Healthy Eating Game Earns Award

Laura McNamara

The Amazing Food Detective Online Video GameA free game online teaches kids to eat healthy in a fun way. ‘The Amazing Food Detective’ has received two awards for its online educational software. All parents need to do is make the virtual reality a dinner table reality.

Kaiser Permanente‘s “The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective,” a first of its kind, free, online video game that teaches children to eat healthier foods and get more active, has been awarded 2008 Best Products by iParenting Media Awards and Best in Class by the Interactive Media Awards(TM).

Based on a popular character from Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre Program, the Amazing Food Detective takes children through activities that show how to choose healthy foods and get more active. Children playing the game follow the routines of eight culturally diverse children whose activities or conditions would benefit from healthy food and exercise choices. The game, aimed at children ages 9-10, is available to everyone at online.

These awards reinforce positive feedback received from classroom teachers who have incorporated the educational video game into their curriculum and are noticing a marked improvement in student eating habits. The program included a survey of teachers who received the game and learning materials, in which 79 percent found the game was effective, useful and fun. Teachers also noted that the video game influenced students, who began to replace junk food in their lunches with fresh fruits and vegetables. Another observation was that students were becoming more active both at school and at home with their families.

Food, Technology

Pennsylvania Gets First Ethanol Plant

Laura McNamara

BioEnergy InternationalBioEnergy International was the first to break ground in Pennsylvania and construct an ethanol plant. Pennsylvania will be home to a new Bionol Clearfield biorefinery.

BioEnergy International, LLC announces ground breaking for the Bionol Clearfield LLC, 100 mgpy corn ethanol biorefinery under construction in Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

The corn and cellulosic pilot plants to be built in Clearfield are core to BioEnergy’s mission of integrating the development of novel biocatalysts for use in innovative, state-of-the-art biorefineries. Guided by a strategic business model and supported by proprietary technology, BioEnergy is a responsible leader in the new industrial revolution.

“Renewable fuels like ethanol offer this nation an immediate opportunity to begin the hard work of mitigating the impacts of climate change, developing greater energy independence and creating jobs and economic opportunity at time when the economy faces significant challenges. The U.S. ethanol industry stands eager to join with Pennsylvanians and the people at BioEnergy International to help meet the energy and environmental challenges this country faces,” said Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen.

Agribusiness, Ethanol, Technology

Updated Breeds of Cattle Available Soon

Chuck Zimmerman

Breeds of CattleIf you liked Herman Purdy’s first book then you might want to get the update which is available soon.

The highly-anticipated second edition of the classic 1987 volume by Herman R. Purdy is slated for an April, 2008, release. The completely revised, updated, and expanded text includes twelve additional breeds, bringing the grand total to forty-five with a page count of 400. The new edition is fully illustrated with over 400 color and B & W images, including reproductions of rare historic 19th century paintings depicting what the older breeds might have looked like as well as modern full-color formal portraits of a mature bull and cow of each breed to complement the thorough and engagingly written text. The book’s association authorized documentation includes the history, origin, and phenotype of each breed, as well as current statistics supplied by the top cattle breeders’ associations. The large (12” x 12”) coffee table book format offers more than easy readability. Additional information and a sample viewing can be found at www.breedsofcattle.net.

Click on more to see the forward written by John Meyer. Read More

Publication

International Year of the Potato Unites Idaho with UNICEF

Laura McNamara

Idaho Potato Commission Recipes for ReliefIt’s the year for Idaho to shine. The state’s claim to fame is well, the famed international icon for 2008. To celebrate, the Idaho Potato Commission is launching ‘Recipes for Relief’. There’s more. Celebrity chefs are joining the celebration to help raise awareness for the potato and to raise $50,000 for UNICEF.

Chefs David Burke, Paul Prudhomme and Michael Symon are among eleven chefs sharing their favorite Idaho Potato recipes in the Idaho Potato Commission’s “Recipes for Relief” on-line program. The goal of this unique program is to celebrate the United Nation’s declaration of 2008 as the International Year of the Potato by raising awareness and $50,000 for UNICEF, an organization that provides lifesaving nutrition, clean water and education to children in more than 150 countries around the world.

