LMA Provides Animal Handling Expertise

Chuck Zimmerman

Laura MarksAnimal handling is THE big priority issue for the Livestock Marketing Association. Members have Laura Marks, LMA Director of Animal Handling, as a great resource when it comes to this issue. Here at the 2013 LMA Annual Convention Laura conducted a workshop on this issue. I visited with her in between sessions to learn what she wanted members to know. Laura says members want to treat the animals in their care the best way possible at all times.

You can listen to my interview with Laura here: Interview with Laura Marks

The LMA offers Animal Care Training information for its members which can be found here.

2013 LMA/WLAC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Audio, LMA

Former WLAC Bailey Ballou Works for LMA PAC

Chuck Zimmerman

2012 WLAC Bailey BallouThe 2012 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion is Bailey Ballou. He got to perform for us here at the LMA Annual Convention at the LMA PAC dinner/auction. Bailey auctioned off a number of items to raise money for the effort.

Before we got started with that I chatted with Bailey about his year as the WLAC. He says he’s been on the road to almost 70 different events this past year and is looking forward to a little break in the action. Bailey has always been goal driven and after reaching his goal of winning the WLAC he says he needs some time to formulate a new challenge. He also offers encouragement to anyone who would like to pursue a career as an auctioneer and especially in the livestock business.

You can listen to my interview with Bailey here: Interview with Bailey Ballou

A little Bailey doing LMA PAC auction here: Bailey Ballou at PAC Auction

2013 LMA/WLAC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, LMA, Video

New Holland Customers Love their Skid Steers

John Davis

new-holland-ce-8New Holland customers sure love their Skid Steers.

“Once you get one of these out on the job site or on the farm, you’ll never let it go!” declared Dan Livezey with New Holland during an interview with Chuck at New Holland’s Construction Media Event at company headquarters in New Holland, PA. He says the Super Boom Skid Steer is especially well liked, since it comes with rubber tires and has the best reach and lift in the industry or rubber track units that give you more traction and versatility in dicey ground conditions. Both are great for a wide variety of jobs – from using it as a bulldozer, tree-cutter or land clearer. “A lot of different applications.”

Dan went on to say that their customer base is actually pretty evenly split between their ag and construction customers. He says it’s New Holland’s stable platform that really sets them apart from their competition.

“We have a long, wide wheel base on the rubber tire and track units,” plus New Holland has a vertical lift boom to make sure the lift-and-carry ability stays stable. And Ride Control smooths the trip across a rough field by turning the loader boom into a shock absorber.

New Holland’s Skid Steers are also easy to maintain, with all the daily maintenance able to be done under a rear hood. And if you need to do more, Dan says just take out two bolts, and the whole cab tips forward, giving you access to the hydraulics and the engine.

Dan adds they’ve got a growing dealer network, with more the 800 dealers nationwide, and always looking for more.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dan here: Interview with Dan Livezey

New Holland Construction Equipment Media Event Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, New Holland, Tractor

Priorities for the Livestock Marketing Association

Chuck Zimmerman

Tim Starks, LMA PresidentThe President of the Livestock Marketing Association is Tim Starks from Cherokee, Oklahoma. He got things started at last night’s LMA PAC dinner and auction.

I visited with him to learn about priorities facing LMA and its members right now. Animal handling tops the list and he says, “We want to be very proactive in our approach to get the job done right.” Tim says that LMA is also dealing with a number of changes to the industry that include regulations and banking practices. You’ll also hear him talk about how groups in other countries that are like LMA are dealing with similar challenges.

You can listen to my interview with Tim here: Interview with Tim Starks

2013 LMA/WLAC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, LMA

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking nominations for the United States Potato Board.
  • The members of Cooperatives Working Together endorsed a larger investment in the farmer-funded self-help program, voting to enhance the membership requirement from 2¢ per hundredweight to 4¢ per hundredweight, effective July 1, 2013, and running through December 31, 2015.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed one member and one alternate member to serve on the Cotton Board to fill importer vacancies.
  • The International Association of Business Communicators St. Louis recently announced winners of the 2013 St. Louis Quill Awards for excellence in communications.
Zimfo Bytes

Vaccinator Helps Pigs Drink to Health

Cindy Zimmerman

wpx13-bivi-pump2Our two sponsors for World Pork Expo this year were both advocating the delivery of some of their animal health products to swine by injecting them into the water supply. For Novus, it was organic acids for improved gut health and for Boehringer Ingelheim it was the easy administration of oral vaccinations.

