The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has reached an agreement with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and state agricultural leaders to drop a proposed animal rights ballot initiative.
At a hastily called press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Governor Stickland stood with Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president Jack Fisher and HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle to make the announcement, which amounts to a truce between the aggressive animal rights group and Ohio’s animal agriculture industry. “This agreement represents a joint effort to find common ground,” said Strickland. “What we have concluded is something that is good for Ohio agriculture and will be good for animal welfare in our state.”
Under the agreement, HSUS will work with the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board and has received some concessions from the animal agriculture industry in exchange. Those concessions include a ban on veal crates by 2017; a ban on new gestation crates in the state after Dec. 31, 2010 and a 15 year phase out period; and a moratorium on permits for new battery cage confinement facilities for laying hens. The agreement also includes restrictions on cockfighting, “puppy mills” and exotic animals.
Fisher thanked the rest of the Ohio agriculture industry for working together on the compromise. “We came to the table to represent all of us in Ohio the best way that we could,” Fisher said. “We think it recognizes the wishes of our voters last fall in that the Ohio Livestock Care Standards board will be able to fulfill its mission. We also think it brings some certainty to the business climate for our Ohio farmers. Not in total – but this is the best we could do for all of us.”
Pacelle had the longest opening statement for the press conference, in which he thanked all the commodity groups for “good faith discussions.” “We want animal welfare, but we live in the real world,” Pacelle said, noting that they had the 500,000 signatures needed to put the initiative on the ballot this fall. Interestingly, only HSUS had a press release on its website about the announcement by the time the press conference was underway. Even after it was over, neither the governor’s office nor Ohio Farm Bureau had yet posted a release.
USDA’s new planted acreage report out this morning says corn acres are two percent higher than last year, but that is down a point from the March report with more acres are going to soybeans.
Corn planted area for all purposes in 2010 is estimated at 87.9 million acres, up 2 percent from last year. Acreage is up in Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio; but down significantly in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Soybean planted area for 2010 is estimated at a record high 78.9 million acres, up 2 percent from last year.
The Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX) held a conference call on the report this morning, featuring commentary by Joe Victor of Allendale, Inc., who expressed surprise at the decrease from the March report in corn acres. “This is the first time that we’ve seen fewer corn acres in the June planted acreage report versus the March, but it’s also the second largest number of corn acres planted,” Victor said.
Victor says the stocks report, with corn up 1 percent at 4.31 billion bushels and usage at 3.38 billion, was also a surprise. “That’s the first time that we can ever put a 3 in front of total usage, that is a record amount of usage, March through May,” said Victor. The previous record was 2007-2008 at 2.83 billion bushels.
Hello from Utrecht, Netherlands where I’ll be attending the 2010 Dairy Solutions Symposium, sponsored by Alltech. Just got in this morning and after a short nap went for a walk. I’ve never seen so many bicycles. They’re everywhere and just about every kind you can think of. This is a biking town no doubt.
For lunch I had a really good brie sandwich. I’m attending a dairy conference after all. I figure I’ll be eating pretty well the next couple days so it was strategic thinking to start out on the light side. Hopefully I’ll get to sample more of the cheeses made here in this region. I’ve just started a photo album for this event and have some photos from my walk in it: Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album
This evening I’ll be attending a dinner for speakers and others involved with the Symposium and we’ll get started officially tomorrow morning. Most of my coverage will be appearing on World Dairy Diary.
Kansas City’s Mike Haverty and Steve Hunt were recently awarded with the “Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence.” The Award was presented by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City.
The Makhteshim Agan Group and Albaugh Inc.,announced that they have signed a Letter of Intent providing for the acquisition of Albaugh by Makhteshim.
I have to admit, I have never heard the word “zoonoses” until today. Up until now, I would have thought that “zoonoses” were the prominent part on the faces of animals that are primarily used for smelling. But, no – actually, the definition of zoonoses would be those infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans or visa versa. Learned something new today, thanks to Farm Foundation.
