Outgoing NAMA President Vicki Henrickson, BCS Communications, has presided over her last board meeting. That is if she passes the gavel tomorrow at lunch. Vicki is one of the most energetic cheerleaders for NAMA that I know. I spoke with her after the meeting to find out some of the informational highlights from today’s meeting. Membership is up, meeting attendance …
Hey John Deere, AgWired “Can Do”
AgWired is helping spread the word about John Deere’s Project “Can Do.” You can do it too! Go to the John Deere Facebook page, click on the Project “Can Do” link and create your own virtual can. Here’s the AgWired Can Do of hunger whup-ass. So let’s learn more about Project “Can Do.” I spoke with Nicole Schneider, Project Manager …
Preview of NAMA Trends in Agriculture
Let’s look ahead to the 2011 National Agri-Marketing Association’s Trends in Agriculture conference. It precedes the NAFB Convention and AgWired will be there covering all the action. Our sponsor for coverage of both meetings this year is BASF! To get a preview I spoke with Trends committee chair, Gardner Hatch, Bader Rutter. Gardner gives us a review of program highlights …
FS PARTNERS Pioneering QR Codes in the Field
FS PARTNERS in Ontario is pioneering a new use for QR codes in the field so farmers can access updated information about test plots. In case you are not yet familiar with them, QR is short for Quick Response and they are those bar code looking things you can read with a smart phone that are starting to pop up …
GROWMARK Offers Grain Bin Safety Tips
Every year there are dozens of grain bin accidents reported across the Corn Belt, with far too many ending in fatalities. GROWMARK grain systems operations manager Randy Holthaus says the harvest season is an especially dangerous time on the farm around grain bins. “During the harvest, with the need to get it in and get it done, people get in …
Mobile Technology In Dairy Industry
Mobile app technology is growing fast in the ag industry. Even the dairy sector is seeing more and more of it. Take Select Sires which took their Select Detect activity monitoring system to a new level this year when they introduced the mobile optimized version at World Dairy Expo. I spoke with King Smith to learn more about it. In …
Southeastern Farmer of the Year
Congratulations to Thomas E. Porter, North Carolina, for receiving the 2011 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. He received the award along with his wife, Vicky, during the annual Willie B. Withers luncheon. The Porters farm hay and are also involved in swine, poultry and beef cattle. Tommy says he always wanted to farm. He had the opportunity …
Preview of Sunbelt Ag Expo
Hello from Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA. Here’s Executive Director, Chip Blalock, addressing the media at this morning’s breakfast. I spoke with Chip and got a comprehensive overview of all that you’ll find at this year’s show. We’re hoping the forecast is a little off on timing today since rain is forecast but one way or the other the …
October is National Cooperative Month
Each October since 1964, cooperatives across the United States have been celebrating the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities, during National Cooperative Month. One of the best examples of an agricultural cooperative that makes a difference is GROWMARK, based in Bloomington, Illinois, and chairman of the board Dan Kelley says cooperatives touch our lives …
Novus Hosts St. Louis Agribusiness Club
The St. Louis Agribusiness Club held its lunch meeting today at Novus International headquarters. It has been a while since I’ve had a chance to attend one of these meetings but a “bye” week from the agriblogging highway made it work out. Our speaker was Thad Simons, Novus International President/CEO. Thad talked about the challenges of feeding a growing world …