In both instances, however, it is important to make sure the proper amount of the product is added to the water supply during a certain time frame to ensure that all the pigs get the proper dosage. That’s where the Stenner Vaccinator Pump comes in and I talked with Jesse McCoy, Water Quality division manager for Ivesco Technical Services, about it.

wpx13-bivi-jesse“This pump makes oral vaccination or supplement addition easier and that’s the whole goal,” Jesse said. “The idea behind the pump was have a fixed vaccine amount and run it over the six hours that all the data shows every pig’s going to get a dose.” The pump also takes out the variables of time of day and weather allowing producers much more flexibility.

Jesse says Ivesco not only sells the pumps, they actually helped develop the unique product. “It’s been a really great collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim‘s team, Stenner’s team and Ivesco’s team to bring it to the market,” he said, noting that they had great response to the product at the expo.

Find out more in this interview with Jesse: Interview with Ivesco's Jesse McCoy

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novus International, Swine, World Pork Expo

New Holland Compact Tractors Deliver Big Results

Chuck Zimmerman

Doran Herritt New HollandIt’s said that good things come in small packages, and when it comes to New Holland’s line of compact tractors make that great things! During the recent New Holland Construction Media Event held at the company’s headquarters in New Holland, PA, I talked with Doran Herritt, Brand Marketing Manager for New Holland’s less than 60 HP Tractors. He was quick to point out that these are no toys out there.

“Especially our small Boomer 20/25. It’s a class one compact, not a sub-compact, and subsequently it can do more,” important, Doran says, because buyers always find more jobs. That makes this versatile tractor a great choice for a lot of different jobs. “Whether you’re pushing snow or moving mulch or digging a little bit or using the backhoe to dig trenches, it’s a very versatile machine.” Plus, he says there’s even more implements you can pair up with that machine.

And if you want a little more power and comfort out of your compact tractor, Doran suggests you look at the Boomer 3000, that comes with their Super Suite cab.

“We call it that because it’s like entering the suite of a hotel,” with heat and air conditioning, cell phone charger, and even a coat hook. Plus, it has the largest compact cab in the industry. “At 60.1 cubic feet, it’s just very spacious. You have lots of room to feel very comfortable for a long days work.”

Listen to my interview with Doran here: Interview with Doran Herritt

New Holland Construction Equipment Media Event Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, New Holland, Tractor

LMA Convention/WLAC Kicks Off

Chuck Zimmerman

Mark Mackey, Gov. Robert Bentley, Tim StarksThe 2013 Annual Convention of the Livestock Marketing Association and 50th World Livestock Auctioneer Championship has kicked off here in Montgomery, AL. Alabama Governor Robert J. Bentley, welcomed attendees and talked about the importance of farmers. The Governor is pictured center with Mark Mackey, CEO, LMA on the left and Tim Starks, President, LMA on the right.

I’ll be providing coverage of the meetings here and will also be participating as a judge in the auctioneer competition through Saturday morning. I’ve got lots of photos to share already which you can find here: 2013 LMA/WLAC Photo Album

Hear what Gov. Bentley had to say: Alabama Gov. Robert J. Bentley Remarks

LMA President Tim Starks opened up the general session that just ended. You can listen to his remarks here: Tim Starks, LMA President, Opening Remarks

Ag Groups, Audio, Livestock, LMA

BASF Growing Today for Tomorrow Video

Cindy Zimmerman

One of our most popular ZimmCast’s ever was an interview we did in 2010 with BASF’s Paul Rea about the company’s really cool video “One Hungry Planet,” which has been seen by over 100,000 people.

Now BASF has done it again with another cool video “Growing Today for Tomorrow” which illustrates how today’s farmers are producing more food with less land, water and energy to feed a growing population. It’s a great message to share!

Agribusiness, BASF, Farming, Video

Monsanto’s Big Three Weed Solution

Cindy Zimmerman

This big infographic is the first in a series from Monsanto for the 2013 growing season, offering a solution to the “Big 3 Weeds,” which farmers should manage through Diversified Weed Management Practices (DWMPs) for increased weed control. Click here or on the graphic to read and find out more.
monsanto-big-3

Each infographic this season will focus on the importance of DWMPs to control tough-to-manage and resistant weeds and highlight various factors that influence these strategies.

Farming, weed management