Monthly Archives: June 2005

Landec Ag Acquires Heartland Hybrids

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Landec AgHot off the presses is today’s talking news release from Landec Ag.

LANDEC AG, INC. ACQUIRES SECOND LARGEST DIRECT MARKETER OF SEED CORN
HEARTLAND HYBRIDS TO JOIN FORCES WITH FIELDER’S CHOICE DIRECT

MENLO PARK, CA – June 30, 2005 – Landec Corporation (Nasdaq: LNDC), a developer and marketer of technology-based polymer products for food, agricultural and licensed partner applications, announced today that its agricultural seed subsidiary, Landec Ag, Inc., has acquired Heartland Hybrids, Inc., the second largest direct marketer of seed corn. Landec Ag, through its Fielder’s Choice Direct® brand, is the leading direct marketer of seed corn.

Under the agreement, Landec Ag will acquire the assets of Heartland Hybrids, which is based in Dassel, Minnesota. The agreement is expected to close before the end of August 2005.

Tom Crowley, Landec Ag’s President and Chief Executive Officer, says the acquisition of Heartland Hybrids solidifies Landec Ag’s market position in the direct-to-the-farm sales channel for agricultural seeds. . .

Heartland Hybrids . . . Heartland Hybrid’s President, Jay Asplin, agrees that the agreement will be a great benefit for farmers. “We really believe the acquisition of Heartland Hybrids by Landec Ag is only going to enhance our ability to bring greater value to our customers. By combining both of our brands together, both of our companies, under the Landec Ag ownership, we’re really going to strengthen our ability to bring farmers across the country the opportunity to buy seed at a great value.” (full release)

For more information contact Bill Gass, Vice President of Marketing, (574) 583-2741 ext.107.

FEW Seminars Offered

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Fuel Ethanol Workshop SeminarLest you think the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo is mostly Expo, think again. They don’t always make for pretty pictures but there was a whole lot of educating going on.

Besides a keynote address to kick things off by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, the FEW offered numerous seminars on topics and issue important to anyone in the ethanol business.

Shuttlewagon Moves Railroad Cars

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ShuttlewagonIt’s not unusual to see big iron at a farm show but the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo had exhibits by a lot of engineering, accouting and consulting firms. That’s why you bring in the big rig if you’ve got it!

In this case it’s the Shuttlewagon. This is a portable railroad car mover. It certainly got your attention.

Checking Email Between Sessions At FEW

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Fuel Ethanol Workshop Internet CafeThis is becoming a standard feature of trade shows everywhere. I like the idea of having an internet “cafe” in the trade show so people have to go there for their free periodic email check. Each time I walked by the internet cafe the work stations were filled and even had people waiting. The 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo set up a very nice one.

It’s an internet world and we gotta get our fix!

Turning Corn Oil Into Biodiesel Fuel

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Greenshift CorporationThis release came out just in time to be mentioned while an ethanol conference is going on in Kansas City. I guess corn can also be made into biodiesel. You just don’t hear as much about it. There’s certainaly a lot going on in the renewable fuels sector right now. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have a champion in the White House either.

GreenShift Acquires Stake in Ethanol Oil Recovery Systems
Breakthrough Green Technology Efficiently Converts Corn Oil Into Biodiesel Fuel

MOUNT ARLINGTON, N.J., GreenShift Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: GSHF) today announced the completion of its investment in Ethanol Oil Recovery Systems, LLC (“EORS”).

EORS, a green technology development company, is the inventor of a new patent-pending breakthrough technology for the cost-effective conversion of corn oil into biodiesel fuels. EORS has agreed to transfer its technology to a new development partnership called SunSource BioEnergy, LLC, that is comprised of and managed by some of the ethanol industry’s leading producers, including VeraSun Energy, Glacial Lakes Energy, KAAPA Ethanol, Golden Grain Energy. EORS owns an 18% stake in the SunSource BioEnergy partnership.

“Our technology is an innovative and unique approach. After considerable research, development and testing, we are pleased to contribute the technology to the SunSource BioEnergy industry partnership,” stated David Cantrell, chairman and founder of EORS.

For more information contact Jim Grainer, President and Chief Financial Officer of GreenShift Corporation, +1-973-398-8183.

Crop 1 PRP Subject of Senate Testimony This Week

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Crop 1 InsuranceIt looks like there’s a lot of pressure being put on congress as it relates to crop insurance this year. Crop 1 Insurance sent out a talking news release today with sound bites from their president’s testimony on capitol hill on Tuesday.

