ZimmComm Team Welcomes New Intern

Jamie Johansen

Kristyn StidhamOur internship program kicked off at the beginning of the summer, giving a young college student interested in agriculture communications a chance to get their feet wet in the industry. Now the ZimmComm team would like to introduce our new intern for this fall.

Kristyn Stidham, grew up raising registered Angus cattle and growing pecans on her family’s farm in Welch, Oklahoma. She currently attends Missouri State University and will graduate in May 2014 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture Communications. Throughout her college career she has written for the William H. Darr School of Agriculture’s Ag Review Journal and worked with the media team during the Missouri State FFA Convention. After graduation, Kristyn, plans to obtain a career in public relations for a agricultural based company while sharing her agriculture story.

Kristyn will jump onto the agri-blogging trail with us as we attend the Farm Progress Show at the end of August. You will also see her at other events throughout the fall snapping pictures and gathering interviews.

Education, ZimmComm Announcement

Biotechnology & Antibiotics in Food Production

Talia Goes

zp-nhOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What is the biggest growth area for ag jobs?”

Our poll results:

· Precision Technology 22%
· Management & Biotechnology 17%
· Agronomy 13%
· Biofuels, Engineering & Media 9%
· Advertising/PR 4%

If you are looking for a job in agriculture, or seeking to fill a position in your company or organization, check out AgCareers.com.

With the constant negative pushback from activists regarding the techniques and technologies being used to increase yields in both crops and livestock, our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question “How important are biotechnology and antibiotics for food production?”

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

Monsanto Glyphosate Infographic

Cindy Zimmerman

Here is the second in Monsanto’s infographic series for the 2013 growing season. The topic addressed in this one is “Glyphosate Attributes,” which illustrates how the chemistry may be used as the foundation for Diversified Weed Management Practices (DWMPs) for increased weed control.

Click here or on the graphic for the full size version.

monsanto-info-2

Agribusiness, Farming, weed management

Farm Bureau Discusses Cygnus Acquisition

Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmCast 405Since we are in a busy agriblogging month, you get a double dose of the ZimmCast this week, with a second podcast about an important recent announcement in the agribusiness world.

American Farm Bureau FederationLast week during the Ag Media Summit, we got the news that American Farm Bureau Federation had acquired Cygnus Business Media’s agricultural events and publications, including five IDEAg branded farm shows and two publications.

The announcement came as a surprise to some, so we talked with AFBF Executive Vice President Julie Anna Potts about why they made this move and how they believe it will serve the Farm Bureau membership.

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: AFBF Acquisition of Cygnus farm business

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

AFBF, Ag Groups, Audio, Media, ZimmCast

GPC Sponsoring NASCAR Race

Talia Goes

GPCThe Georgia Peanut Commission will be sponsoring Georgia-native, David Ragan, in the Sprint Cup NASCAR race scheduled for September 1st at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Prior to the race, representatives from GPC will be promoting peanuts and peanut nutrition at David Ragan’s annual fan club party on Aug. 29, 2013, in Perry, Ga.

Joe Boddiford, GPC vice chairman and chairman of the GPC promotions committee, is excited about the race and the opportunity to support one of Georgia’s own, as well as Georgia’s official state crop.

“David Ragan is a Georgia boy and Georgia is the No. 1 peanut-growing state in the nation,” Boddiford said. “The Georgia Peanut Commission is very excited to have this opportunity to help sponsor him in the Atlanta race this fall and we’re certainly hoping he’ll win.” Boddiford is looking forward to the race and the exposure it will bring for Georgia’s agricultural industry; particularly peanuts

The Atlanta race will be televised at 7 p.m. on ESPN, September 1st. Radio broadcast will be available on WEKS, 92.5 FM and on Sirius Radio, channel 90. Those who want to attend the race or fan club party can find more information by visiting David Ragan’s website at www.davidragan.com or the Atlanta Motor Speedway website at www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.

Agribusiness, Peanuts

BASF Southern Crop Protection

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-rtp-luke-garyBASF technical experts Luke Bozeman and Dr. Gary Fellows shared the latest in BASF crop solutions for southern growers at the Southern Ag Media Symposium last week at RTP headquarters.

Gary talked about BASF fungicides and how they can help combat disease problems in southern crops, like target spot in cotton which was just identified a few years ago in Georgia. “What we saw is that a Headline treated field in cotton was preventing that disease from getting started,” he said. “We may get as much as 200 pounds of lint cotton per acre increase in yield because we’re preventing that target spot from defoliating underneath the upper canopy.”

