Commenting On Corn

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-157 - Commenting On CornHello on Super Bowl Sunday. I’m trying to get ready to hit the road to Reno early in the morning but am planning on cooking some brats and watching the annual big game in high def.

This week you can listen in on a discussion I had last week with Mimi Ricketts, Communications Director for the National Corn Growers Association. We talk about Corn Commentary, the blog about corn farming and American agriculture. It’s a project we developed with NCGA and we continue to write and produce content for the site although Mimi and others also write.

Mimi says they started Corn Commentary as an experiment 6 months ago but now she’s convinced that the website is helping the organization reach a new and different audience than they do with NCGA.com. She also likes the “freedom” of writing on the blog.

This week’s program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s called “Thank God For The Super Bowl” by the mydols. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 157 (15 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast157-2-3-08.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, ZimmCast

Bayer’s Laudis receives EPA Registration For Corn

Chuck Zimmerman

Laudis HerbicideIt’s been a while since I’ve received an old fashioned printed media kit in the mail without some kind of CD or link to more web information. That’s why I was interested to see the announcement about Laudis herbicide for corn receiving it’s EPA registration via snail mail.

Laudis™ Herbicide is a new systemic herbicide that provides postemergence control of grass and broadleaf weeds in all corn including weeds resistant to glyphosate and other chemical classes. Laudis delivers crop safety and rotation flexibility to soybeans and many other common rotation crops.

Agribusiness, Corn

Beef and Biodiesel Blogging

Chuck Zimmerman

Reno is for Cattlemen and WomenI’ll be Rushing off to Reno early on Monday to attend the Cattle Industry Convention once again. You’ll be able to follow all the action right here on AgWired.

I’ll also be the Beef Board Blogger on Beef Board Meeting.com. This will be the third year that the Cattlemen’s Beef Board has blogged their activities at this major national event which includes interviews and copies of all their committee activities. It’s transparent communications at its finest.

2008 National Biodiesel ConferenceWhile I’m in Reno, Cindy and John Davis will be in Orlando for the National Biodiesel Conference. I’ve been the Biodiesel Blogger for a couple years for them but this year we’ve got a conflict so Cindy and John will be taking care of the duties there.

They’ll be posting onto our Domestic Fuel website but also on the National Biodiesel Conference Blog. It’s also the third year for the National Biodiesel Board to be blogging their main annual event and we’re just happy to be a part of the action.

So, get your feed readers ready for some fast-paced activity this next week as we take agriblogging and farm podcasting on the road.

Ag Groups, Beef, Biodiesel, Cattle Industry Conference

Are You a Wired Journalist

Chuck Zimmerman

After having just visited an ag journalism class at the University of Missouri I thought I’d share a link to Wired Journalists. The group I spoke with was already familiar with it but not all of you budding online journalists may be.

Wired Journalists is a social networking site for those of us involved in making a living out of the new communications platforms. I’ve got a page started and will know more about it after I’ve had more time with it. Part of their mission statement is:

WiredJournalists.com was created with self-motivated, eager-to-learn reporters, editors, executives, students and faculty in mind.

Our goal is to help journalists who have few resources on hand other than their own desire to make a difference and help journalism grow into its new 21st Century role.

I’m guessing there’s not a lot of agricultural journalists involved yet but there could be!

Uncategorized

CNH Tractor Building in Iraq

Chuck Zimmerman

CNHIt sounds like things continue to progress in Iraq. This isn’t the kind of news you’ll see on the evening news.

CNH International announced today the completed purchase of equipment that has restarted tractor assembly operations at the State Company for Mechanical Industries (SCMI), an agricultural machinery manufacturing facility in Iskandiriyah, Iraq. The U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations in Iraq purchased 200 New Holland tractor kits paired with training on the equipment. CNH competed and won the contract to provide the tractor kits as part of a partnership to revitalize industry in Iraq.

“New Holland has historically been and continues to be a leader in agriculture in Iraq. We are excited this project allows us to continue this tradition,” said Franco Fusignani, CEO of CNH International. “We are pleased to help the U.S. Department of Defense successfully provide agricultural equipment in Iraq and provide training to local Iraqis.”

The DoD Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations in Iraq supports the United States’ security interests in Iraq by revitalizing the Iraqi economy and reducing unemployment of the Iraqi population.

CNH will continue to provide training for 40 Iraqi technicians throughout the four Iraqi New Holland dealerships in Mosul, Erbil, Baghdad, and Kut. CNH also will provide advanced training for five Iraqi technicians at CNH’s plant in Ankara, Turkey.

Agribusiness, International, Tractor

The Canadian Marketing Alliance Group is much bigger than you may think

Harry Siemens

img_7864.jpgSiemens Says – Barry Reimer, a producer from Killarney, Manitoba took his own concerns about the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly to Manitoba AG Days in Brandon in January and received a rude awakening, but a resounding show of support, too.

The organizers of the show asked him to stop handing out his flyers after receiving huge complaints from the CWB people but tremendous support from almost every producer he showed the flyer.

