To help demonstrate how import rice is to the Japanese culture we visited the Gohan Museum in Tokyo. Cindy and I got our picture taken thanks to Kurt Lawton. Inside the museum they had a video presentation that ran continuously showing rice production. There were displays showing various ways rice is cooked and presented. And of course there was the …
Defending Japanese Ag Trade Policies
When you attend these IFAJ conventions it’s interesting to hear from the policy leaders on the program. I’ve found that it’s very normal to have someone on the program to defend policy practices, especially when it comes to foreign trade and the WTO. This was certainly the case here when we heard from Nobuhiro Suzuki, Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, …
Zimfo Bites
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that 162 recipients in 40 states and Puerto Rico will receive $22.7 million through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. Part of the USDA’s rural development mission, the Value-Added Producer Grants, are used for planning activities or to provide working capital to market value-added agricultural products and farm-based renewable energy projects. Value-added products are …
U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Resigns
Here in Japan the turmoil at their Ministry of Agriculture precluded our being able to meet with their Minister. Back home it looks like we’ve got a little turnover going on too. I just learned that Mike Johanns has resigned as our Ag Secretary. The picture of him here is from the recent Farm Progress Show. I’ve always been a …
Official IFAJ Congress Blog
There is an official IFAJ Congress Blog. The coordinating organization for the event is the Japanese Agricultural Journalists Association. Make sure you stop by for a visit. IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2007 is sponsored by:
Learn About Japanese Agricultural Cooperatives
We started out a very long day of activities here at the IFAJ Congress with a sort of a press conference at the “Imagine” studio of the Japan Broadcasting System, NHK. You can see the title on the glass wall of the studio here with the activities going on inside. I don’t have the information on what the building is …
Sake On My Mind
Have I mentioned sake yet? This is sake country and at one of our receptions in Tokyo I think we had at least 13 companies exhibiting with sake tasting galore. Cindy and Diane Johnson, LPC, were certainly enjoying the sake tasting. A couple of my favorites were the champagne sake and red rice sake. Cindy likes a white zinfandel when …
One Way to Cook Rice
I’m starting to get caught up on my posting here in Japan. As you’ve been able to see, Cindy has certainly found time to do some editing of content from her trip to Germany last week! I posted a picture from our reception in Tokyo the other night and now I’ve got a video clip to go with it. Cindy …
auf Wiedersehen!
Here on a rooftop overlooking the research facility is where we said auf Wiedersehen to BASF at Limburgerhof before we headed off to Brussels, so this is where my coverage of that event comes to a close. However, I will be posting some more from that trip on Domestic Fuel, since biofuels were a major topic there and in Brussels, …
BASF Germination Lab
Before those treated seeds can be planted in a farmer’s field, BASF has to make sure they will germinate and grow successfully, and that is the job of Dr. Michael Merk – just call him “the Germinator.” “We test all different seeds in terms of germination,” he says. “The germination is very important to see if there is any damage …