If you want to learn more about Zoonoses, plan to attend an upcoming Farm Foundation symposium on the topic, to be held Sept. 23-24 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
“The recent H1N1 outbreak is one in a long series of disease outbreaks that has raised questions about the relationship between the diseases, agricultural production systems and human health,” says Farm Foundation, NFP Vice President Sheldon Jones. “An understanding of the risks and interactions is critical tohealth professionals working with humans and animals,policy makers and regulators. This symposium is designed to help build a systematic knowledge of those relationships.”
The symposium is targeted to the multiple disciplines involved in any disease outbreak-public health officials, epidemiologists, virologists, veterinarians, agriculture producer groups and media representatives, particularly those responsible for health, science and agricultural coverage.
According to a news release, the Minnesota Soybean Federation (MSF) and the Oklahoma Soybean Federation (OSF) have joined USSF as state affiliates. They join the Nebraska Soybean Federation, Missouri Soybean Association, Oklahoma Soybean Federation and the Minnesota Soybean Federation as part of the group that was formed in 2009 with a mission of “ensuring U.S. soybean producers and the soybean industry are provided the maximum opportunity for success in the global marketplace through policy and advocacy efforts.”
The USSF Board of Directors also announces recently elected new officers for the organization.
Stepping into the position of president is Jerry Slocum, a soybean farmer from Coldwater, Miss. “I’m proud to serve as an advocate for my fellow soybean farmers on policy issues at the national level,” says Slocum. “These days we can’t have enough voices in our nation’s capital speaking on behalf of agriculture and farmers.”
Joining Slocum on the USSF Executive Committee are Brian Greenslit, vice president and a soybean farmer from Franklin, Minn.; Greg Anderson, secretary/treasurer and a soybean farmer from Newman Grove, Neb.; and Warren Stemme, chairman and a soybean farmer from Chesterfield, Mo.
The USSF Board of Directors will meet again this summer where it will review additional policy objectives moving forward. While OSF has already been accepted as a USSF member, MSF will formally be accepted at that time.
The House Agriculture Committee has been holding hearings already to get input on the 2012 Farm Bill.
Last week, the committee heard from representatives of major agricultural organizations about farm safety net programs. Among those testifying was Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, who noted that farmers in every state rely in some way on the economic safety net provided in the 2008 farm bill, but which programs are judged most beneficial depends largely on a farmer’s crop and region.
“While our farmers are generally supportive of the safety net provided in the 2008 farm bill, it can sometimes feel like you’re reading the old children’s story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ when you talk to individual farmers about their experiences with farm programs,” Nelson testified. “Some farmers think the safety net coverage provided under the 2008 farm bill is ‘just right.’ But in other cases and for other farmers the coverage is sometimes too little. In a small number of cases, the coverage may even be duplicative and too much.”
Acknowledging that the 2012 farm bill will be written in a difficult budget environment, Nelson said AFBF believes that five key principles should be followed during the rewrite process – that the options be fiscally responsible; that the basic funding structure of the 2008 farm bill should not be altered; that proposals will aim to benefit all agricultural sectors; that world trade rulings should be considered; and that consideration be given to the stable business environment that is critical to success in agriculture.
In recent weeks, myself and two partners in crime have gone through what’s politely referred to as an “external evaluation.” Let’s face it folks, it’s an audit. During this process, we were subjected to an interview. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t been interviewed for about 3 years now and it felt a little threatening at first. I’m usually the one on the other end of the microphone, asking someone else to talk. After I had a chance to mull over the conversation, something was still plaguing me.
Tradeshows.
I was asked: How do you measure the success of a tradeshow?
My answer: Well, we do a drawing/giveaway at every show, and it’s based on personal contact, so if you figure up the “cost per impression” you’re looking at about $100 per impression. You have the booth cost, travel, lost time per employee, food, lodging, items to hand out at the booth …
Ouch.
As a PR professional, I find measurement of tradeshows to be the hardest task when it comes to justifying what’s in my job description so that they keep me working year-to-year. The appropriate answer to the question above is that our absence speaks louder than our presence at some shows. But how do you measure that? I can feel the mom coming out in me: BECAUSE I SAID SO, THAT’S WHY!
So what I’m asking of my colleagues is this: How do you effectively measure tradeshow participation when you just have to be there, just because someone said so?
