The USDA recently announced the results of a nationwide Beef Checkoff survey that they had done by the Gallup Organization. At the Beef Checkoff update session yesterday Gallup representative, Donna Kholpak, pictured here with Kenny Payne, USDA, gave a summary of the survey and answered questions. I interviewed her right before the session. She said she was personally surprised with …
Meet The Ambassadors
Have you ever had a chance to meet one of the National Beef Ambassadors? If not you can listen to an interview with one of the five students who were selected to be the current Ambassadors for the Beef Checkoff. These students do a lot of traveling over the year going to events and talking to consumbers. Amanda Rankin is …
Opening General Session
The convention program was kicked into high gear yesterday with an end of the day joint presentation on stage of the Beef Board and NCBA. Several presenters gave reports on the state of the industry and how the organizations are working to address various issues like trade and consumer preferences and perceptions. Beef Board Chairman Jay O’Brien was on hand …
Beef Board Chairman Interview
Jay O’Brien is the chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and one of his duties today was speaking at the new appointees orientation lunch. Jay started off talking about the need to look professional and that means wearing a nice bow tie. So he showed everyone how easy it is to quickly tie your tie. Before the lunch got started …
Truffle On The ZimmCast
In this week’s ZimmCast I have a conversation with Aaron Gilbertie, Truffle Media Networks. We talk about our new agreement to work together offering new media services to the agribusiness community. I’m excited about the future of online communications and the folks at Truffle share the feeling. Together we can offer more current channels of communication with our established news …
Iraq Wheat Harvest
Here’s a timely report from Paul McKellips, Global Outreach Officer, US Embassy Baghdad, The Green Room – Public Affairs GO Team. It’s almost time for Commodity Classic which will include wheat this year so finding out what’s going on with wheat production in Iraq is nice to know. It looks like seed cleaners are making all the difference in the …
Tale of Two Expos Part Two
Here’s Don Dalton, President of the U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, along with Lakeisha Futch, who’s been very helpful here in the media room. I interviewed Don a little while ago but don’t have my sync cable for my iPod with me so I’ll add the interview here later. Don gives his perspective on the co-location of the Poultry …
From Feed Mills To Ethanol Plants
The word ethanol has been used many times here at the International Poultry & Feed Expos. Often in positive terms but not always. The word was prominently displayed on the backdrop to the AGR International (password protected website?) booth so I stopped in since we do so much work for the ethanol industry. AGR International has traditionally been involved in …
A Tale of Two Expos
The President of the American Feed Industry Association is Joel Newman. AFIA is holding their International Feed Expo here in Atlanta co-located with the International Poultry Expo for the first time I talked with Joel about why the two organizations have come together and how it’s working. It sounds very positive. Listen to my interview with Joel: poultry-expo-newman.mp3
The Ceramic Egg Layer
These eggs aren’t good for an omelet but they sure look pretty. Mike Ryan’s company, Clay Concepts, specializes in making ceramic eggs and this is his first time at the International Poultry Expo. He says that they started out selling them to hobbyists and as decorations but found they make great nest eggs for poultry producers and great promotional items. …