2025 Tech Hub Live

Schmacon Casserole

Chuck Zimmerman

The AgriBlogger is all about food. This includes casseroles. They’re easy and I make more than enough so I can freeze the rest for another meal. So, with a pound of Schmacon for inspiration I decided to make a new casserole this week. Here are my ingredients: 1 bag of shredded potatoes 1 pound Schmacon (beef’s answer to bacon) 1 …

Beef, Food

Mail a Spud – Why Not?

Chuck Zimmerman

Wondering what to send to a special person to show that you’re thinking of them? Flowers? No? How about a potato? What’s Mail a Spud? I bet you’re wondering WTF this site is all about… A potato in the mail, really??? Who in their right mind would want to do that! Yes, it is true that you can send an …

Food

Senators Call for Dietary Comment Extension

John Davis

A bipartisan group of senators have asked for a 30-day extension of the public comment period for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s (DGAC) Scientific Report. Senate Ag Committee chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions chair Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, joined their respective committees’ ranking members, Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, and Patty Murray, D-Washington, in sending a letter …

Agribusiness, Food, politics

March Madness to Choose the Wiener

John Davis

March Madness will determine the winner of the college basketball world. Well, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) will be choosing the wiener – the best hot dog in Major League Baseball. In March Madness style, the NHDSC even has a bracket to determine the champ in the classic and unique hot dog categories. Voting will be conducted …

Agribusiness, Food

Letter Calls for USDA, HHS to Reject Dietary Report

Jamie Johansen

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) joined 29 of her colleagues in objecting to a report on food guidelines that advises Americans to decrease consumption of red meat. In a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, the senators condemn the report’s conclusions, which ignore relevant scientific evidence on nutrition. Senator Fischer released the following statement regarding …

Ag Groups, Food, USDA

Schmacon Inventor Ready for Retail

Chuck Zimmerman

The inventor of Schmacon, Howard Bender, accepted a challenge to do better than the turkey bacon he and a friend were eating one day. So he invented “Beef’s Answer to Bacon – Schmacon.” If you attended this year’s American Farm Bureau Federation convention you might remember being able to sample it. You can read his full story here (pdf). Smokey, …

Audio, Beef, Beef Checkoff, Food, ZimmCast

BASF Invites Stakeholders to Discuss Food Future

Cindy Zimmerman

As part of activities to mark 150 years, BASF hosted a two-day “Creator Space” jamming event in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss the future of food. The event brought together more than 30 stakeholders from the entire food value chain including farmers, academics, food manufacturers and logistic companies to discuss long-term challenges and trends that may impact the food …

BASF, Farming, Food, Video

Schmacon Kickstarter Campaign

Chuck Zimmerman

You’ve possible heard of Schmacon. After all AgWired brought it to your attention a while ago. This is an award winning product that I’d like to find in my local grocery store. Apparently there is a big fan base that has been started from Schmacon tastings and via social media. Now, Howard Bender, chef and inventor, is ready to get …

Beef, Beef Checkoff, Food

Wisconsin’s Largest Craft Beer Week

Jamie Johansen

Madison Craft Beer Week (MCBW) will celebrate its 5th anniversary this May 1-10, 2015. Festival organizers are hard at work planning for the 5-year milestone. Over 80 different Greater Madison area restaurants, pubs and breweries will host more than 350 events as part of this year’s MCBW. Craft beer lovers will have the opportunity to choose from a multitude of …

Agribusiness, Food

3D-Printable Home Based Food Production System

Jamie Johansen

A Texas patent holder and inventor has launched a collection of 3D printable objects that function as key components in a non-electric, home-based food grow system that can be operated for pennies. The story of the invention can be found at FoodRising, a project of the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center which is donating 250 grow systems to schools across America. …

Agribusiness, Food, Technology