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

Touring New Holland Products at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

During setup for this year’s Farm Progress Show our Jamie Johansen talked with New Holland’s Mike Cornman about new products that New Holland would be displaying at the show. Then during the show New Holland brought ag media representatives in to their exhibit for a breakfast walk through of the products on display. I’ve got a couple of videos to share from that session starting with this one featuring Mike once again. Mike talks about the Roll-Belt 560 Round Baler, Discbine 313, T6 and T5 Series Tractors.

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Agribusiness, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Tractor, Video

Vilsack Talks Farm Bill, RFS with Growth Energy

John Davis

There’s an old Chinese proverb that’s also considered a curse: “May you live in interesting times.” This morning, members of the Growth Energy Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. heard that from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, as he explained how it’s “interesting” that Congress seems to have its priorities turned around, with lawmakers working to change Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) while doing nothing to pass a farm bill.

vilsack1“We believe (the RFS) is working,” said Vilsack, pointing to the EPA already making adjustments to reflect market conditions. “That’s the way it’s supposed to work. There’s no need for Congress to intervene in this.”

Vilsack says, in his opinion, the oil companies are behind the efforts to derail the RFS, mostly because they need the octane they get from ethanol but want to pay pennies on the dollar to get it. “What they (Big Oil) would really like to happen is for this industry (ethanol) not to succeed, so all those production facilities could be made available for 10 cents on the dollar. That’s what Big Oil’s interest is.”

Vilsack made the tie between the showdown with Syria, the RFS and the farm bill, as he looked at Gen. Wesley Clark, former NATO commander and Growth Energy co-chairman. “When and if Congress makes a decision to authorize military action, when and if the President implements that decision, who is going to implement it? It’s going to be a kid from rural America,” pointing out that rural Americans make up only 16 percent of America’s population but 40 percent of our military.

Vilsack urged Growth Energy members to send a strong message to Congress this week. “When you go and talk to your members of Congress to support the RFS, an additional message is, ‘We’ve been waiting a long time for the farm bill; don’t be sending our young men and women into harm’s way and not give them a decent opportunity back home. Get your work done.'”

Listen to Sec. Vilsack’s full address to Growth Energy here: Ag Sec. Tom Vilsack Address to Growth Energy

Audio, Ethanol, Farm Bill

Ruralisima TV Program 1

Chuck Zimmerman

There’s a new tv show in Argentina and I’m happy to have been included! It’s Ruralisima TV, produced by Uno Sei.

I hope you speak spanish but if you don’t you can find me at about 18:30 in and I only speak English. This was a short interview on our boat ride in which we talked about why participation in an IFAJ Congress is a good thing for agricultural journalists. We also discussed the importance of helping non-farm people better understand where their food comes from.


2013 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 IFAJ Congress is sponsored by Novus International and Dupont Pioneer
IFAJ, International, Media, Video