- The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association has announced that Larry Brown, vice president educational programs, is retiring from the organization in September, after 30 years of service. Brown started working at USPOULTRY in 1977 as the director of communications. He is currently in charge of the annual USPOULTRY seminar series and student educational programming. “I have enjoyed working with Larry over the last few years. He is the most thorough and professional individual I have had the pleasure of working with,” said USPOULTRY President Don Dalton.
- Dow AgroSciences to reveal an exciting, new family of herbicide tolerance traits during the Farm Progress Show on Aug. 28 through 30 in Decatur, Ill. Known currently as Dow AgroSciences Herbicide Tolerance (DHT), this innovative technology will improve and enhance the performance of glyphosate and glufosinate cropping systems, says Dan Kittle, vice president of Research & Development at Dow AgroSciences. “DHT traits will enable the use of additional broad-spectrum herbicides with differing modes of action in both the burndown and postemergence application timings,” Kittle says. “These technologies will provide solutions to improve the control of hard-to-kill broadleaf weeds, reduce selection pressure for glyphosate resistance and help to sustain the use of the glyphosate tolerance cropping system in crops like corn, soybeans and cotton.”
- Jon Miducki has joined Farm Journal Media as National Accounts Manager for Farm Journal Database Strategies. In his new position, Miducki will be responsible for the company’s database products and services sales efforts. In making the announcement, Farm Journal Media Senior Vice President, Allen Moczygemba, said: “We’re extremely fortunate to have someone with Jon’s experience and abilities join Farm Journal Media. I’m confident that with Jon’s sales management experience Farm Journal Database Strategies will demonstrate continued growth. In addition, Jon will lead the company effort in introducing new and innovative direct marketing products into the marketplace. In his new role, Miducki will be responsible for servicing existing national accounts while overseeing new business development. Miducki will office out of his home in Ohio and report to Moczygemba.
Boehringer Ingelheim Funds PRRS Research
As the swine industry continues raising awareness for the need of porcine reproductive and respitory syndrome, or PRRS, Boehringer Ingelheim continues its annual PRRS research award program. The year marks the sixth year of Boehringer Ingelheim’s funding of PRRS research.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., (BIVI) is again seeking research study proposals on the topic of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) for the 2008 PRRS Research Awards. For the last five years, BIVI has contributed $75,000 annually through its Advancement in PRRS Research Awards, which funds three selected research programs. The 2008 research program is open to swine practitioners, diagnosticians and public or private researchers in the United States, Canada and Mexico to investigate new ways to diagnose, control and eradicate this costly swine disease. Proposals are selected by an independent review board based on established criteria including: economic impact to the swine industry, originality and scientific quality and probability of success in completing the year-long study. The selected BIVI Advancement in PRRS Research Awards winners are recognized each year during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) conference. Since 2003, BIVI has awarded more than $300,000 in PRRS Research Awards. The 2007 recipients include: Jeff Zimmerman, DVM, PhD, Iowa State University, Ames; Derald Holtkamp, DVM, MS, Iowa State University, Ames; and Bob Morrison, PhD, MS, University of Minnesota. These research studies were selected for their ability to find practical and effective solutions for helping veterinarians and producers enhance technology for practical application in the management and possible eradication of PRRS. Proposals were submitted by graduate students, academic researchers, companies and private researchers, as well as practicing veterinarians.
To participate in the Advancement in PRRS Research Awards, send a complete proposal submission on a year-long research project by Jan. 1, 2008. Please include and mail a cover sheet, Curriculum Vitae and two letters of recommendation to:
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
Attn: Trudy Luther
“The Advanced PRRS Research Award”
5506 Corporate Dr., Suite 1600
St. Joseph, MO 64507-7752 USA
So Long From AMS
It’s time to hit the road again. Another Ag Media Summit has come and gone. I want to take this chance to thank some folks.
Thank you first of all to Dave Krog and Ken Benkstein and Agragate Climate Credits Corporation for sponsoring my coverage of the AMS this year. Thanks to everyone who attended my workshops and said such kind words afterwards. Thanks to the committee and staff who put this program together and made attending and working here so enjoyable. Thanks to BASF for sponsoring the media room. It’s so nice to have a place to work that’s conveniently located and has good high speed internet access. Thanks to all of you who read and subscribe to AgWired. I can’t tell you how much the words of encouragement I’ve heard here mean to me.
