Replace Google Reader – Subscribe to AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman

Google ReaderGoogle Reader goes bye bye today. So what do you do now? I shouldn’t assume you use Google Reader or even know what a news feed reader is I guess so let’s step back a moment.

Services like Google Reader allow you to subscribe to RSS feeds. That would be a distribution mechanism for all kinds of information. It’s used by blogs, podcasts and much more. You can find the AgWired RSS Feed here. That link is to a small text file containing the information your feed reader needs to subscribe to AgWired. That means you can pull AgWired posts into your feed reader which might be on your phone or tablet or computer. You can subscribe to lots of feeds and the reader you use aggregates them into one place for you. And you subscribe anonymously! That’s nice for you. But for me it makes it more difficult to provide our sponsors with demographic data on you. Oh well. I’ll happily live with that. I want you to subscribe and enjoy AgWired without worry.

So back to the demise of Google Reader. What do you replace it with? My recommendation is NetNewsWire for Macs. I’ve been using it for years. It syncs across all my devices, including iPhone and iPad. I subscribe to about 100 feeds right now and check them almost every day. But if you’re still PC then I would point you to Feed Demon or Feedly.

So if you’ve been using Google Reader then import those feeds into your new feed reader asap. Google Reader is gone end of day.

Internet, Technology

Farm Foundation to Talk US-EU Issues

John Davis

US-EU Farm Foundation1The U.S. and the European Union has a nearly $4 trillion trade relationship, and food and agriculture make up a good portion of that. That’s why Farm Foundation is sponsoring a forum to discuss the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on Wednesday, July 17 at the National Press Club, in Washington, D.C.

In early July, the United States and the European Union will open TTIP negotiations toward the goal of increasing U.S.-EU trade and investments. Negotiators will examine tariffs, tariff-rate quotas and non-tariff barriers across multiple sectors. At present, the United States and the EU have about $2.7 billion of trade daily, and nearly $4 trillion is invested each other’s economies. As negotiations get underway, many of the areas of sharp differences will come into focus. For agriculture, both sides have called for an array of market access barriers to be addressed.

Moderating the Forum discussions will be J.B. Penn of Deere & Company, a Trustee of Farm Foundation, a member of the Board of IPC, and a former USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. Presenting perspectives on TIPP will be:

· Sue Taylor, Vice President of Dairy Policy and Procurement for Leprino Foods Company will discuss dairy industry priorities.

· Matt O’Mara, Director of International Affairs, Biotechnology Industry Organization, will explain his industry’s vision for the future of trans-Atlantic trade.

· William Kerr of the University of Saskatchewan, will outline the different approaches of the United States and European Union to geographical indications.

· Craig Thorn of DTB Associates, LLP will address U.S. industry views of geographical indications.

· David Biltchik, consultant to the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma, will discuss the European objectives for geographical indications.

The forum is free to attend, or you can watch it through a webcast. Register by emailing info@farmfoundation.org or for the webcast, register at: www.visualwebcaster.com/July2013FarmFoundationForum.

Farm Foundation, International

Surprising Acreage Report from USDA

Cindy Zimmerman

Despite the challenging planting conditions this spring USDA is saying that farmers have planted even more corn than last year and the most acres in 77 years, according to Friday’s Acreage report.

northey-cornCorn planted area for all purposes in 2013 is estimated at 97.4 million acres, up slightly from last year. This represents the highest planted acreage in the United States since 1936 when an estimated 102 million acres were planted. Growers expect to harvest 89.1 million acres for grain, up 2 percent from last year. Corn acreage is up in 23 states, but most of them are not major corn producing areas. In fact, acreage is down in the big corn states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri but small increases are noted in states like Nebraska, North Dakota and Ohio.

Not only that, soybean acreage is a new record. Soybean planted area for 2013 is estimated at a record high 77.7 million acres, up 1 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 76.9 million acres, is up 1 percent from 2012 and will be a record high, if realized. Record high planted acreage is estimated in New York, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. Wheat acres are up one percent and cotton is down 17% – no surprises there.