Each month beginning in February, which is also Potato Lovers Month, a different chef and his/her recipe will be featured on Idahopotato2008.org. Every time a visitor clicks on the recipe of the month, the Idaho Potato Commission will donate 10 cents to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF with a guaranteed donation of $50,000. Funds will support UNICEF’s programs for children around the world. For more information on UNICEF. The Recipe for Relief program will run from February — December 2008.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Food

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The World Food Prize Foundation on Friday accepted a $5 million contribution from Monsanto Company to ensure the continuation of the annual World Food Prize International Symposium – now known as the “Borlaug Dialogue.” The funds support a renewed fundraising campaign to transform the historic Des Moines Public Library building into a public museum to honor Dr. Norman Borlaug and the work of the World Food Prize Laureates. With the $5 million commitment from Monsanto, the World Food Prize has now secured $19.3 million of the total $29.8 million needed to complete the project. The Norman Borlaug Hall of Laureates is scheduled to be completed in 2010.
  • The Propane Education & Research Council developed a new training manual – Dispensing Propane Safely into Agricultural Equipment – designed to train farmers on the proper procedures for refilling certain mobile agricultural equipment fueled by propane. Copies can be purchased now through the Propane Industry Catalog (#003700) by calling (866) 905-1075 or visiting the Web site. The manual will also be translated into Spanish.
  • Dosatron’s New Seal Kits are now available. Each kit comes with a complete check valve assembly. The New Seal Kits are easier to install, with a one-step check valve change, and are a great value. Join the Preventive Maintenance Program by visiting the Web site.
Zimfo Bytes

Training While Traveling

Chuck Zimmerman

A Florida PondHello from Florida where it’s supposed to be in the 80’s today. I’m doing some new media training here at the Southeast AgNet headquarters before traveling on to Orlando and the National Ethanol Conference.

This scene is the pond/waterfall in the front yard. It sort of shows why I’d like to move back to Florida some day. In the cold of winter it’s still green and pretty out. We’ll see what happens.

Uncategorized

Last Chance to Enter Survey Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

Okay folks, it’s the last day to take our annual survey and be entered in a drawing for a new iPod Nano AgWired Survey. If you’ve been putting it off then please get your entry in by the end of today since we’ll be doing a drawing and announcing the winner early next week.

Thank you.

Uncategorized

K.C.’s Poor Gets Paula Deen Pork

Laura McNamara

Harvesters: The Community Food NetworkNo it’s not political pork. It’s fat, juicy farm-raised pork. Celebrity Cook Paula Deen and her husband Michael Groover are escorting Smithfield Foods’ Helping Hungry Homes tour to L.A.’s poor.

Harvesters: The Community Food Network has received more than 25,000 pounds of meat to help feed local families, thanks to Smithfield Foods’ 10-city Helping Hungry Homes(TM) Across America tour, a hunger relief initiative led by celebrity cook Paula Deen.

The tour’s goal is to provide one million servings of meat to the nation’s hungry families, including those in the metropolitan Kansas City area, where 43 percent of people receiving emergency food assistance are children and 48 percent of individuals come from a household with at least one working adult, according to Hunger in America statistics.

Paula Deen’s sons Jamie and Bobby, who regularly appear on her Food Network shows and have authored their own cookbook, were on hand today to help Harvesters’ staff unload a Farmland Foods truck carrying more than 25,000 pounds of Farmland products, including ham, bacon, breakfast sausage, hot dogs and lunch meat. Farmland Foods, Inc. is an independent operating company of Smithfield Foods and is headquartered in Kansas City.

The Smithfield Foods Helping Hungry Homes tour began in Deen’s hometown, Savannah, on January 14, and has now reached Philadelphia, New York City, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Additional scheduled stops include Kansas City, Chicago, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., before concluding in Detroit. Donations are being distributed through local members of America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.

Food, Pork

New Manitoba Employment Standards Code Cause for Concern on the Farm

Harry Siemens

Harry Siemens – Concern is the word from agricultural organizations in Manitoba over proposed changes that will expandharry-hockey-game-jan-3-2008.JPG the scope of the province’s Employment Standards Code to cover most agricultural employees.  The Employment Standards Code outlines the minimum standards employers and employees not covered by collective agreements must meet in their working relationship. It covers most employees under provincial jurisdiction. Read More

Uncategorized

Seed Stamina From BASF

Chuck Zimmerman

BASF Thanks to the folks at BASF you can hear Craig Lindholm talk about the new registration of their Stamina fungicide seed treatment.

Listen to Craig here: craig-lindholm.mp3

The recent registration by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of a new BASF seed treatment, to be marketed for corn seed under the name Stamina® fungicide, gives growers their best chance yet to get plants off to the right start.

“Stamina fungicide seed treatment helps control key seed and seedling diseases and improve stress tolerance,” said Craig Lindholm, marketing manager, seed treatments at BASF U.S. Crop Protection Products. “This delivers healthy plants right out of the ground as corn seedlings have a stronger start, resulting in increased yield potential.”

Field trials conducted throughout the U.S. during the 2006 and 2007 seasons confirm stand and yield improvements with Stamina. Seed and seedlings are better protected by Stamina from key diseases, such as Rhizoctonia. This is particularly important as earlier planting and increased use of no-till production systems may lead to slower emergence of seedlings due to cool, wet soils.

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Corn, Seed