For peanuts, BASF offers VAULT plus INTEGRAL, which combines a rhizobial inoculant plus a biofungicide. “We actually have two different bacteria doing two different things, protecting it from disease but also helping the nitrogen fixation,” Gary explained.

Listen to or download my interview with Gary here: Interview with Gary Fellows, BASF

Herbicides are Luke’s specialty and the south could really be called the cradle of particularly glyphosate resistant weeds. “But resistance isn’t limited to glyphosate, there’s a lot of types of herbicides that have weeds resistant to them,” Luke stressed. “That’s why it’s important for growers to consider multiple types of herbicides so they can not select for resistance or exacerbate the problem.”

For southern growers, BASF introduced Zidua herbicide this year and in the pipeline is the advanced dicamba formulation Engenia, as well as a new herbicide tolerant technology for rice.

Listen to or download my interview with Luke here: Interview with Luke Bozeman, BASF

BASF Southern Media Symposium and SWSS Contest photo album

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF

AMS Fun at the Falls

Cindy Zimmerman

Shot a little video of our wet and wild ride on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls during the Ag Media Summit last week. Some of the folks you might recognize include Rich Jefferson, Chris Clayton, Sally Behringer, Anita Vanderwert, Amy McDonald, Barb Ulschmid, and Harlen Persinger, among others.

Ag Media Summit, Media, Video

Lisa Hightower Joins United Fresh Produce Association

Chuck Zimmerman

Lisa HightowerI love seeing a fellow Florida Gator out in the ag communications workplace.

Dr. Lisa Hightower has joined United Fresh Produce Association as the association’s new communications manager. Lisa will produce the Inside Fresh United weekly online newsletter, develop content for United’s website and social media sites, work with news media, and promote awareness of United Fresh events, including the upcoming Washington Public Policy Conference.

Lisa brings skills in journalism, photography, and publication design to her new role at United Fresh. She has developed communication and education campaigns on a wide range of agricultural issues, including food safety, sustainable agricultural practices, beginning farmer training, and enterprise development. Lisa also has experience using social media to reach diverse audiences.

“Lisa’s experience with social media and promoting awareness about critical agricultural issues will help United Fresh keep its members and the fresh produce industry informed and engaged,” said Ray Gilmer, vice president of issues management & communication.

Ag Groups, Food, Produce

Nitrogen Loss Stinks at AMS

Cindy Zimmerman

ams13-kochEveryone has experienced that nasty smell of a well-used porta potty on a hot day. Okay, so that’s what nitrogen loss smells like. Yuck.

Kerry Overton with Koch Agronomic Services was the guy who treated unsuspecting visitors to his booth at the Ag Media Summit InfoExpo to the “here, smell this” experience. Gotta tell you, it was gross, but it made the point.

The solution to nitrogen loss? AGROTAIN® nitrogen stabilizer products. Find out more at HonestAgricutlure.com.

Watch the video and imagine the smell.


2013 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit, Fertilizer, Video

BASF and the Southern Acre

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-ulfTo paraphrase Spiderman, with great research dollars comes great responsibility – something that the Crop Protection division of BASF, The Chemical Company, takes very seriously.

“Our division is one of many divisions of BASF and one of the smaller divisions, but we have continuously gotten the highest amount of R&D dollars for our work,” says Ulf Groeger, BASF Crop Protection North America R&D Director. “That means there is a responsibility on our side to have it pay off for the company.”

basf-rtp-groupUlf told the Southern Ag Media Symposium last week at BASF headquarters in North Carolina that it takes nearly $300 million and 7-10 years to bring a new product to market, and while corn and soybeans are a major market for them, southern crops are important as well. “In the area of herbicides, we are looking at Engenia, a new generation dicamba formulation for use post emergence on broadleaf weeds in dicamba-tolerant crops,” he said. “We are also working a herbicide-tolerant rice system with a broad activity on grasses, including ALS-resistant grasses and red rice.”

BASF has recently launched the new fungicide innovation Xemium for southern growers joining Priaxor and Merivon on the market, and they soon expect full registration for Sercadis for rice.

Listen to or download my interview with Ulf here: Interview with Ulf Groeger, BASF

BASF Southern Media Symposium and SWSS Contest photo album

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Farming