2012 National Ag Day Essay Contest Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Here are the winners in the 2012 National Ag Day Essay Contest. Pictured is written essay contest winner Miriam Martin, Bucklin, MO Meadville R-IV High School, with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Miriam read her essay during the Celebration of Agriculture dinner. The National Ag Day Essay Contest is sponsored by: CHS Inc., The Council for Agricultural Science & …

Ag Day, Ag Groups, Audio, Video

Ag Leader Moves Into Precision Water Management

Cindy Zimmerman

Ag Leader Technology is moving into the fast-growing precision water management market with new company acquisitions. To integrate water management into its expanding precision farming portfolio, Ag Leader has acquired Soil-Max, manufacturer of the market-leading Gold Digger tile plow, and the assets of Gradient, Inc., a related company which revolutionized the control of tile plows with the Intellislope GPS-based control …

Ag Leader, Precision Agriculture, Video

Classic Farm Report

Chuck Zimmerman

The general session of the Commodity Classic is not complete without a farm report containing market prices and the latest news. That was done once again this year by the President of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. This year that’s Tom Steever, Brownfield Ag News. BTW. Session emcee Mark Mayfield remarked afterward that the farm reporter is not supposed …

Commodity Classic, Media, Video

Tornado Warning at Commodity Classic

Chuck Zimmerman

We just got the All Clear on a tornado warning that happened at about 3:45pm. I was in the trade show area when it happened. I certainly hope the tornado that was sighted caused no damage or injuries. We’ve got some severe weather still on the outlook for later today too. Everyone got herded into a very large and empty …

Audio, Commodity Classic, Video

BASF Supports Scholars with ASA, NCGA and Now NAWG

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Crop Protection is expanding its support of young people pursuing careers in agriculture by joining with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Foundation to establish a memorial scholarship to honor longtime wheat industry friend and BASF employee Jerry Minore. As a BASF Senior Market Manager, Minore was a liaison to the wheat industry, including NAWG and the Foundation, …

ASA, Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, NCGA, Video, Wheat

Commodity Classic Trade Show Ribbon Cutting

Chuck Zimmerman

The trade show at the 2012 Commodity Classic is officially underway here in Nashville, TN. Of course things got started with a ribbon cutting where representatives from each of the four participating commodity groups made brief welcoming comments. We’ll hear more from them at tomorrow’s general session that also includes a speech from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. There’s …

Commodity Classic, Video

Historic Gathering of Agriculture Secretaries

Cindy Zimmerman

This is one Agricultural Outlook Forum I really wish I could have attended just to see most of the past and present Secretaries of Agriculture gathered on one stage together to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pictured here are the eight secretaries who took part in a panel at the forum last Thursday moderated by …

Audio, USDA, Video

State of the Ethanol Industry Broadcast

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello from the 2012 National Ethanol Conference. At approximately 8:10am eastern time we’ll be broadcasting live the State of the Industry Address from Bob Dinneen, President/CEO or the Renewable Fuels Association. Just click on the player below to start the broadcast in your browser. We will record the address and post the recorded version afterward. Post Update: Thanks to all …

Ag Groups, Ethanol, RFA, Video

NFMS Championship Tractor Pull

Chuck Zimmerman

The ZimmComm team is on the way back to world headquarters but still has a lot of National Farm Machinery Show to share. I spent a little while at the 2012 Championship Tractor Pull last night and am adding some photos from there right now. We’ll be posting some more stories and interviews over the coming days so check back …

National Farm Machinery Show, Video

Ag Leader Technology Previews New System at NFMS

Cindy Zimmerman

Ag Leader Technology was giving growers at the National Farm Machinery Show a preview of the coming-soon INTEGRA™ planter down force monitor and control capability. The heart of the system is a hydraulic down force actuator (as compared to other pneumatic airbag systems), engineered by Dawn Equipment. The actuator is the fastest on the market, allowing the INTEGRA display to …

Ag Leader, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS, Precision Agriculture, Video