Media Room Sponsorships Vital

Chuck Zimmerman

There were 145 media representatives covering Commodity Classic. Here’s some of them at the Sec. of Ag Schafer press conference. We all have significant needs for things like internet access, phone lines, work spaces, convenient food/beverages, privacy, a meeting place, secure room for equipment and help finding our way around. That’s why it is so important and appreciated to have …

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Media, New Holland

Dr. Fred Below Says Use High Yielding Varieties

Chuck Zimmerman

If you haven’t heard Dr. Fred Below, Professor of Plant Physiology, University of Illinois, speak then you’re missing something. He was part of a panel discussion on Maximizing Yield in Continuous Corn that filled the room. The Learning Center session was sponsored by Syngenta. The first thing Dr. Below wanted growers to know is that they’ll take an approximate 10% …

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland, Syngenta

BASF Honors Corn Yield Contest Winners

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF congratulated the country’s leading corn growers and their families for their leadership in embracing innovation at the National Corn Growers Association’s National Corn Yield Contest banquet at the 2008 Commodity Classic. Markus Heldt, head of the BASF North American crop protection division, joined NCGA president Ron Litterer to honor the winners. Markus told the audience of almost 2,000 corn …

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland

Whitney’s Classic Comments

Chuck Zimmerman

I didn’t get to spend any time with Whitney Wallace at Commodity Classic but I got to follow her via her Monsanto Student Blogger blog – Whitney’s Classic Comments. I’m happy to see Monsanto continuing the Future Ag Journalists Fellowship program we got started a couple years ago now. I know the experience that students like Whitney are getting will …

BASF, Commodity Classic, New Holland

Media Room

Chuck Zimmerman

I think I’m the last one in the media room now. In fact, it closes in 20 minutes and they’re already tearing it down around me. Here’s Ned Arthur, Truffle Media Networks, hard at work earlier. In case you’ve never seen these professionals in action Cindy shot a short video clip when things were very active. We had a record …

BASF, Commodity Classic, Media, New Holland, Video

Manufacturers Support of Biodiesel

Chuck Zimmerman

Ed Hegland is a farmer from Minnesota and currently serving as Chairman of the National Biodiesel Board. He stopped by the New Holland booth here at the Commodity Classic trade show where I got to talk to him about how equipment manufacturers are supporting biodiesel. Ed says that as a farmer he’s excited to see companies like New Holland and …

Audio, BASF, Biodiesel, Commodity Classic, New Holland, Soybean

Commodity Classic Posts Record Numbers

Chuck Zimmerman

Registration is now officially closed here at Commodity Classic and the final numbers have been posted. 4,534 Total Registration (record) 145 Total Media (record) 847 Booths (record) 1,479 Total Growers The highest registered attendance of growers was 1,517 at the Las Vegas Classic in 2004. Still a pretty impressive showing here in Nashville. AgWired coverage of the 2008 Commodity Classic …

Ag Groups, BASF, Commodity Classic, New Holland

Evan Slack iPhone Training

Chuck Zimmerman

It took 3 or 4 days but we’re pretty sure that Evan Slack, Evan Slack Network, showed everyone attending Commodity Classic how to use the iPhone. I’m hoping Apple is paying Evan a commission. Here he’s showing Anita Vanderwert, Brownfield, how to check her stock quotes via the built in web browser. She doesn’t seem to be paying attention. If …

BASF, Commodity Classic, New Holland

The 3 Amigos on Stage

Chuck Zimmerman

Each year at the Commodity Classic general session we get to hear from the Presidents of the participating associations. Here they are on stage involved in an interactive discussion with moderator John Phipps. Pictured left to right are John Hoffman, ASA, Ron Litterer, NCGA and John Thaemert, NAWG. John starts out wondering how in the world these three guys got …

Ag Groups, Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, New Holland, Soybean, Wheat