Norton Says Missouri Has Reds

Chuck Zimmerman

Norton SaysNorton Says that there are some good red wines in Missouri. This is for all my red wine fan friends who say, “Can anything good come out of Missouri?” Why yes they can and now you can learn all about it online.

Missouri’s signature grape, the Norton, is the highlight of a new Web site designed to introduce you to the Norton grape and wineries across the state serving up Norton wines and other quality wines from right here in Missouri. A visit to www.NortonSays.com will enlighten you on the life of Norton – an imaginative, fun advertising campaign designed to call attention to the Norton grape.

Visit NortonSays for a Trip Planner, Event Calendar or to ask Norton a question or two. NortonSays.com is brought to you by the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, a division of the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Food

New Soyfoods Council Podcast

Chuck Zimmerman

The Soyfoods CouncilThe Soyfoods Council has a new podcast series started which you can find a link to on their website. We’ve worked with Executive Director, Linda Funk, to create this new series which you can subscribe to with this feed link. Remember that you can use your browser to subscribe now or my favorite, iTunes.

The Soyfoods Council website www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com has been an important resource for information about soyfoods for three years, including information on the latest nutrition research as well as details on new products, foodservice usage and consumer information.

The Council has added a series of monthly podcasts to the site. The initial podcast features an interview with soyfoods expert Dr. Mark Messina, professor of nutrition at Loma Linda University and former researcher with the National Cancer Institute.

In this podcast Messina focuses on soy and breast cancer and emphasizes the value of even a single serving daily of soyfoods for girls. He summarizes a study from the National Cancer Institute showing that girls who regularly consumed soy had a 58% less chance of getting breast cancer as adults. “Even a single serving of soyfoods a day can make a difference,” Messina reports. One serving of soyfoods is 1 cup of soymilk, 4 ounces of tofu, ½ cup edamame or ¼ cup roasted soybeans.

Future podcasts will focus on new nutrition research results from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute in Seattle, on how chefs use soyfoods in a variety of foodservice operations, and how registered dietitians recommend adding soyfoods to special and every day diets.

Ag Groups, Food, Podcasts, Soybean

April Fool’s Headline From NAFB

Chuck Zimmerman

National Association of Farm BroadcastingIn the spirit of April Fool’s Day the NAFB has a set of news headlines posted (sent to me via email) that includes the following:

Donald Trump Tears Down Towers to Plant Soybeans – Sees Bright Future in Biodiesel”

“New Yorkers Planting Soybeans in Window Boxes – Forming Marketing Co-Op”

“Astronauts Take Milk to Moon to Compare Cheeses”

“Soy Ink Now Used in All Home Printers”

“Weather Forecasts Accurate for Past 20 Days – Sets New Record”

“NAFB Mini-Tractor Wins Pull at Iowa State Fair – Organizers Embarrassed – Won’t Reveal Tractor’s Color”

What would yours be? Submit via comments.

NAFB

Birthday Wish Thank You’s

Chuck Zimmerman

I just wanted to let everyone who sent in a birthday wish last week know how much I appreciate it. I would love to respond personally to all of them but since it’s now over 100 emails and other forms of messaging I just can’t git ‘er done. I truly value and appreciate all of you and your support.

Here’s another of my favorite lines from someone who sent in their top 10 things about turning 50:

You can tell your clients that if an old guy born in 1958 can use the “new” social media, anybody can.

Right on. I’ve used that line a couple of times already.

Uncategorized

LPC and AAEA Regional Workshops

Chuck Zimmerman

LPC Sales WorkshopI know the deadline’s today but maybe you can get your registration in still for the Livestock Publications Council and AAEA Midwest Regional Workshop on design and writing. It’s going to be held April 10 at the Pioneer offices in Johnston, IA. If you come in early the night before then you can play games with Diane Johnson at the Stoney Creek Inn. What kind of games do you have in mind Diane? Go to their website to get registered right away.

You can also keep in mind the first ever LPC Workshop on Sales and Marketing which will June 16-17 in Kansas City. Yes that’s a sales workshop. I think it only makes sense. Who isn’t involved in sales today? Do you “pure” editors think you don’t do sales when you’re out at a conference? Of course you do. This is a great idea for anyone in ag communications today.

ACN, LPC

New Podcast on Domestic Fuel

Chuck Zimmerman

Domestic Fuel CastOver on our sister Domestic Fuel site we just introduced a new podcast today to feature renewable energy news twice a month (or more often). The Domestic Fuel Cast will feature people and news of interest in the alternative fuels industry.

If you’d like subscribe to the podcast then here’s the url/feed link: http://zimmcomm.biz/domesticfuel/domestic-fuel-cast.xml. You can use your browser (IE, Firefox, Safari, etc.) to subscribe or if you’d like to get it into your iPod or Zune then we recommend using iTunes or the Zune software.

