Chip Flory Wins Farm Journal Wilmer Award

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Journal AwardFarm Journal has more than 40 agricultural journalists? Wow. Congratulations to Chip on his award.

For the first time in his life, Chip Flory was speechless. Winning the annual Wilmer Award caught the Pro Farmer Newsletter Editor and Publisher by surprise. “Chip is never at a loss for words, but the announcement caught him off guard,” said Andy Weber, Farm Journal Media CEO. “It is always powerful to be honored by peers for making a difference in farmers’ lives.“

The prestigious annual award honors a Farm Journal Media editorial team member who carries on the spirit and staunch service journalism principles of Farm Journal founder Wilmer Atkinson. The award, started by Earl Ainsworth in 1992, is coveted recognition among the editorial staff.

The Wilmer winner was named during the recent Farm Journal Media Editorial Summit when more than 40 Farm Journal Media agricultural journalists converged at Twin Lakes Lodge in Missouri. The annual meeting is used to map out the multi-media editorial strategies for covering the key issues in agriculture.

Pictured here with Wilmer Award winner Chip Flory, in center, are previous winners who attended the Farm Journal Media Editorial Summit are Pam Henderson Smith, Charlene Finck, Jim Dickrell, Jeanne Bernick, Ken Ferrie and Darrell Smith

Publication

Peterson Makes Penny’s Day

Laura McNamara

Penny Elliot is a part of the reception staff at the Holiday Inn Select where the New Holland crew and I are staying during the 2008 CMA Music Festival. She let on to Gene Hemphill, the Industry Affairs Manager for New Holland, that she was a big fan of country music singer/songwriter Michael Peterson. So Gene made it his mission to make her day. Not only did Gene get Michael to autograph a copy of his ‘Grave to the Cradle’ album for Penny, Gene also set up an impromptu meet-n-greet of sorts. Michael stopped by the hotel and introduced himself to Penny just before running off to be a guest on this morning’s XM Dave Nemo Show.


2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
New Holland

Ag Groups, New Holland

Smokey (Not The) Bear PSA’s

Chuck Zimmerman

I just got into Nashville and am sitting in my hotel waiting for a room to open up. Thought I’d use the time to get caught up on some email and found a release about this. I think this is a little creepy. You’ve got to watch the video (psa) to see why (Smokey shouldn’t have a gender identity issue). BTW. Do any tv or radio stations use psa’s any more?

The Advertising Council, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), announced today the launch of a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) featuring Smokey Bear designed to provide critical information to Americans about their role in wildfire prevention. The new PSAs will be unveiled this morning at an event being held at San Francisco City Hall.

Uncategorized

Help Colleen Callahan For Congress

Chuck Zimmerman

Colleen CallahanI try not to get too political here on AgWired. Don’t I? But, in this case I wanted to see if you would help Colleen out. She’s a long time farm broadcaster, wonderful person and I think she’s a worthy cause. Don’t you?

Dear Agricultural Marketing Friends and Colleagues,

Our Colleen Callahan for Congress Campaign is building MOMENTUM! But…this election is not just about one District…it’s about our industry, AGRICULTURE! Today, 94% of Congress does not have an agricultural background. We need more voices of understanding, and I need your help to become at least one more. But, I can’t get there without your support today.

Your contribution by June 30th will help purchase yard, field, window and parade signs!

Donate here.

Uncategorized

THE Pork Economist

Cindy Zimmerman

Dr. Glenn Grimes with the University of Missouri has been the definitive voice for the livestock industry as far as economics goes for five decades. He is here at World Pork Expo giving his views on the current state of the industry and what producers can expect and do to survive the next 18 months or so.

World Pork Expo 2008 Glenn Grimes“The objective should be to minimize losses rather than maximize profits in the next 12-18 months,” he says. To do that, he recommends the futures markets. “For the first time in my experience, the futures market has offered a much better opportunity to minimize losses than ever before.”

He also says that it will be important for producers to maximize feed efficiency and he addressed the weather concerns that are the big topic of discussion here as fields are covered in standing water from a series of storms. “This weather is too similar to 1993 to make me feel comfortable as to what it may do to the corn crop this year. That’s the last real small corn crop that we had,” said Grimes. Ten billion bushels or less he says could stop or slow down the production of ethanol, however he emphasizes, “We will not run out of corn.”

Listen to the Grimes interview here: wpx08-grimes.mp3

Or download here:
Listen To MP3Glenn Grimes Interview (9 min MP3)

World Pork Expo Photo Album

AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by:
Novus

Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Novus International, Pork, World Pork Expo

WPX Audio and Photos Available for Media

Cindy Zimmerman

World Pork Expo 2008Some of our farm media friends have requested that we supply downloadable audio from World Pork Expo – so here are some files for your use. I just forget to do that now because it is so great to have the player that plays the audio immediately off the server.

