Iron is powerful and now Farm Progress Companies have PowerIron.
Farm Progress Companies announces its latest content-driven response to reader information priorities: PowerIron. PowerIron is a well-designed, twice-monthly e-newsletter that covers news and products from the ag equipment and related industries.
“As longtime publishers and industry observers, our aim is to provide our readers with a well-crafted, easy-to-read report on the news, issues and new products in the farm equipment industry,” said Willie Vogt, Farm Progress corporate editorial director. “It is designed to help our readers keep up with the latest new product rollouts and the events attended by members of our experienced and extensive editorial staff.”
PowerIron is the latest innovative news delivery product developed by Farm Progress to support its nationwide subscriber base with useful, targeted and well-crafted information. The e-newsletter is designed to complement the information provided by its state and regional publications and Farm Futures magazine.
You may register for PowerIron on any Farm Progress magazine Web site or go to www.FarmProgress.com.
Hundreds of people showed up today to tour the new Novus International headquarters in St. Charles, MO. It’s a beautiful facility and I especially liked the “Wellness Center” in which it looked like you could get a massage! That’s taking care of your employees.
It is kind of like Novus day here on AgWired since Cindy and Carly are in Des Moines covering World Pork Expo thanks to Novus. So I attended the ceremony in St. Charles and got to see a number of friends in the industry who were also on hand.
After Missouri Governor Jay Nixon spoke we heard from Novus President and CEO, Thad Simons. He said that the new building was built on the basis of three C’s, collaboration, communication and cost.
The theme for the day was, “Sustainable Culture, Global Vision.” Simons says their vision is, “To help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life.”
After his remarks, Governor Nixon joined him on stage for the ribbon release and then it was time for more building tours and refreshments.
The Platinum LEED certified headquarters building was the star of today’s show. Energy for the building was purchased with renewable energy credits and it incorporates some interesting elements that include:
* The largest array of solar panels in Missouri (5,000 square feet).
* 10% of the total materials cost came from salvaged materials.
* 30% of the total materials cost came from recycled content. Examples include countertops made from recycled milk jugs and scrap aluminum, fitness room floor made from recycled tires, and carpet containing recycled yarn.
* Under-floor air distribution system; this state-of-the-art system is extremely energy efficient.
* Landscape using Missouri native grasses and plants designed to require no irrigation, equating to thousands of gallons of water saved each year.
* A storm water system that will greatly reduce the environmental impact of runoff and improve water quality to receiving streams and eventually the Missouri River.
* Skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the use of natural light.
* Preferred parking for low emitting and fuel efficient vehicles.
You can listen to Thad’s remarks here: novus-simon.mp3
You can also download the remarks here: Thad Simons Remarks (mp3)
Novus Ribbon Release Ceremony Photo Album
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If you’ve got one of the only Platinum LEED certified (by the U.S. Green Building Council) buildings in the state of Missouri and even in the nation then you should be congratulated for the accomplishment. That happened today at the official ribbon “release” for the new Novus International global headquarters in St. Charles, MO when Missouri’s Governor Jay Nixon took the stage.
Nixon said, “We’re all proud to have Novus in Missouri. This is exactly the type of company that we want to attract, grow and keep in our state.”
The 90,000 square foot facility consolidates the Global Headquarters and International Research Center into a single facility. In addition to office space, the building includes 10 research laboratories, state-of-the-art employee and customer training center, a fitness center and cafeteria.
You can listen to Governor Nixon’s remarks here: novus-nixon.mp3
You can also download the remarks here: Governor Nixon Remarks (mp3)
I also have a photo album from today’s ceremony: Novus Ribbon Release Ceremony
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A bright IDEA from Novus International could help both hog producers and the ethanol industry.
IDEA stands for “Immobilized Digestive Enzyme Assay” which Dr. Brad Lawrence says helps understand the digestibility of lysine and other amino acids in dried distillers grains (DDGS), the livestock feed by-product of ethanol production. “Distillers is one of the few ingredients that we have that does come from multiple manufacturing facilities with different methods that could impact amino acid digestibility,” Brad says. “We run this laboratory procedure that looks at all the digestibility of all the amino acids which gives us a tool to compare the economic value of distillers from different sources.”
Novus is working on a National Pork Board research project with the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center and the Universities of Illinois and Minnesota to find the best assays for determining amino acid digestibility of distillers grains. The results of that research are expected later this year.
You can listen to my interview with Brad here: wpx09-brad.mp3
Download the audio here: Brad Lawrence with Novus International
World Pork Expo 09 Photo Album
AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International
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The nation’s pork producers have recommitted themselves to the “We Care” program announced last year at World Pork Expo. The program was developed by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the National Pork Board (NPB) to help demonstrate that pork producers are committed to caring for their animals, producing safe food, protecting the environment and public health and giving back to the communities in which they live.
