Survivor Shows Up at Farm Progress Show

Kristyn Stidham

fps-13-636-editedThe TruAg exhibition was home for Rupert Boneham this week at the 2013 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL. Rupert is known for his role on reality TV where viewers voted him the million dollar winner on Survivor: America’s Tribal Council.

Rupert started a vocational mentoring program, Rupert’s Kids, 23 years ago. The program helps young adults, starting at age 18, learn to fill out job applications, read important materials, and teach men and women how to make a legal living. Rupert’s Kids has reached almost 1,000 individuals in the nation and helped them get back on there feet.

“At 22 or 23 years old, if you can’t read or write, if you can’t fill out an application, if you have no work history, and if you have felonies, then you’re not going to work. Heck, you’re not even going to have a place to live,” said Rupert.

Tune in to the next season of Survivor and watch as Rupert returns for the fourth time, starting September 18.

Listen to my interview with Rupert here: Interview with Rupert

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

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

Deadliest Catch Sails into the Farm Progress Show

Leah Guffey

Image 4 If you’re like me you’ve watched almost every season of Deadliest Catch and are very familiar with the Hansen’s and their boat the Northwestern.  

While at the 2013 Farm Progress Show I had a chance to catch up with deckboss, Edgar Hansen, and learn a little bit about the boat, harvesting of the crab and why they choose to use Chevron Delo products.  Edgar says the boat is going through an engine overhaul right now to get ready for the 2013 King Crab season which launches in just a few months.

“We use it in our boats, stem to stern, my hydraulics, my coolants in my engines, all the lube oil, my grease, everything on that boat is a Chevron product.”

Here you can listen to my interview with Edgar. Edgar Hansen

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Growmark, Ag Leader and John Deere

 

Audio, Farm Progress Show

Insights Into Bayer’s Respect the Rotation Program

Kristyn Stidham

fps-13-342-edited Wednesday at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Bayer CropScience held a panel of researchers to discuss the current hot topic of weed resistance.

Arlene Cotie, Product Development Manager with Bayer, took a moment to speak with media regarding her thoughts on weed resistance and how Bayer is pursuing an education process for growers. In 2010 Bayer released their Respect the Rotation program that emphasized diversity with chemicals and technology as a solution to the problem.

“We have brought farmers up from the south, we have brought weed scientists up from the south, and one of my favorite things that was said by farmers is ‘what can we do to get Respect the Rotation implemented in every field?'” said Cotie.

Cotie and her colleagues are firm believers in the common phrase, “seeing is believing.” She believes the job extends to the farmer to get the program implemented in all fields around the world. Once farmers see success among the industry, they will be more willing to begin the program in their own fields.

Listen to my interview with Arlene here: Interview with Arlene Cotie

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

Bayer Breaks Ground for Bee Health

Kristyn Stidham

fps-13-539-editedBayer CropScience can easily say they are the only exhibitors with live bees in their booth at the 2013 Farm Progress Show in Decatur. Following the luncheon on the opening day of the show, media got the chance to speak with Bayer researchers regarding the importance of bee health in agriculture.

Robyn Kneen, North American Bee Care Manager, and Bill Hairston, Director of Product Development for SeedGrowth, made the trip from North Carolina to inform growers about the vital role bees play in all facets of agriculture.

“One-third of every bite of food that we eat comes from crops which are pollinated by honeybees,” stated Kneen.

Corporately, Bayer recognizes the need for bees in agriculture and stands on a platform company wide of both bee and crop protection. To help promote education and protect bee health, Bayer is opening their North American Bee Care Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The North American center is the second research facility Bayer has opened for bee care research.

“We intend to do research into some of the factors which are affecting bee health today,” stated Kneen. “In particular, pests and parasites that have been identified as causing an issue in bee health.”

The Bayer Bee Care Center will have full laboratory capabilities. Scientists will be able to conduct research on beehives via honey extraction and practical apiculture. The center also has conventional room with presentation space for beekeepers, farmers and educators that will be used to provide resources necessary to educate agriculturalists and consumers.

Listen to my interview with Robyn & Bill here: Interview with Robyn Kneen & Bill Hairston

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

Why Do You Attend Farm Shows?

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What is your opinion on farm info graphics?”

