4,000 Posts on AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman

I call it a milestone. This is post number 4,000 since starting out on the great agriblogging adventure. AgWired has gone through several designs since it was first started in August of 2004. We really don’t count the serious start of the site though until April of 2005 at the NAMA convention. So most of these posts have been done in the last 2 1/2 years.

That’s a lot of archived material having to do with the business of agricultural marketing. I’m not even going to try to add up all the images we’ve posted or audio files. My ZimmCast for this week is episode number 140. 140 weeks of the only audio program you’ll find that focuses on the subject.

Thanks to all of you who visit, read, listen and watch. We’re heading for the next thousand posts full steam ahead.

Uncategorized

ls Food a Right?

Chuck Zimmerman

2007 World Food DayOctober 16 is World Food Day as coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This year’s theme is “The Right to Food.” I’m all for bringing attention to the fact that there are people starving and we should do all we can to feed them with our excess.

However, if you listen to the following statement by FAO’s DG Jacques Diouf, you’ll hear him say that countries are making the right to food a constitutional right. He says we should move away from charity to making food a “right.” I wonder what all the charitable organizations that are working so hard to help feed the hungry would think of that. This concept is just not practical in my opinion. I really think there a lot of other ways to accomplish feeding the hungry and there are a lot of people and organizations already doing it.

Here’s what it says on their website:

The right to food is the inherent human right of every woman, man, girl and boy, wherever they live on this planet.

The choice of The Right to Food as the theme for 2007 World Food Day and TeleFood demonstrates increasing recognition by the international community of the important role of human rights in eradicating hunger and poverty, and hastening and deepening the sustainable development process.

Listen to Jacques Diouf here: fao-wfd.mp3

Audio, International

Budding Agribloggers in Canada

Chuck Zimmerman

University of GuelphYou might recall that I recently conducted a new media class for a day at the University of Guelph. The grad students in that class all had their own blog started by the end of the day.

I finally got a list of their websites and thought I’d share with you. Check them out and let them know what you think.

Scott Hodgins
Terry Stevenson
Patricia Dickenson
Brent Piercey
Mary Feldskov
Joanne Falk
Melissa Snyder
Oliver Haan
Jen Atkinson

International, University

Zimfo Bites

Melissa Sandfort

  • One-stop shopping for agricultural information: The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) 2007 Convention – “A Rural Renaissance” – will be held Nov. 14-16 at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. Trade talk is from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15th. Visit the NAFB site for a tentative agenda and registration information.
  • Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc. (MANA), announces the addition of John Gertz to its new product development team as senior product manager – special projects and new product development. Gertz comes to MANA with eight years of experience at some of the biggest companies in the crop protection industry, bringing great commercial management experience from such companies as SipcamAgro USA, Agriliance LLC and Dow AgroSciences.
  • CHS, a leading energy and grains company, has announced an expanded partnership with Agriculture Future of America (AFA), a collegiate organization that provides leader and career development for students pursuing careers in agriculture. Under the expanded partnership, CHS is making a $40,000 contribution that will help AFA provide quality programs and experiences for college students. Funded by CHS and the CHS Foundation, the dollars will also sponsor 20 students, including CHS and cooperative system interns, to the annual AFA Leaders Conference, Nov. 8-11, in Kansas City, Mo.
  • Getting toward the end of the year and finding that you still need CEUs? Don’t forget about “Spray Drift Management To Minimize Problems,” a FREE, online continuing education course developed by Southwest Farm Press for all licensed, certified applicators in Texas and Oklahoma. It has been accredited for 1.50 recertification credits (0.50 credits in laws and regulations and 1 credit for drift minimization) by the Texas Department of Agriculture. It has been accredited for two CEUs (one CEU each for Categories 1A-Ag Plant and 10-Demo and Research) by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. And there’s an ASA-accredited one-CEU course in Pest Management for all Certified Crop Advisers in the U.S. and Canada.
Zimfo Bytes

New Portable Farm Podcast Recorder

Chuck Zimmerman

Marantz PMD620Hey all you farm podcasters out there. Here’s a new digital recorder to drool over and plan to put in your tool kit. Marantz is finally coming out with a small form recorder. Finally! I got to demo this one at the Podcast & New Media Expo. It’s supposed to be coming out some time in November and I will be placing an order.

Here at ZimmComm New Media we’ve got a Marantz PMD 660 which is the best you can buy right now but it’s still a large form factor. So you’ve been seeing me with an Edirol R-09 and Cindy with a Zoom H-2. Of course we still have our trusty Sony MZ-B100 too. The agriblogging farm podcaster of today needs to think small when you’re talking lots of road time.

The Marantz rep I spoke with admitted that they’re a little behind on this one but from the looks of the one I saw they’ll catch up fast. Pricing should be comparable to the Edirol from what I understand.

You can read more about the new unit on Podcasting News.

Podcasts

Vote For AgWired – Hot Juicy Burgers

Chuck Zimmerman

Vote For AgWiredSome viral promotions catch my eye more than others. Take this one from Wendy’s. It’s not only cool but it’s about “Hot Juicy Burgers.” Something I had for lunch today in fact after a project meeting at the Missouri Beef Industry Council. Great background music too.

