It’s official. The Sorghum Checkoff (officially the Sorghum Promotion, Research and Information Order) will continue as announced by USDA today.
“We are pleased to announce that this Checkoff program will continue, and I am confident that this program will further its goal of strengthening the industry and expanding marketing opportunities for sorghum producers and importers,” said USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator Rayne Pegg.
The referendum took place from Feb. 1, 2011, through Feb. 28, 2011. Of the 1,204 valid ballots cast, 917 or 76.2 percent favored the program and 287 or 23.7 percent opposed continuing the program. For the program to continue, it must have been approved by at least a majority of those eligible persons voting for approval who were engaged in the production and sale of sorghum during the period July 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2010.
Here’s how the National Sorghum Producers reacted:
Gerald Simonsen, National Sorghum Producers chairman of the board and sorghum farmer from Ruskin, Neb., proclaimed the results as a huge win for the industry and sorghum farmers across the nation.
“The NSP board recognized a need three years ago for improvement in the sorghum industry in the areas of market development, research and education,” said Simonsen. “We developed a vision, worked with USDA to create the program and are proud of the results the Sorghum Checkoff has produced in its two short years of operation.”
The NAFB Board of Directors has selected Jerry Hurley of Association Executive Resources Group to assist in the search to find a new Executive Director.
You are probably picturing your hand holding that iPod touch. Aren’t you? Well it is a possibility if you are selected in our drawing next week at the conclusion of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference Connection Point. You have to stop by booth #412 and get your entry in but don’t have to be present to win when we pull names. We’ll be awarding one to a professional member and one to a student member. These are 32GB models so there’s lots of room to store your music and apps.
Speaking of apps, these iPod will be pre-loaded with the AgWired App. That’s just to make it easier for you to have one of the first and coolest ag apps on your device. Of course it’s not hard to get and it is free anyway. If you’ve got an iPhone/iPad/touch all you have to do is click on this link or got to the iTunes Store to search for it. Once you have the app on your device you’ll find that you can select any of our ZimmComm News Network websites to read the latest news and of course that includes AgWired. There’s more there too. Feel free to stop by our booth if you need help or have questions. And for you Android folks, don’t worry. The Android Market should have a new app in it by next week!
We’ll have some other cool items at our booth besides these beauties. Please stop and visit the ZimmComm Team and learn about Google Juice.
What grade did you give U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for his mid-term? I think the results of our last ZimmPoll show how difficult it is to please everyone. We asked the question, “What mid-term grade would you give Ag Sec. Vilsack?” The votes for an A and an F were the highest and equal. 24% give him an A while 24% give him and F. Those grades are followed by 20% giving him a B, 19% a D and 13% a C. If you feel strongly about a certain grade feel free to leave a comment about why. We love getting your opinions and comments lets you freely express them!
So, let’s look at our newest ZimmPoll question, “How should farmers respond to critical documentaries such as Food Inc.?” The results of this question will be published at the start of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference next week and I think the results will be of real interest to agrimarketers attending. If you have a different idea than one of the choices we’ve presented then please feel free to comment. Thanks your your participation.
And if you have any questions you want to suggest for future ZimmPolls please let us know.
ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.
Put this in the “who thought this was a good idea in the first place?” file.
By a vote of 87-12, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to repeal the idiotic health care reform provision that would have required businesses to file a 1099 form with the IRS any time they spend more than $600 a year with another business, sending it to President Obama to sign.
Granted it has a lot of competition, but this has got to be one of the dumbest things included in Obamacare. As the ZimmComm bookkeeper (among my many hats), I can tell you that this would have been a nightmare for me. I try to keep our taxes as simple as possible, which is why we have freelancers instead of employees, and 1099s are already a pain. You have to buy special forms that come in packs of 25 for dot matrix printers, which hardly anyone uses anymore, but only packs of 50 for regular printers – when I only need about 10. If I had to send out a 1099 for every piece of equipment over $600 that Chuck buys …. let’s just say that the 50 might not be enough! We’d probably have to file one just for his morning trips to Coffee Zone – I’m sure he spends at least $600 a year there!