“If you really look at whose behind the ethanol industry, it’s the American agricultural industry,” said Steve McNich, CEO of Western Plains Energy based in Oakley, Kansas. “There’s no better example at working your way out of a market than the American farmers. The history of the American farmer is that if there is ever an opportunity to make money, they’ll produce enough to make sure that doesn’t happen. The ethanol industry is no different.”
This is how McNich explained the tie of American farmers to the ethanol industry and what the future may hold with the predictions that America will have the largest corn harvest in the country’s history this year. This coming after several years of record production levels and rising surplus numbers.
One of the main problems with current policy, specifically the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2), is that it caps corn-based ethanol numbers to 15 billion gallons and also stipulates that corn ethanol can never be considered an advanced fuel. McNich explained that another problem with the policy is that while people perceive the policy to pit biofuels against oil, it really pits biofuels against biofuels. He said that as advanced technologies get into the market, it will further limit the amount of corn ethanol in the marketplace which is going to put more and more corn on the ground. McNich continued, “We could have an economic train wreck this country is not prepared for and ultimately looking at a farm bail-out.”
Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy expanded upon the surplus concern by stressing that the American farmer can produce the fuel America needs and still produce food. However, Americans have been fed mis-truths so Growth Energy has launched a national TV campaign to re-introduce the benefits of ethanol to Americans.
Buis also noted that a year ago, when Growth Energy was formed, they knew the importance of consumer involvement in telling ethanol’s story and so they created GrowthForce. Now more than 17,000 members strong, the team of consumers helps to tell ethanol’s positive story to neighbors, friends and colleagues and legislators. You can become a member by signing up here.
As policy is one of the key elements to the future success and growth of the ethanol industry, Growth Energy is focused on several key pieces of legislation on the federal level including mandating all cars be flex-fuel, all gas stations should have a blender pump, as well as the extension of the ethanol blender’s credit, and keeping the ethanol tariff in place. You can hear Tom Buis discuss these key priorities in an interview here. Tom Buis Interview
This is where I’ll be this week. The Netherlands and the Dairy Solutions Symposium put on by Alltech and the Centre for Animal Nutrition. It will be held at Utrecht University on Thursday and Friday. Most of my posting will be on World Dairy Diary.
Rumen health is of critical importance for efficient transformation of dairy cows diets into nutrients. As such it is a major cause of economic losses in the dairy industry and important in maintaining the health and welfare of the animal.
This two day symposium, Rumen Health: A 360 degree Analysis, aims to bring together leading scientists in dairy nutrition to discuss a variety of topics including the impact of rumen pH on ruminal digestion, occurrence and prevention of sub-acute rumen acidosis, maintenance of an optimum rumen function and Ruminal adaptations during the transition period.
For you Twitter fans and I know there are a lot of you in the dairy business, follow the conference hashtag: #AlltechDSS
Steve works in Extension for Oregon State University. He got started with ACE because of the professional improvement and networking opportunities he found by attending their meetings. He believes that people have lost their connection to agriculture and there is a need to educate them about food production.
ZimmCast 265
The Association for Communication Excellence (ACE) is an international association of communicators, educators and information technologists. It offers professional development and networking for individuals who extend knowledge about agriculture, natural resources and life and human sciences.
Syngenta Seedcare announced Ryan McGruder, a rice grower from Wynne, Ark., as the grand-prize winner of the CruiserMaxx Rice Sweepstakes, which celebrated the recent launch of CruiserMaxx Rice, the first insecticide/fungicide seed treatment combination for rice.
Advanta US, Inc., announces the addition of Steve Ligon as business manager.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) recognized the latest winners of its annual student engineering and mechanization awards during the recent American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ annual international meeting.
Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome … better known as PRRS … has changed the way farmers raise hogs, and attendees of the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) seminars at the recent World Pork Expo were able to hear how biosecurity, vaccination and tracking of PRRS are keys to controlling the disease.
At the session I was able to attend, Dr. John Waddell of the Sutton Veterinary Clinic in Sutton, Nebraska, told the group that biosecurity needed to be addressed on a daily basis.
