Opening Biodiversity World Tour

Chuck Zimmerman

U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was an opening speaker at the Biodiversity World Tour stop on the campus of Iowa State University. It is being webcast live right now and I believe a recorded version will be available later. If you’d like to hear the Secretary’s comments I have them posted below. The theme of the town hall …

Ag Groups, Audio, Biotech, International, Sustainability

Learning About Global Farmer Challenges

Chuck Zimmerman

World Food Prize week is underway in Des Moines, IA. There are a lot of meeting, town halls, roundtables, symposiums, ceremonies taking place, some simultaneously. I’m going to be focusing on the Truth About Trade and Technology Global Farmer To Farmer Roundtable. So to kick things off I spoke with TATT Chairman, Dean Kleckner. He says that there are 16 …

Ag Groups, Audio, International

Going Global On Biodiversity World Tour

Chuck Zimmerman

Tomorrow morning I’ll be attending the Biodiversity World Tour stop in Ames, IA where our U.S. Secretary of Ag, Tom Vilsack, will be joining the conversation. The event will be streamed live online too. Just use the hashtag #BWT2010 and your tweets will appear in the auditorium for the audience, moderator, Secretary Vilsack, and panelists to see. Iowa State University, …

Ag Groups

Connecting International Buyers With U.S. Producers

Chuck Zimmerman

After leaving the NAMA Trends in Agriculture conference I headed on down the agriblogging highway to another conference of importance to U.S. grain producers. This is the Export Exchange 2010 which got off to an official and social start this evening with welcoming remarks from U.S. Grains Council President/CEO Tom Dorr (left) and Renewable Fuels Association President/CEO Bob Dinneen. The …

Ag Groups, Audio, Ethanol, RFA, USGC

National Potato Council Awards Scholarship

Chuck Zimmerman

The National Potato Council has awarded their 2010-11 NPC Academic Scholarship to Yu Chen. Chen is a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and is conducting research towards controlling Potato Late Blight – a disease that affects potato production worldwide – while simultaneously reducing pesticide applications. NPC believes that her work will ultimately be a boon for the potato …

Ag Groups, Potato

Animal Agriculture Defended At WEG

Chuck Zimmerman

I was sure glad to see the Animal Agriculture Alliance here at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games. Sarah Hubbart, Communications Coordinator, is pictured on the left. This is a big international stage with a huge contingent of media on par with the largest I’ve ever seen. Wouldn’t it have been a great place for ag to be on display? …

Ag Groups, Animal Activists, Wackos

Agvocating At National Farm-City Week Symposium

Chuck Zimmerman

The National Farm-City Council will hold it’s annual National Farm-City Week Symposium (pdf) on November 18 in Lancaster, PA. I’ll be there on the panel with an “Agvocacy” message. If you’d like to attend please get your ticket order in soon. BTW. Our panel will be part of a live AgriTalk broadcast that morning. The 2010 National Farm-City Week Symposium …

Ag Groups

Interact With International Grains Buyers

Chuck Zimmerman

One of my upcoming stops on the agriblogging highway will be the U.S. Grains Council and Renewable Fuels Assocation, Export Exchange. The event is taking place October 6-8 in Chicago, IL. If you’re in the grains business, especially dealing with DDGS then this is the place to meet with international buyers. I spoke with USGC CEO Tom Dorr about the …

Ag Groups, Audio, Ethanol, Grains, International, RFA, USGC

National Cheeseburger Day

Chuck Zimmerman

Don’t forget that tomorrow is National Cheeseburger Day. It’s a time to get that grill going, or oven, or frying pan . . . Americans celebrate National Cheeseburger Day, September 18, 2010, with classic beef cheeseburgers, a favorite American tradition. As a preferred topping on the burger, 44% choose American cheese, 38% like Cheddar and 23% also say they sometimes …

Ag Groups, Beef, Food

24th Annual Georgia Peanut Tour

Chuck Zimmerman

The Georgia Peanut Tour got started today. You can get a detailed overview of where they’re going from Amanda Smith, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Tour Committee. Follow along on the blog, Twitter and Facebook. The 24th Annual Georgia Peanut Tour kicked off this week in Americus, Ga., with a Hot Topics Seminar at the Sumter County Extension Service Office. …

Ag Groups, Peanuts, Video