Anyway, just about everyone (except maybe the 12 senators who voted against it) is cheering the repeal of this stupid provision, including agriculture. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall called it “an enormous victory for U.S. farmers, ranchers and small businesses …. Commonsense scored a victory today.” That in itself is a miracle for Congress!
American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman says the repeal is great news for America’s farm and ranch families. “This was a costly, burdensome and unnecessary tax compliance requirement that was counterproductive to job creation and economic growth,” Stallman said. “Farmers, ranchers and small businesses are overloaded with paperwork, and we are pleased that our leaders in Washington took steps to provide relief. Farm Bureau commends the Senate for passing H.R. 4, and we urge President Obama to sign it.”
Obama apparently supports the repeal and is expected to sign. The unanswered question is, as I said at the top, who thought this was a good idea in the first place? And who are those 12 senators who voted against it?
POST UPDATE – Got the answer to my second question anyway. Akaka (D-HI) Durbin (D-IL) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Reid (D-NV) Sanders (I-VT) Schumer (D-NY). No real surprises there, I guess.
Meet some Real Farmwives of America and Friends. RFOA is blogging and you should visit to meet them and find links to all their social networking profiles!
RFOA & Friends is a growing group of women across the nation who blog about life on and off the farm. Our members either currently live on family farms, grew up on the farm and/ or work in the farming community. Our blogs focus on many different topics from humor to life to recipes to DIY projects to our families.
The FY 2012 Budget Resolution unveiled by House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-Wis) includes reforming current farm programs.
The Republican budget plan would cut farm program spending by $30 billion over the next decade to “reflect the economic reality of record-high farm income by restructuring farm programs, saving taxpayers money and increasing farmer independence.”
Net farm income this year is forecast to be the second-highest recorded in the past 35 years. Production costs have risen, but income has risen faster as prices for major commodities such as corn and soybeans have outstripped even the rising cost of energy. The top five earnings years for farmers in the last 35 years have occurred in the last decade.Yet, at the same time, numerous overlapping government programs exist to provide income support to farmers.
With crop prices – and deficits – hitting new highs, it is time to adjust support to this industry to reflect economic realities.This budget proposes two major reforms to achieve this: First, reduce the fixed payments that go to farmers irrespective of price levels, to reflect that soaring commodity prices are reducing the need for high levels of farm-income support. Second, reform the open-ended nature of the government’s support for crop insurance, so that agricultural producers assume the same kind of responsibility for managing risk that other businesses do.
Corn growers say they are willing to take a proportionate share of budget cuts to get the deficit under control.
“These cuts are significant, but so is our nation’s out-of-control budget deficit,” said National Corn Growers Association President Bart Schott in a statement. “What is important is that farmers are not singled out — the cuts proposed for agriculture are proportional to those proposed for other areas of the federal budget. We know this is just the beginning of the budget discussion. No matter the outcome, we are committed to working with the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to fashion a farm bill that provides farmers with risk management tools that are there when they truly need them.”
If you can’t make it to the World Agriculture Investment Conference USA in May then you might consider the newly announced World Agriculture Investment Conference Asia which will be held in Singapore.
In June this year, leading investment groups from across SE Asia and Australia are coming to Singapore to discuss the opportunities and risks in agricultural markets. With the latest market insight and global case studies, anticipation is high.
On June 29-30, a unique forum will bring together institutional and private investors with top Ag fund managers, to debate strategies for participating in agriculture and surrounding investments.
Confirmed participants already include: Macquarie, 21Ventures, Duxton Asset Management, InvestAg Savills, Emergent Asset Management and many more.
This is a unique chance to network with investors and Ag managers, and to effortlessly catch-up on where allocations are being made and how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 545.
It’s hard to believe but true. The AgChat Foundation is one year old today. And that means we’ve been AgChatting for two years! I remember when I’d ask someone if they had heard of or participated in AgChat. Most didn’t and I had to explain a “Twitter Conversation.” Now it’s getting harder to find someone who doesn’t know what it is. So read the release and learn how farmers are mastering the art of social media.
Americans may have noticed a new social media trend this past year: more Facebook posts from the farm, more tweets from the tractor and more blogs from the back forty.
