RFA Ethanol Podcast

Producers Support Checkoff and Concerned About Economy

Chuck Zimmerman

The activity is picking up here at the Cattle Industry Convention. More media are showing up in the news room and I’ve been doing a little Beef Board Blogging. I think that from a Beef Board perspective the financial outlook is really the main conversation in the hallway and meetings I’ve sat in on so far. This morning I interviewed …

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

MINTREX is Poultry MVP

Cindy Zimmerman

The 2009 International Poultry Expo is officially underway here in Atlanta at the World Congress Center where about 900 companies representing all aspects of the poultry industry have their products and services on display at the huge trade show. According to IPE, the show is the world’s largest display of technology, equipment, supplies, and services used in the production and …

Audio, Feed, Novus International, Poultry, Poultry Expo

Top CBB Issues

Chuck Zimmerman

The Beef Board Operating Committee meeting is over and before he went to dinner I caught up with Chairman Dave Bateman. A large part of the meeting was taken up by discussion about lower budget projections. Dave says that’s one major issue they’re facing. Another one is the improvements process they’ve been going through for the last year. You can …

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

All Star Theme for Novus

Cindy Zimmerman

“All Star” is the theme for Novus International at the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta this week. There’s a couple of good reasons for that. First and most important is the Novus all-star lineup of poultry products including Advent, DHA Gold, Mintrex and Alimet. The other reason is that the 2009 Baseball All Star game will be held in St. …

Audio, Feed, Novus International, Poultry, Poultry Expo

Secretary Vilsack First Teleconference

Chuck Zimmerman

Our new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, just held his first teleconference and I’ve got it recorded for you. He makes a short opening statement then takes Q&A from select media who could ask questions (I was not one of them). I was interested in things like biofuels and rural development of broadband internet access. Both are mentioned several …

Audio, USDA

Novus Preparing for All Star Poultry Expo

Cindy Zimmerman

You may have noticed the baseball-themed banner ad here on AgWired for Novus International and the International Poultry Expo, coming up next week in Atlanta. We are very pleased to have Novus sponsor our coverage of the IPE this year and Chuck recently got to chat with Novus director of product management Wendell Knehans about their plans for the event. …

Audio, Novus International, Poultry, Poultry Expo

Associating With StollerUSA

Chuck Zimmerman

I got to associate with Jerry Stoller, CEO and President of Stoller Group, today at his 16th annual U. S. Ag Associates Conference in Houston, TX. I am on location with the John Deere Drive Green Utility Tractor Show but had time to stop by and speak to Jerry during their lunch break today. Patricia Lawson, Hondo Group, was kind …

Agribusiness, Audio, ZimmCast

Political Policy Dynamics Changing

Chuck Zimmerman

The topic of the St. Louis Agribusiness Club lunch was “Policy Outlook for Agriculture as the Political Dynamics Begin to Change.” I think the political dynamics have already changed don’t you? Giving us his take on this was Thomas J. Erickson, Vice President, Government Affairs, Bunge North America. He says that since the incoming administration seems to have a lot …

Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Policy

Greg Guenther Receives Award From St. Louis Ag Club

Chuck Zimmerman

At today’s St. Louis Agribusiness Club lunch meeting Illinois farmer Greg Guenther received the Agribusiness Leader of the Year Award. Greg is pictured with SLAC President Laurie Hiler (left) and his wife. I spoke to Greg afterward (on my iPhone) and he says it was a pleasant surprise. He’s says it’s nice for folks to acknowledge the time he’s put …

Ag Groups, Audio, Energy, Ethanol

Defining Sustainability

Chuck Zimmerman

An alliance of agricultural groups and companies has put together a report to help people understand sustainability. Yes, that word that everyone seems to have a different definition for. The report released today by the Keystone Alliance, provides a definition of economic and environmental sustainability focusing on “meeting the needs of the present while improving the ability of future generations …

Ag Groups, Audio