How Modernization Protects Flocks

Jamie Johansen

13cms-90 Society today wouldn’t be where it is if it wasn’t for modern medicine. The same thing applies for poultry production. The modernization of the poultry industry keeps the birds safe and ensures a safe food supply.

I talked with Dr. John Glisson, Director of Research Programs for US Poultry & Egg Association after he served on one of the panels discussing chicken issues in the news during the recent Chicken Media Summit. As a veterinarian, he discussed issues poultry companies face each day to ensure a nutritious, wholesome and safe product. Bio security and the use of antibiotics were a few of the hot topics brought up.

“Something that’s currently in the news right now is Avian Influenza in China and it’s potential to infect people. We use bio security to keep that virus out of our system. Most of the time that virus is spread by wild birds or by people. We don’t allow any wild birds or people onto the farms. So, here in the United States we have managed to radicate that type of virus from the whole system. We also have a program constantly monitoring every single broiler flock that goes to market in the United States and testing it to make sure it is free from Avian Influenza. So, not only have we removed the virus, we have a very intensive early warning system if it ever comes in.”

“The perspective is that we are raising 8 billion chickens a year in the United States. Some of them get sick. We try everything possible not to allow them to get sick and we have incredible disease prevention programs. Because the last thing we ever want to happen is for a flock to get sick. But occasionally it happens. What are we going to do then? Let me die? No, we can’t. We have to treat them, but when we use the antibiotics we use it very responsibly. Each antibiotic has a FDA required withdrawal period. It may say on there “can’t be used in birds within 10 days of slaughter.” And what that has established to do is make sure if we use antibiotics on birds and withdrawal the antibiotic the correct length of time, there will be none in the meat. And so, we use them sparingly and very safely.”

Listen to my interview with John here: John Glisson

Check out photos from the event here: 2013 Chicken Media Summit Photo Album

Audio, Chicken Media Summit, Food, Poultry

Wrapping up 2013 Agri-Marketing Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Paul RedhageThe 2013 Agri-Marketing Conference was a success by all measurements says current President, Paul Redhage, FMC. We got together at the close to wrap things up and in my interview with Paul below you’ll hear all about it.

Listen to my interview with Paul here: Interview with Paul Redhage

Now it’s time to look ahead to 2014 when we come to the Sunshine State in Jacksonville. The Florida Chapter is working on some serious hospitality and a unique farm tour. More information on that will be announced later. We certainly hope to see you there.

2013 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, NAMA

So what was it really like?

Melissa Sandfort

After listening to hours worth of stories from my grandfather about old farm machinery, hand tools and butchering livestock, it dawned on me I’d never asked the most generic question of the farmer sitting in front of me: What was it like to be a farmer back in the 30s and 40s?

And by that I mean, describe a typical day. When did it start and end and all the good things in between. I could see him looking for the best way to communicate that “feeling” in words and in a little over a minute interview (and a few cuts and edits on my part), he was able to sum it up like this:

Listen to Grandpa explain

I’m not sure that tells the whole story. That’s just the spine on the novel – the words and pages are written in the wrinkles on his hands and the crease in his brow as he recalls threshing season, hot/humid summer days, and the kindness of rural neighbors “back in the day”. That’s where the real story takes shape.

He talks about growth and change, so much of both he never dreamed he’d see in his lifetime (of course, his own father said that!). He says he’s still amazed that farmers have 2,000 acres when the typical farm size back then was 80-160 acres as that’s all they could manage.

He gazes out the picture window at the field across the road……..

Then chuckles in agreement when I say, “You ate such large meals but still managed to stay thin – that’s how hard you worked.”

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Pinot, Pigs & Poets Chef Competition

Talia Goes

Pinot, Pigs & PoetsThe Nebraska Pork Producers Association is excited about expanding their continued sponsorship of this year’s Pinot, Pigs & Poets event at Happy Hollow Club on June 6, 2013 at 6 p.m. The philanthropic event will feature premium Pinot Noir wines, cutting-edge pork dishes and entertainment provided by slam poets from the Nebraska Writers Collective.

