Angus Productions Getting MultiMedia

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-158 - Producing Angus ProductionsI don’t know about you but I’ve wondered just what Angus Productions, Inc. does. When I got into the media room at the Cattle Industry Convention early last week I saw these little cards promoting www.4cattlemen.com and they said it’s producted by API. That raised even more questions in my mind after visiting the site.

So to learn more I interviewed Shauna Hermel, Editor, Angus Productions Inc. before the convention ended last week. Shauna says they publish Angus Journal and Angus Beef Bulletin. Additionally, they have a special services department and a newly created media department to help cattle producers promote their herd by providing things like custom writing services.

Shauna HermelShe says that www.4cattlemen.com is now in its 6th year and that they provide coverage of 4 major shows per year. Besides the Cattle Industry Convention they do the Beef Improvement Federation, National Angus Conference and Range Beef Cow Symposium and they’re thinking about adding more. She says they bring several staff members to the shows with some doing written summaries of the meetings and others doing video production which she says they’re doing more and more of.

This week’s program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s called “Machinery” by the Might Could. I picked this song since I’ll be attending this week’s National Farm Machinery Show. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 158 (16 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast158-2-11-08.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

2008 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Publication, ZimmCast

Try to Guess Whose Boots These Are

Chuck Zimmerman

Whose Boots?Okay. Maybe this is too hard. So, I guess I can provide some clues. Such as, “she” works in farm broadcasting.

So here’s how it works. The first person to correctly identify Whose Boots these are and post it in a comment here will win a ZimmComm Logo speaker for their iPod.

Post Update: The guesses are good but not correct so I’m adding more clues. She is a northern farm broadcaster.

2008 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board rolled out an information campaign aimed at providing “Kernels of Truth” about the role of corn ingredients in the nation’s food supply. The ICGA and ICPB rolled out their campaign at a press luncheon featuring hamburgers, potato salad, brownies and cookies. Growers at the event made the point that corn contributed just 22¢ to the cost of each lunch. The “Kernels of Truth” campaign breaks down the bill for commonly purchased products – breakfast cereal, hamburger, eggs, milk, soft drinks, and ethanol – to show how much of the consumer price actually goes to farmers. With the help of local farmers, the organizations plan to carry their “Kernels of Truth” to supermarkets in Iowa in the coming months.
  • Valent U.S.A. Corporation and its parent company, Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., announced that they have filed complaints against Syngenta AG and a number of its subsidiaries in the International Trade Commission and against one Syngenta subsidiary in the U.S. District Court for Western Wisconsin. These cases seek relief for infringement of Sumitomo Chemical’s patent on an insecticide compound known as clothianidin, an insecticide used to control insect pests on plants. Valent and Sumitomo Chemical filed a separate complaint against Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, alleging that Syngenta’s later use patent on clothianidin is invalid.
  • Syngenta announced that it has entered into an agreement with Athenix Corp. for the discovery of novel corn insect and soybean cyst nematode resistance genes. Under the agreement, Athenix will screen its extensive microbial strain collection for the identification and initial development of novel gene leads in the targeted areas of corn rootworm, European corn borer, broad lepidopteran, and soybean cyst nematode control. The resultant gene leads will be provided to Syngenta for further development.
Zimfo Bytes

New CBB Chairman Dave Bateman

Chuck Zimmerman

Dave BatemanThe Cattle Industry Convention is about over. I’ve got some posts to do still but you can also find a lot of additional interviews over on the Checkoff website – Beef Board Meeting.com.

This morning the CBB welcomed a new chairman – Dave Bateman. Here’s Dave, hard at work at today’s annual meeting.

After the meeting I did a short interview with Dave.

He says he feels a mix of excitement and a little bit of anxiety because these are exciting times where there are a lot of programs and fewer dollars to work with. He’s going to focus on continuing to build beef demand while maintaining confidence and all of the things that are important to consumers.

He says they’ll continue to work diligently to improve the process of distilling what programs are most effective and can best use Checkoff dollars. Like many here Dave says that although there are some industry factors that don’t look too good right now the mood is very upbeat.

His administration will be one of collaboration using the collective wisdom of all the people who are involved. He also wants producers to know that they can contact any of the officers or board members anytime to offer their input.

You can listen to my interview with Dave here: cic-08-bateman.mp3

2008 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Audio

Barilla Cooks to Fight Hunger

Laura McNamara

The Celebrity Italian TablePasta lovers looking to spice up their pasta dishes with professional, chef-inspired recipes have a new cookbook from Barilla to try out. Barilla is offering its second annual downloadable cookbook for free in its campaign to help fight hunger.

Barilla, the world’s number one pasta maker, announces its second annual call on pasta lovers to help fight hunger with the launch of “The Celebrity Italian Table Cookbook.” Renowned chef Mario Batali, entertaining expert David Tutera and five Hollywood celebrities partnered with Barilla to offer unique recipes and stylish table concepts.

Throughout the month of February, the cookbook is available online for no charge at www.celebrityitaliantable.com. For every person who downloads a copy, Barilla will donate $1 to America’s Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network (up to $100,000).

Tutera and Batali developed six three-course meals and table settings inspired by Hollywood celebrities Chris Daughtry, Debra Messing, Natalie Portman, Marisa Tomei and Stanley Tucci, which can easily be recreated at home. To thank the celebrities for their participation, Barilla is making an additional $25,000 donation to America’s Second Harvest on their behalf.