Our poll results:
· Love them, they are helpful 69%
· Waste of energy 6%
· Confusing 13%
· Other 13%

It looks like the time spent creating these easy-to-use, quick-to-read infographics is worthwhile. Keep up the good work.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “Why do you attend farm shows?” A lot of companies spend a lot of money promoting their products, answering questions and launching new products at trade shows, but we want to know why YOU go! Let us know.

ZimmPoll

Bayer’s SeedGrowth Focus

Jamie Johansen

fps-13-230-editedSeeds are the foundation of any growers operation. Bayer Crop Science’s SeedGrowth team has fined tuned the four key competencies of product, equipment, coating and services to maintain sustainable seed development globally.

Attendees who visited the Bayer tent during the 2013 Farm Progress not only took in all the science behind growing crops, but also did it while relaxing in the A/C.

SeedGrowth Strategic Business Lead for Bayer, Brad May, talked seeds with me in the Bayer tent after the roundtable media luncheon. Changes are taking place throughout the agriculture industry and I asked Brad how Bayer is addressing them and how they are looking into the future of crop science.

Listen to my interview with Brad here: Interview with Brad May

Check out photos from the event here:2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

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

Ag Leader Introduces AgFiniti at Farm Progress Show

Cindy Zimmerman

fps13-agleader-2Ag Leader Technology‘s biggest announcement at Farm Progress Show this week is wireless connectivity in the cab with their new cloud-based platform, AgFiniti®.

Users can simply connect the Ag Leader Wi-Fi Adapter to the Ag Leader® Integra or Versa™ display to access a wireless internet network in the cab through any mobile hotspot of their choice, such as a smartphone, dedicated hotspot or a tablet.

Watch below as Ag Leader’s David Wilson demonstrates just how simple it is to get to AgFiniti and beyond!

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the 2013 Farm Progress show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience, Growmark and New Holland
Ag Leader, Farm Progress Show, Technology, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The 2013 Arkansas Tech University Agriculture Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 from 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. in the W.O. Young Ballroom.
  • The multiple issues involved in broadband delivery to rural America will be examined at the Farm Foundation Forum on Wednesday, Sept. 11. from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at the Holeman Lounge of the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
  • The Climate Change Program Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist released and requested public comments on the report Science-Based Methods for Entity-Scale Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks from Agriculture and Forestry Practices.
  • The NFI Salmon Council recently completed a $60,000 consumer segmentation research study on salmon consumption in the U.S. The research was conducted by Copernicus Marketing.
Zimfo Bytes

ILFB Farm Bureau President says Bring the Heat

Leah Guffey

Image 2The locks and dams system along the Mississippi river corridor is aging. Illinois Farm Bureau President, Phillip Nelson says the time is now and through a coalition of the Illinois Corn Growers, Archer Daniels Midland and the St. Louis Carpenter’s Union they are working to educate members of Congress about the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).

I got a chance to sit down with President Nelson right after the press conference and we discussed that some of the locks are nearly 70 years old and the system could shut down more than just grain moving through the mighty Mississippi.

“We are part of the campaign to bring the heat to Congress. This is one very important issue for us as we try to make Congress aware of our aging lock structure and how we need to act on this bill.”

Listen to my interview with Phil here: Interview with Phillip Nelson

2013 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

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

 

Audio, Farm Progress Show

Farm Foundation Tackles Rural Internet Connectivity

John Davis

farmfoundationlogo3Walk down the street in most major American cities today, it’s pretty easy to get a high-speed wireless Internet hook-up. But move away from the city lights and into rural America, and it’s a different story. Too many farms lack real access to the web … ironic considering how much more reliant agribusiness has become on the Internet. Our friends at Farm Foundation are tackling just this issue in their next forum, Wednesday, Sept. 11th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at the National Press Club, in Washington, D.C. and through a live webcast:

Moderating the panel will be Iowa farmer Ann Jorgensen, a former member of the Board of the Farm Credit Administration, now working on rural economic development issues. Presenting perspectives on broadband issues will be:

Sharon Strover, the Philip G. Warner Regents Professor in Communication in the Radio-TV-Film Department at the University of Texas…

Jessica Zufolo, Deputy Administrator of USDA’s Rural Utilities Service…

Mark Lewellen, Manager of Spectrum Advocacy, Deere and Company…

John Windhausen, Executive Director of the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition…

As I mentioned earlier, if you can’t be in DC to take part, you can still participate in this free forum by way of a live webcast. More information and registration are available on the Farm Foundation website.

Farm Foundation, Internet