CROP1 INSURANCE SAVES FARMERS ESTIMATED $2.4 MILLION THIS YEAR
Premium Reduction Plan Benefits Small Farmers

Des Moines, Iowa — The Crop1 Insurance Premium Reduction Plan (PRP), targeted for elimination in the agriculture appropriations bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last month, will save farmers an estimated $2.4 million in premiums this year and benefits many small farmers, according to new figures released by Crop1 Insurance in testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday. Crop 1 Insurance president and CEO Billy Rose testified that the company has already saved farmers millions of dollars through the PRP.

“To kill PRP sends a simple message – insurance company profits and agents’ commission checks are more important than helping farmers save money. Since the inception and approval of our program, we have saved the American farmer, out of our pocket, over four million dollars – no cost to the American taxpayer.” (full release)

For more information contact Greg Ehm.

Chillin With Corn Cob Bob At The FEW

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Corn Cob BobThis dude from Toronto was wandering around the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo today. He didn’t say much. Just waved a lot and was hangin with the ethanol home boys.

Canadian Renewable Fuels AssociationCorn Cob was escorted by Melissa Armstrong, public relations manager for the Canadia Renewable Fuels Association, CRFA. They were promoting the Canadian Renewable Fuels Summit which is scheduled for December 13-15.

While browsing the CRFA website I found a couple of radio commercials you might want to check out:

The ABC’s of Ethanol Download MP3 File
Leaving Home Download MP3 File

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Popcorn At An Ethanol Trade Show

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Burns & McDonnell BoothI only got to spend a little time at the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo today but there were photo opportunities. Since a lot of ethanol is made out of corn I had to take a picture of the Burns & McDonnell booth where they were making fresh popcorn! That’s the idea. Be creative. Top it off with some iced down bottled root beer and free coffee travel mugs made out of corn and I think someone was thinking ahead. They knew they’d be in Kansas City so the booth even had a cowtown motif.

Tracking News Releases Chapter 2

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I’ve been involved in more discussions about how to “track” news releases in the last few weeks than I can remember. That reminded me that it’s time for chapter 2 in this series, “Tracking News Releases.” In this chapter we’ll discuss how reporters use news releases, especially radio reporters since that’s our specialty.

Chapter 2

ZimmComm, Marketing & CommunicationsWhy didn’t anyone use my release right away? How do reporters decide to use my release? When will they use my release? Did they use the audio I sent?

In the first chapter I wrote about the news value of a release, which is the most important aspect of a release. I’m finding that a lot of public relations people don’t understand how a release is used by the reporter though. Many assume that the release is used immediately or not at all. They don’t realize that unless the story is time sensitive it can often be archived for future use. I’ve seen releases used months after they were received. I’ve done it myself!

Even a well written release that has a news angle to it (we don’t want written commercials!) won’t get used immediately unless the reporter has room in their publication or program and needs to fill space or time. These releases may often be placed in a folder or file for use when the reporter needs some “news.”

Many reporters I know won’t just cut and paste the release either. They will often re-write it to fit their style and medium. The end result may not even resemble the original release. Then it’s even harder to know if the release was used.

Most releases contain quotes from company representatives like the CEO or a technician and reporters often like to call a local contact for a quote, especially radio reporters. When this happens it also makes it hard to tell if they used the release you sent out. They may get a local customer or representative to say the very same thing but then they make the story more interesting to their listeners while feeling more in control of the news. . . (full article)

Grill Beef For The 4th On This Week’s MBIC Report

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Missouri Beef Industry CouncilAt the end of last week the big news was the BSE announcement by USDA. As big as that news was it’s not something for the public to be alarmed about and that’s the word you can hear in this week’s Missouri Beef Industry Council Report from executive director Steve Taylor. Steve also talks about the upcoming July 4th opportunity to grill beef with your family and friends!

You can listen to the MBIC Report here Download MP3 File

You can always subscribe to the podcast version of this report by using the file located in our sidebar.

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Adjust Your Ag-itude At AgVentures Open

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Heritage ComplexNow that’s what I’m talking about. Go to the opening event for a little ag-itude adjustment! I can’t be there though, bummer. Maybe they’ll send along some pictures to share.

Heritage Complex debuts world class AgVentures! discovery center
Opens to general public August 28

TULARE, CA: The Learning Center at Heritage Complex is in the midst of undergoing a major transformation which will result in a world-class ag museum to be unveiled to the general public, Sunday, Aug. 28. Located on the showgrounds of the International Agri-Center in Tulare, Calif., the new and vastly improved ag discovery center, AgVentures! at Heritage Complex, will be the caliber of contemporary discovery centers found in large cities.

The top to bottom makeover sets the stage for 25 brand new, custom designed, professionally built interactive exhibits. AgVenture! staff and volunteers have been working with a design firm in Oakland, Calif. Exhibits are under construction in Seattle, Wash.