“Trust is not granted, it must be earned,” said NPPC president Don Butler of North Carolinaduring a press conference at Pork Expo Wednesday. To earn that trust, Don said the industry needs to prove to the public that they abide by ethical principles. “Everyone of us has a part in the overall effort to tell the positive story of pork production in America.” He outlined a five-step action plan for the industry – uphold the ethical principles everyday, obtain PQA Plus certification, register for premises identification, schedule PQA Plus site assessment and encourage TQA certification.
Listen to or download Don’s comments here: Don Butler on We Care
Nearly 31,000 pork producers have already been certified under the PQA Plus program that was announced two years ago. NPB president Steve Weaver of California says they are urging all producers to commit to the program and participate in the “We Care” initiative by December 31, 2010. “Through their participation, producers would abide by the statement of ethical principals, become Pork Quality Assurance Plus certified by June 20, 2010 and achieve PQA plus site status by December 31st,” he said.
Listen to or download Steve’s comments here: Steve Weaver on We Care
In addition, AgStar Financial Services and Tyson Foods pledged new corporate support for the “We Care” program. AgStar Financial donated $50,000 to be used to develop and maintain a new web site dedicated to the “We Care” initiative which will be launched shortly. Tyson Foods donated $10,000 to be used for conducting on-farm assessments and the company will also now require all of its suppliers to become PQA Plus-certified by June of next year.
World Pork Expo 09 Photo Album
AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International
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Sustainability is the buzz word in the livestock industry and Novus International is talking with producers at World Pork Expo about helping them make even more progress in that area.
“Those are the type of producers that we can really help with antibiotic-free solutions and products that help toward sustainable, natural production and at the end of the day it helps them capture more margin at the farm level,” says Bruce King, Director of Biologic Markets at Novus.
Bruce started with Novus in February and he says he is excited about the way the company is growing to serve the needs of all livestock producers and solve the problems that they are facing.
You can listen to my interview with Bruce here: wpx09-bruce.mp3
Download the audio here: Bruce King with Novus International
World Pork Expo 09 Photo Album
AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International
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Do you have a Facebook Page? This is a popular way to connect with fans of your business or cause. Now, Facebook Ads for your Page will now get you even more Fans. You are now able to create ads that will allow users to become a Fan of your Page directly from the ad. Users can also click anywhere on your ad to access your Page. I haven’t tried creating these ads, but it looks pretty simple. Now, the question is whether your readers will appreciate ads on their profiles or not. Have you noticed the growing number of ads on this social networking site? What do you think about these targeted marketing tools?
According to Facebook, there are several benefits of using Ads for Pages including:
1. Without leaving the page they are viewing, users can become a Fan directly from the ad
2. When a user becomes a Fan of your Page from the ad, a story is published in the user’s Wall
3. This story is eligible to show in Highlights- creating free distribution in the social graph
4. Users will see friends who have become a Fan of your Page in their version of the ad – increasing the relevancy of your ad.
Unfortunately, this application is not free. You will never pay more than your max bid per click (CPC). Cost-per-click includes clicks on your title, image, body and clicks on the “Become a Fan” link. It does not include clicks on the friend actions.
To create a Facebook ad for your page, link here. For more information, link here.
The hog industry is hurting, but optimism still exists here at the World Pork Expo 2009.
Despite a year of plunging profits and flu fears, attendance is still expected to be pretty strong at the expo this year, according to general manager John Wrigley, who stopped by the Novus International tent for an interview. “We’re probably going to be down on international, the H1N1 virus caused some Asian groups not to come, but as far as regular attendance, it’s exactly what we would expect,” he said. “I’m pretty pleased right now.”
John says there are about 450 exhibitors at the expo this year, just about the same as last year, and that is what will motivates producers to attend. “The reason they come is to talk to the exhibitors, they want to know what products and services they have that will help them do a better job,” he said.
The big change this year is the days for the show. “We went to a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday instead of Thursday, Friday and Saturday,” said John. That was motivated by input from producers and exhibitors who said they would rather have the expo during the week instead of spilling into the weekend.
John notes that the World Pork Expo is totally a producer event, sponsored by the National Pork Producers Council. “Everything we do is for the producer,” John said. The National Pork Board does sponsor the Great Pork BarbeQlossal, which will be held here at the fairground on Friday and Saturday.
You can listen to my interview with John here: wpx09-wrigley.mp3
Download the audio here: WPX GM John Wrigley
BTW – Carly took the photo. Her first photo published on Agwired!
World Pork Expo 09 Photo Album
AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International
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World Pork Expo 2009 is underway here in sunny Des Moines. Agwired is set up in the Novus International tent on the main drag of the Iowa State Fairgrounds. We do have wireless internet access this year at the tent – yeah! – but are waiting for a power strip so I can plug in.
