The Next Generation of Farmers

Jamie Johansen

chuck-fps-inciBayer CropScience talked the next generation of farmers during their ag media luncheon at the recent Farm Progress Show. Bayer is looking at the future face of agriculture from the industry, employee and farmer prospective.

Vice President of Commercial Operations for Bayer CropScience, Inci Dannenberg, addressed the crowd and later spoke with Chuck about the importance of the next talent pool, where it will come from and how it will deliver the innovation needed to continue to feed a hungry planet.

“One thing that we are doing is called, “Making Science Make Sense.” It’s a program where Bayer volunteers from all parts of the Bayer to go out to elementary schools and engage young kids in science by doing hands-on, fun experiments. This hopefully insights in them a bit of passion and interest and continue on to look at science in their future.”

“There are numerous areas where knowing science and understanding the science of our population is very critical. One is obvious in the area of innovation and technology. We can’t do what we need to do unless we have folks coming up through the ranks that can provide us that innovation. The other is understanding the importance and value that innovation brings and allowing that innovation to be brought forth. For example, making sure our future legislatures and our future business people understand what it is that agriculture delivers and what modern agriculture is all about.”

Listen to Chuck’s complete interview with Inci here: Interview with Inci Dannenberg

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show, Farming

The Blasted Summer Heat

Melissa Sandfort

The past couple of weeks have seen highs in the upper 90s. It’s the kind of weather that makes me want to knock down the door at the local swimming pool and tell them I don’t care if there’s a lifeguard on duty or not – it’s HOT. These are also the days that call for cold eats. Popsicles, ice cream, sandwiches, string cheese…

I purposely plan meals that I can either do on the grill outside or don’t require heat because turning on an oven will just make it even hotter and the A/C is having trouble keeping up.

Back in the days before gas and electric stoves, my grandpa and his family used to have a cob house where they stored corn cobs after they’d been shelled. You can almost guess – those cobs were used for fuel in the kitchen stove. Grandpa says his mother baked a lot of (good!) bread in the heat of the summer. I know she had tougher skin than me.

Listen here as grandpa recalls the story about using corn cobs to start the kitchen stove fire – and keep listening because grandma (even though she doesn’t want to be recorded) shares HER adventure with the stove. I was still recording and this was just too good not to share.

Listen to Grandpa explain

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

New Holland & Fisher House Have Military’s Backs

John Davis

fisherhouse2Yesterday, I told you how New Holland is now offering through Labor Day, a discount for military members, veterans and first responders. In addition, the company has teamed up with Fisher House, a charity that provides free-of-charge homes to military families when a loved one is in a hospital. Today, I get to introduce you to David Coker, the President of Fisher House Foundation, who explains how having these homes means so much to military and veterans’ families during a medical crisis.

“When somebody’s wounded, ill or injured, there’s two things you’re going to want: the best medical care possible … and to be there,” David says, pointing out that the military and veteran medical system has the medical care covered. The network of more than 60 Fisher Houses near military medical facilities gives those families of those in the hospital a free place to stay with others who also have family members receiving world-class care. “When somebody walks through the door of a Fisher House, we want them to know they are special and others care about them. The houses serve as a tangible symbol of our country’s support for those who serve in the military.”

Our friends at New Holland, in what is being called the True Blue Salute, in addition to the veterans’ discount, are donating $250 to Fisher House for every piece of equipment sold to a military member or veteran now through Nov. 11, 2013, Veterans Day. By the end of this latest promotion, New Holland expects it will have donated more than a million dollars to Fisher House, a partnership that started a couple of years ago with New Holland auctioning off Jay Leno’s New Holland Boomer Tractor for more than $535,000, giving the money to Fisher House.

David calls the partnership with New Holland a tremendous blessing, pointing out that it extends past the monetary amount they receive from the company. It also raises awareness of what Fisher House is and how it benefits our military and their families. That’s important, because Fisher House has a big responsibility in trying to make sure there’s enough funding to help more communities and military families who might already be off balance because of the medical crisis.

“To have somebody who will step forward, who will lend you a hand, lend you a shoulder, and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got your back,’ just gives them stability and hope.”

