RFA Ethanol Podcast

Mobile Technology the Future of Agriculture

Chuck Zimmerman

Float Mobile Learning has several new research papers available for purchase that deal with the use of mobile technology and agriculture. According to their infographic forty percent of farmers own a smartphone and ninety four percent own a mobile or smart phone. Of course we know it’s a lot and that’s why we went directly to an app so you …

Agribusiness, Apps, Farming, Technology

Ag Sec. Vilsack Announces Beginning Farmers Grants

Chuck Zimmerman

New USDA grants to support beginning farmers were announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on the final day of the Farm Progress Show. Sec. Vilsack held a a press conference in the New Holland media tent. “In the past few decades, U.S. agriculture has become the second most productive sector of the American economy thanks to farmers adopting …

Audio, Farm Progress Show, Farming, USDA

Livestock 101 at NAMA Boot Camp

Jamie Johansen

Animal agriculture seems to be under a constant fire from those who don’t understand it. During the recent NAMA Boot Camp, Dr. Dan Thomson, Assistant Dean of Outreach and Professor at Kansas State University Vet School, addressed the basics of the industry along with issues and challenges so agri-marketers could help educate the growing population of non-ag consumers. “I think …

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Beef, Dairy, Education, Farming, Food, Horses, Livestock, NAMA, Pork, Poultry, Swine

Talking About Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

Usually I do the interviews but sometimes I become the interviewee. That was the case yesterday when Michael Libbie stopped by the Farm Progress Show media tent to find out what we were hearing from farmers. Here’s what I had to say. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts in comments. 2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Farm Progress Show, Farming, Video

Farm Progress Show Sunrise Day Two

Chuck Zimmerman

Welcome to day two of the 2012 Farm Progress Show. Here’s the sunrise view from the media tent this morning. Cindy and I are on location again enjoying the cool temperatures before things heat up. We’re hoping to get out in the field for some harvest demonstrations since this will be the first show in a while where they can …

Farm Progress Show, Farming

Farm Futures 2013 Planting Intentions Survey

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Futures released the results of a 2013 planting intentions survey. I visited with Arlan Suderman, Market Analyst, to learn what they found out. U.S. farmers are unsure about whether to increase corn acreage next spring, despite high prices and sharply lower production caused by this year’s historic drought. Instead, Farm Futures magazine’s first survey of 2013 planting intentions shows …

Audio, Farm Progress Show, Farming, Media

Weed Resistance Warning from Arkansas

Cindy Zimmerman

Retired Arkansas weed scientist Ford Baldwin wants Midwest growers to learn from what happened in his state before it’s too late for them. “The story I try to tell in the Midwest is how we basically have lost the world’s greatest herbicide technology in the south in Roundup Ready,” Ford said at a Bayer CropScience Respect the Rotation field day …

Audio, Bayer, Farming, weed management

Pray for Farmers and Ranchers Hit by Drought

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Farm Bureau Federation is asking everyone today to remember the many individuals and families facing severe struggles due to this year’s devastating drought. According to AFBF President Bob Stallman, suggestions for a National Day of Prayer for Drought Victims have come from a number of people throughout farm country as a way to support people facing challenges related …

AFBF, Farming, Weather