Considering what the spring has been like, the numbers are being met with some skepticism by market watchers in particular. “It’s a shockingly big number and it will be questioned,” said Jack Scoville of The Price Futures Group during a crop conference call from the Minneapolis Grain Exchange today.

Listen to Jack’s commentary here: Jack Scoville, MGEX Crop Call

The question is whether USDA will resurvey farmers now, based on the spring planting issues. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has already announced it will collect updated information next month for acres planted to soybean in fourteen states, but no word on corn.

Photo credit – Iowa Secretary of Ag Bill Northey who has a great set of 2013 crop photos on Facebook.

Audio, Corn, Soybean, USDA

Aasness New Exec. Dir. MN Agri-Growth Council

Chuck Zimmerman

Perry AasnessThe Minnesota Agri-Growth Council has announced that Perry Aasness will become the new Executive Director in July.

Aasness currently serves as the Executive Director of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. He is replacing the previous Executive Director, Daryn McBeth, who took a position with Land O’Lakes in May 2013.

Aasness will be transitioning from the Minnesota Farm Bureau to Agri-Growth in the coming weeks, and plans to begin full time on July 22, 2013. Perry lives with his wife and three children in Woodbury, MN. He also continues to work on and manage his family farm near Fergus Falls, MN.

Ag Groups

Rural Radio Dream Realized

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 401Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program we’ll learn more about the newly announced Rural Radio channel on Sirius XM.

Rural Media GroupI visited with Randy Bernard, CEO, Rural Media Group, who says that a full time satellite channel of rural news and information has been a dream of Patrick Gottsch, Founder of Rural Media Group, Inc, for years. Randy says it was the first project he was handed when he came on board. The launch date for programming on Sirius XM channel 80 is July 15 and Randy says the anchors are already practicing in Nashville to be ready. You can hear him review the programming lineup.

Randy says that Rural Radio was the missing piece in the group of media channels that includes RFD-TV, Rural TV, the RFD-TV Magazine and more. He says that besides communicating with the rural audience they hope to be a bridge to the mainstream urban public.

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Rural Radio on Sirius XM

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

Audio, Media, ZimmCast

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Registration is now open for the 2013 Cattle Industry Summer Conference held in Denver Colorado on August 7-10.
  • Swanson Russell announces the addition of eight employees to its Lincoln office: Jack Christie, Peter Morris, Cameron Nelson, Kayla Ott, Sarah Prettyman, Kelsey Richard, Jenni Schroeder and Kelly Tyrrell.
  • Landmark Services Cooperative broke ground for a new state-of-the-art grain facility in Fall River, Wis., on June 24.
  • Allison Skare has joined the staff of Farm Foundation, NFP as Program Coordinator, with responsibility for event management and implementation.
Zimfo Bytes

Soybean Farmer Recognized as Friend of Biodiesel

John Davis

kraus1A Kansas farmer has been recognized by the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) for his work for the biodiesel industry. The Kansas Soybean Commission announced that their primary representative on the NBB for the past 12 years, Harold Kraus from Hays, picked up NBB’s Friend of Biodiesel award during a membership meeting in Washington, D.C.:

“Harold has been a tremendous advocate for the biodiesel industry who will definitely be missed,” NBB CEO Joe Jobe said. “The industry has grown out of infancy to a billion-gallon industry due in large part to the efforts of champions like Mr. Kraus.”

“Any time your peers pat you on the back you have to feel better,” Kraus said. “When I came on board, there were 55 members. Now, we’re in the hundreds. We’ve got a good number of people, and they’re doing their job.”

“From the start, the soybean checkoff has played a major role in developing the U.S. biodiesel industry, and soybean farmers like Harold have invested a lot of time, energy and resources into bringing American-made, high-performing biodiesel to the marketplace,” said Dennis Hupe, KSC director of field services. “The award never can express fully the thanks that Harold deserves for his dedication to the development of the biodiesel industry.”

