Biotechnology & Antibiotics Critical for Food Production

Talia Goes August 21, 2013

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How important are biotechnology and antibiotics for food production?”

Our poll results:

· Critical 65%
· Important but not vital 16%
· We can do without 16%
· Not important at all 0%
· Other 3%

It looks like even with all the negative comments from anti-agriculture groups, the majority still think these technologies are integral to our modern food production systems.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “What is your opinion on farm info graphics?” Do they confuse you? Do you love them? Let us know!

ZimmPoll

Tablet App for ‘My American Farm’ Available

Melissa Sandfort August 21, 2013

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has released a tablet app modeled after the popular agricultural game site, “My American Farm.” The app is now available for free download on iTunes and Google Play.

The app features five games from My American Farm—In My Barn; My Little Ag Me; Equipment Engineer; Farmer’s Market Challenge; and Ag Across America.

App users are rewarded with a virtual sticker after successfully completing each game. Stickers can be dragged and dropped onto a virtual passport, allowing users to track their progress.

New resources have also been developed to provide guidance for using the app in a traditional or non-traditional setting. A formal lesson plan for classroom instruction, as well as tips and tricks for suggested integration in a variety of settings will be available at www.myamericanfarm.org/games.

Agribusiness, Apps

Educating the Masses at NAMA Boot Camp

Jamie Johansen August 21, 2013

Educating the agricultural industry about other aspects of the agricultural industry is just as important as educating our consumers. And that is exactly what happened at this year’s NAMA Boot Camp, held last week in Kansas City. Breakout sessions titled Ag 101 and Ag 201 took place for attendees to hear from experts so they could broaden their knowledge of the community they work in.

Dr. Dan Thomson, Kansas State University Vet School, spoke to the crowd who attended Ag 201 specifically about the beef industry and food safety. I believe an eye-opening moment for many was when Dr. Thomson defined the difference between animals rights, animal activists and animal welfare.

He also stressed the importance of education through hands-on training. This statement brings me back to the FFA Motto. “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live and Living to Serve.” This old message that is taught to high school students across the country still rings true in today’s agriculture.

Later in my interview with Dr. Thompson, he expresses his concern on people farming to the audit and explains that assessments are the key to ensuring farming practices are done with food safety and humane practices on the forefront, not audits.

Listen to my interview with Dan here: Interview with Dr. Dan Thomson

Here are photos from the event:2013 NAMA Boot Camp Photo Album

Advertising, Audio, Beef, Education, Food, Livestock, Marketing, NAMA

2013 USDA-NASS Farm Computer Report

Chuck Zimmerman August 21, 2013

The latest USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report, “Farm Computer Usage and Ownership Report” (pdf) is now available. As you would expect, there’s more computer ownership and usage and more high speed internet access with less dialup. You can find the full report here with breakout statistics by state. Here’s a summary of the data.

DSL was the most common method of accessing the Internet, with 35 percent of the farms in the United States using it, compared to 38 percent in 2011. Wireless was the second most common method of Internet access at 24 percent in 2013, up from 20 percent in 2011. Dialup access dropped from 12 percent in 2011 to 5 percent in 2013. Cable and satellite access were each reported as the primary Internet access method on 13 and 17 percent of farms in the United States, respectively.

A total of 67 percent of the farms in the United States now have Internet access, compared with 62 percent in 2011. Seventy percent of farms have access to a computer in 2013, up 5 percentage points from 2011. The proportion of United States farms owning or leasing a computer in 2013, at 68 percent, was also up 5 percentage points from 2011. Farms using computers for their farm business increased to 40 percent in 2013 compared to 37 percent in 2011.

In 2013, 84 percent of the farms in the United States with sales and government payments of $250,000 or more have access to a computer, 83 percent own or lease a computer, 72 percent are using a computer for their farm business, and 82 percent have Internet access. Of the farms with sales and government payments between $100,000 and $249,999, the figures are: 73 percent have access to a computer, 71 percent own or lease a computer, 56 percent are using a computer for their farm business, and 69 percent have Internet access. The farms with sales and government payments between $10,000 and $99,999, 68 percent reported having computer access, 66 percent own or lease a computer, 45 percent use a computer for their farm business, and 65 percent have Internet access.

For crop farms, 71 percent have computer access and 45 percent use a computer for their farm business in 2013, both up 4 percentage points from 2011. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 68 percent in 2013, compared with 64 percent in 2011. In 2013, a total of 70 percent of livestock farms have computer access and 66 percent have Internet access.

Internet, USDA

Do you have the right tool?

Melissa Sandfort August 20, 2013

The inception of Bosse Tools occurred back in the summer of 2011 when current president & CEO, Stephen Walden, was working for his parents, doing construction and home & garden work. At the end of each day, he found himself exhausted – tired and sore. After shoveling for hours on end, a frustrated Stephen thought to himself “there must be a better way to do this.”