“You’ve got your risks of direct introduction, and you’ve got lots of ways you can indirectly introduce virus or disease into a herd.” He said you have to believe that you can track the disease and then use discipline and accountability to keep from introducing disease into swine herds. Dr. John Waddell Interview
Dr. Michael Murtaugh, a noted professor of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Minnesota explained to the people attending the session there are certain indirect benefits to vaccinating a swine herd.
“Vaccination can reduce the amount of PRRS virus in an area, which would reduce the risks of infection.” And mass vaccinations can help drive out a variety of PRRS viruses. With fewer overall viruses, the better the chances of overall PRRS control. But Murtaugh also cautioned the audience that there are limited diagnostic capabilities. “You need to understand the strengths and limitations of your tools to use them the best way possible.” Dr. Michael Murtaugh
One tool is producers’ arsenals is a system actually developed by Boehringer Ingelheim and donated to veterinarians called PADRAP … Production Animal Disease Risk Assessment Program, an online risk assessment. Dr. Derald Holtkamp, an assistant professor at Iowa State University, explained vets have been able to use PADRAP as a communication tool to ensure a coordinated approach to controlling PRRS is used.
“A number of these things veterinarians have been talking to their clients about for years. But what PADRAP does is give them a more systematic way to do it.” Holtkamp said PADRAP also helps producers decide what method they need to use to eliminate PRRS in their herds. Dr. John Waddell interviewwpx10-bi-holtkamp.mp3
All three agree that PRRS has changed the way swine production and biosecurity is handled, and it is a costly disease. “But I think we’re going to win this battle,” said Waddell.
This is a friendly reminder to register for the Agricultural Media Summit by June 30 if you want an early registration price break. I got mine in and am looking forward to it since I missed last year.
Ag Media Summit is getting more social this year btw. Actually it was always social, as in a very social affair!
Check out the new AMS blog — it’s the social media hub for Ag Media Summit. Find information about free live video streaming of sessions, following @AgMediaSummit on Twitter and more.
I introduced you to Sanani Coffee recently after interviewing company President, Tarif Ausaf. Since then I was sent a box to sample and I’m happy to report that I can recommend it. The coffee is excellent and Cindy told me she liked it too after trying it this morning for the first time.
Here are a few newsworthy facts that makeup Sanani’s captivating story:
* The term “mocha” originates from the port city of Mocha in Yemen. This is the city where the history of coffee trading began.
* Our coffee beans are grown naturally, without pesticides, using cultivation methods that haven’t changed for over 400 years.
* We use the freshest coffee harvests. The beans that are roasted for Sanani have not been lying around in storage for months.
* We air-ship our coffee beans from Yemen to avoid flavor-robbing sea moisture (something that no other coffee company does!).
* We won’t grind the beans until someone orders them.
* Each 250-gram (8.8 oz) bag retails for $24 and is packaged in an elegantly designed box.
Probably many of you have heard about the problem hog farmer, Chris Chinn, had with a YouTube video she had produced to “help the public understand modern agriculture.” The problem was it got flagged as inappropriate content. That got changed this week. You can read more about this situation on the FBlog.
My faith in YouTube was restored yesterday when I discovered my video had been returned to it’s “G” rating. I was not notified by YouTube that this happened, and I am not sure when or how it happened. What I do know is last week there were several articles about my video being flagged inappropriate and tweets were flying on Twitter about my video being blocked. Thank you YouTube for returning my video to a “G” rating, I just wish it hadn’t taken 6 months!
One of the cool things to do at an Indy race is tour the garages where the technicians work on the engines in preparation of race day. The Iowa Corn Growers conducted multiple tours of the garages during race weekend for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.
I followed one group and interviewed several grower participants.
First up was Tim Recker, Iowa Corn Growers Association Director from Fayette County. He came out to the track to see the “power and performance of ethanol powered vehicles.” Like other corn growers I’ve spoken with, he has a feeling of pride to see the cars running on American made ethanol from the corn he produces.
Next up was Dean Taylor, President-Elect, Iowa Corn Growers Association. Dean said that everything was going fine and it was a great event. He says the race is getting the message out about what ethanol is. He says fuel security is going to become increasingly important.
