At this morning’s AMS finale meeting of the IFAJ/AMS 2009 Planning Committee the World Ag Expo held a drawing for a Canon EOS Rebel xTi with extra lens and bag. That’s a very cool giveaway! A lot of the InfoExpo exhibitors had drawings but I don’t know the results of those.
The winner of the camera was Janice Keene, McCormick Company, pictured in the center between, Stacey Beachey and Steve Knudsen, World Ag Expo.
We’ll be expecting to see some high quality digital photography Janice. Send me some examples sometime.
The executive director of the National Biodiesel Board is not just a country music fan, but also a country music singer… well, for his wife and kids at home at least. But today, Joe got a bit more exposure than a home audience. He performed live on the Dave Nemo Show on XM Radio with renowned country music singer/songwriter Michael Peterson.
Michael and Joe also delved into energy issues, renewable fuels and where all that fits in with public policy. Joe says the National Biodiesel Board is aiming to have biodiesel replace five percent of the national supply of diesel fuel. He says that is equivalent to the amount of diesel the U.S. if refining and importing from in Iraq. In other words, he says the National Biodiesel Board is aiming to replace the diesel fuel we get from Iraq.
Some critics arguing against renewable fuels point out that the alternative fuel sources will never fully replace the need for oil. But, Joe says that’s not the point, “That’s like saying if you can’t do everything than you shouldn’t do anything.” Joe says The National Biodiesel Board simply doesn’t share that frame of thought. That’s why it has launched the BioTrucker Fuel Card. The card offers card holders cash price on all biodiesel fuel at 5,000 participating locations and special discounts at select truck stops all without any transaction fees. Those interested can sign up for the card at BioTrucker.com.
Both Michael and Joe lauded the farmers that make up the nation’s ag industry. Joe says agriculture is a powerful industry that fosters cutting-edge, technological innovation. “Ag is slow to move but powerful to respond,” Joe said.
You can listen to the entire broadcast of the Dave New Show with Michael and Joe here:
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I also got some videos of Michael and Joe while they were singing and strumming their guitars. You can watch the videos here:
Here’s a wrap-up report on World Ag Expo from Gary Schulz. Maybe next year will be the year I get to go. I’ve got to go out there in a couple weeks but just couldn’t get that coordinated to coincide with the Show. Thank you very much Gary for taking the time to provide us with your updates. A lot of AgWired readers were there or are involved with the show in one way or another so it’s been great.
The third and final day of the 41st annual World Ag Expo in Tulare, California experienced bright, warm sunshine and no morning fog.
World Ag Expo is the largest of its kind and generates an economic impact of $1.2 billion with over 1,600 exhibiting companies on a footprint of 2.5 million square feet! California agriculture generates $31.7 billion of farm-gate revenue. $4 billion of this is attributable to Tulare County, which is up from $2 billion when I arrived in the San Joaquin Valley from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 1990. During this time I have seen the Tulare County ag economy shift towards a heavy dominance by the dairy industry with an average today of over 2,000 cows per dairy (compared to 750 in 1990) and total revenues of over $1 billion.
It was a treat to renew acquaintances with Heather Baumgardner and learn that Fastline will celebrate their 30th anniversary next week. Congratulations to Heather, Joe McWilliams and Bill Howard on this landmark accomplishment!
I was very impressed to see many FFA youth in their official dress. Congratulations especially to the Livingston FFA members who I observed on Median Street at about 2 p.m. They were very polite, dressed very sharp, and good representatives of a fine organization.
Over the many years of the World Ag Expo, many dedicated industry professionals have put their stamp on its production. One of my fun conversations this year was with service contractors Jim Gilroy, Frank Craig, Gil Montano, and Lee Oliphant. These guys are real pros and I salute them for the extraordinary work they do.
Candy Hansen of the Center for International Trade Development-Fresno and Eduardo Torres of the United States Department of Commerce have worked tirelessly over the years promoting World Ag Expo to many international trade delegations and this year was no different. Today I observed Eduardo with a Latin delegation while Candy hosted a delegation from the Henan Province in China. Both Candy and Eduardo and their hard-working staffs should be thanked for their tremendous efforts.
2009 World Ag Expo Chairman Paul Simon will take the reins shortly. He brings to the show an immense experience with the exhibitors, unloading and delivering freight. He is a great leader of volunteers and a very deserving chairman. Congratulations, Paul, and good luck.
Whoever was in charge of praying for good weather did a great job.
While I’m on the subject of World Ag Expo I’ve got another report from Bill Baker, Dairyline. He spoke with Carolina Evangelo, Western Dairy Business Magazine, about the seminars she’s worked on coordinating for dairy producers who are attending.
Carolina provides a comprehensive overview of all the awards and sessions they’ve got like one today on Milk Marketing Tools.
You can listen to Bill’s interview with Carolina here:
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Here’s a World Ag Expo update from Gary Schulz.
Wednesday of World Ag Expo in Tulare, California meant a huge crowd. The traditional “mid-day” of the expo did not disappoint as early fog burned off by late morning for a spectacular “California Classic” with a high in the ’60s.