The Nebraska Pork Producers Association has been a sponsor of Pinot, Pigs & Poets since the event’s inception in 2010. In 2013, they are enhancing their sponsorship by involving the Taste of Elegance competition. The top chef will win a trip to the 2014 Pork Summit at the Greystone Campus of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California.

All proceeds from Pinot, Pigs & Poets support the Completely KIDS organization and their weekend and after-school food programs for Omaha children in need at local schools and shelters. Completely KIDS serves over 2,000 children in its after-school programs and provides over 30,000 meals a year. Last year Pinot, Pigs & Poets raised over $140,000 for these programs.

Agribusiness, Events, Pork

Celebrity Media Attention

Talia Goes

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What is the #1 thing you look for on a food label?”

Our poll results: Nineteen percent said other, sixteen percent said Low Sodium, fourteen percent Don’t Read Labels, thirteen percent said Reduced Fat, ten percent said Saturated Fat Content, and we had a tie at nine percent saying Non-GMO and Organic. Three percent said Heart-check Mark, Fat Free, and No Synthetic Hormones and one percent said All Natural. The majority of our viewers chose Other. Based on responses, “other” constituted calories, carbohydrates, and ingredients. Evidently our viewing audience has a different outlook than the audience being interviewed by media about the “big debates” such as antibiotics, hormones, and non-GMO foods.

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Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Does celebrity media attention sway your purchasing/listening/watching decisions? (e.g. Carrie Underwood supporting HSUS)?” Recently in Tennessee, Carrie Underwood has been a big voice for HSUS by publicly pressuring the Governor to veto a bill that would possibly end undercover investigations of animal abuse in the state. Carrie has used Twitter to its fullest, tweeting “@BillHaslam It’s not all about big business. Please look out for the little guys! Show TN that you have a heart…#NoAgGag”. She goes on to explain to questioners and agvocates that she is not against agriculture just against animal abuse. Would you not purchase a ticket to a Carrie Underwood concert based on her recent rant? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

USDA Renews Dairy Energy MOU

Cindy Zimmerman

usda-logoAgriculture Secretary Vilsack today renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations. The pact extends a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009.

“Through this renewed commitment, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy will continue research that helps dairy farmers improve the sustainability of their operations,” Vilsack said. “This vital research also will support the dairy industry as it works to reach its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.”

InnoCenter_2C_Logo.jpgThe Secretary signed the agreement this afternoon at the White House and was joined by representatives of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Dairy Management, including Thomas P. Gallagher, CEO of the center. One objective of the MOU is to increase the construction of anaerobic digesters and explore innovative ways to use products previously considered waste streams from dairy production, processing and handling.

USDA support for agricultural and waste-to-energy research has played a key role in the agreement’s success to date. Since signing the MOU, USDA has made nearly 180 awards that helped finance the development, construction, and biogas production of anaerobic digester systems with Rural Development programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, Value Added Producer Grants, amongst others. These systems capture methane and produce renewable energy for on-farm use and sale onto the electric grid. Additionally, during this period, USDA awarded approximately 140 REAP loans and grants to help dairy farmers develop other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems at their operations.

The Secretary was joined on a conference call to make the announcement by The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy CEO Tom Gallagher and Doug Young, a farmer from NY who has benefited from this MOU.

USDA/Dairy MOU press call
Audio, Dairy, Energy, USDA

Some Agriculture Heart Humor

Chuck Zimmerman

Damian Mason“Humor for the Heart of Agriculture” was just what we needed to conclude the 2013 Agri-Marketing Conference. To give it to us we listened to Agriculture’s Professional Funny Man, Damian Mason. Damian also conducted a breakout session titled, “Agriculture: Trends, Topics and Tomorrow.” You see, he’s more than just funny, he can get a little serious too since he has an ag economics degree and farms in Indiana on 200 acres.

