Peanut Butter to Help Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Talia Goes

peanutsDisaster relief missions have been working over time this past week aiding to those who were affected by the severe weather. Any type of donation is appreciated by those who lost everything – like peanut butter, which is a great source of protein for emergency situations where power and water are lacking.

pnut-proudPeanut Proud and the Georgia Peanut Commission are mobilizing a joint effort to help families in Oklahoma who have suffered from the devastating tornadoes. The Georgia Peanut Commission has donated $5,000 towards this effort. On Friday, May 24 at 3:00 p.m. the first load of peanut butter, which consists of 22 pallets or 31,680 jars, will depart from Albany, Ga. and head towards Oklahoma.

The peanut industry will be distributing peanut butter, peanut snacks and other non-refrigerated items to donate to area food banks and distribution centers and plans to send a second delivery next week. The peanut industry across the U.S. is working with Oklahoma Emergency Management Association (OEMA) to get peanut products to at least three distribution centers in the areas most affected.

Monetary donation for additional peanut products are welcome:
Project Oklahoma Relief
c/o Peanut Proud
P.O. Box 446
Blakely, GA 39823

Agribusiness, Peanuts

First Annual Ozarks Bacon Festival

Melissa Sandfort

baconIt was bound to happen and now it is official – KOZL and the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds are putting on the first annual Ozarks Bacon Festival.

Ozarks Bacon Fest – a tribute to Bacon, Bourbon & Beer – holds its inaugural tasting event on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds E-Plex. Tickets give tguests accss to a bacon-infused wonderland where the Ozark’s best chefs prepare amazing creative bacon snacks. National brand,s artisan bacon-makers, and bacon purveyors display, sample, and sell a multitude of bacon and bacon inspired products. The best mixologists and brewers hand out bacon-inspired cocktails, beer and wine. And in honoring bacon in all its glory, Ozarks Bacon Fest will be holding a Bacon Eating Contest, a Best Bacon Recipe contest and a Bacon Art contest.

For more information, contact Larry Krauck at 417-862-1010 or lkrauck@ozarkslocal.tv.

Agribusiness, Food, Pork

Reaction to COOL Decision

Chuck Zimmerman

usda-logoUSDA has issued the final rule for mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), including an amendment to the regulations for muscle cut covered commodities derived from animals slaughtered in the United States.

The decision pleased some livestock organizations, but disappointed others.

“We are deeply disappointed with this short-sighted action by the USDA,”said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Scott George. “Our largest trading partners have already said that these provisions will not bring the United States into compliance with our WTO obligations and will result in increased discrimination against imported products and in turn retaliatory tariffs or other authorized trade sanctions.”

“It is incomprehensible that USDA would finalize a controversial rule that stands to harm American agriculture, when comments on the proposal made clear how deeply and negatively it will impact U.S. meat companies and livestock producers,” said American Meat Institute Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel Mark Dopp in a press conference.

Listen to Dopp’s comments here: American Meat Institute - COOL Press Conference

Groups pleased with the decision include National Farmers Union and R-Calf.

“The decision to bring the law into compliance with the WTO’s ruling is a win-win situation for all interested parties,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We further applaud the administration for deciding to take a proactive approach in bringing COOL into compliance by providing more information on the origins of our food, instead of simply watering down the process.”

“USDA’s final rule is right on the mark,” said R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Mike Schultz adding, “We are pleased that USDA did not weakened COOL in response to the WTO’s attack on our domestic food labeling program.”

Ag Groups, Audio, Livestock, Meat, USDA

The Seasons of a Farmer

Melissa Sandfort

imageHi! I am Melissa’s Aunt Jeanette. I would like to invite you to take a stroll with me until Melissa walks with you again. Although teaching was my chosen career, I grew up on a farm and also married a farmer. That last thing – marrying a farmer – was something I said I would never do, but I guess you can’t take the farm out of the girl!

So here goes…..

The Seasons of a Farmer

Aahhh, Saturday morning. Maybe a leisurely cup of coffee while reading the news. Reality – “Are you busy? Do you have a minute?” Of course I did…..