The Budweiser Clydesdales were again on-hand and were a popular feature for young and old alike. World Ag Expo veteran Norlan Sapp, formerly with John Deere and now with Gehl Corporation, indicated that their prime exhibit location on Median Street would hopefully attract the buyer-prospects and the potential dealers necessary to make for a successful show.
One of the “Top 10 New Product” winners, Pure Sense of Emeryville, CA, experienced robust traffic in their exhibit space in Pavilion B as a result of heavy crowds and a comprehensive pre-expo marketing campaign coordinated by the Lockwood Agency of Visalia that included a mailing to current customers encouraging their visit to the booth. According to John Williamson of Pure Sense, the “Irrigation Manager” technology and software enables and empowers the grower to monitor in real-time field conditions in remote locations in order to minimize labor, energy and water use, and to maximize yield and quality of commodity. Studies during the 2007 crop year found that the Pure Sense investment was returned “pre-harvest”, that is, the cost of the technology, installation, and subscription paid for itself in savings of energy, water, and labor, with increased yield and quality “icing on the cake”! This is all “good stuff” for California growers experiencing the challenges of water cutbacks, increased costs for electricity, and an increased minimum wage.
World Ag Expo Chair-woman, Shelly Khal, was under the weather with a flu bug, but continued to do her duties of media interviews, special events, and visibility to the nearly 1,200 orange jacket volunteers.
Congratulations to the management and staff of DairyBusiness Communications for another fine World Ag Expo magazine. It serves as the major promotional tool for the expo and its quality as well as page count has steadily grown since DBC assumed the responsibilities for selling ads, design, production, and distribution under the careful guidance of Stan Bird, ad sales by Jackie Machado, and leadership by corporate leadership like Joel Hastings and John Montandon in the mid-’90s.
Gary Schulz, General Manager of World Ag Expo (1990-2005),
Program Director for the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Incubator,
and Senior Strategist for Gary Schulz Consulting.
Out at the World Ag Expo, Bill Baker is hard at work for Dairyline. Bill has been supplying our World Dairy Diary site with a weekly dairy markets wrapup almost since we started it.
Jim says that dairy producers are wondering if CWT has enough money to be effective this year and he says the answer is yes. He says they’re on display at World Ag Expo to get more producers to sign up.
You can listen to Bill’s interview with Jim here:
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While the National Farm Machinery Show is taking place there’s also another major show going on in California, World Ag Expo. On the scene is my friend Gary Schulz.
The 41st edition of the World Ag Expo experienced sunny weather in the 60s, large crowds and a record exhibitor count as the show grounds grew to an estimated 2.5 million square feet. The new attendee registration system and the 8 a.m. starting time (earlier from the traditional 9 a.m. start) created the largest share of comments among the exhibitors that I spoke with at the Central California NAMA reception, hosted by Alta Genetics. In attendance at the reception of note were Gary Vorpahl of Hoard’s, Bob Moracewski, Joel Hastings of Holstein World, Sandy Creighton of California Farmer, Megan Pierce of Agribusiness Publications, Dennis Duncan of Ag Alert, and about 70 others.
Primary ag issues creating a buzz at the expo included water supply cutbacks, new water quality and air quality regs, including a “NO on the 2/9″ rule that would severly regulate diesel trucks used in California based on their manufactured date. Steve Kost of the Far West Equipment Dealers Association, Manuel Cunha of Nisei Farmers League and Roger Isom of the Cotton Ginners Association are lead proponents of modifying the proposed regulations.
World Ag Expo continues to impress with its large turnout of international attendees and the service provided by the many orange jacket volunteers. They are everywhere and are doing a great job!
Gary Schulz, former General Manager of World Ag Expo
Currently Program Director of the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Incubator
and
Senior Strategist for Gary Schulz Consulting
Cindy attended the AEM AgExecutive Forum in St. Louis and captured it in photos.
Dairy Expo Talk
This week's program features a couple of interviews from World Dairy Expo.
First up is Stephanie Gable, who talks about her new job with Novus International, then it's Lindsay Hill, who talks about the new website and brand decisions at ABN Radio.
At this morning’s AMS finale meeting of the IFAJ/AMS 2009 Planning Committee the World Ag Expo held a drawing for a Canon EOS Rebel xTi with extra lens and bag. That’s a very cool giveaway! A lot of the InfoExpo exhibitors had drawings but I don’t know the results of those.
and 
Here’s a wrap-up report on World Ag Expo from Gary Schulz. Maybe next year will be the year I get to go. I’ve got to go out there in a couple weeks but just couldn’t get that coordinated to coincide with the Show. Thank you very much Gary for taking the time to provide us with your updates. A lot of AgWired readers were there or are involved with the show in one way or another so it’s been great.
While I’m on the subject of World Ag Expo I’ve got another report from Bill Baker, 
Out at the World Ag Expo, Bill Baker is hard at work for 
This week's program features a couple of interviews from World Dairy Expo.
