This week’s CornTalk is with Missouri Corn Merchandising Council chairman Terry Hilgedick of Hartsburg and the topic is the Energy Bill passed last week by Congress and what it means to Missouri corn growers. CornTalk is a weekly podcast on AgWired that’s produced for the Missouri Corn Growers Association.
You can listen to CornTalk here 
You can use the link in our sidebar to subscribe to the CornTalk podcast.
The lastest Talking News Release from Monsanto focuses on the extremely dry conditions we’ve been having in the midwest. Let’s hope we get some rain!
Midwest Drought Conditions Boost Corn Insect Pressure
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (August 2, 2005) – The dangerously dry conditions across much of the Midwestern Corn Belt this summer are taking their toll on what was expected to be a record crop causing development problems as well as increased insect pressure.
Monsanto Corn Technical Manager Dr. Rob Ihrig (EYE-rig) says corn is in the middle of its most critical development period right now.
“Corn is a tremendous utilizer of water and the crop really becomes stressed later in the season as it attempts to fill the ear so the water demand is much, much higher. The challenge that this crop is under is that there’s no water for it to really remain healthy and there’s very little water available to produce the sugars and photosynthate necessary to fill the ear.” ( monsanto-ihrig-cut1) (:26) (Full Release)
For more information contact Lisa Cassady or Lee Quarles.
The final event of the Ag Media Summit was a brunch featuring Suzie Humphreys, who was everything her bio says. It was a time to laugh and be inspired and she did a great job. Let’s hope all the attendees have a safe trip home.
At the AAEA annual meeting the new president took over from Susan Davis, Davis Communications. He’s Dan Crummett, Farm Progress Companies and he’s seen here presenting a recognition plaque to Susan for her service as AAEA president.
I’ll have an interview with Dan for you to listen to in a couple days. According to the reports at the meeting, the organization is doing well with 350 members, 20 new ones in this past year. The organization passed a vote to adopt a new strategic plan and I’ll find details from it to pass along when it’s available.
Today is the last day of the Ag Media Summit and both AAEA and LPC hold their annual meetings, followed by a brunch. At the Livestock Publications Council meeting, outgoing president, Joe Roybal, Beef magazine, turned the reigns over to Lori Maude, American Gelbvieh Association. I’ll have an interview for you with Lori within a few days after I get back home and have more time to edit some of the audio I collected here.
Ag Media Summit chairperson, Betsy Freese presented a special “Vision Award” at today’s luncheon. The award was given to Tom Davis, Successful Farming, who has served on the steering committee for this annual event since its inception and is now stepping down. Way to go Tom and thank you for your service!
The Ag Media Summit luncheon speaker today was artist, David Williamson from Ogden, IA. David lives in a house that he’s built out the parts of farm buildings that he’s collected over the years. I can only imagine what it must look like.
He’s a guy who works as a “creativity consultant” to companies. He goes beyone thinking outside the box.
These agricultural journalists got the attention of the Wisconsin Governor, Jim Doyle. Governor Doyle made the opening remarks at today’s luncheon. He expressed his strong support for agribusiness and the role of the ag media in keeping farmers and the public informed.
BASF is a big supporter of the Ag Media Summit. They sponsor the media room and have a booth. I know you get tired of booth pictures but you have to love a booth that’s got a “live” Miller tap prior to lunch! Here’s Kaye Iftner and Joy Watson with the tap manager at their booth in the Info/Expo. Good call BASF, because as they say “Taste Matters.”
This is the latest news from the folks at QuickFarm.
QuickFarm Launches Real-Time Quotes Product
CHARLESTON, South Carolina (August 2, 2005) – QuickFarm announces the launch of QuickFarm Quotes™, a real-time commodity price and news commentary product as part of its on-line agricultural information portfolio. The addition of real-time news is the result of a recently reached agreement between QuickFarm and Dow Jones News Wire.
Matt Walsh, vice president of sales and operations for QuickFarm, says the agreement with Dow Jones and the availability of the up-to-the minute market and agricultural commodity news delivered in a precise, well-organized format is an important resource for QuickFarm clients. “There are no other sources that provide the range and depth of global agricultural market news and information that our clients and their customers require to make important buy-sell decisions.”
For more information contact Kelly Schwalbe at 816-474-3166.
