Vilsack Non-Comments on GIPSA at NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was asked three times about some aspect of the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule during a press conference last week at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting in Kansas City, and each time he said he could not comment specifically about the proposed rule during the comment period. But, he did …

Audio, GIPSA, NAFB, USDA

New NAFB Officers

Cindy Zimmerman

New NAFB president Lindsay Hill (ABN Radio) accepted the gavel from Greg Akagi (WIBW/Kansas Ag Net) during the Friday night president’s banquet to symbolize the beginning of a new slate of officers for the farm broadcasting organization, even though it will be the end of the year before it officially changes. One new regional vice president was elected on Friday. …

Audio, NAFB

Kansas Senator-Elect Visits NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

Current Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS), who is now Senator-Elect for that state, stopped by the NAFB meeting on his way out to the nation’s capitol on Friday. The new senator, who is a great advocate for agriculture in Congress, took time to do interviews with farm broadcasters and addressed the Awards Luncheon. Jerry says he is a big fan and …

Audio, NAFB

Latest NAFB Research

Cindy Zimmerman

The latest research on who is listening or watching what in farm broadcast media was presented Friday morning at the NAFB annual meeting by the great Teddy Haller. Not surprisingly, Haller’s latest research found a continued increase in the internet as an information source for farmers and ranchers. “That consistent rise of the internet is not necessarily meaning the decline …

Audio, NAFB

Super Successful NAFB Foundation Auction

Cindy Zimmerman

A brand new record was set for the NAFB Foundation’s annual fundraising auction Thursday night – $22,295! Not sure how much it beats the old record by, but last year the total was about $13,000, so this was a biggie. A big reason for the huge success this year was the generosity of two NAFB past presidents – Evan Slack …

Audio, NAFB

Secretary Vilsack Beyond the Mic at NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

Farm broadcasters at NAFB Thursday went straight from Trade Talk to a 45 minute press conference with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The secretary addressed a number of issues – from Veterans Day to rural development to biofuels and took quite a few questions on several topics. He did get a couple of questions about the GIPSA rule, but still refused …

Audio, NAFB, USDA

Informa GIPSA Rule Study Results

Chuck Zimmerman

This morning at the NAFB convention a press conference was held the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the National Turkey Federation (NTF) and the National Meat Association (NMA) to release the results of an economic analysis of USDA’s proposed livestock and poultry marketing regulation – the so-called GIPSA rule. I’ve posted the audio of …

Ag Groups, Audio, GIPSA, NCBA, NPPC

NAFB Scholarship Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

The winners of this year’s NAFB Foundation scholarships were announced today during the Foundation luncheon. They include Denise Donley, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; Taylor James, Kansas State University and Julie Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison. They’re pictured with Taylor Brown, Northern Ag Network. I asked them how it felt to be selected and what they intend to do with their careers. …

Audio, Education, NAFB

Support NAFB Foundation

Chuck Zimmerman

The NAFB Foundation board met prior to the start of the convention. Leading them was outgoing Foundation President, Taylor Brown, Northern Ag Network. Taylor says “things are rolling.” There are two new members to the board, Don Wick and Ken Root. Ken Anderson will be the new President of the Foundation. To support the effort Taylor says this is the …

Audio, NAFB