Robert ZubrinOur first podcast features aerospace engineer and author Robert Zubrin, who has been getting some media attention lately for his book, “Energy Victory,” in which he outlines a simple plan for “winning the war on terror by breaking free of oil.”

You can listen to the first program here: df-podcast-1.mp3

Energy, Podcasts

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Diamond V® recently announced the hiring of Darin Henry, D.V.M., as Western Region Manager. In his new position, Henry will supervise the field staff in the Western U.S. Prior to Diamond V, Henry worked for Monsanto Dairy Business.
  • Syngenta Crop Protection announced the federal registration of Revus Top™ fungicide, a powerful premix of two active ingredients, mandipropamid and difenoconazole, for use on tomatoes and potatoes against destructive oomycete pathogens. State registrations or specific crop and/or pest uses may still be pending in certain states. Check with your state regulatory agency to determine registration status.
  • Farmer-leaders with the United Soybean Board (USB) and American Soybean Association (ASA) have met with U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service officials and are encouraged about the possibility of additional help in funding a new genomics project. ASA helps to secure Federal funding for soybean yield, genomics and disease research. USB invests checkoff funding in projects to help farmers manage yield-robbing diseases and pests and to improve soybean composition.
  • Comcast has announced the addition of RFD-TV for Comcast digital cable customers in Nashville, beginning with a preview on March 31, 2007. RFD-TV will be available to digital cable customers and will be seen locally on Comcast Channel 136.
Zimfo Bytes

100 Percent Ethanol Fueling Indy Again

Chuck Zimmerman

Homestead Indy 300Team Ethanol is off to its best start of the Indy Car Series yet, finishing 7th in Saturday’s opening race in Homestead. I couldn’t be there this year but I’m planning on covering the Indy 500 as well as the Iowa and Mid-Ohio races so I’ll still get to feel the roar of these high performance engines as well as a Le Mans race in Ohio. Photo credit – Jim Haines, Indy Racing League

Cindy and I did watch the race though on ESPN. Here’s her description: Driver Ryan Hunter-Reay ran a great race and stayed in the top ten with all the big name drivers for the majority of the race. The 2007 Rookie of the Year was hoping for a better finish for the start of his first full season with the Indy Car Series, but he got passed up by two drivers in the final restart of the race after Tony Kanaan got knocked out of first place. Before the restart, the #17 Ethanol car was holding on to fifth place. The Homestead 300 trophy ultimately went to Scott Dixon.

This is the second year the Indy Car Series is running on 100 percent fuel grade ethanol and Hunter-Reay is a big believer in the alternative fuel. “Basically, it’s an American product that’s creating American jobs,” he says. “Every drop of ethanol you put in your car is one less oil tanker out there.”

Ethanol

Hot Dogs the Iron Man of Stadium Snacks

Chuck Zimmerman

National Hot Dog & Sausage CouncilWith baseball season here the hot dog is once again moving to the forefront of the sports gourmet list. The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council is making sure that we get the facts.

While the starting lineups of many Major League baseball teams may have changed since the celebratory champagne was corked last season, one thing that remains steady is the unwavering popularity of hot dogs in our nation’s ballparks.

The quintessential “Iron Man” of stadium snacks, the hot dog hit a home run in the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council’s annual survey of Major League stadiums again this year, with the NHDSC forecasting that ballparks around the country will consume more than 30 million hot dogs this season — an impressive feat and enough to round the bases 41,776 times.

When it comes to individual stadiums, Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets, topped the survey again this year for largest projected hot dog consumption in 2008. According to the survey, Mets fans will consume more than 2.7 million hot dogs this year. Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox is the runner up, with fans projected to consume more than 1.7 million hot dogs. Third place goes to Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, with approximately 1.5 million hot dogs expected to be consumed.

Food

Novus Is Gold Sponsor of U.S. – Africa Agribusiness Forum

Chuck Zimmerman

U.S.-Africa Agribusiness ForumThis June you’ve got an opportunity to learn more about Africa and investing in agribusiness opportunities there at the Corporate Council on Africa’s 2008 U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum. I’ll be there courtesy of our good friends at Novus International which is a gold sponsor company of the Forum. The Forum takes place in Chicago, IL June 25 – 27.

The Forum will bring together the U.S. and African public and private sectors to discuss the minimization of investment risk and identify projects and mechanisms to expand their investment portfolio through agribusiness.

Highlights of the Forum will include industry-specific sessions, panels to address cross-cutting issues, such as finance product innovation, pharmaceutical and biofuel industry growth, carbon trading, production technology, and certification; as well as networking opportunities. Industry experts will share best practices and the latest trends in the field.

Novus InternationalAs an event sponsor, Novus International will host the “Education and Knowledge Building in Agriculture Production” workshop.

“We are pleased to welcome Novus International as a sponsor and supporter of the 2008 U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum,” said CCA President Stephen Hayes. “As an industry leader, Novus serves customers across the globe and understands the importance of investing in people and production systems for commercially sustainable growth. Their participation will add tremendous value to the Forum.”

Agribusiness, International