This year’s cookbook offers the following celebrity-inspired recipes and table settings:

— Romantic Night with Chris Daughtry’s Rigatoni with Basil and Gorgonzola
— Celebratory Feast with Debra Messing’s Penne alla Vodka
— Girlfriends Gathering with Natalie Portman’s Penne alla Puttanesca
— Dinner Party with Marisa Tomei’s Farfalle “alla Marisa”
— Family Dinner with Stanley Tucci’s Spaghetti al Tonno
— Babbo with Mario Batali’s restaurant favorite Fettuccine with Zucca

Tonno, by the way, is Tuna. Zucca is pumpkin. Zucca is an Italian favorite. In fact, it’s one of my Italian favorites. Puttanesca, well, is named after the prostitues of Napoli. It’s considered to be a robust, hot and spicy past dish.

Food

Culinary Art

Laura McNamara

International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New YorkYou can’t argue with appreciating the art of cooking. The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York is sponsoring Photography for Philanthropy, a culinary art auction to benefit City Harvest.

A group of renowned celebrity chefs have prepared exquisite culinary dishes that have been captured through the lens of famed photographer Diana DeLucia, publisher of New York Restaurant Insider. This prestigious group of chefs includes: Lidia Bastianich, Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, Larry Forgione, Johnny Iuzzini, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Francois Payard, Eric Ripert and Laurent Tourondel.

City HarvestThe photographs have been framed by preservation experts to help protect the image from long term degradation. The acid free matting is personally autographed by each chef, making this limited edition series authentic and original.

The online auction opened on Thursday, January 24th and closes at 11:00 pm on Sunday, February 24th. Opening bids begin at $250, with a second option to buy outright for $950. To bid on the artwork and to learn more about the collection, visit www.internationalrestaurantny.com/photoauction.

In addition to the online auction, the entire collection of autographed photographs will be on display in a special exhibit on the Show floor of the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, March 9-11, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. On Monday, March 10th at 11:00 a.m. a check from the auction proceeds will be presented to City Harvest.

Farming, Food

Juice Up with the Berenstain Bears

Laura McNamara

bbears.jpgKids love juice boxes and they love Berenstain Bears. That’s reason enough for The Berenstain Bears and Sensible Slippers Organic Juice Boxes to team up to promote healthy drink options for kids.

R.W. Knudsen Family(R) is partnering with The Berenstain Bears(TM) for the launch of Sensible Sippers(TM) Organic Juice Boxes, available nationwide this Fall. Sensible Sippers are 100 percent certified organic, and they come in convenient and appealing packaging that features classic Berenstain Bears characters, such as Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Brother Bear and Sister Bear.

True to their name, Sensible Sippers are 50 percent juice and 50 percent water, reducing the amount of sugar intake in each serving without compromising on taste. Kids will enjoy the fun new flavors, including Fruit Punch, Banana, Apple and Mixed Berry, and parents will relish the fact that these juices contain 40 percent fewer calories than regular boxed juices. Furthermore, Sensible Sippers do not have any added sugar, artificial flavors or preservatives, and they are 100 percent certified organic by Quality Assurance International and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Sensible Sippers Organic Juice Boxes are available nationwide at Whole Foods Market. An eight-pack of juice boxes should cost between $3.99-$4.49.

Advertising, Food

Tickle Your Loved Ones with TickleMe Plants

Laura McNamara

TickleMe Plant CompanzRemember that post about TickleMe Plants around Christmas. Well, the TickleMe Plant Company says the gift that gives giggles is also a great idea for gifts this Valentine’s Day.

Oddly enough, I’ve been tickling my own plants here in SE Asia. There’s a small fern that’s native to the area and when you “tickle” it, the leaves close up. I wonder if it’s in the same plant family as the Brazilian TickleMe Plant…

The National Gardening Association, will feature two new and exciting educational products from the TickleMe Plant Company. TickleMe Plants(TM) move their branches down and close their leaves when tickled. TickleMe Plant seeds and grow kits are available now from NGA, at www.Kidsgardeningstore.com

What is a TickleMe Plant?

Native to Brazil, they can be found there, growing in the wild. The scientific name for the TickleMe Plant is Mimosa pudica.

“You simply plant the seeds in one of our growing kits or a flower pot with soil, water it and the plants will sprout in days,” says Larry Chipkin. Two weeks later, you can tickle this very sensitive plant and watch in amazement as the plant closes its leaves and lowers its branches. Then, usually, within 15 minutes, it lifts its fernlike branches and re-opens its leaves.

The TickleMe Plant company says its fern can even open up into pink, fluffy blooms.

Seed

Honoring Paul Hitch

Chuck Zimmerman

Paul HitchThe beef industry honored Paul Hitch today at the general session. His family joined him on stage and he was presented with a plaque and accolades for all the work he’s done on behalf of the industry over the years. Paul’s a producer from Oklahoma.

Paul was to be the next President of NCBA until illness struck which has prevented him from realizing that dream.

It was a very emotional moment as Paul made his way on stage and made a few comments in his booming voice.

You can listen to Paul’s comments here preceded by some from Terry Stokes, CEO of NCBA: cic-08-hitch.mp3

2008 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Audio

Peter Shinn Questions The Secretary

Chuck Zimmerman

Sec. Schafer Press ConferenceThe press got to meet with our new Ag Secretary, Ed Schafer, after his speech today.

Just so you can see what that’s like I shot a short video clip of a question asked by Brownfield’s Peter Shinn. He asks the secretary under what circumstances would he release some acres from CRP?

2008 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Media