BEEF magazine.com is Beefed Up

Chuck Zimmerman

BeefJust in time for the Ag Media Summit, Penton Media announces a website re-structuring for BEEF magazine.com.

The redesigned site offers users one-stop button access to information-rich, industry category sections on topics such as genetics, markets, health, nutrition and pasture/range. Additional new features include easy-to-find links to a wide range of online resources on feed composition values, the latest in fencing products and suppliers, animal ID suppliers, estate planning and biosecurity.

Current commodity market and weather information feeds have been added to the site, as well as direct links to BEEF magazine’s monthly content, its four newsletters and five Web sites. “Our updates to the site make www.beefmagazine.com fresher, more useful and easier to navigate for our growing readership of U.S. beef-industry professionals,” said Joe Roybal, editor of BEEF.

Now if I can just get Joe to come to my “Blogging for Business” session at the Summit maybe I can get him to incorporate some blogging into that website!

Media, Publication

Farmer’s Rap By Capital Press

Chuck Zimmerman

Capital Press PodcastI am looking around on the web in preparation for the Ag Media Summit next week and finding some interesting stuff. Like a farmers rap in an episode of the Capital Press Agriculture Podcast (CAP).

I’ve pointed you to it before. This is just too funny and good to not mention it again. In this episode you’ll hear “Capital Press reporter Scott A. Yates shares “A Farmer’s Rap,” which he wrote from the prospective of the people who grow food — with attitude.”

Audio, Media, Podcasts

Watching Meat Dry

Chuck Zimmerman

Dry Age CamWinn Meat Company poses the question, “What could be more fun than watching meat dry?” on it’s website. For those who like that kind of excitement they set up a web cam on which you could do just that.

They call it the Dry Age Cam.

For a bonus you get the recipes for the steak which is a Dry Aged New York Strip.

It includes Smokey Cannellini Bean Puree and Pappadam.

Thanks to meatingplace.com for the tip.

Beef, Food

Blackberry Farm Chef Peter Glander

Chuck Zimmerman

Peter GlanderThere’s just something about a “Gourmand” property that attracts me. Enough to let you know about Blackberry Farm. Never been there. Want to go. Especially now that they have Peter Glander as executive chef.

This season, in conjunction with the opening of its new FarmStead, Blackberry Farm announces the arrival of Executive Chef Peter Glander. From the Indiana farm where he was raised to the world-famous kitchens of Manhattan — and now, to rural Relais Gourmand destination Blackberry Farm — Glander has always had a passion for the soil’s bounty in every season.

“Peter’s intimate knowledge of the land and his exceptional culinary achievements speak for themselves,” says Sam Beall, proprietor of the 4,200- acre country estate. “He will complement the FarmStead perfectly.

Blackberry Farm — often described as “Easy to get to. Hard to leave.” — is located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee. This 51-room Relais & Chateaux/Relais Gourmand property offers some of the world’s finest wines, cuisine, fly fishing, horseback riding, hiking, cycling, sporting clay and mountain biking opportunities. In addition to an abundance of outdoor activities, Blackberry Farm offers an Aveda Destination Spa and a series of annual cooking schools and culinary events featuring Blackberry’s own celebrated staff along with other world-renowned guest chefs and vintners. For reservations and information, please call 800-993-7824 or visit www.blackberryfarm.com.

Farming, Food

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • Monsanto’s DEKALB Genetics and John Deere are supporting the formation of a new grower group for customers in the Great Plains area. The Great Plains Canola Growers Association (GPCGA) will provide representation, education, promotion and leadership support to canola producers primarily in the states of Oklahoma and Kansas. “As a wheat farmer for many years, and now as a canola farmer, I’m pleased to work with DEKALB and John Deere to get this association off the ground,” says John Haas, newly named board director for GPCGA from Larned, KS. “Having a network of fellow farmers and industry representatives is important as we begin exploring the opportunities for canola production in our area.Canola production is new to the Great Plains, where wheat has been traditionally grown year after year in a continuous rotation. More growers are now considering canola which is showing great promise as a rotational crop to wheat.
  • Diamond V® representatives today lauded an approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to broaden the use of selenium yeast ingredients. The FDA amendment allows the use of all selenium yeast ingredients in feed supplements for limit feeding beef cattle and in free-choice salt mineral mixes fed to beef cattle. “Selenium plays an important role in the health and performance of beef cattle, and the new ruling allows for greater flexibility to incorporate selenium yeast into free-choice mineral mixes,” says Bruce Hageman, Director of Marketing and Sales Services for Diamond V. Diamond V is considered the market leader in the manufacturer of fermented feed ingredients and high-selenium yeast products, including SelenoSource˙AF and DiaMune˙Se for dairy, beef, swine, poultry and aquaculture markets world-wide.
  • A report will be submitted jointly by 17 organizations on Thursday to the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, created by Congress to analyze and make recommendations on how to equip the nation’s transportation system to meet future needs. The primary objectives of the future transportation system must be to reduce congestion, remain globally competitive, and meet the growing mobility needs of the 21st Century. “We must preserve and modernize the system, improve performance, and add substantial capacity in highways, transit, rail, airports, and seaports,” said John Horsley, Executive Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Zimfo Bytes

Ag Media Summit Info Expo Floor Plan

Chuck Zimmerman

Info Expo Floor PlanIt looks like we’re going to have a great Info Expo at the Ag Media Summit. This is the floor plan. Click on the image to see a bigger one that you can read.

I think there are 65 organizations exhibiting this year which is a record. There’s no way I’ll be able to personally visit with all of them but I’ll try my best. There will be a lot of relationship building going on there between these organizations and the media representatives attending.