Kraus is retiring from his position on the board.

Ag Groups, Biodiesel, Soybean

Corn Growers Provide Trade Negotiation Advice

Cindy Zimmerman

During a House Committee on Small Business hearing this week in Washington, National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson provided policy recommendations for the U.S. Trade Representative on growing export opportunities, particularly the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

pam-ttip“Agricultural producers succeed when industry and government work side-by-side,” NCGA President Pam Johnson said during her testimony. “It is critical that U.S. negotiators have an appreciation for how increasing exports translates into benefits for family farmers. The U.S. economy will not benefit from agriculture issues being placed on a ‘to do’ list. Now is the perfect time to eliminate long standing barriers to agricultural exports and promote policies that bring economic opportunity back to rural America.”

Johnson stressed the importance of dealing with trade barriers to genetically modified crops. “For NCGA members, the biggest challenge is the approval of corn and corn products that are derived through biotechnology,” she said. “Unjustified regulations are costing family farmers millions in lost sales to the EU and could result in even great losses of U.S. exports if they are adopted by other countries.”

The main point Johnson said the corn growers want to get across to USTR in these trade negotiations is – “nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to.”

Listen to or download Pam’s testimony and answers to questions from lawmakers: NCGA president Pam Johnson Testimony

Audio, NCGA, Trade

Senate Passes Immigration Reform

Cindy Zimmerman

senate-immigrationUnlike last week’s farm bill vote in the House, it was no real surprise to see the Senate pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation Thursday by nearly the 70 vote margin supporters had predicted. And the email reactions from agriculture groups are coming in fast – again, unlike last week when prepared statements on farm bill passage had to be furiously rewritten.

“The Senate’s passage today of a balanced immigration reform bill that includes a fair and workable farm labor provision is welcomed by America’s farmers and ranchers. A comprehensive agricultural labor plan that works for all sectors of agriculture and across all regions of our nation is long overdue. We commend the Senate for addressing this very important issue, which will help ensure the continued success of agriculture in our nation,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman.

“It also allows for peace of mind for all parties in agriculture to know that a more easy-to-use and effective system will be enacted, says National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson. “I look forward to continuing to work with the House of Representatives to pass immigration legislation that achieves many of these same ends.”

But about that, Speaker of the House John Boehner said in a press conference today, “The House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes. We’re going to do our own bill, through regular order.” Audio and video below. (Also see previous post on concerns about ag provisions in the bill.)

Boehner on Immigration Reform

AFBF, Audio, labor, Video

China Approves Monsanto DroughtGard Hybrids

Cindy Zimmerman

The drought tolerance trait in Monsanto’s Genuity® DroughtGard® hybrids recently received final import approval from China, a major market for U.S. corn grain and dried distillers grain solubles (DDGS).

droughtgardThe approval was granted last week as part of a broader series of approvals and represents a significant step forward for technology approvals in China, according to Monsanto officials.

“The import approval of this trait is great news for U.S. farmers,” said Lisa Safarian, U.S. Row Crops Lead for Monsanto. “With full import approvals in key export markets, farmers can market their grain more broadly this year and plant with confidence in 2014.” Safarian added, “This approval also provides expanded access to another tool that can help farmers more sustainably manage their risk.”

More than 250 farmers in the Western Great Plains planted DroughtGard Hybrids last year on their farms as a part of Monsanto’s Ground Breakers® program. This year, the product was introduced in the Western Great Plains under stewardship requirements. Farmers who purchased DroughtGard Hybrids for planting in 2013 signed a grain stewardship agreement committing to use the grain as on-farm feed or to sell the grain for domestic use due to pending import approvals in key export markets. With the approval in China, Monsanto will remove the grain stewardship requirements, and grain will no longer be required to remain in the domestic market.

Read more from Monsanto press release.

Corn, Farming, Trade