“AgVentures! is designed for an unforgettable adventure in agriculture,” says Erin Machado, coordinator of the project at Heritage Complex. Exhibits will portray important messages about ag, natural resources and the future of the Central Valley.

AgVentures! will host an opening night fund-raiser, “Safari AgVenture,” Saturday, Aug. 27. Tickets are $50 each. The new ag discovery center opens to the general public on Sunday, Aug. 28.

Safari AgVenture! will start with an assortment of “Ag-ittude Adjustment” cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. After the unveiling of the custom constructed exhibits, guests will be treated to a feast of safari proportions.

For more information contact Erin Machado.

Tractor Supply Company Webcast

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Tractor Supply CompanyWant to know how the “largest retail farm & ranch store chain” is doing? Just log onto their webcast.

Tractor Supply Company to Webcast Second Quarter Results

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ:TSCO) , the largest retail farm and ranch store chain in the United States, intends to release its second quarter results Wednesday, July 20, 2005. In conjunction with this release, the management of Tractor Supply Company will host a conference call on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 20, 2005, which will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet.

4:30 P.M. (EASTERN TIME), Wednesday, July 20, 2005, http://www.mytscstore.com/

Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the streaming media software required to listen to the Internet broadcast. The online archive of the broadcast will be available on the http://www.mytscstore.com/ website through August 3, 2005.

Reaction To USA Raised-Beef Announcement

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American Meat InstituteI knew this wasn’t going to sit well with everyone and I’m sure we’re going to hear a lot more about it. We reported recently on the introduction of a new voluntary beef labeling program. It was officially kicked off today. The first response we’ve seen has been from the American Meat Institute.

NEW LABELING PROGRAM GETS ‘VOLUNTARY’ RIGHT,
BUT ANTI-IMPORTED BEEF MOTIVATIONS ARE STILL WRONG
By AMI President J. Patrick Boyle

“A new effort announced by the Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project (CCMP) aimed at voluntary country-of-origin labeling for beef got two things right: it’s voluntary and the costs of the program are paid for by those who champion it.

This stands in stark contrast to the expensive, mandatory program slated to go into effect in September 2006. That program’s first year implementation costs are estimated $3.9 billion, two-thirds of which will be borne by the red meat industry alone.

However, a close read of the materials released today by CCMP, a project of the Organization for Competitive Markets and the Ranchers-Cattlemen’s Action Legal Fund, should make clear that despite the fact that it is voluntary, the “Not just any beef. USA Raised Beef” campaign is an anti-trade initiative that reflects R-CALF’s ongoing beef with imports.

Under major free trade agreements, beef imported into the U.S. must be produced and inspected according to the same standards as beef produced in U.S. packing plants Only certain plants in other countries are certified as having this equivalence and only those plants may export to the U.S. To suggest that USDA is permitting “cheap” and “unsafe” beef into the U.S. is patently false and misleading to consumers.

For more information contact JANET RILEY, 202/587-4245.

World Dairy Expo Is A Really, Really Big Show

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World Dairy ExpoAs you may now know, ZimmComm is working in cooperation with the World Dairy Expo on the Expo Blog. The level of activity on the new website will increase as we get closer to the event. I knew it was a big show but didn’t know how big until now.

World Dairy Expo Among Top 100 Tradeshows in U.S.

MADISON, WISCONSIN – World Dairy Expo, an international trade and cattle show for dairy producers, ranked 85 th on the country’s list of largest tradeshows, according to Tradeshow Week, North America’s leading publisher of tradeshow information and exposition news. Compiled annually and published in April, the Tradeshow Week 200 ranks the 200 largest tradeshows in the United States and the 50 largest in Canada. Rank is determined by net square feet of paid exhibit space.

Up nine spots from last year’s rank of 94, World Dairy Expo is the largest production agriculture show among the top 100 which includes a variety of industries, from apparel to consumer electronics and health care to sporting goods, and it’s the only show among the top 200 that resides in Wisconsin.

“A jump of nine rankings is remarkable,” says John Rozum, World Dairy Expo Sales Manager. “This is not a shrinking business.” In fact, according to Tradeshow Week, tradeshows across the country saw increases across the board with exhibiting companies up three percent for 2004, while net square footage and show attendance figures grew over two percent.

For more information contact Lisa Behnke.

WRDA On House Floor This Week

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Missouri Corn Growers AssociationThis week the House of Representatives is supposed to bring the Water Resources Development Act to the floor for a vote. That’s the topic of CornTalk, the weekly interview program of the Missouri Corn Growers Association. I interviewed Lisa Kelley, Director of Public Policy for the National Corn Growers Association.