The timing of this social media “stampede” couldn’t be better, says Jeff Fowle, president of the AgChat Foundation. Celebrating its one-year anniversary today, the AgChat Foundation is a 100-percent volunteer organization formed to empower farmers and ranchers to effectively tell their stories using social media. He says in one 2010 study1 conducted by the Hartman Group, 59 percent of consumers purchasing local said they wanted a “connection to the farmer.”
In just 12 months, AgChat Foundation has successfully inspired farmers to add tweets and posts to their daily chores. It even earned a coveted spot on the 2011 SXSW® Interactive Festival program, last month, presenting alongside the country’s brightest in emerging technology.
Yet, its greatest achievements, Fowle says, are the hundreds of farmers it has inspired to “agvocate” for agriculture, and the thousands of consumer conversations it has spurred.
“Increasingly, urbanites are tuning in to the rural lifestyle and talking directly to the folks raising their food,” says the fourth-generation rancher with more than 33,000 Twitter followers, and author of Common Sense Agriculture’s Blog. “Our job is to step up farmers’ social media skills and help them find their authentic voice.”
It’s up to the farmers what stories or information they share: “Some opt for human-interest farm life stories, while others have tackled tough topics, such as animal welfare. We’re working with farmers young and old, representing organic and conventional farms of all sizes. It’s a diverse bunch with ranging levels of skills and stories. What they all have in common is a desire to connect with their urban counterparts.”
The AgChat Foundation invites consumers to learn more about agriculture and food production by joining the live #AgChat Twitter conversation each Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST.
As part of its launch of new large agricultural equipment for 2011, John Deere has created an innovative, interactive new website – johndeere.com/unlock – to give growers an early preview of the new John Deere 7R Tractor, combines and other new equipment for 2011.
The Unlock website features regularly updated webisodes depicting key features of the new 7R Tractor and combines over the next several months. The first webisode introduces the Guetterman farm family of eastern Kansas and the features they look for in a new row-crop tractor. Another highlight of the website will be the augmented reality program that allows viewers to sync with a webcam to have the equipment come to life with animation and sound on their computer.
According to David Pauli, John Deere advertising manager for large ag equipment, the website is intended to help generate excitement for the new products in a way that gives viewers a highly informative experience. “We wanted to create a continually fresh, novel platform that is entertaining and gives growers unique insight into our new equipment over several months leading up to launch. Every week they’ll get a chance to see something new and different about the products.”
The Unlock website will host information on the new John Deere 7R Series Tractors, combines and other equipment that will be introduced later this summer.
I’m glad to see that the video is also being posted to the John Deere YouTube channel! I’ll be interested to see how this “augmented reality” program works when ready.
Temple Grandin is a doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. She is also widely noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the hug machine designed to calm hypersensitive persons.
Her autism advocacy has made her famous in the general population, thanks to the HBO movie starring Claire Danes, but she’s a hero in the cattle industry for her groundbreaking work in animal welfare and reforming livestock handling practices in beef industry. She is the focus of this episode of “I Am Angus.”
Ever been walking along a busy street, lost in the pathways of your own mind, when you happen to glance down and notice a quarter, or if you’re lucky, a dollar bill laying on the ground? You pick it up, stash it in your pocket, and go about your way. When I was a child, I used to have a large space between my two front teeth and people used to say that was a sign of someone who would make millions later in life. I guess I’m still waiting to see even part of one million, but I was habitually finding money whether it be at the grocery store or along the street when I went to get the mail.
But a story from my Grandfather reminds me to pick up currency, no matter how small it may seem. Quite a few years back, Grandpa was helping remove lath and plaster from the walls of an old house. He looked down and in the pile of dust and dirt, he caught a glimpse of something shiny. Low and behold, he had accidently stumbled upon an 1863 Seated Liberty half dime.
The denomination was one of the original coins first authorized in 1792, and they began making them in February 1795. Half dimes were discontinued in 1873 due to the growing popularity of the copper/nickel five-cent piece.
Half dimes were also used in jewelry during the 1870s and 1880s and were popular as tie tacks, cuff links, buttons and pins.
Here’s a unique history on the half dime (pictured on the right). And yes, it spent for 5 cents just like a nickel, just as the name implies.
World Dairy Expo is pleased to announce that Janet Keller has accepted the position of Communications/Public Relations Manager.
