FFA members recently returned from a 14-day educational and cultural experience in South Africa. Members participated in the 2015 International Leadership Seminar for State Officers, an annual, international opportunity through the National FFA Organization for past and present state FFA officers. The experience allows FFA members to experience foreign culture, learn about international agriculture and become more knowledgeable of the …
Soil Health Partnership Scientific Advisers
The Soil Health Partnership includes an impressive and distinguished panel of scientific advisers who are happy to be involved in an effort they consider to be critical to the future of the world. Most of those advisers attended the first Soil Health Summit held this week in St. Louis. Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, deputy chief for science and technology with USDA’s …
What’s Going on with ZimmGlass
With the recent surprising announcement from Google regarding their Glass project I thought it was an appropriate time to write an update on my own ZimmGlass Project. What did Google announce? Here’s the message those of us in the Glass Explorers program received: It’s been an exciting ride. Since we first met, interest in wearables has exploded and today it’s …
Zimfo Bytes
broadhead announces significant additions to its creative department: Amanda Ward, Laura Coyle, Lauren Eggert, Angie Grossman; and Chris Strohmeyer has been promoted. Potato D.C. Fly-In Registration Rates Increase and Room Block Expires This Week – Act Now! Verdesian Life Sciences has named two international crop health industry veterans to manage the company’s product development and marketing in the Asia/Pacific and …
Soil Health Partnership Holds Summit
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) was officially launched at last year’s Commodity Classic so it will just be one year old in another month. But Nick Goeser with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) says the concept had a relatively long gestation period. “The idea for the Soil Health Partnership started in 2011, so within three years we came to …
Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Rep. Mike Conaway
Agri-Pulse interviewed the new chairman of the House Agriculture Committee on Open Mic this week: As Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee in the 114th Congress, Mike Conaway has revised the subcommittee structure to allow for closer policy oversight and careful attention to reauthorization of nutrition programs and futures trading. In his first audio interview on ag issues this year, …
Poultry Industry Urges Congress to Grant TPA
As U-S trade representative Michael Froman appeared before congressional committees this week to stress the need for the president to be granted Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), poultry producers were talking trade issues in Atlanta at the IPPE. USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) President Jim Sumner says TPA is critical to getting major trade agreements with Asia and Europe …
Into the Icebox
I’ve written before about ice hooks: In the early 1900s, folks would use this tool to “harvest” blocks of ice from ponds, wrap them in straw or sawdust to keep the ice as long as possible, and store them in an insulated building. They’d later pop one of those blocks in the icebox to keep food from spoiling … this …
Ag Committees Make Assignments
Both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees are under new management and Chairmen Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) announced their new subcommittee assignments this week. “I look forward to working with this very talented team of proven leaders,” Conaway said. “Their diverse backgrounds will be of great value to the Committee as we work to promote a strong …
Novus Strives for Solutions, Service & Sustainability
Novus International’s CEO, Francois Fraudeau, has been in the drivers seat about a year now and I caught up with him in their booth at the 2015 International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta, GA. Looking into the future, Francois hit on some very important strategic goals for the company. “The strategy for Novus will be to keep investing in …