This is also a call to action post. I would like some hot juicy Wendy’s hamburgers so I’m asking that you go vote for me. Yes, that’s me holding up the banner telling you why I deserve a hot juicy burger – “I want to support America’s farmers and ranchers.” So show your support too. Vote for AgWired.

I actually do/did have red hair but I never braided it. Even in high school when it got a little long. So if the face looks like me it’s because you can create your own supporting character/banner. Get votes. Win hot juicy burgers. Got it?

And in case you missed it: Vote For AgWired Here

Food

Monsanto Suit Fails to Keep Syngenta Away from Agrisure

Laura McNamara

SyngentaSyngenta will continue to use and sell Agrisure(R) GT (GA21 corn), despite the Monsanto Company‘s effort to block Syngenta’s right to sell the product. Monsanto took its plea of patent violation to the US Federal Courts, but couldn’t convince judges of any patent violation.

Monsanto CompanyThe US Federal Appeals Court today ruled unanimously in favor of Syngenta Seeds, Inc., with respect to the patents asserted by Monsanto against Syngenta’s use and sale of Agrisure(R) GT (GA21 corn). The Court reaffirmed the summary judgment decision of May 10, 2006 by the Federal District Court that the asserted claims of the Shah patent were invalid and that the asserted claims of the Lundquist patents were not infringed.

“We are extremely pleased that the Appeals Court has confirmed our right to sell Agrisure GT to US corn growers,” said Mike Mack, COO, Syngenta Seeds.”

Agribusiness, Syngenta

Pennsylvania Ag Official Drives Biofuel Production

Laura McNamara

PennsylvaniaThe production of biofuels plays a key role in both rural development and national security for one Pennsylvania agriculture official. Executive Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says investing in homegrown biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol, translates into the investment in domestic, local economies. Redding was referencing the benefits of biofuel production in the wake of PA Governor Edward G. Rendell’s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative.

Testifying before the state House Committee on Environmental Resources and Energy, Redding said that Governor Edward G. Rendell’s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative, part of his Energy Independence Strategy, will support the production of nearly one billion gallons of renewable transportation fuels annually.

“For every dollar we don’t send overseas, that’s another dollar we can use to grow Pennsylvania’s economy,” said Redding, noting that the United States imports 60 percent of its oil, with Pennsylvania spending $30 billion annually on liquid fuels produced beyond the state’s borders. “Depending on fossil fuels from countries that are politically unstable or controlled by regimes hostile to America’s interests is a danger to our national security. Under Governor Rendell’s plan, our farmers, local communities, biofuel manufacturers, and trucking and rail industries all win, while curbing our reliance on foreign oil.”

Under the Governor’s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative, every gallon of gasoline sold in Pennsylvania will include 10 percent ethanol once in-state production reaches 200 million gallons per year; with incremental increases up to 20 percent once annual production reaches 300 million gallons.

Agribusiness, Biodiesel, Ethanol

Dr. Franz Fischler Will Chair IFAJ Congress 2008

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-140 - Dr. Franz Fischler on IFAJ 2008We may have just concluded one IFAJ Congress but it’s time to look forward to next year. The man in charge is former EU Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Franz Fischler. He’s chairing IFAJ 2008 and I met him in Japan.

I found Dr. Fischler to be very easy to speak with. He’s got me convinced that Cindy and I should go to Austria and Slovenia next year. I think he’ll I Interview Dr. Franz Fischler on IFAJ 2008convince you too. He says that we’ll get to see how a former communist country has changed and is working to keep the peace and their independence. It sounds like we’ll get some very contrasting looks at agriculture too since we’ll start out in one country and wind up in another.

The program concludes this week with music from the Podsafe Music Network. This week’s song is “Alpaca Cheese” by a Derek K. Miller. Cindy thought it should be polka but I heard enough in the Coliseum last week.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 140 (15 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast140-10-8-07.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

Audio, IFAJ, ZimmCast

Farmers Appointed to Serve on USSEC

Melissa Sandfort

In an effort to continue to increase U.S. soybean farmer profitability through international exports, the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC) announced director appointments to its board at a recent meeting. The United Soybean Board (USB) appointed seven soybean checkoff farmer-leaders to the 19-member board, which was created in 2005 to strengthen relationships with foreign buyers and increase exports of U.S. soy.

These appointments come at a time when the U.S. soybean industry is coming off a record-breaking year. Figures recently released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture show U.S. soybean exports grew to an all-time high of 1.1 billion bushels.

“USSEC is partially funded through the soybean checkoff, and it is imperative that we wisely invest farmer dollars to meet the needs of soy buyers around the world,” says Mark Pietz, USSEC Chairman and a soybean farmer from Lakefield, Minn. “We are excited to have a great mix of experience from our new and returning board members, and I look forward to serving with them to create export opportunities in the year ahead.”

The following soybean checkoff farmer-leaders have been appointed to serve on the USSEC board of directors for the 2008 fiscal year: Greg Anderson from Newman Grove, Neb.; Ike Boudreaux from Lebeau, La.; Phil Bradshaw from Griggsville, Ill.; Ken Dalenberg from Mansfield, Ill.; Secretary Terry Ecker from Elmo, Mo.; Eric Niemann from Nortonville, Kan.; and Chairman Mark Pietz.

Soybean, USB