Beck’s Hybrids and MyRainReport.com, powered by RainWave, are pleased to announce a partnership enabling Beck’s Hybrids to be the exclusive provider of MyRainReport.com.
The first 60 products were unveiled that consumers will soon see in stores throughout the country bearing the new USDA BioPreferred product label for certified biobased products.
SFP Yield Signs e-newsletter will first deliver its live website to thousands of growers, crop consultants, agricultural journalists, agronomists and fertility researchers.
The votes have been cast and the winner of “Biofool of the Year” is ….. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack!
While we are disappointed that we were not chosen by Friends of the Earth (FOE) for this award, as they say in the Academy, it was an honor just to be nominated!
According to FOE, more than 6,000 votes were cast on-line for this award and Vilsack won it with 2,424 votes – more than the total number cast last year. They plan to deliver a letter to Vilsack later this month, “congratulating him on earning this honor and thanking him for his efforts to promote dirty biofuels at the expense of a comprehensive agriculture policy that would actually help American farmers who grow food!”
Meanwhile, with over 100 votes cast so far in our latest R&K ZimmPoll, Secretary Vilsack is virtually tied between getting an A or an F as a mid term grade. What do you think? Does the Biofool of the Year deserve to flunk or move to the head of the class?
A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Congressmen Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Mike Ross (D-Ark) have reintroduced legislation to permanently repeal the “death” tax.
“The Death Tax is still the #1 reason family farms and businesses in America aren’t passed down to the next generation,” Brady says. “It’s the wrong tax at the wrong time and hurts the wrong people.”
The repeal is something that agricultural interests are anxious to have happen. “The on-again-off-again nature of estate tax law makes it difficult, if not impossible, for farmers and ranchers to engage in planning for the transfer of a family business from one generation to the next,” says American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman. “There is a real need for permanent estate tax elimination and H.R. 1259 sends that message loud and clear.”
NovAtel Inc., and Raven Industries are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership that will see NovAtel’s industry leading Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning technology integrated into Raven’s comprehensive line of precision agriculture products. The convergence of these two industry innovators is expected to drive new growth opportunities for both companies, and benefit customers by achieving further efficiencies in their agricultural operations.
Kubota Tractor Corporation announces the latest version of its popular RTV900 workhorse utility vehicle model, the new and improved RTV900XT.
Planters is announcing the inaugural Naturally Remarkable Planters Awards to celebrate American peanut farmers who are implementing sustainable practices and making positive social changes in their local communities.
4-H Tech Wizards, a new 4-H group mentoring program, will expose underrepresented youth in Bloomington-Normal, Ill., to curricula in science, technology, engineering and math beginning this spring.
Krystil Smit has joined the Paulsen Marketing team as their Ag Public Relations Specialist.
According to the National Potato Council, “The time has come to stand up for potatoes in schools!”
French fries and mashed potatoes have long been staples of the school lunch program, but that could change if a USDA proposal incorporating the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is implemented. According to USDA, the revisions will “add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat milk to school meals.” But, NPC says the changes include the reduction of certain vegetables, including potatoes, in schools. “The proposed rule on Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs would limit the weekly servings of potatoes, corn, peas and lima beans to a single cup in school lunches and would eliminate all these vegetables in school breakfasts.”
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee identified potassium and fiber as nutrients of concern for children. However, the USDA is recommending limiting the availability of a vegetable that not only provides these essential nutrients in a calorie-efficient package, but that’s also a vegetable children actually want to eat.
The comment period on the proposal ends April 13, so NPC is urging people to stand up for potatoes and make their voices heard by submitting comments to support potatoes in school lunches. Find out more at PotatoesInSchools.com.
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.
It’s official. The Sorghum Checkoff (officially the Sorghum Promotion, Research and Information Order) will continue as announced by USDA today.
By a vote of 87-12, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to repeal the idiotic health care reform provision that would have required businesses to file a 1099 form with the IRS any time they spend more than $600 a year with another business, sending it to President Obama to sign. 
The 
Temple Grandin is a doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. She is also widely noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the hug machine designed to calm hypersensitive persons.
The votes have been cast and the winner of 
A bipartisan group of lawmakers 
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