You can find the floor plan here too (pdf).

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit

Farm Bill Update From Secretary Johanns

Chuck Zimmerman

USDAWhat’s happening with the Farm Bill is the subject of more press releases than we can count lately. I don’t focus a lot of time on policy but it’s important to know what’s going on.

This morning U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, held a press conference to bring us up to date and explain the Administration’s position on things. You can hear his remarks here if you’d like. They’re only about 15 minutes. usda-farm-bill-press-conf.mp3

Post Update: One of the interesting things Sec. Johanns says is that he and his entire team of advisers will recommend that the President veto the bill proposed by the House Ag Committee if it is adopted in its current form. Sounds like there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Audio, USDA

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • Dr. Angela Baysinger, DVM, of Bruning, Neb., has joined the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., (BIVI) swine division as a field veterinarian providing technical support for Nebraska, Kansas and other key accounts in the western U.S. She earned both her bachelor of science and DVM degrees from the University of Missouri, as well as a master’s degree in epidemiology from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Most recently, Dr. Baysinger was vice president at Farmland Foods, responsible for on-farm food safety with oversight of their USDA Process Verification Program and animal handling and welfare programs.
  • Diamond V® representatives today lauded an approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to broaden the use of selenium yeast ingredients. The FDA amendment allows the use of all selenium yeast ingredients in feed supplements for limit feeding beef cattle and in free-choice salt mineral mixes fed to beef cattle. “Selenium plays an important role in the health and performance of beef cattle, and the new ruling allows for greater flexibility to incorporate selenium yeast into free-choice mineral mixes,” says Bruce Hageman, Director of Marketing and Sales Services for Diamond V. Diamond V is considered the market leader in the manufacturer of fermented feed ingredients and high-selenium yeast products, including SelenoSource˙AF and DiaMune˙Se for dairy, beef, swine, poultry and aquaculture markets world-wide.
  • The Illinois Corn Growers Association, along with the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Soybean Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, and Waterways Council Inc., will be hosting a series of educational barge tours along the Illinois River on Aug. 6, 2007 and along the Mississippi River on Aug. 8, and Aug.14, 2007. On the barge tour you will experience the mechanics of river transportation, hear local businesses explain how they utilize the river, as well as hear a presentation on watershed management and environmental restoration. All participants must be at least 12 years of age or older. Boarding a barge may be difficult for those with disabilities or mobility restrictions. Barge tours are free of charge. Optional services for bus transportation are available for purchase upon reserving a seat. Registrations are on a first come first serve basis and the reservation deadline is July 27, 2006.
Zimfo Bytes

Are You On The Factory Farm Map?

Chuck Zimmerman

Factory Farm MapWhile I was attending the Cattle Industry Summer Conference someone said to me that one of the biggest dangers facing livestock producers in this country are the animal rights activists. I don’t know about you but it seems to me like they’re getting more aggressive and I guess fooling a lot of people out of their money in the process. They sure seem to spend a lot of it. Although livestock production is one of these whackos favorite targets I’d say it’s a lot broader than that. Just check out Spira/Grace sometime and surf through all the websites and organizations they’re connected to and support. Examples include, Sustainable Table, The Meatrix, FactoryFarm.org, Eat Well Guide and there’s a lot more if you click on through. If you’re not aware of what they’re doing then you should be. I’d love your take on what they’re doing online to reach consumers and if you think that’s having any impact on your business. Hopefully you’ll see the need to invest in some online tools to be part of the conversation that’s taking place whether you like it or not.

This post was inspired by yesterday’s release by Food and Water Watch (another whacko group) of an interactive Factory Farm Map. Is your’s on the list? They’re the same group that released a report recently titled, “Rush to Corn Ethanol Is No Farm or Fuel Solution.” I read through that one. It makes a bunch of wild unsubstantiated claims, raises questions that aren’t answered and when they actually do point to science they admit positives about ethanol production. Unfortunately it’s the kind of sensationalist junk the mainstream media likes to pick up on.

I sure wish we could get some more of their creativity channeled into communicating facts and not just emotion from people who may even be well meaning in their intent but just don’t have the knowledge or experience to know what they’re talking about. I’m being generous I know. The reality is that a lot of people behind these groups have an agenda which includes things like population control. I guess the animals would be better off if it wasn’t for us people. Me, I’m a Person who likes to Eat those Tasty Animals.

Environment, Farming, Food, Wackos

On the Cutting Edge of Cotton

Laura McNamara

Case IHThe latest innovation in the cotton industry merges two integral processes to offer growers a more efficient production of cotton. And more growers can get their hands on the technology too. Case IH manufacturing has gone commercial with cotton.

The machine is the Case IH Module Express 625, which allows growers to save capital, fuel and labor by combining cotton harvesting and module building in a single operation. The Benson plant is ramping up production to fill orders for the Module Express in time for this fall’s harvest. The new machine continues a Case IH tradition of cutting-edge cotton technology.The Case IH Module Express has the potential to transform the cotton industry, because it’s designed to fit the needs of ginners as well as growers, says Trent Haggard, Case IH marketing manager for cotton harvesting.

Farmergy“Our engineers made sure that the Module Express fit with existing cotton production practices, with no additional handling, logistics or costs,” Haggard says. “That’s especially important when you consider that many of today’s cotton growers are also gin shareholders… ginning Case IH modules and traditional modules together is a seamless operation. A modern cotton gin that produces 60 ginned bales per hour will be equally maximized while ginning the Case IH module,” Haggard says.
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Ag Groups, Cotton, Equipment, Technology