Good to know New Holland has Fisher House’s back. If you’d like more information, check it out at TrueBlueSalute.com and www.fisherhouse.org, as well as your local New Holland dealer.

Listen to my entire interview with David here: Interview with David Coker, Fisher House

And you can check out some behind the scenes pictures from New Holland’s and Fisher House’s video about the True Blue Salute on RFD TV.

Audio, New Holland

IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp

Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmCast 410One of the great things about the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) is the professional improvement it offers for up and coming ag journalists all over the world.

ifaj13-classAlltech sponsors a Young Leader award program that offers an intensive journalistic boot camp-style workshop for 10 promising new journalists from ten different countries. This year’s young leader from the United States was Jennifer Latzke of High Plains Journal. This is the eighth year that Alltech has sponsored this valuable program.

In addition, DuPont Pioneer sponsors the Master Class for journalists from emerging nations. I spoke with DuPont media relations specialist Jane Slusark about that important program.

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: IFAJ Master Class
2013 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

Audio, IFAJ, International, Pioneer

Do You Contact Your Members of Congress?

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How important is it to learn about farming in other countries?”

Our poll results:
· Very important 49%
· Somewhat important 28%
· Not important 10%
· Who cares 10%
· Other 3%

The ZimmComm team found their recent trip to Argentina valuable and we’re already looking forward to Scotland next year for the same conference. We’re glad you found the information they gleaned and shared to be important and interesting!

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Do you make contact with your members of Congress?” Many organizations pride themselves in grassroots involvement and encourage their membership to get in touch with their Congressional representatives at a local level. With a farm bill still undone and important legislation like immigration reform on the table, we want to know if you make the effort to let your members of Congress know how you feel. Let us know!

ZimmPoll

Reaction to Court COOL Decision

Cindy Zimmerman

A U.S. district court judge today denied a request for a preliminary injunction blocking a final USDA regulation mandating country-of-origin labels (COOL) on meat sold in retail stores until a lawsuit filed July 8 is concluded. That decision made COOL supporters happy but disappointed the plaintiffs, which include U.S. and Canadian meat packer and livestock organizations.

American_Meat_Institute_Logo“We disagree strongly with the court’s decision and believe that several aspects of the ruling are susceptible to challenge,” said American Meat Institute President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle. “We intend to pursue them on appeal.”

Joining AMI in the lawsuit, filed July 8, are the American Association of Meat Processors, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canadian Pork Council, Confedaracion Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Association and the Southwest Meat Association.

NFU1In the other corner is the National Farmers Union (NFU), the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, American Sheep Industry Association and the Consumer Federation of America, who intervened in the lawsuit last month.

“We are pleased that the packer-producer organizations and foreign interests’ attempts to thwart COOL have been denied,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We are committed to defending COOL and will continue to do so throughout this legal process.”

The judge denied the injunction request primarily on the basis that the plaintiffs were unable to demonstrate they would suffer irreparable injury if the regulation were to be implemented by USDA.

Ag Groups, Beef, Livestock, USDA

Livestock is Big in Entre Rios Province, Argentina

Chuck Zimmerman

2013 IFAJ CongressI think my European twin son of a different mother, the AgroBlogger, said it best in a tweet upon returning from the 2013 IFAJ Congress in Argentina: “Back home for almost two days, but mentally still in this Gaucho-rhythm: Meat, Malbec, Mooh, Meat, Malbec, Mooh… #ifaj2013” For those of us who went on the livestock tour we were really in the rhythm!

During lunch which consisted of fresh grilled meat and malbec (some good salads too) we heard from the Minister of Production in Entre Rios province Roberto Schunk, pictured on the right. He was also with us during another stop of the farm and I was able to interview him through an interpreter. I asked him what were the biggest challenges the local government faced in helping the ag sector. He says that it is in the area of exports due to high taxes. Soybeans are a key income generating crop in this province but corn is also very important due to the large amount of livestock in the area. I asked him if they were making ethanol out of corn and he says that several projects are being considered but they have not yet started corn to ethanol production.

