Snakes in a Backpack

Melissa Sandfort

snake(Another article from Aunt Jeanette….and so many thanks for sharing these stories)

Maybe garter snakes are good for something – but they scare the living daylights out of me. I even get these “feelings,” kind of like ESP, when I am about to run over a snake with the lawn mower.

I mentioned before that I was a teacher, third grade to be exact. One day I had stayed in the classroom during lunch to check papers and prepare for the afternoon, when my class returned from eating. I was busily working at my desk, but noticed some activity by the coats and backpacks. Finally, I heard a little boy’s anxious whisper, “I think we had better tell her.” I replied, “Yes, you had better tell me – and fast!”

A girl’s voice said, “Mrs. Shaw, there are two garter snakes in my backpack and they aren’t very happy.” Using all the courage and self-control I could muster, my reply was, “I don’t think I would be very happy if I had been in a backpack all morning either! And, just why are there snakes in your backpack?”

This was a business deal and the little girl was selling the snakes to someone after school. Needless to say, the snakes had to go to a nearby cornfield, and the business deal was off. I hope I didn’t end her hopes of a career in either business or reptiles. It really was quite a creative venture.

I still wonder where my “feelings” were that morning…..

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

NAMA Presents Blogging Webinar

Jamie Johansen

webinars_headerThe National Agri-Marketing Association has planned a blogging webinar on strategizing, executing and impacting target markets, presented by Adrian Blake, CEO fo Social Media Contractors.

His company, based out of Omaha, outsources social media and creates, manages blogs for clients from Massachusetts to California. Adrian is also the former publisher of The Progressive Farmer and understands the agriculture industry and the people involved in it.

In the increasingly noisy marketplace, every organization needs to state its messages clearly. A blog is one of the cornerstones of a modern communications strategy, but not like an ad, a newsletter, or an email. Blogging requires a different set of skills, a different publishing cadence, and a different messaging strategy from traditional media.

Join NAMA on Thursday, June 13 at 1:00 pm central time for this great learning opportunity. Click here to register.

NAMA

Shuanghui International to Purchase Smithfield Foods

Chuck Zimmerman

Smithfield FoodsWe’re talking a lot of pork in this deal. See the full release here.

Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE:SFD) and Shuanghui International Holdings Limited today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that values Smithfield at approximately US$7.1 billion, including the assumption of Smithfield’s net debt. Shuanghui International is the majority shareholder of Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development Co. (SZSE:000895), which is China’s largest meat processing enterprise and China’s largest publicly traded meat products company as measured by market capitalization.

Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Shuanghui will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Smithfield for US$34.00 per share in cash. The purchase price represents a premium of approximately 31% over Smithfield’s closing stock price on May 28, 2013, the last trading day prior to today’s announcement.

“This is a great transaction for all Smithfield stakeholders, as well as for American farmers and U.S. agriculture,” said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer of Smithfield. “We have established Smithfield as the world’s leading and most trusted vertically integrated pork processor and hog producer, and are excited that Shuanghui recognizes our best-in-class operations, our outstanding food safety practices and our 46,000 hard-working and dedicated employees. It will be business as usual — only better — at Smithfield. We do not anticipate any changes in how we do business operationally in the United States and throughout the world. We will become part of an enterprise that shares our belief in global opportunities and our commitment to the highest standards of product safety and quality. With our shared expertise and leadership, we look forward to accelerating a global expansion strategy as part of Shuanghui.”

Agribusiness, International, Pork

IFAJ Media Tour to Uganda

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJ Uganda Media TourA select few members of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists have an opportunity to travel to Uganda this November on a tour.

Following the great success of the Kenya tour in 2012, IFAJ and AgriCord/Agriterra are proud to offer 15 IFAJ journalists again the opportunity to have a first-hand look at farm issues in the developing world. By organizing a 6-day tour for a group of select journalists to Uganda, our aim is to enable you to take a look beyond the images of hunger and poverty in Africa to explore a vibrant continent full of initiatives and business opportunities to boost agricultural production and economic development.

Arrival: Sunday 3 November – Arrival at hotel in Entebbe Departure: Saturday 9 November – End of program

Professional obligations
Those journalists who take part in the tour will share their experiences in oral, written, powerpoint or other media, with their own agricultural journalists guild and the IFAJ and AgriCord through newsletter or web articles. This is a separate commitment from your professional role in writing/broadcasting stories for your audience.

U.S. members of the American Agricultural Editors Association need to get their application (pdf), including 3 samples of their work from the past 12 months, sent to Steve Werblow, Chair of the AAEA International Committee by May 31.

I’ll apply if you want to sponsor our coverage of this amazing looking event!

Cindy and I are already signed up to attend the 2013 IFAJ Congress in Argentina this fall. Supporting IFAJ is a good idea for agrimarketers in today’s global marketplace. We thank Dupont Pioneer for their support of our attendance at this annual event once again this year.