With a little creative thought, glue, and some PVC pipe, Stephen created the first double-handle shovel. He took the idea with him to Loyola Marymount University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and pitched the idea to his teacher, Fred Kiesner. Long story short, the business idea that ensued from this simple design won the University’s competition for creating a new business, and subsequently received school-wide recognition…thus, the birth of Bosse Tools.

The tools will launch for public purchase on Sept. 10.

Agribusiness

Case IH Sponsoring Great American Wheat Harvest Film

Chuck Zimmerman August 20, 2013

Case IH has joined the supporting team for the Great American Wheat Harvest documentary film as a Silver Sponsor. “This validates the diversity of combine colors represented by the wheat harvesting machinery featured in the film with their sponsorship,” says film producer Conrad Weaver.

Earlier this spring, the filmmaker joined the more than 200 harvesting crews at the CASE IH ProHarvest kickoff in Frederick, Okla., at the Great Plains Technical Center. The kickoff is a combine safety training program for custom harvesting crews.

“Case IH is proud to sponsor the Great American Wheat Harvest because of our long history with many of the custom harvesting crews featured in it,” says Cy Werda, North American Combine Marketing Manager, CASE IH. “Not only are they important customers, their feedback has helped us build the equipment they need to be ready for almost any harvest condition.” Werda says Case IH is committed to collaborating with its customers to develop the most powerful, productive, reliable equipment – designed to meet today’s agricultural challenges.

CASE IH now joins other Great American Wheat Harvest major sponsors including: John Deere, MacDon Industries, U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc., Association of Canadian Custom Harvesters, Oklahoma Wheat Commission, TMCO/National Manufacturing Company and media partner, AgWired.com, an online media service.

Agribusiness, Case IH, Wheat

Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Brett Stuart

Cindy Zimmerman August 20, 2013

New on Agri-Pulse this week:

Brett Stuart is President of Global AgriTrends. He was formerly with the U.S. Meat Export Federation before becoming an independent consultant in the meat trade. Stuart’s view is that China and Russia do not want “cheap” imports of meat and grain because it reduces their ability to be self sufficient in food production. He examines the politics and the economics of China and Russia and the role the United States plays as a producer and exporter of high quality, low cost meat and meat products.

Listen to the Agri-Pulse Open Mic interview with Brett Stuart here.

Agri-Pulse

Get a Gumdrop for your iPad

Chuck Zimmerman August 20, 2013

Using an iPad for precision agricultural applications is a fast growing use of the most widely used tablets. But it also brings concerns over how to protect the devices as they’re transferred from home to truck to tractor or combine. One way is with a rugged Drop Tech Series case from Gumdrop Cases. Here’s me with one I just got for my iPad mini in orange and blue (Go Gators!). These cases provide maximum protection that includes screen and port protection, shock absorption and drop protection.

So how about a real world ag application. You can look to Precision Planting customers who use iPad to access their FieldView App, which allows them to view real-time planter data as they go through the field and sync to the cloud so other farmers can access the data and monitor the operation. The FieldView app brings the farmer’s field to life on high-resolution maps. Farmers can view spacing and singulation as well as ground contact and row unit weight, making analysis much easier. The Gumdrop cases provided Precision Planting with a case that can withstand weather conditions and protect against any possible damage in the field.

“With the ruggedness of the cases, our farmers are able to take their iPads with them from the tractor and use the device as a crop-scouting tool throughout the season and then put it in the combine to monitor harvest operations in the fall,” said Sean Arians, Product Marketing Manager of Precision Planting.

You can find Gumdrop Cases here. I’m liking mine and will be taking it on the road with me this week to the 2013 Agvocacy 2.0 Conference in Charlotte, NC.

Agribusiness, Equipment, Precision Agriculture

Harnessing Relationships Between Client & Agency

Jamie Johansen August 20, 2013

The 2013 NAMA Boot Camp kicked off last week in Kansas City, Missouri. General sessions brought attendees together to discuss topics and breakout sessions allowed them to specialize their experience.

Michael Berry, Director of Marketing for SPF, talked to attendees about agency-client communications during a breakout session on day one of the event. He provided insight on different perspectives and effective communication. What is interesting about Michael is he has a farming background and worked on both the agency and client side.

He stressed the importance of relationship building, but reminded us that all client/agency relationships are different. The key to creating strong relationships is partnership, communication and trust.

“I think the biggest thing about my background is it’s kind of prepared me for the real world. There is a lot of fluff and stuff we can put into advertising and messaging that we send out to our growers, but being a grower myself allows me to see what good, usable information needs to be put out there for the grower for them to make good purchasing decisions.”

Listen to my interview with Michael here: Interview with Michael Berry

Here are photos from the event:2013 NAMA Boot Camp Photo Album

Advertising, Audio, Marketing, NAMA

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