variety of stages being ovserved here. The big theme, “Too much moisture” Lots of areas where crops
Avian Influenza
Check out this news story and see how this issue is affecting our food production. The virus has killed more than 38.9 million birds. Questions still exist about how the virus is being spread. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the poultry industry
Ingredients Testing
Have you looked at analyzing the quality of your ingredients? At Midwest Laboratories, we are receiving higher volumes of phone calls regarding this topic. People are looking closer at the quality of ingredients they are receiving. Some of the items analyzed are protein content, fat content, water content, bacteria content, salt content, other heavy metals
Farmers Racing Against Time
The race is on to get into the field and begin planting. Check out this news report that looks at the corn planting situation in 2015. It is time to get into the field before the fields get too wet. Typically, corn is planted first in late April followed by soybeans which are planted the
We need Farmers to Feed the World
Take a second and check out this article, “The only thing that will feed the world is farmers” John Hart, Southeast Farm Press – December 17, 2004 “There is no single technology that will feed the world. The only thing that will feed the world is farmers,” Savage said at a forum on agricultural biotechnology
Feed Testing
Feed testing – This article, “The importance of feed testing” by Janna Kincheloe, November 17, 2014” is one of the best articles I have read on the topic of feed testing. This article looks at three key components: 1) Proper Sampling – The article explains how to collect a consistent feed sample 2) Quality Analysis – This
Behind the Scenes at McDonalds
Behind the scenes at McDonalds. McDonalds is opening its operations for people to see the true story of what the food product looks like. McDonalds is starting down a new journey. Our Food – Your Questions The beef is just like the beef you get at the grocery store. With the emergence of social media,
Why do people use Midwest Laboratories?
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Cattle and Corn Residue Feeding
What do cattle feed on with respect to corn residue?
Client Data at Midwest Laboratories
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Drought -Tolerant Seeds
Check out this video regarding drought tolerant corn. This might the choice of many growers to help minimize the risk of dry, drought conditions.
Cedar Ridge Winery and Distillery
The development of a distillery…Cedar Ridge Vineyard opened 12 years ago and was looking to differentiate itself from the market. This is where the distillery idea came to fruition. In the heart of a grain country a new idea was born and implemented. It is a cool story. Learn and listen more to Jeff Quint’s
FDA wants farmers to limit antibiotics
Listen to this farmer in this news story. Antibioitics should be used when animals get sick. Some farmers use antibioitics to help add weight to animals. Responsible antibiotic use has been around with livestock producers. This isn’t a new idea. This inititative by the FDA has been announced as a voluntary limit and more inforation
Antibiotics in Feed
I came across this article in The Wall Street Journal, “Groups Sue FDA Over Use of Certain Antibiotics in Animal Feed” Several environment and health-advocacy groups are suing the Food and Drug Administration to ban the widespread use of two antibiotics, (penicillin and tetracycline) in animal feed. The groups claim that antibiotics are being given