Indy Lights Driver Loves Corn

Chuck Zimmerman

I don’t think he makes his living shooting baskets. He’s Josef Newgarden, Indy Lights driver. He was also one of the competitors at the Iowa Corn Growers Join The Team promotion at Iowa Speedway. Josef gets pumped up, about competing and about corn. I think you’ll hear his intensity in my interview with him. Josef called our event a “prep …

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Can We Actually Communicate The Farm Story To Public?

Chuck Zimmerman

We’ve got a lot of initiatives going to help consumers better understand where their food is coming from. I’ve had several discussions lately with people about this. Topics include inter-organizational coordination, competition for funding, differences in approaches and membership. What do you think about all the different groups trying to reach the non-farm public about farming? The more the merrier? …

Ag Groups

Iowa Corn and State Universities Make Great Partners

Chuck Zimmerman

Former Iowa Hawkeye and NBA basketball player, Ryan Bowen, was a master of the remote controlled cars at the Iowa Corn Growers Join The Team promotion at Iowa Speedway. Ryan, who is now the video coordinator for the men’s basketball team, was there to celebrate the recently announced partnership between Iowa’s corn growers and the state’s two major universities in …

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Indy Racing, University

Iowa State Football Coach Gets Competitive

Chuck Zimmerman

Iowa State head football coach Paul Rhoads got competitive during this week’s Iowa Corn Join The Team Promotion at Iowa Speedway. Here he is with his rendition of “Gentlemen, start your engines.” You can hear it in the video I made from the event. Coach Rhoads says his team gave an “exhaustive effort” at the promotional event. He says the …

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing, University

Corn Competition At Iowa Speedway

Chuck Zimmerman

Pedal tractor racing, corn shucking, cornhole toss. They make for a fun team event and that’s what the Iowa Corn Growers did along with Indy car drivers and representatives from the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. I was shooting still photos but also caught some of the action on video. Craig Floss, CEO, Iowa Corn Growers, introduces the …

Ag Groups, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing, Video

Ryan Hunter-Reay Beats A Corn Grower

Chuck Zimmerman

Yesterday I posted the picture of Indy car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay getting the green flag in a pedal tractor race with Dick Gallagher, Iowa Corn Promotion Board Chairman. Here’s Ryan getting the checkered flag. I’ll see him race in the upcoming Iowa Corn Indy 250 at a speed somewhat higher than was exhibited in this tractor race and spoke with …

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Iowa Corn Growers Compete With Indy Car

Chuck Zimmerman

The Iowa Corn Growers got competitive with Indy today at the Iowa Speedway. In the photo Indy car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay competes on pedal tractors with Dick Gallagher, Iowa Corn Promotion Board Chairman. Waving the green flag to start is Shannon Textor, Iowa Corn Growers Market Development Director. Today was a promotional event that included Indy Car drivers, Iowa corn …

Ag Groups, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Promoting Iowa Corn Indy 250

Chuck Zimmerman

Tomorrow I’ll be on location at the Iowa Speedway for an advance promotion for the Iowa Corn Indy 250. There are teams that will be competing made up of Indy Car drivers, media, Iowa corn growers, Iowa Speedway folks and coaches from Iowa and Iowa State. That’s about all I know right now. But by sometime tomorrow afternoon we’ll both …

Ag Groups, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Animal Agriculture Alliance Summit Wrapup

Chuck Zimmerman

I got Kay Johnson Smith, Executive Vice President, Animal Agriculture Alliance, to wrap things up from the Stakeholders Summit. She says that the speakers focused on positive, proactive ways “we can reach the public and invite them in to our businesses without jeopardizing bio-security and food safety concerns.” She mentioned one speaker from a company that has live web cams …

Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture

New Chairman of Animal Agriculture Alliance

Chuck Zimmerman

The new Chair of the Animal Agriculture Alliance is Dr. Chris Ashworth, Elanco Animal Health. During his term he want to further distribute the message about how safe, affordable and abundant food is to citizens all across America. That includes showcasing farmers who produce pork, poultry, beef and fish. He says “We want to be able to make it even …

Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Food