Finally, I interviewed Roger Zylstra, Iowa Corn Growers Association Director, Jasper County. Since he serves on the animal ag and environment committee I asked him about the importance of animal agriculture to corn growers. He says the livestock industry is very important to Iowa corn growers. You’ll hear some of the cars being tuned up in our conversation.
Syngenta Seeds, Inc. has received approval from Japanese regulatory authorities for the Agrisure Viptera trait and the Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack. This approval clears the way for U.S. corn growers to plant corn hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera trait during the 2011 planting season.
Premier Power, LLC has designed a new, mobile PTO power source for farm operations needing the flexibility of an efficient PTO power source in multiple locations, called “The Bull”.
The Department of Justice and the USDA announced the agenda and panelists for the June 25 workshop examining competition in the dairy industry.
The iPhone 4 has landed in the AgriBlogger’s lap and is fully activated and ready for action. This photo was the first one I took with the phone. You can see it and others from a Katy Trail bike ride today in an online photo album
iPhone 4 First Photos
My first impressions include:
Sleek and solid. Not as prone to finger smudges.
Major difference in photos. Nice to have some quality and zoom in the camera!
I’m still getting used to the new iOS 4 software but liking the improvements such as being able to put apps into homescreen folders, one email inbox for multiple accounts, etc.
I’m making less mistakes typing. Not sure why but it just is.
Do I recommend it? Yes. But I’ll post more about it after I’ve had time to work with it and some of the new apps that have come out.
That question is one I rarely get a yes answer to. In fact, after saying no the question I get back is “How do we create one?” or “Can you provide an example of one?” If you’re wondering about this then today’s eMarketer report is a good read. Recent research has shown that most companies don’t have a strategy or are only part way to having one. Part of the problem is probably the silo effect of internal company departments like sales, marketing, public relations, legal, human resources, etc. It’s difficult to prepare and implement a strategy when people in different departments don’t communicate! This point is made in the report.
“Companies that have held back on adopting social media throughout their organizations would benefit from starting with a cohesive plan that involves all of the key groups within the organization,” said the report, while those that have already adopted the social channel should get all departments and employees on board with a complete strategy.
Not surprisingly one of the top concerns companies (mostly attorneys I think) have is this one: “how to respond to comments on social sites.” I see that as a mostly irrational fear but understandable. But why should you let that keep you from creating a strategy and especially one that provides employees with guidelines for how to handle it? For example, if you assign an individual to create and maintain your company Twitter account then let them know what they can and can’t say in reply to messages received from followers. You can’t ignore them or you might as well not have a Twitter account. Social media is about engagement. It’s not just another way to force your message on people. But keep in mind that if you choose not to participate in social media you can’t complain about what others are saying about you. I think it’s best to join the online conversation and tell your story and let your voice be heard even if it is scary and requires an investment of resources. I’d be happy to help if you would like to discuss.
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
David conducted a presentation on delivering expert opinion via social media to an audience at the start of International Poultry Expo week. He's got some great information about who consumers trust and how you can use today's consumer behavior to help communicate your message.
At a hastily called press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Governor Stickland stood with Ohio Farm Bureau executive vice president Jack Fisher and HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle to make the announcement, which amounts to a truce between the aggressive animal rights group and Ohio’s animal agriculture industry. “This agreement represents a joint effort to find common ground,” said Strickland. “What we have concluded is something that is good for Ohio agriculture and will be good for animal welfare in our state.”
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Victor says the 
If you want to learn more about Zoonoses, plan to attend an upcoming Farm Foundation symposium on the topic, to be held Sept. 23-24 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, D.C.
According to 
Last week, the committee heard from representatives of major agricultural organizations about farm safety net programs. 
“While our farmers are generally supportive of the safety net provided in the 2008 farm bill, it can sometimes feel like you’re reading the old children’s story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ when you talk to individual farmers about their experiences with farm programs,” Nelson testified. “Some farmers think the safety net coverage provided under the 2008 farm bill is ‘just right.’ But in other cases and for other farmers the coverage is sometimes too little. In a small number of cases, the coverage may even be duplicative and too much.”
For those of you not familiar with ACE you might think hardware but it’s actually an agricultural communications organization. The full name is 
One of the cool things to do at an Indy race is tour the garages where the technicians work on the engines in preparation of race day. The 
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
