Last week Pfizer made two announcements involving their SelectVAC preconditioning program. Although he wasn’t at the media event I attended, Cindy got to interview Pierre Bertrand, Pfizer, Senior Marketing Manager for Bios and SelectVAC by phone.
He talks about the fact that Superior Livestock Auction has chosen SelectVAC as the preferred health program for calves sold through their auction and the second announcement which involves the American Angus Association. The organization, along with Pfizer Animal Health are announcing a marketing alliance for two premier feeder calf programs. The collaboration pairs AngusSource, an age-, source- and genetic-USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) for Angus-sired cattle, with SelectVAC, from Pfizer Animal Health.
Pierre says that Pfizer also announced a reward for the 3 millionth enrollment in the SelectVAC program. Pfizer will mark the milestone by awarding that producer with a year’s worth of free SelectVAC products for their entire herd (up to a maximum of $5,000 in value).
You can listen to Cindy’s interview with Pierre here: pfizer-selectvac.mp3
Or if you’d like you can download it here: 
Pierre Bertrand Interview
We talked a lot about corn at the Syngenta Learning Center program in Iowa but soybeans were also a major topic of discussion. One of the presenters was Gene Kassmeyer, Head of Soybeans, Syngenta Seeds.
Growers attending the Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA might have wished they could drive this car but they were content to grow the fuel that’s powering it around the track this season. The #17 Rahal Letterman show car was accompanied by Al Jentz, 
Al says that although he felt like he was preaching to the choir his presentation allowed corn growers to learn more about EPIC’s promotional activities and ask questions.
The latest in renewable energy vehicles from Ford joins Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s official fleet. Ford has produced just 20 of its hybrid-electric, flex-fuel Escapes that can run on E85 fuel and Ford Manager Tony Reinhart handed Blunt the keys to one of these rare vehicles. Blunt says the specially-equipped Escape will help promote his Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard, which outlines that all fuel sold in the state will have to contain 10% percent ethanol by January of 2008. The Governor pointed out that Missouri is the fourth state to have such a requirement. The hybrid, flex-fuel also meets Blunt’s executive order that requires at least 70% of new vehicles purchased by the state to be flex-fuel vehicles.
One of the more entertaining presenters at today’s Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA was Dr. Fred Below. He’s a professor of crop physiology at the University of Illinois.
The Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA was located on a farm just south of town. The owner of that farm is Bruce Johnson.
One of the presenters at the Syngenta Learning Centers media briefing is Bruce Battles, Agronomy Marketing Manager, Syngenta Seeds. He talked about the science of corn from the standpoint of what Syngenta is working on with new varieties. He says that there are a lot of options and challenges for growers. For example he says they’re working on solutions to the challenges of planting corn after corn.