Ford Foundation Fund Offers Grants to Colleges and Universities

Laura McNamara

U.S. Poultry and EggApplications for grants from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation are now available. The Foundation’s Poultry Science Education Fund supports student recruitment for poultry and science courses at colleges and universities that do not offer a poultry science degree.

Any institution of higher education in the United States that offers an identifiable poultry science program is eligible to apply for a recruitment grant of up to $7,000.

A committee of poultry science school professionals will evaluate funding requests and make recommendations to the board of directors of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation. The number of proposals accepted each year varies depending on need and how the funds are intended to be used. Institutions may apply for a grant by completing the form available at: http://www.poultryegg.org/StudentOutreach/docs/psef_app.pdf. Please forward nine copies to U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation before Aug. 1.

About the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation
Established in 1994, the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation funds recruitment and retention efforts at colleges and universities with poultry science departments. The foundation also funds research projects that benefit the poultry and egg industry. Research summaries are posted on the USPOULTRY Web site.

Education

Keeping Stock of Livestock

Laura McNamara

Lion Edge TechnologiesOr even wildlife for that matter. Lion Edge Technologies, a family-run company that develops affordable record keeping software specifically for the livestock industry thought AgWired readers should know about what they do.

Lion Edge Technologies says its software enables customers to make profitable decisions on any livestock operation, large and small. Different programs are specified for various livestock including cattle, sheep, goat, equine and wildlife. Ranchers can manage multiple types of livestock in one package with the Livestock Edition. Software purchases come with free technical support and free product updates.

Advertising, Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Horses, Livestock

Immigration Key Issue of 2007 Ag Symposium

Laura McNamara

American Agri-WomenA host of women in the agriculture industry will converge on Washington the week of June 10th for the annual American Agri-Women Agricultural Issues Symposium and Fly-in. This year’s symposium will be centered around immigration reform within the realm of agriculture.

Members of the media and all interested parties are invited to attend the 15th Annual Agricultural Issues Symposium on Monday, June 11, 2007, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 2007 AAW Agricultural Issues Symposium is titled, “Hands for the Harvest – Immigration Reform for Agriculture.” Speakers scheduled include: Craig Regelbrugge, Co-Chair, Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform; Jennifer Korm, White House Office of Public Liaison; Karen Williams, on staff with Rep. Adam Putnam, FL. Invited are: Amy Pope on staff of Senator Feinstein and a representative of the League of United Latin American Citizens. This is a complex issue of great importance to agriculture both for production and processing.

The Symposium will be held in Room 107-A of the Jamie Whitten Administration Building at 12th and Independence Avenue from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Members of the public are welcome.

Leaders of American Agri-Women (AAW) from throughout the country will gather in Washington, DC, the week of June 10 for the organization’s annual Washington, DC, Agricultural Issues Symposium and Fly-in. During the week, the group will meet with officials at the US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Energy and the Council on Environmental Quality, and with Members of Congress.

Key issues the group will be working on include endangered species act reform; immigration reform; and promotion of increased production and utilization of renewable fuels.

AAW is the national coalition of farm, ranch and agribusiness women’s organizations, with over 50 state and commodity affiliate organizations.

Ag Groups, Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Farm Policy

Michael Peterson Was The Man in Black Today

Chuck Zimmerman

He’s the star out here at the CMA Music Festival as far as I’m concerned. He’s Michael Peterson and he was looking very relaxed today at the parade that took place only a few hours ago. Michael will be performing at the Riverfront stage on Saturday morning and I think I’ll be backstage for that performance.

Prior to the parade I interviewed Michael and he talks about the type of stars out today and who he thinks the real stars are (they wear blue jackets even in the searing heat).

By the way, in case you’re wondering about using YouTube, consider this. Last year I posted a video of Tanya Tucker competing in the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race and it’s been downloaded almost 13,000 times since then! She’s back this year and I will videotape it.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland, Video

FFA Advisor Jumps in With Both Feet

Chuck Zimmerman

Andy Moore is the ag teacher at Westmoreland High School in Westmoreland, TN. He’s new on the job and coming out to the CMA Music Festival parade today was an introductory activity with the school’s FFA chapter. The chapter members are out here to help work in the New Holland booth in the Chevy Sports Zone area. I’ll have pictures from there tomorrow when things really get started.

Prior to today’s race I interviewed Andy about his job and what his FFA chapter is here to do. He says that not only will the chapter earn some money but he can’t imagine a better venue to do it in.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland, Video

Interview With Gene Hemphill

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland is sponsoring my coverage of CMA Music Festival 2007 and the man who’s in charge of the project is Gene Hemphill. Prior to today’s parade that got things started I interviewed Gene about how and why we’re here again this year.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland, Video

New Holland Boomer Pulls The Load

Chuck Zimmerman

Boomer TractorsDid I mention that we had a New Holland Boomer pulling the float out here at the CMA Music Festival parade?

This is the top of the roll bar from the tractor. Right at the start we almost had a problem since I was standing up on the trailer and wasn’t ready for the sudden movement when we got started. But with a little luck I kept my balance. After that sudden start we had a smooth ride throughout the parade.

It was a hot day in Nashville but there was a big crowd out early for the parade. As you might have heard from the video I posted earlier Michael Peterson has a lot of fans here. They kept shouting out his name and were happy just to get him to wave in their general direction.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland

Michael Peterson – New Holland Parade Video

Chuck Zimmerman

If you want to see what it’s like to be with Michael Peterson in his home town in a parade then you’ve come to the right place. This “float” is being pulled by a New Holland Boomer.


I’ve got plenty more video to come so keep an eye on AgWired.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland

CMA Music Festival Photo Album Started

Chuck Zimmerman

AgribloggerHello from the Michael Peterson/New Holland float in today’s 2007 CMA Music Festival parade. Thanks to Gene Hemphill for the picture.

If you want to see a selection of mine (with a few of Gene’s thrown in) then keep an eye on my CMA Music Festival Photo Album. I’ll be adding to it each day through the event which concludes on Sunday.

I’ve got a few more posts to do yet today but it’s time for dinner now and I’m hungry.

New Holland

Osborn & Barr Wins a Handful of Firsts

Laura McNamara

Osborn & Barr didn’t do so shabby at its first-ever appearance at the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association communications contest. O&B earned four first-place awards and one merit award for its public relations, creative and event planning work for John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment.

“Osborn & Barr and our clients realize the importance of high-quality communications and marketing campaigns for the growing rural lifestyle market,” said Dan Kirkpatrick, associate director of public relation, Des Moines. “We’re honored that our campaign to reach rural lifestyle consumers was recognized by TOCA.”
Osborn & Barr earned first-place awards in the categories of:

Ø Writing a Feature Article
Ø Writing a News Release
Ø Overall Media Kits Design and
Ø Special Event (strategy, execution, collateral and overall results).

The “Equipment Ownership 101” series of articles received a merit award in the Special Writing Project category. Awards were presented at the TOCA annual meeting in Savannah, Ga. in May. This year, winners were selected from 440 entries. TOCA, founded in 1990, serves communicators in the “Green Industry” through fostering and rewarding those focused on sharing information that affects that industry.

Osborn & Barr concentrates on relationship-driven branding communications for agriculture, rural lifestyle, government, association and business-to-business markets to maximize the image and profitability of its clients. Its staff of more than 140 professionals provides brand management, strategic planning, event planning, creative services, public relations, media services, digital marketing and channel marketing. The 19-year-old agency has $125 million in capitalized annual billings divided among six United States and Canada offices located in St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Washington, DC, Guelph and Winnipeg.

Advertising, Ag Groups, Agencies