Got the Flickr photo album set up here. It will be updated a couple times a day with more photos, so keep checking back.
AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International
Having planted my own garden for the first time this year, I can relate to the promise this “GOOD FOOD GARDEN” has in the eyes of Washington D.C. students. This press release was provided by USDA. Here’s a feel good story for your Wednesday morning…
At a “ribbon planting” ceremony today, Share Our Strength(r), the leading national organization working to end childhood hunger in America, Food Network and Comcast, were joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to create and unveil an edible “Good Food Garden” that will bring healthy, fresh and nutritious food to children from underserved communities in the nation’s capital. The self-contained garden was planted at The SEED School in southeast Washington, DC (4300 C Street SE) and will remain there permanently as a working garden for the school children who will integrate the garden into the 7th grade civics and life science curricula.
Secretary Vilsack stated, “The USDA is committed to making healthy food accessible to children in need, and to improving the dietary habits of today’s youth. This garden stands as an example of what the USDA would like to see across the country. We believe children in underserved communities deserve a hands-on experience growing delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables.”
- Producer’s Choice is pleased to announce that Doug Bastian has been appointed to the new position of general manager with the company effective March 30, 2009.
- Farmers around the world utilizing biotechnology are growing more crops in a more environmentally sustainable manner, according to a report from the United Kingdom-based PG Economics. The PG Economics annual Global Impact Study quantifies the impact of agricultural biotechnology on the environment and on farmer incomes since biotech’s commercialization in 1996.
- Ag lender Farm Credit Services of Mid-America (click on Community, then Scholarships) announced that thirty-five students from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee have been selected to receive scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $1,500.
- Planalytics Inc., and Cash Grain Bids, Inc. have announced the formation of a strategic alliance to develop tools for farmers and agribusiness firms to use in making better, more profitable grain marketing and buying decisions.
After missing it the last couple weeks I got to participate in tonight’s AgChat session on animal ag via Twitter. Here’s the questions posed.
Q1: Should we have a #farmfact and/or #foodfact day each week? Which day & which tag best for educating non-ag?
Q2: Should NAIS be voluntary or mandatory? Why?
Q3: Is it possible to be for MCOOL but opposed to mandatory NAIS? Why?
Q4: What are the existing humane standards for animal care and transport?
Q5: How has Prop 2 impacted animal ag in California?
Q6: What are the top technologies that have positively impacted the dairy and beef cattle industries?
It was another great session. You can read back through it via Twitter Search.
We need to thank Michele Payn-Knoper for once again being the “chat herder” for #AgChat. You can follow her on Twitter at @mpaynknoper. This week we had a co-host, Kathy Swift.
As you can imagine, our questions were sure to generate some discussion and show how many different opinions there are on this subject while also giving any non-ag folks watching some new perspective on issues they have no personal experience with.
If you participated or have read back through the discussion what do you think? Also feel free to check out AgChat on Facebook.
Our friends at Farm Foundation have teamed up with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) to put together a workshop on contract design in commodity markets.
The workshop, scheduled to run June 9-10, will bring together leading professionals and academic researchers, looking at the effects of futures contracts and how they affect futures prices and markets:
Topics to be covered in presentations and panel discussions include electronic versus open outcry trading in agricultural commodities futures markets, and the success of the U.S. ethanol futures contract. Review the workshop agenda on the Farm Foundation’s Web site.
Open to the public, the workshop will take place 1 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, 2009, and 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, June 10, 2009, at the Waugh Auditorium, ERS, 1800 M St. NW, in Washington, D.C. There is no charge for the workshop but preregistration by Monday, June 8, is encouraged as seating is limited. Interested individuals may preregister via e-mail, providing name and affiliation to akirilenko@cftc.gov.
The Director of the ERS Market and Trade Economics Division, Sarahelen (Sally) Thompson, Jeffrey Harris, the Cheif Economist at the CFTC and Farm Foundation President Neil Conklin will address the workshop.
I am packing my bags and getting ready to head off to Des Moines for World Pork Expo 2009.
Once again this year, Novus International will be our primary sponsor for coverage of WPX on Agwired. We are also pleased to have the support of Boehringer-Ingelheim for part of our coverage as well. We sincerely appreciate our sponsors and hope you do to, because without them we would not be able to bring you the sights and sounds of big agricultural events like this.
This year is the 21st annual World Pork Expo, which is the largest pork-industry trade show and exhibition in the world, drawing tens of thousands of pork producers, exhibitors and visitors from across the country and around the globe. New this year are the dates for the event, moving from a late-week event to mid-week event, as requested by many of the producers and exhibitors that attend the show each year.
