send news release today

Missouri Couple Boasts Champion Pork

Laura McNamara

This year’s tastiest pork came out of Odessa, MO. Odessa’s Craig and Patty Kidwell can make their claim as pork royalty after earning Grand Champion honors in the Pork Checkoff’s 20th Annual Great Pork BarbeQlossal™. The couple, who run Boys of BBQ Patty, received $10,000 worth of cash and prizes, June 9th. This is the second time the Kidwell’s have …

Food, Pork

News & Booze and Slow Food

Chuck Zimmerman

Laura just brought my attention to “Slow Food,” an organization that I coincidentally mentioned in a recent post. I haven’t finished checking them out but did come across an article on their website that rings true to American agricultural journalists. In his article Phil Rees bemoans the lack of alcohol in today’s newsrooms. He writes about the good old days …

Food, Media

ALOT Barbecue Social in St. Louis

Laura McNamara

Savory meat will be sizzling on the grill later this week in St. Louis. The current class of Agricultural Leadership of Tommorrow, about 40 individuals, are inviting St. Louis AgriBusiness Club members to a barbecue social at Warren Stemme Farm. ALOT Alumni, the St. Louis County Farm Bureau Board and local legislators are also invited. WHEN: Friday, June 8 , …

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Food

Listen To Food Podcast Slowly

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s a podcast you might want to add to your iTunes/iPod about food. It’s the Whole Foods Market Podcast. They’re “Exploring the world of natural and organic foods…one podcast at a time.” I haven’t listened to this episode yet but it sounds worthwhile. I like the idea of slowing down, especially when it comes to food. In any event, here’s …

Audio, Food, Podcasts

June Marks Season for Farmers Markets

Laura McNamara

A cooking demonstration, live entertainment and a raffle for various prizes will kick off the summer Farmers Market season. The openning of the 12th season of the USDA Farmers Market will also feature a booth offering nutritional information and food suggestions from the USDA for the home. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner will officiate the openning Friday, June 1 …

Agribusiness, Food, USDA

5 Pork Producers Named to National Pork Board

Laura McNamara

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced five new appointees for the 15-member National Pork Board Wednesday. The new members will serve three-year terms on the board. Johanns said the appointees were chosen from among 8 nominees. “I am pleased that these individuals have agreed to provide their time and expertise,” said Johanns. The five were chosen from among eight pork …

Agribusiness, Food, Pork, USDA

Chinese Barbeque Tools

Chuck Zimmerman

I get a lot of requests like this that I take a pass on but this one involves one of my favorite activities so I thought you might be interested too. This is from Dalen, the sales manager for H.X.I. MANUFACTURING CO., LTD, YANGJIANG, GUANGDONG, CHINA. I’ve heard that it’s grilling season. I say it’s always grilling season! We are …

Food, International

Consumers Love Beef Tender

Cindy Zimmerman

Would you pay $345.95 for four 12 oz. strip steaks – raw steaks, mind you, not cooked. That’s the price on-line for “Kobe-style” strip steaks, as marketed by Allen Brothers – a company some Rush Limbaugh listeners might recognize. That compares to $159.95 for the same quantity of U.S. Prime, dry-aged strip steaks – or just $104.95 for U.S. Prime, …

Animal Health, Beef, Elanco, Food

Sensory Panel Testing

Cindy Zimmerman

Individual booths, red lights to mask colors, positive pressure ventilation to keep out unwanted smells and pass-through sample presentation doors – that’s the environment where trained sensory panelists do their work at the ISU Sensory Evaluation Unit. So, basically this is what you see, sitting in your little booth, waiting for samples to come through the little door. You cleanse …

Animal Health, Beef, Elanco, Food

May is Beef Month

Chuck Zimmerman

We can’t forget that May is Beef Month and here in Missouri our governor, Matt Blunt, made a proclamation at the state capitol. Missouri beef cattle industry representatives presented Governor Matt Blunt with the Healthy Beef Cookbook in honor of May Beef Month. Left to right: Governor Blunt, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association president Merrel Breyer, producer Jimmy Long and son Jack, …

Ag Groups, Beef, Food