Panera Bread’s Lazy Response to Offensive Promotional Campaign

Chuck Zimmerman

It looks like Panera Bread has heard from the countryside. However, to date, their response has been lazy at best. Earlier this week Carrie Mess brought to our attention the Panera Bread campaign all about the EZChicken which implies that farmers raising chickens and using antibiotics are lazy. It has launched a grassroots campaign on Facebook and Twitter. Just follow …

Animal Activists, Food, Wackos

Jason Weller Appointed Chief of NRCS

Chuck Zimmerman

Congratulations to Jason Weller on his appointment as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service where he has served as acting chief the last eight months. Jason is pictured at the recent CTIC Conservation in Action Tour. Here are some notes from the notice about his appointment. As Acting Chief, Jason has moved swiftly to transform NRCS’s Administrative Functions; support …

Conservation, USDA

About Time to Wing it in Buffalo, NY

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s almost time for the annual Agricultural Media Summit. This image of a good looking steak from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board really makes me wish I as going. But I’ll be doing ag media duty at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally while Cindy and our summer intern Maggie will be at the Ag Media Summit. So we’ve got it covered! If …

Ag Media Summit

Awards for Precision Agriculture

Chuck Zimmerman

During the InfoAg Conference the 2013 PrecisionAg Awards of Excellence were presented, sponsored by the PrecisionAg Institute. Announcing the awards was Paul Schrimpf, Group Editor, Croplife Media Group and posing with each of the winners is K. Elliott Nowels, Meister Media Group. First up: Crop Adviser/Entrepreneur Award Laserplane Arkansas, Inc. The next award: Educator/Researcher Award Dr. John Fulton, Auburn University …

Ag Groups, Audio, Precision Agriculture

Panera Portraying Farmers as Lazy?

Chuck Zimmerman

I’m echoing Dairy Carrie’s comment that Panera Bread has lost another customer. She explains things much better than I can. This is the story of another company thinking they must portray their product as healthy while at the same time insinuating that other products are not. I have no doubt that there are Panera customers who want products like antibiotic …

Farming, Food, Wackos

History & Future of World Trade Organization

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s some light reading for you. How about the History and Future of the World Trade Organization. It is “a comprehensive account of the economic, political and legal issues surrounding the creation of the WTO and its evolution. Fully illustrated with colour and black-and-white photos dating back to the early days of trade negotiations, the publication reviews the WTO’s achievements …

Audio, International

GEOSYS Announces Field Profit Planner

Chuck Zimmerman

I learned all about GEOSYS during the 2013 InfoAg Conference by visiting with Dave West. The company just announced their Field Profit Planner, a comprehensive tool for farmers and their advisors who pursue high efficiency farming. The new cloud-based GEOSYS Field Profit Planner service gives growers quick analyses of their individual fields while also providing insight into productivity across the …

Agribusiness, Audio, Precision Agriculture

New Holland Helping at Arlington Cemetery

Chuck Zimmerman

Today New Holland Construction took part in “Renewal & Remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery,” put on by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) which says it is “the landscape industry’s largest day of service in the country. Pictured is Abe Hughes, New Holland. Here’s what they are doing today. More than 100 companies brought crews to Arlington National Cemetery to spend …

Agribusiness, New Holland

Apps for Agriculture

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program I’m sharing a conversation with Brian Arnall, Oklahoma State University. Brian was one of the presenters at the 2013 InfoAg Conference on precision agriculture. Brian’s presentation topic was “Ag Apps for Smart Phones and Tablets.” That certainly got my attention. Brian is keeping a list of apps he finds that …

Ag Groups, Apps, Audio, Farming, Precision Agriculture, Technology, ZimmCast

Corn Growers Adopting New Conservation Practices

Chuck Zimmerman

The National Corn Growers Association is very supportive of the work of the Conservation Technology Information Council. That certainly makes sense as corn farmers have a strong desire to better manage their land in a sustainable way. During the 2013 Conservation in Action Tour, Dan Cole, corn grower (left in photo) and member of the NCGA Production & Stewardship Action …

Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, Corn, CTIC, NCGA