The Minnesota Agri-Growth Council has announced that Perry Aasness will become the new Executive Director in July. Aasness currently serves as the Executive Director of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. He is replacing the previous Executive Director, Daryn McBeth, who took a position with Land O’Lakes in May 2013. Aasness will be transitioning from the Minnesota Farm Bureau to Agri-Growth …
Soybean Farmer Recognized as Friend of Biodiesel
A Kansas farmer has been recognized by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) for his work for the biodiesel industry. The Kansas Soybean Commission announced that their primary representative on the NBB for the past 12 years, Harold Kraus from Hays, picked up NBB’s Friend of Biodiesel award during a membership meeting in Washington, D.C.: “Harold has been a tremendous advocate …
Sing a Song of Hot Dogs
It’s summer hot dog time and National Hot Dog Month is almost here. According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Americans are expected to eat 150 million hot dogs over the July 4th holiday alone, part of the 7 billion hot dogs eaten over the summer season from Memorial Day to Labor Day. That’s a lot of dogs! …
Conservation in Action Tour Almost Full
My next stop on the agriblogging highway will be the 2013 Conservation in Action Tour in Illinois. There are only a few seats left. I’ve been attending Conservation Technology Information Center tours for years now and they are loaded with information. This tour is July 9-10 in Livingston, IL. A pre-tour seminar on July 9 has also been added. Learn …
NMPF Creates REAL Cartoon Character
The National Milk Producers Federation is getting REAL serious about the REAL Seal. Well, maybe not so much serious as having some fun. This is the cartoon character that has been created to help “revitalize and build awareness of the dairy industry’s iconic REAL® Seal.” There is already a “cartoon” with the character on YouTube. What would you name it? …
Food Dialogues Transparency
Yesterday’s Food Dialogues topic was, “TRANSPARENCY AND FOOD: OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO TODAY’S CONSUMER.” This was part two of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance panel discussion in Chicago on the topic. The event took place at Kendall College School of Cullinary Arts. Panelists included Ellie Krieger, moderator, RD, host of Food Network’s Healthy Appetite, and New …
NAMA Executive Committee Looking to Future
The Executive Committee of the National Agri-Marketing Association has been doing strategizing and planning at its quarterly meeting in Missouri. We had a beautiful setting for it at NAMA President Paul Redhage’s house! We want to encourage all of you to put the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference on your calendar. It will be in Jacksonville, FL next year before returning to …
Truth About Trade & Technology Update
Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. This is episode #400! Seems like a milestone in a weekly agricultural podcast. Ensuring that the Truth About Trade & Technology is told, TATT is hard at work. It has been a while since I’ve had a TATT Chat. But I got my chance during last week’s Bayer 150th Anniversary Celebration. Thanks to Michael …
Working With Former WLAC
Last week I got to work right along side a bunch of champions. Champion like Lex Madden, Torrington Livestock Market and 1998 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion. Lex is pictured next to me second from right. This is the group of judges for the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship interview judging. In addition to Lex and myself, from the left are …
Shoot It Straight Video Contest
Lights, Camera, Action! The Illinois Corn Growers Association is calling on all students to channel their “inner Spielberg” and create a video highlighting agriculture. All high school and college students are eligible to submit a short video (2 minutes or less) into the Shoot it Straight Video Contest. Sponsors will be looking for a fresh, original and convincing approach that …