Day two of the BlogWorld and New Media Expo is underway. We’re listing to Richard Jalichandra, Technorati, give a preview of this year’s State of the Blogosphere. It will be published next week. They surveyed bloggers this past year and he’s showing us some selected statistics. He started out by saying that the blogosphere is very healthy and contrary to …
Talking NAFB With Bill O’Neill
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting has seen some significant changes in the last 4 years and the staff leader has been Bill O’Neill. Bill is stepping down at the end of this year to pursue some personal interests and I spoke with him about his decision and his years working with the organization. He says he’s going to move …
Getting To Know Fluidigm
The President/CEO and co-Founder of Fluidigm (AgWired Sponsor) is Gajus Worthington. Let’s meet him and learn about the company and how its technology can benefit agribusiness. I met with Gajus at the company headquarters in South San Francisco and asked him a number of questions to help us better understand their core technology. Before getting to the technology, he explains …
Syngenta Seeds Striving for Control of Broad Leps
Syngenta Seeds calls them “broad leps” – farmers call them expensive – most people would just call them icky. They are a bunch of nasty wormy creatures – technically lepidopteran corn pests – that make up what Syngenta calls the “multi-pest complex” which costs growers over $1 billion each year in lost yield and grain quality. They include corn earworm, …
Alpharma’s Reach Teach and Learn Program
Alpharma Animal Health is reaching out to teach young people more about agriculture through a grassroots educational program called “Reach Teach and Learn.” The company launched the program earlier this year at the 2009 Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The program supports local school districts and colleges through initiatives that encourage students to learn more about …
Wrapping Up The Global Dairy 500 Conference
Wrapping up the Global Dairy 500 Conference was Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech President. Dr. Lyons summarized many of the presentations with a series of take home messages. The focus was on the future of dairy farming, the integration of a brand, methane production, cow comfort, tourist attractions, education, milk marketing with nutrition also being a key topic. Additionally, a strong …
Dairy Farmers Visit Kentucky Horse Park
Participants in the Global Dairy 500 Conference were treated to a horse show and dinner at the Kentucky Horse Park. Our visit included seeing multiple horse breeds and riders dressed in traditional costume. I spoke with one of the riders mounted on an Arabian horse named D’artagnan. He’s 11 years old and on loan to the Park by his owner. …
A Veterinarian and a Translator
At an international conference like the Global Dairy 500 Conference translators are absolutely necessary. We have many of them here. During a break this morning I spoke with Irina Zablith (right) who is not only a translator but a veterinarian from Brazil. She’s translating into Portugese. She says it’s simultaneous translation. They do get some pre-talk information like power point …
Money On Dairy Producers Minds
You need go no further than any dairy farmer here at the Global Dairy 500 Conference to know that the big issue is money. Take Daniel Williams, seated to the left in the photo. Daniel has an 800 cow dairy in Madison, GA. When it comes to challenges he says right now it’s “money.” That includes becoming more efficient and …
International Breakout Dairy Discussions
After the morning sessions and lunch the Global Dairy 500 participants sit at discussion tables. These breakout sessions are very lively and interactive and on many different topics. I followed along with one led by Brent Lawrence, Alltech. Brent handles the southeast territory of Florida and Georgia. At his table were dairy farmers from the USA, Germany, Korea and the …