Also new this year at World Pork Expo will be our middle daughter, Carly, who will be attending with me as my assistant. She just graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in general studies and as she spends the next year figuring out if she really wants to be a physical therapist, we will be introducing her to the exciting world of agricultural new media! Dad is going over the new programs he installed on her Mac and introducing her to the sweet new Canon Power Shot G10 we got for her to start as a semi-pro photographer. Carly is very artistically inclined and very people-oriented, so we hope this will be a great experience for her. Just look for this beautiful face at WPX and say hi!
AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International
Hey AgWired/ZimmComm fans. We’ve got some big news for you today. Let’s just call it one small step for new media, one giant leap for ZimmComm.
Today we’re happy to announce a partnership with Dave Larson of Larson Enterprises as official sales representative for ZimmComm’s on-line publications and services, including Agwired.com, DomesticFuel.com, WorldDairyDiary.com and PrecisionPays.com.
Many of you know Dave and for those who don’t I recorded a conversation with him yesterday about our new deal. In it you can learn more about his background and what our plans are. Listen here: chuck-dave-larson.mp3
After five years of growth, our company is now at the point where it makes sense to retain the services of an established media representative to market our products/services. Dave will help us more effectively serve our many clients in the agribusiness industry.
Larson Enterprises is a full service advertising, marketing and consulting firm located in West Des Moines, Iowa. Dave has over 25 years of advertising, marketing, public relations and public policy experience with both public and private sector clients including national and international trade associations in food safety, agriculture, recreation and legal fields.
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to assist ZimmComm in representing the targeted advertising, marketing and media opportunities provided through their network of sites,” says Larson. “This truly is a unique opportunity of future growth for advertisers in reaching their key target markets. As a part of this new opportunity we will be offering new packages and schedule opportunities for those reserving advertising placements prior to July 15.”
So if you’re looking for a great new media deal Dave is your man. You can contact him via email or 515-440-2810. BTW you can also follow ZimmComm on Twitter now.
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Have you heard of The Hand That Feeds U.S. program? This is an educational resource for urban media on the importance of U.S. agriculture to the security and future of our country. The project provides information relevant to our nation’s farming industry, while also seeking to combat the current misinformation campaigns about food prices and renewable fuels.
Columnist Jerry Lackey at GO San Angelo wrote an article, Farmers’ contribution to U.S. topic of awareness campaign, that discusses the benefits of The Hand That Feeds U.S. and how it can help politicians understand the impact regulations have on the agriculture industry and ultimately, our nation’s food supply.
In an open letter to U.S. media outlets, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D.; and ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., urged reporters to take the time to learn more about U.S. farm policy and the farm and ranch families that keep America fed.
Unbiased information is needed now more than ever because at no time in our history has the general population been less connected to the farm, the senators said as they endorsed newly launched educational efforts dubbed “The Hand That Feeds U.S.”
Based on the recently published U.S. Census of Agriculture, just more than 2 million people in our nation of about 300 million are classified as farmers, with far fewer still making a living off of the land and meeting the lion’s share of the food and fiber needs of our country.
Here’s a reminder about the 2009 CCA Institute. It’s not too late to register according to Terri Breon.
Tickets are still available to attend the Friday night “Fun Night” at the ball park. Join fellow CCA’ers as the Kansas City Royals take on the Cincinnati Reds at the newly renovated Kauffman Stadium! As a bonus, the night ends with fireworks and fountains! Tickets are still available at the low price of $27. For more information, visit http://www.communicators.coop/CCA/.
But, wait, there’s more yet!
Follow-up your ballpark fun-filled night with an Adobe Creative Suite 4 training session, led by Curt Cuscino. Cuscino, Adobe Trainer with House of Tears, will lead participants through the in’s and out’s of CS4, including Acrobat, Dreamweaver, InDesign, and Photoshop. This 11:00 – 4:00 p.m. is an additional training opportunity available for only $60 (that includes your lunch). Details are available online at http://www.communicators.coop/CCA/.
You can download the program here (pdf).
The latest news from Quarry Integrated Communications is about their joining “a select group of communications agencies worldwide in being recognized as a Certified Agency Partner by Eloqua, the category-defining marketing automation leader. Quarry is the first communications agency serving agrimarketers in North America to achieve this distinction.”
“Eloqua’s award-winning marketing automation platform, in concert with our own trademarked Relationship Builder™ system, will enable our clients to do more with less – while enhancing the overall customer experience,” says Bob Wilbur, Quarry senior vice president, Agri-Food. “Specifically, we can help marketers rapidly design and deploy highly-targeted campaigns to generate demand, monitor and track individual responses, and continuously nurture relationships based on their profile and activity. This also helps build alignment between sales and marketing by identifying and passing along only the most qualified ‘purchase-ready’ leads to the sales force.”
We’re all pretty comfortable making statements like “Did you Google for it?” Do you think we could start saying “Did you Bing for it?” Just doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it. Microsoft unveiled it’s new search engine over the weekend – Bing.
So, have you tried it? What do you think?
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In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