While I was writing down the numbers on the ear tags of the cows and calves, I multi-tasked and also wrote this little story (and no one suspected!):

After the Super Bowl, and even before then, we all knew “Why God Made a Farmer.” We even knew why He chose certain special people to do His work. Well, God also made “The Seasons of a Farmer.” In my mind, those seasons are Planting, Irrigating, Harvesting and Preparing To Do It All Over Again. Since Planting is completed, or nearly completed, at least here in south central Nebraska, we are bracing ourselves for Irrigating – and in the meantime praying for a good, soaking rain. Now, just as there are transition days between the regular seasons, there are also those transition days between the farmers’ seasons. In this time between Planting and Irrigating, there are weeds to be sprayed, fences to be checked and fixed, cows and calves to be moved to grass, planters and drills to be cleaned and put away, and numerous other “what do you do with all your free time now that you’re done planting?” jobs! My part in all this? I maintain my sense of humor and when I get up in the mornings I usually try to be ready for the questions, “Are you busy? Do you have a minute?”

It’s 2:00. Now for that cup of coffee…..

Uncategorized

Sustainability focus at Alltech Beef Discussion Dinner

Maggie Seiler

alltech-symposium-13-10Tuesday night at the Alltech International Symposium was discussion dinner night. While Chuck was sitting in on the Marketing discussion, I got to participate in the Beef 2020 dinner and discussion. Participants in the conversation were from a wide range of backgrounds and geographies including people from the United States, South America and Europe. The topic of discussion for the night was sustainability. Conversation included issues such as remaining economically sustainable as well as environmentally sustainable. The many varied opinions and experiences allowed for a lively dinner. The discussion was facilitated by James Campbell from the Irish Farmers Journal and Bruno Mazzer, beef sales and solutions manager with Alltech.

I interviewed Mazzer following the dinner and you can listen to his comments here: Beef Sustainability

2013 Alltech International Symposium Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio

Chaney’s Dairy Barn

Maggie Seiler

alltech-symposium-13-11The World Market at the Alltech International Symposium played host to several companies. Walking through the market an attendee had the opportunity to taste test meat, bread or cheese, but one of the most popular attractions was the Chaney Dairy Barn ice cream.

The Chaney family dairy is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The dairy farm has been in the family since 1888 and currently milks about 50 Jersey cows. In 2003, they opened the Chaney Dairy Barn selling ice cream. This product goes hand-in-hand with their popular agritourism business. The farm played host to approximately 8,000 kids last year. One of their more popular events is Ice Cream and a Moovie that was recently chosen as a top 20 event by the Southern Tourism Society.

I caught up with Carl Chaney, co-owner of the Chaney Dairy Barn, scooping ice cream at the world market. It was really interesting to talk with him about their operation and how they market their products. When asked how he markets his product, Chaney said, “Anyway I can.”

You can learn more about the Chaney family and the Chaney Dairy Barn at their website.

Listen to the whole interview here: Chaney Dairy Barn

2013 Alltech International Symposium Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio

Alltech Lyons Glimpse the Future

Chuck Zimmerman

Drs. Mark & Pearse LyonsA pair of Dr. Lyons bid us goodbye from the 2013 Alltech International Symposium. Here are son/father, Dr. Mark Lyons and Dr. Pearse Lyons.

Dr. Mark Lyons, vice president of corporate affairs at Alltech, talked to us about the importance of food safety as he shared the company’s vision for helping expand agricultural production in China. According to Lyons, food security is seen as “the potential Achilles’ heel of China” and is too big of an issue to ignore publicly.

China’s five-year plan focuses on making farms larger, more efficient and more traceable. For example, half of the world’s pigs live in China and from those 50 million sows, 20 pigs per sow are born alive per year. This equals an annual production of one billion pigs per year. However, due to preweaning mortality, only 600 million actually go to market. The 400 million lost is three times the size of U.S. pig production. In China, one more pig per sow per year would mean one million tons of feed saved.