You can listen to CornTalk here Download MP3 File

CornTalk is an AgWired podcast that you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar.

Satellite Radio Deals For NCGA Members

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National Corn Growers AssociationNow here’s a deal I haven’t seen before. You know I’m a Sirius subscriber since I’ve written about it before. I’ve been wondering when or how or if the satellite radio people will try to target the most logical immediate customers for their product. It looks like they’ve been doing a little work. Although farmers are just “regular” people who like all that programming wouldn’t it be nice if they offered farm news?

NCGA Offers Deal on Satellite Radio to Growers

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) members can take advantage of substantial discounts for XM and Sirius satellite radio. XM and Sirius provide commercial-free music in various formats, from country to rock to jazz and blues. They also offer several news stations, such as CNN, The Weather Channel and MSNBC, and sports broadcasts, such as NASCAR, Major League Baseball and college athletics.

“NCGA continues to look for things that will assist growers and benefit our operations,” said Dave Boettger, chairman of the Grower Services Action Team. “I encourage our members to check out this opportunity. It gives growers instant access to news, weather and sports.” Equipment prices start at $77.75. The monthly fee is $12.95 per month. Please visit http://www.ncga.com/aboutus/main/index.html for more details.

“This is a great opportunity for our members,” said Byron Keelin, NCGA’s membership manager. “We’re offering substantial discounts on these products. It’s another way that NCGA is trying to build value for our members.”

NCGA sent members coupon books in May with savings on software, test kits, publication subscriptions, Internet access, magazine and newsletter subscriptions and more. Keelin said NCGA is always on the lookout for getting discounts for growers.

“We’ve been able to give growers some excellent deals recently, and we’re continuing to keep an eye out for new ones,” Keelin said.

New American Farm Bus Tour

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New American Farm TourbusThis is what I call a “revolutionary” way to get out and solicit some business. I’m thinking AgWired Bus! Nothing like borrowing a good idea. Of course it would have to have satellite high speed internet access but wouldn’t that be a cool way to blog around the countryside? In fact, I’ve suggested that New American Farm’s Ben Allen do just that so we know what’s happening on this tour each day!

You can see a neat little video about the company on their website here.

REVOLUTIONARY FARM COMPANY LAUNCHES 60-CITY TOUR
“BREAKING GROUND” TOUR SWEEPS MIDWEST, SELECTING FARMERS FOR INTEGRATED PRODUCTION OPERATION

New American FarmAustin, TX – New American Farm, a farmer-owned production company, announced today that it will launch a 60-city, five-month tour that will cover an estimated 10,000 miles and five states across the Midwest on Thursday, June 23, 2005.

The farmer-owned and operated company with just under 20,000 contracted acres will be meeting with pre-selected corn producers across the Midwest to discuss industry consolidation, marketing trends, and the company’s approach to achieving large-scale production. The tour will feature a customized tour bus and appearances at regional farm shows, including the Farm Progress Show, Husker Harvest Days, and FarmFest.

“Our clients represent the best of the best producers across a five-state region who are the first to recognize that banding together is the best defense against inevitable consolidation,” said Ben Allen, CEO of New American Farm. “This tour is about listening to smaller producers, letting them have a voice, and providing an opportunity to be more profitable.”

For more information contact Julie Huls.

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Pitching CAFTA-DR On Rural Radio

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Agriculture Coalition For CAFTA-DRI waited to post this until I had a copy of the radio spot that this coalition of ag groups for CAFTA is running this week on rural radio stations.

You can listen to the radio spot here Download MP3 File

AGRICULTURE COALITION FOR CAFTA-DR TO LAUNCH RADIO SPOT ON RURAL STATIONS

WASHINGTON, D.C.—June 22, 2005— The Agriculture Coalition for CAFTA-DR will launch radio spots next week to be broadcast on rural stations across the United States highlighting the critical need for farmers and ranchers to contact their members of Congress and urge them to support the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR). The audio spot explains that CAFTA-DR offers increased export market access for U.S. agricultural products ultimately resulting in long-term growth for U.S. agriculture. “To reap such benefits, the recently negotiated agreement must be passed by Congress and implemented now,” states the advertisement. “A vote against CAFTA-DR is a vote against agriculture.”

For more information contact AFBF: Tracy Taylor Grondine: 202-406-3642, GMA: Stephanie Childs: 202-337-9400, NCBA: Karen Batra: 202-347-0228, NCGA: Rhondalee Dean-Royce: 202-628-7001, ext. 19, NPPC: Kara Flynn: 202-347-3600.