So, it’s onward to the next stop on the agricultural marketing and communications highway.
Don’t forget to check out the photo album and feel free to download them if you need them. I think there’s over 250 in there.
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IFAJ 2009 Congress Planning
The last meeting of the day here was an IFAJ 2009 Congress planning committee meeting. It’s going to overlap with the Ag Media Summit in Ft. Worth in 2 years. I’m on the communications committee for it and will be developing the website for the event. I’ve already got the domain and would like to invite anyone who wants to help me. Please just let me know.
It sounds like the committee has a lot of plans already in place including a set of 3 farm tours and one in Washington, DC. I think the event has the potential to be the most awesome one ever held since you’ll have international ag journalists here and our domestic ones who go to AMS anyway.
We’re seeking sponsors for the event. If you or your company would like to be a sponsor please let me know and I can pass your interest along to our sponsor committee.
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LPC Passing of the Gavel
While AAEA was meeting so was LPC. Here’s new LPC president Kyle Haley alongside now past president Lisa Bryant.
It sounds like LPC is doing great both in membership and financially. I know their involvement with AMS has helped this just like it has with AAEA.
I interviewed Kyle and will feature that interview in next week’s ZimmCast. You’ll hear him say how well their regional meetings and the annual GALA in Kansas City are doing for example.
One thing I heard in both meetings this morning as I tried to wander back and forth were references to Howl at the Moon. I’m thinking that’s one of those, “What happens in Louisville, stays in Louisville” kind of things. If anyone has any comments about that please feel free to add them here. I was a good boy last night.
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AAEA Passing of the Gavel
The Ag Media Summit is now over. This has got to be one of the best programs and events yet. Not only was it the biggest so far in attendance but the enthusiasm and fun and fellowship was unmatched in my experience.
Today both AAEA and LPC had their annual meetings. Here’s new AAEA president, John Walter, presenting a plaque to now past president Marcia Taylor.
I’ll be featuring an interview with John in next week’s ZimmCast so that’s where you’ll hear his vision for the future of the organization. For example, he’s looking forward to continuing the outreach efforts to work with other organizations like LPC that was part of the most recent AAEA strategic plan.
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Michael Peterson’s Inspiring Performance
I know it has been a while since I’ve done a Michael Peterson post. Have you been going through MP withdrawal?
New Holland sponsored Michael Peterson to do a performance today at lunch which was both inspiring and entertaining. I’ve been asked several times already if I recorded it and would be posting it. Yes and yes.
Michael played some of his old songs and some new ones. He urged everyone to visit his new website, “I Remember America.”
You can listen to his complete performance here: ams-07-peterson.mp3
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ARC Scholarship Winners
The Agricultural Relations Council announced the winners of their 2007 ARC of Excellence Scholarship Program today and two of the recipients were in attendance to receive them.
First of all we have Melissa Leander, Kansas State, pictured here with ARC president Bob Giblin.
They’ll receive $500 each from the organization.
The next recipient is Katie Allen, University of Missouri.
She was here with her Dad but I couldn’t talk him into getting into the picture.
Not attending today is Jill Goetz, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
In addition to handing out the scholarships we got an update on the Golden ARC Awards which will be returning to life this fall. More information on them will be forthcoming.
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Horses Work in Kentucky According to KEEP
The Agricultural Relations Council held their breakfast this morning to bestow some scholarship awards.
Before that though we heard a presentation on the Kentucky horse industry from Jim Navolio. Jim was head of the Kentucky Equine Education Project which was started to raise awareness of how important this industry is to the state. He says that it’s amazing how little legislative support the industry gets in light of how much it contributes, especially through taxes.
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Agragate Those Carbon Credits
This week I’m attending the Agricultural Media Summit. As if you didn’t know that by now. So this week’s program is a live demo for my “Podcasting For Publishers” session.
What better program and interview than with your sponsor? The program is my interview this morning with Agragate Climate Credits Corporation CEO Dave Krog. We’ll learn all about carbon credits and how their new company is now focusing on bringing this service to farmers nationally. In case you don’t know about carbon 
credits you need to listen to this program. It’s a great potential extra income source for farmers and as our speaker said yesterday, we’re going to see more and more programs like this.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: 
ZimmCast 130 (10 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:
zimmcast130-7-31-07.mp3The 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