“What is Alltech’s five-year plan? We want to be a foreign brand with a Chinese heart,” Lyons said. “We want to firmly establish market leadership, partner with the government and leading feed, production and food companies, and give our customers a competitive advantage.

Listen to Mark talk about his vision of 2020 here: Dr. Mark Lyons Vision

Founder and president of Alltech, Dr. Pearse Lyons in his wrap-up challenged the delegates to help the farmer of tomorrow and to use the resources provided to them at this year’s event.

“Are you going to fly or are you going to soar? Will you flourish?” Dr. Lyons asked. “You need to leave here today and say, ‘I may not rule the world, but I can have an impact on feeding the world’s growing population.’”

Listen to Pearse wrap-up the Symposium here: Dr. Pearse Lyons Wrap-up

2013 Alltech International Symposium Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio

Is Ag Marketing Itself Well or Not?

Talia Goes

With all the farm bill activity in Congress this past week, our latest ZimmPoll asked “What’s your opinion of committee farm bill?” From the results, most think it’s better than nothing.

Our poll results: 18% said Better Than Nothing and Other, 14% said Hits Nutrition Too Hard and Bad For Everyone, nine percent said Senate Better Than House, Bad For Farmers, Will Help Conservation and Great For Everyone, and nobody said House Better Than Senate. Poll results are all over the charts this week with mixed reviews and disagreement with particular sections of the farm bill.

Untitled

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Is agriculture doing a bad job of marketing?” Marketing seems to be the key to a successful industry. The public often gets a bad taste for agriculture after “issues” hit the media. Do we cover our tracks and market the good along with the benefits to agriculture, not to mention the must haves of it? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

Study Shows Internet Increases Small Farm Income

Jamie Johansen

LSUAC4CAccording to research conducted by Aditya Khanal & Ashok Mishra, both with the Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness at Louisiana State University, the internet has added $2,000+ annual gross farm income to small farms.

“Small farms with access to the Internet earned approximately $2,200 to $2,700 more in gross farm income compared to small farms without access to the Internet.”

The pair of agricultural economists presented their findings in February. Researchers used data from a nationwide U. S. Department of Agriculture survey of farm households in 2010. They defined a “small farm” as having a gross cash farm income of less than $250,000. Sixty-two percent of the small farm households had access to the Internet.

Researchers concluded that small farm businesses, through good management of off-farm and on-farm activities, can benefit from Internet service as it opens up options for gaining information and potentially reducing input costs and household expenses.

Those living in rural areas understand that access to high-speed internet or any form of internet is sometimes hard to find. But is getting better. The internet allows farmers to have access to more education and research, enables different marketing opportunities and can serve as a networking tool.

For more information on this study you can read the complete report here.

Education, Research

Canadian Farm Writers Federation Plan Conference

Jamie Johansen

cfwftransparent2Canadian Farm Writers Federation (CFWF) is currently in the planning stages for a conference for members this fall. The event will be held October 3-6, 2013 at the world-famous Harrison Hot Springs Resort.

The Fraser Valley is one of the most densely cultivated areas in Canada. This compact region boasts the highest blueberry production in North America, Canada’s largest dairy farm, and a poultry sector leads the country in both population density and adoption of biosecurity. The Circle Farm Tours also make this area a leader in direct farm marketing and agri-tourism.

The bus tours will feature agriculture in and around Chilliwack, Abbotsford and Agassiz, as well as the first ever CFWF Cycle Farm Tour of farms, processors and research facilities in the Agassiz-Harrison area. Attendees can arrive early for the Thursday pre-tours: ‘Up the Creek’, a boat tour up the Fraser River, or ‘Round the Mountain’, a bus tour to the ranchlands of the Nicola Valley.

More details will be coming soon. Watch the CFWF Facebook Page for breaking news. Registration opens May 15, 2013 and if you have any questions, contact Tamara Leigh, tamara@shinybird.ca, 778-232-4036 or checkout their website.

Events