You can listen to my interview here: Interview with Production Minister

The man second from left is Leo, who owns the livestock farm we spent the day traveling through. He did a group interview early in the day and I got to ask him about what he feeds his livestock which consist mostly of angus and hereford breeds. He also has some water buffalo too. He says that livestock are fed a mash that includes corn and proteins in the morning. Then they are taken to pasture, then fed again midday before being taken back out on pasture. No hormones are used in his beef since he focuses on exporting.

You can listen to a portion of the interview here: Interview with Livestock Farmer


2013 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 IFAJ Congress is sponsored by Novus International and Dupont Pioneer
Audio, Beef, Corn, Ethanol, IFAJ, International

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Betaseed, Inc., the nation’s leader in sugarbeet seed research and production, has selected Minneapolis-based full-service marketing communications agency broadhead to cultivate stronger, more distinct identities for the organization’s brands.
  • Syngenta and Lindsay Corporation announced the commercial introduction of Water+ Intelligent Irrigation Platform, an integrated solution designed to help corn growers realize the full potential of their irrigated acres.
  • In an effort to spur new inventions and advance the biotechnology industry in Central Iowa, Ankeny city leaders are hosting a Bio Biz Brew meetup this month.
  • Farmers who grow 90 percent of the world’s soybeans and normally battle for global market share met recently to discuss how they can work together on issues that affect all farmers.
Zimfo Bytes

New Holland & Fisher House Make True Blue Salute

John Davis

As the Nation reflects on the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks on New York, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, one of our good friends is partnering with a charity to give military families a place to stay while loved ones are in the hospital.

fisherhouse1“For three years now, we have had a partnership where we honor our veterans [and first responders],” explains Abe Hughes, the Vice President for Ag and Construction at New Holland. He says New Holland works with Fisher House, a charity that gives military family members shelter and support during a medical crisis at any of Fisher House’s 61 homes worldwide. From now until Nov. 11, 2013, Veterans Day, New Holland will give military, veterans and first responders a $911 discount on eligible pieces of equipment sold and donate $250 for each piece of equipment sold to veterans to Fisher House. “By the end of this promotion this year, we’ll have generated well over a million dollars for this organization… proof that a company can do good and make great products.”

The relationship between New Holland and Fisher House started when New Holland auctioned off Jay Leno’s New Holland Boomer Tractor for more than $535,000 in 2012, giving the money to Fisher House. Abe points out that this is not some marketing scheme. They truly wanted to help this charity.

“One organization that’s doing incredible good in this country is Fisher House,” providing a first-class, free home right next to military installations for those families of military members during medical crises. Abe says they also wanted to make sure they honored veterans with the $911 discount, perhaps jump-starting a new career for them. “Maybe get themselves into business. Maybe they’re going to be construction contractors… maybe landscapers… maybe they have a farm, but we felt this is a great way we could benefit them and help them out,” especially when you consider that while Rural America makes up just 16 percent of the population, it contributes 40 percent of service members, Abe says.

You can find out more at TrueBlueSalute.com and www.fisherhouse.org, as well as your local New Holland dealer.

Listen to my entire interview with Abe here: Interview with Abe Hughes, New Holland

And you can check out some behind the scenes pictures from New Holland’s and Fisher House’s video about the True Blue Salute on RFD TV.

Audio, New Holland

20th Anniversary of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Canada's Outdoor Farm ShowThe 20th anniversary of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is underway. Kicking off the event yesterday were Show President Doug Wagner and OMAF Deputy Minister Dr. Deb Stark.

If you’ll be attending the show then get the new COFS 2013 App which is now available for Blackberry, Android, iPhone, and tablets! Download it for free at http://cofs.quickmobile.mobi. Users can get a full list of exhibitors, demo schedule and more right on their smartphone or tablet.

RealAgriculture.com is providing free charging stations for all smartphones and tablets. Find them at the Alltech Deck on the Ducks Unlimited Farm Pond and the OAC exhibit on 4th Lane.

Parking is free and people-movers are available to transport people to and from parking lots. There is also a shuttle service to take farmers and their new purchases back to their vehicle.

Free peanuts from Grand Valley Fortifiers are available at their booth on 9th Lane and Middle Machinery Mall and in wheelbarrows around the Show.

You can also tune in to 104.7 Heart FM for ongoing traffic reports and show updates.

Farm Shows, International