Here’s Jeff Simmons (right) with CBOT Chairman Charlie Carey as they oversee the ringing of the bell to kick off trading this morning. I guess the bell is an automated thing so it’s kind of a ceremonial deal to stand on the platform looking over the whole trading floor. I’m on a Denver stopover with a flight delay so I …
CBOT Puts Ethanol Front & Center
This is a quick post before I board a plane for Burbank out of O’Hare here in Chicago. This fine looking group is the speakers at this morning’s press conference at the Chicago Board of Trade. It was “tribute to the greening of racing morning.” The cars (Indy Cars) and speakers were set up on the plaza outside the CBOT …
Mac Conversion Update
It’s been a while since I’ve given you a Mac update. This one got triggered because I’m writing an article on using a Mac for farm use for Country Guide. It’s made me think through why I have a Mac and why I like it vs. my PC. I really think I can sum things up in these words, “The …
Tonight on Tuesday
Some busy travel days are coming up for ZimmComm. After tomorrow’s ethanol press conference at the Chicago Board of Trade I’ll be off to Burbank, CA for a little project involving this man, Jay Leno. I will have more on that for you by Tuesday afternoon or Wed. morning. Cindy will be taking pictures in a Missouri soybean field tomorrow …
National Poultry Judging Contest Winners
Pictured here is the Texas A&M University winning team in the National Poultry Judging Contest. You can find a complete list of winners here. The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association sponsored the 60th National Poultry Judging Contest held at Louisiana State University April 11-13. The contest works to increase student enrollment in poultry science. Collegiate teams from across the nation …
World Trade Organization Podcasting
It looks like the World Trade Organization is podcasting. Here’s a notice I received that pointed to it with this episode being a 17 minute press conference on the following. FARM TALKS CHAIR SEES REAL NEGOTIATION IN COMMENTS ON TEXT – Members’ comments on his “challenges paper” showed they were starting to negotiate the content rather than rejecting it, Ambassador …
Zimfo Bites
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently approved a label change for Prowl H2O herbicide from BASF that allows growers to make applications to their citrus crops up to one day before harvest. The label change currently applies to all citrus-growing states except for California. The previous label prohibited application within 60 days of harvest. The Prowl H2O label now specifies …
More Rural Broadband Support From USDA
USDA is once again working to develop broadband internet services in rural areas of the country. Yesterday Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas C. Dorr announced the publication of “new proposed rules designed to facilitate the further deployment of broadband services to rural communities nationwide.” It’s only a matter of time before no farmer or rural resident can complain …
Missouri River Flooding Along Katy Trail
Everyone’s watching to see how much flooding we get here in Missouri along the river. The Missouri River is up enough to close the Katy Trail. I still went out for a bike ride today and shot a little video. I didn’t have time to make it to the closed section but saw all I needed of the river up …
Corn Talking on Sky Radio
The National Corn Growers Association is using a new mechanism to help educate people about farming. It’s called Sky Radio. You can listen to it here (mp3 file). The next time you’re on an airplane, you may be in for a little “shop talk” about corn. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is taking its environmental/stewardship message to the “skyways” …