IFAJ, Media

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • KeyBank is expanding its strong agribusiness capability with the addition of Scott G. Rueff, who will oversee the growth of KeyBank’s agribusiness program in the Midwest and Northeast.
  • Balchem Corporation (NASDAQ: BCPC), the global leader in choline chloride and precision release nutrient technologies, today announced the creation of a new grant-based research program, the Real Science Initiative.
  • The National Grange will present Carlos Jimenez, Director of Chrysler’s Mid-Atlantic Business Center, the first William Saunders Award for Rural Awareness on behalf of RAM.
  • Farm Market iD announced that Hylon Kaufmann has been promoted to president of the company.
Zimfo Bytes

Broadcasters Support Farm Broadcasting

Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmCast 396The roots of agricultural broadcasting run deep in broadcast history, starting with the first stations on the air in the 1920’s airing weather and market reports for farmers and ranchers. By 1922, the USDA reported that 35 of the 36 stations licensed by the Commerce Department had been approved to broadcast USDA markets!

Since farm broadcasting has been such an important part of radio and television programming over the years, it’s appropriate that the National Association of Broadcasters helps to support some of the activities of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, particularly the annual NAFB Washington Watch.

nabWe talked with NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton about their support of NAFB and some policy concerns that the two organizations share in common, such as the impact that impending spectrum incentive auctions could have on television translator service and low power television service in rural areas, which we detailed in an earlier post.

Listen to my conversation with Dennis here: ZimmCast with NAB

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

Audio, Media, NAFB, ZimmCast

Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Rep. Frank Lucas

Cindy Zimmerman

New on Agri-Pulse this week:

open-micFrank Lucas (R-OK) Chairs the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee and succeeded in getting a diverse farm bill through his committee in 2012 and 2013 with over a 3/4 majority. However, the toughest battle lies ahead, with floor debate expected in mid-June. Lucas talks about the major challenges of a bill that has budget restraints and forces on both sides pulling for their respective constituents. He is also watching the Senate debate “every minute I can spare” to see what that bill can offer when House members go to conference and sign a new bill into law before the current one expires on September 30.

Listen to the Agri-Pulse Open Mic interview with Rep. Lucas here.

Agri-Pulse

GROWMARK Interns Journey to Great

Cindy Zimmerman

growmark-internsSummer is officially underway and for over 60 college students it is the beginning of a great journey as interns for GROWMARK, Inc.

“This is our 54th annual GROWMARK summer internship,” says GROWMARK University Relations Manager Ashley McClintock. “We have 61 interns this summer, representing 16 universities across North America.”

The 12 week internship program encompasses a variety of different areas within the GROWMARK system. “Most of our interns are in agronomy, we have a few in precision farming, seed, dairy, grain or commodities, and then we have a handful in energy and marketing as well,” said Ashley.

Unlike many intern programs, GROWMARK offers paid internships to allow students to not only gain valuable experience and connections, but also help them make a little money in the summer. “We view these as our employees as well and we want to make sure they get rewarded for their hard work,” Ashley explained, adding that the program is really a “mutual 12 week interview to see if these students have a future in the GROWMARK system.” In fact, about 50% of GROWMARK interns go on to become full time employees.

See the list of all GROWMARK summer interns here.

Listen to my interview with Ashley here: Ashely McClintock, GROWMARK intern program

To find out more about the GROWMARK internship program, watch the video below, created by and featuring 2012 interns.

Agribusiness, Audio, Education, GROWMARK

LMA 50th Convention & Auctioneer Championship

Chuck Zimmerman

LMA-WLAC-50th-logoMy first ever Livestock Marketing Association’s Annual Convention and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship looks to be a golden one in Montgomery, AL. I’ll not only be covering the event but will be participating in the judging. So plan to follow along with me as we plow new ground along the agriblogging highway.

For half a century, the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) has showcased the industry’s most talented livestock auctioneers and honored local livestock auction markets annually through its World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). On June 14-15 in Montgomery, Ala., LMA will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this prestigious event when 31 semi-finalists gather at the Montgomery Stockyards to compete for the 2013 title.

This year’s World Livestock Auctioneer Championship qualifying and semi-final events highlight the professional auctioneering skills and livestock marketing knowledge of hundreds of auctioneers who competed. The WLAC contest is produced by LMA, the leading trade association serving livestock auction markets, during its annual convention as a way to promote the profession and the auction method of marketing livestock.

Ag Leader, Livestock, LMA

Syngenta Launches Clariva Seed Treatment

Chuck Zimmerman

SyngentaThe first product from Syngenta’s acquisition of Pasteuria Bioscience, Clariva, has been launched and will be available in the U.S. next year.

Syngenta announced today the launch of CLARIVA™, a proprietary seed treatment nematicide based on the Pasteuria technology acquired in 2012.

CLARIVA consists of naturally occurring soil bacteria with a unique, direct mode of action on nematodes: microscopic worm-shaped soil organisms, which cause significant damage to all major agricultural crops.

CLARIVA will be available in the USA for the 2014 growing season. It will be combined with other leading Syngenta seed care compounds as a complete solution for soybeans. Further registrations across major crops worldwide are planned.

Agribusiness, Seed, Syngenta