OK, let’s start with the interview from NPPC president Bryan Black:
Listen To MP3Bryan Black Interview (10 min MP3)

Rather than the entire Chuck Conner speech – here is audio from the press gaggle with Conner:
Listen To MP3Conner press gaggle (13 min MP3)

Here is audio with former NPPC president Joy Philippi (pronounced PHIL-i-pee) of Nebraska, co-chair of the Farm Bill Policy Task Force, on what is in the farm bill for pork producers – and what isn’t:
Listen To MP3Joy Philippi (10 min MP3)

Here is an interview with Dan Meagher of Novus International – you can thank them for the audio!
(He pronounces his name and gives his title at the start of the interview)
Listen To MP3Dan Meagher (7 min MP3)

All photos in the Flickr set are available in hi-res versions. Just click on the photo and choose the size options. Just another service of Agwired, courtesy of Novus International. Please email me – cindy@zimmcomm.biz – if you need anything else.

World Pork Expo Photo Album

AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by:
Novus

Audio, Media, Novus International, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Phibro Animal Health Corporation announces that Larry Miller has joined the Company as President, Animal Health and Nutrition. Miller’s global responsibilities include the Phibro Animal Health Division and Prince Agriproducts, after a transition period. Miller previously was with Schering-Plough Corporation.
  • Dr. Ronnie Green, a respected and noted expert in cattle genetics and genomics, has joined Pfizer Animal Genetics as Senior Director of Global Technical Services. In his new position Dr. Green will lead operations relating to technical support of the entire product portfolio and will work with key stakeholders to develop novel, customer-focused solutions based on cutting edge genomic technologies.
  • Syngenta Crop Protection and No-Till Farmer are seeking nominations to honor outstanding leaders of the conservation-tillage industry. The deadline for nominations is Friday, July 11, 2008. The 2008 winners will be announced at the National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Ind., Jan. 14-17, 2009. For additional information or to obtain a nomination form, click here or e-mail stheriault@gibbs-soell.com.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Media Coverage at WPX

    Cindy Zimmerman

    World Pork Expo 2008 Novus SignThis is the banner hanging on the side of the Novus International hospitality tent and inside we have a nice little set up to do interviews and posting and just meet and greet. It’s really pretty cool – I feel very special!

    Unfortunately, I didn’t get to spend much time hanging around there today because there were lots of media events and press conferences going on – and we didn’t have internet access in the tent. Hopefully, that will be different tomorrow. But, I will say that the folks handling the media here at WPX have been awesome. We have great internet access in the media center (well, there were a few outages) and Leah Schomburg with Trilix Marketing Group has been doing an excellent job coordinating and meeting all of our needs.

    World Pork Expo 2008 Novus SignI did get to do another interview with one of the Novus Pork Team, Dr. Felipe Navarro, who is swine market manager. He talked about the importance of their research in providing information for producers about their product performance.

    You can take a virtual tour of the Novus International research center on their website.

    Listen to my interview with Felipe here: wpx08-novus-felipe.mp3

    World Pork Expo Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by:
    Novus

    Audio, Livestock, Novus International, Pork, World Pork Expo

    The Novus Pork Team

    Cindy Zimmerman

    World Pork Expo 2008 GroupThis good-looking bunch represents the Novus International Pork Team on duty at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines.

    Novus is a relatively new pork industry partner, only about two years, but the company has been well known in the poultry industry for many years in the animal health and nutrition field. They actually have products and programs for beef, dairy, aquaculture, and companion animals as well. They boast over 2000 clients in more than 80 countries, so their international focus is a natural fit with the World Pork Expo.

    World Pork Expo 2008 Dan MeagherAccording to Dan Meagher, Novus was founded in 1991 when Monsanto sold off its methionine business. That amino acid was the basis of their products Alimet and MHA for poultry. Now the company has expanded significantly and they are telling producers all about it here at WPX.

    Learn more here in my interview with Dan: wpx08-novus-dan.mp3

    World Pork Expo Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by:
    Novus

    Audio, Livestock, Novus International, Pork, Poultry, Swine, World Pork Expo

    Michael Peterson Connects with Fans

    Laura McNamara

    The line at singer/songwriter Michael Peterson‘s CMA Music Festival exhibit remained long and steady. That’s because unlike most artists, Michael stayed around all day signing autographs, doling out hugs and smiling for pictures with fans. Michael says connecting with people is what events like these are all about and he looks forward to seeing familiar faces each year.

    I grabbed some videos with Michael talking about fans and handing out autographs. You can watch the videos here:


    2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
    New Holland

    Video