For one and half days, Reimer handed out flyers showing the higher prices American farmers were getting compared to what he could get through the CWB for spring and winter wheat, and malting barley.

First, he received close to 99 percent support for his position from producers. However, the CWB representatives became so upset, asked the organizers to stop him form handing them out.Read More

Uncategorized

Shoot Your Fuel The Change EPIC

Chuck Zimmerman

EPIC contestThis is shaping up to be an EPIC contest. Actually it is an EPIC contest. Our friends at the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council just started a video contest as a way to help educate consumers about America’s energy options. It’s called the “Fuel the Change” video contest. If you’re interested then you better start shooting and editing today.

Entrants can submit a :30 second video to www.fuelthechange.com. The producer of the winning video will receive a $10,000 cash prize and get the opportunity to have the commercial aired during the 2008 Indianapolis 500 on ABC.

Entries will be judged in several ways. Beginning on February 11, voters will be able to rate the videos posted to the website. In addition, a panel of judges will view the videos and select winners based on consumer votes, creativity, originality, relevance, broadcast suitability, and adherence to contest rules.

The contest runs from January 28, 2008 through April 21, 2008. Winners will be selected on May 7, 2008. The winning entry could air during the 2008 Indianapolis 500 on May 25.

In addition to the first place video prize, a “People’s Choice” award will be given, the winner receiving $5,000 and three “Sponsor’s Choice” award will be given, the winners receiving $1,250 each. Registered users of the site who vote each day are also entered into a drawing to win weekly prizes including $500 gas cards.

Ethanol

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Syngenta Crop Protection and No-Till Farmer magazine honored three outstanding individuals and one outstanding organization during an awards ceremony held Jan. 10 at the 16th annual National No-Tillage Conference in Cincinnati. The 2007 No-Till Innovators are: Don Hoover, Lititz, Penn., Binkley & Hurst Bros. – Business and Service; Bill Richards, Circleville, Ohio grower – Crop Production; Clearwater Direct Seeders – Organization; and Bud Davis, Kansas – Research and Education.
  • Diamond V® recently announced plans to build a new $12,000,000 manufacturing facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Construction on the new 28,000-square-foot facility will begin this summer and it will become operational in 2009.
  • Deemed as one of the greatest events in 30 years, The Mile High Night National Hereford Sale was the talk of Denver, posting the highest selling bull and highest average of the National Western Stock Show, grossing $533,950 and averaging $25,426. When Eddie Sims, National Cattle Services Inc., silenced the gavel for the final time, six bulls averaged $52,808 and 15 females commanded $14,473 per female.
Zimfo Bytes

Baxter Speaks Out For Ag Census

Chuck Zimmerman

USDA Ag CensusYou sure know Baxter Black is more than just a pretty face. He’s also a recognizable voice. I’m sure that’s why USDA had him voice a couple of psa’s for their current Census of Agriculture. I realize these are meant for “broadcast” use but dare I post them on the web?

Baxter PSA Number One (:60): ag-census-baxter-1.mp3
Baxter PSA Number Two (:30): ag-census-baxter-2.mp3

Every five years, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) calls upon agricultural producers to let their voice be heard through the Census of Agriculture. The Census is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. It looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and many other areas. Census report forms have been mailed to more than 3 million producers to collect data for the 2007 calendar year. Completed forms are due February 4, 2008.

Notifying producers of their responsibility to participate in the Census is high priority, and we are asking for your assistance to help with this important task. For your benefit, NASS has produced both a 30-second and 60-second public service announcement featuring Baxter Black. The announcements are designed to help your producer audience understand the importance and benefits of their participation in the Census.

Please select and air these public service announcements at your convenience. By airing the announcements during your broadcasts, you once again demonstrate your commitment to America’s producers of food, fuel and fiber. Help every farmer and producer – whether small or large – stand up and be counted in the 2007 Census of Agriculture. It is their opportunity to share their voice to help ensure a better future for their operation, their family and their community. In addition, please take a moment to provide NASS with an update on Census PSA airtimes and audience reaction. Your input is valuable.

For more information about the NASS Census, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call toll-free (888) 4AG-STAT or (888) 424-7828.

Audio, USDA

Mizzou Capstone Class

Chuck Zimmerman

MU Capstone ClassI’m going to be adding to this post later today. Right now I’m just posting as a demo for this class. I told you I’d update this post and I’ve still got a YouTube clip to add which I’m editing right now.

Bill Allen invited me in to talk to his Ag Journalism Capstone class today since they’ve now all got their own blogs started. In fact, if you’d like to see them here’s the list:

MU Capstone ClassThis is a quick shot of Bill’s computer projected on screen. He’s certainly got a good website up there in his bookmarks!

While I was there we really had a kind of open forum discussion. As you’ll see in the video clip that I’ll be adding here shortly the students have lots of good questions. They’re learning a form of journalism that didn’t exist back in my University of Florida days.

Post Update: Here’s the video I know you’ve been waiting for:

University, Video