Big Blue Fin Tuna Cutting Show

Chuck Zimmerman

When I mentioned that we were served food at our welcoming reception I neglected to say the word “fresh.” These guys here are about to slice up this big fish. The Big Blue Fin Tuna Cutting Show was really interesting. The best part was eating some fresh cut sushi as they worked on this big guy. Cindy shot video of …

IFAJ, Pioneer

Marketing Headline

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Headline fungicide has become a major crop protection product for corn in just the past two years, not as a fungicide but as an overall plant health product. In fact, it has become a real success story in agricultural marketing and the ability to take advantage of favorable market factors. BASF Vice President for strategic marketing of ag products …

Audio, BASF, International

IFAJ President David Markey Welcomes Us

Chuck Zimmerman

Also welcoming us to Japan this evening was David Markey, IFAJ President. David says that IFAJ is now over 5,000 members strong worldwide. I interviewed him for my weekly ZimmCast but will have to post that later since I’m running out of steam at this point. IFAJ is made up of all kinds of journalists involved in agricultural communications including …

IFAJ, Pioneer

Yokoso Nippon IFAJ

Chuck Zimmerman

We were welcomed to Japan (Yokoso Nippon) by Kazumasa Numura, president of the Japan Agricultural Journalists Association (left) and Masaru Yamada, the main coordinator. Our welcoming reception included lots of food and beverage. Just what you need when you’ve been on the go sitting in an airplane for over half a day. Besides welcoming comments we were also entertained with …

IFAJ, International, Pioneer

BASF R&D

Cindy Zimmerman

I am in Japan now with Chuck and will be spending much of this week posting interviews and pictures from last week’s BASF trip while Chuck is covering the IFAJ events. So, I am starting at the beginning of the trip and posting the interviews with BASF executives done after the global press conference September 12. Research and development of …

Audio, BASF, Corn, Farming, Research, Soybean

IFAJ Congress Ready To Start

Chuck Zimmerman

It takes a while to get to Japan from the United States. Cindy and I have made it and it’s almost time for the IFAJ Congress to officially begin with a welcome reception in our hotel. I’m really glad that our flights were on time since it was a long flight anyway. It then took 3 1/2 hours to get …

IFAJ, Pioneer

Johnny Appleseed Festival

Laura McNamara

Mapleside Farms is commemorating agriculturalist Johnny Appleseed in it’s annual Johnny Appleseed Festival. The Ohio Farm began celebrating the Johnny Appleseed Festival in 1974 on what would have been Appleseed’s 200th birthday. Mapleside Farms uses a branch from an original Johnny Appleseed tree to graft onto a rootstock, which still produces fruit. The 34th annual Johnny Appleseed Festival at Mapleside …

Farming, Food

Chipotle Beef in Butternut Recipe Wins Beef Cook-Off

Laura McNamara

A variety of Latin spices flavored this year’s winning recipe for the National Beef Cook-Off. The grand prize of $50,000 went to Christine Riccitelli of Nevada. With her recipe for Nuevo Chipotle Beef in Butternut Squash Boats amateur home cook Christine Riccitelli of Incline Village, NV won the 27th National Beef Cook-Off and the $50,000 “Best of Beef” grand prize. …

Ag Groups, Beef, Food

Whole Grains Share September Promotion with Rice

Laura McNamara

September is the month for celebrating rice, and now, it’s also the month for celebrating whole grains. The Whole Grains Council held a special competition to kick off its inaugural year for recognition in September. In addition to being National Rice Month, September has, for the first time, been declared “Whole Grains Month.” To celebrate, the Whole Grains Council (WGC) …

Ag Groups, Farming, Food

Osborn & Barr Boosts Man-Power in Kansas City

Laura McNamara

Osborn & Barr Communications is strengthening its man-power in Kansas City. The office has introduced new personnel to both its account service and financial teams. The Kansas City office of Osborn & Barr Communications (O&B) has significantly augmented its creative, account service and financial teams with the addition of Jason Silvers, Debbie Davids and Kelly Midkiff. “The addition of Jason, …

Advertising, Public Relations