ZimmCast on LibertyLink Campaign

Cindy Zimmerman

If you have been listening to farm radio at all in the last couple of months you have probably heard the Real Yield radio spots that have been running featuring real farmers from around the soybean producing part of the country talking about their experience with the Bayer CropScience LibertyLink system. In this edition of the ZimmCast, we talk with …

Audio, Bayer, Soybean, ZimmCast

What’s In and Out for Ag in Omnibus

Cindy Zimmerman

The broad spending and tax legislation compromise unveiled by House Republicans Tuesday night includes some riders important to agriculture. Perhaps the most important, the bill repeals mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat to prevent more than $1 billion in trade sanctions from Mexico and Canada approved last week by the WTO. “I’m pleased American agriculture and businesses will escape these …

ASA, Biofuels, Energy, Farming, GMO

Merger Leads to Executive Changes at DuPont

Cindy Zimmerman

DuPont has announced several executive leadership changes as a result of last week’s confirmed merger with Dow. James C. Collins, executive vice president, will lead the DuPont Agriculture business segment. Marc Doyle has been named executive vice president and will lead the Electronics & Communications, Industrial Biosciences, Nutrition & Health, Performance Materials and Safety & Protection business segments. Richard C. …

Agribusiness

ZimmCast on AgVocating with Bayer CropScience

Cindy Zimmerman

Welcome to ZimmCast number 495! Wow, just five more until we hit the big 5-00! This week’s ZimmCast is from last week’s American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) CSS 2015 and Seed Expo and it’s about AgVocating, a word that has become a part of the agricultural dictionary in the past couple of years and has a pretty obvious meaning combining …

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Bayer, ZimmCast

ASTA FuSE Blazing New Trails

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association’s Future Seed Executives (FuSE) subcommittee is blazing new trails for 2016. FuSE chair Sarah Neuharth with DuPont Pioneer says the goal of the committee is to educate and support seed industry professionals with fewer than seven years of seed industry experience. “I think a lot of people don’t understand or recognize that FuSE can be …

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Education, Seed

GAO Says EPA Violated Law with WOTUS

Cindy Zimmerman

In a legal opinion released on Monday, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “violated publicity or propaganda and anti-lobbying provisions contained in appropriations acts with its use of certain social media platforms in association with its Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rulemaking.” According to the GAO: Specifically, EPA violated the publicity or propaganda …

AFBF, EPA, Water

Outstanding Career Award at #ASTACSS

Cindy Zimmerman

A giant in the plant breeding and genetics world was honored by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and the National Council of Commercial Plant Breeders (NCCPB) during the CSS 2015 and Seed Expo last week in Chicago. Donn Cummings retired from Monsanto after 30 years as a corn plant breeder, spending the last eight years of his career developing …

ASTA, Corn, Seed

#ASTACSS is Major League for @BASFAgProducts

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF hit a home run at the ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo last week by featuring “The Big Hurt” at their hospitality suite with the theme “Champions of Innovation and Collaboration.” Chicago White Sox designated hitter Frank Thomas, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year, is the only player in major league history to have …

ASTA, Audio, BASF, Seed

Communications Key Focus at #ASTACSS

Cindy Zimmerman

Communications was a key focus at the ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo last week, from within the industry to key stakeholders to lawmakers to the general public. American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) First Vice Chair Mark Herrmann of Monsanto says communications will continue to be a priority for the organization moving into 2016. “Some of the key focus is …

ASTA, Audio, Seed

Ag Secretary Comments on Climate Accord

Cindy Zimmerman

As the announcement came over the weekend that negotiators from nearly 200 countries had approved a landmark climate accord, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack commented on what the deal means for our nation’s farmers and ranchers. “The historic COP21 deal supports a better-nourished, stable, secure future for the United States and every nation,” Vilsack said in a statement. “The benchmarks outlined …

International, USDA