Although Damian is not a college professor he is qualified to talk about trends since his line of work has made him a “professional observer of people, trends and things that are going on.” His outlook for agriculture is “bountiful” but with more and more regulation. He says that one issue in agriculture is the fact that by making a little bit of money lately it has put a target on the industry’s back. He says no one was going to pester us ten or twenty years ago. He also predicts that land values will decrease.

Listen to my interview with Damian here: Interview with Damian Mason

2013 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, NAMA

Chicken Issues in the News

Jamie Johansen

13cms-86-editedThe US Poultry & Egg Association served as another sponsor of the Chicken Media Summit, held in north eastern North Carolina last week. Members of the media were welcomed with warm, sunny skies as members of the poultry industry took us under their wings to share a little of their passion for the chicken community.

After a wonderful meal at Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant in New Bern, NC, I sat down with John Starkey. John is president for USPOULTRY and served as moderator for the second panel on Issues in the News. During that panel experts discussed poultry welfare, modernization of plants, labeling and the role vets play in modern poultry production. I asked John to address some of these issues.

“I think that is probably one of the reasons transparency has become important to us. We’ve let the animal rights activists define us in a way that isn’t very favorable. The truth is a lot different and we want to be able to show that. I guess that’s reactionary, but on the other hand it’s trying to get out ahead of it, so the next time you or another member of the media hears a report or story you have something to balance that perspective with.”

“Well really what we are doing is trying to catch up with the rest of the world. We are out there in the marketplace trying to compete with Europe and Brazil. They run their operations at a much higher line speed than we do. If we are going to compete, if we are going to continue to export and contribute to a positive trade balance in ag, which is one of the few sectors that has a positive trade balance, then we need to be competitive. These higher speed systems have been demonstrated safe by both consumer and employee in Europe and in Latin American countries. We don’t see a reason why we can’t move forward with them. Understanding we have responsibility to food and employee safety, but again the data clearly shows those can be maintained at these higher speeds.”

Listen to my interview with John here: John Starkey

Check out photos from the event here: 2013 Chicken Media Summit Photo Album

Audio, Chicken Media Summit, Food, Poultry

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

VAULT HP Fixes More Nitrogen for Soybeans

John Davis

becker-berndtOne of the biggest concerns for any ag operation is getting the most out of your inputs. During the recent tour of BASF‘s newly acquired Becker Underwood St.Joseph, Mo. seed facility, Russ Berndt, product manager for legumes and northern crops for Becker Underwood, talked about the symbiotic relationship soybeans have with the living organism rhizobia, a soil bacteria that fixes nitrogen for soybean plants. While the rhizobia are naturally occurring, they’re not always the right kind for soybeans to get the most out of the nitrogen relationship. That’s where Becker Underwood’s VAULT HP and its compounds come in.

“One of them is a compound that stimulates the rhizobia so that they send signals to the plant to produce more [nitrogen-producing] nodules sites,” adding that another component is INTEGRAL, a biological fungicide that gives more protection for the plants. Russ says that while inoculant technology is not necessarily new, VAULT HP’s approach differs from the old days of the dusty black powders. Liquid concentrations allow more rhizobia to be in each treatment. “It’s now very convenient. Growers can have it put on their seed when they’re getting other seed treatments put on. They’re put on at a very low rate so the treater can put on multiple products. And the concentrations are high so the grower is getting a high count rhizobia along with all the other components of VAULT HP,” he says.

Russ goes on to say that not only are growers ensured a maximum nodulation on those roots with a surefire nitrogen fixer, they get a living biological in INTERGRAL that grows on the roots surface to provide protection throughout the season. It all adds up to a better bottom line.

“What we see as far as return on investment is growers are going to get a 5-to-1 or better return half the time and over 70 percent of the time, get at least a 2-to-1 return.”

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Russ here: Russ Berndt, Becker Underwood product manager for legumes

Becker Underwood media tour photo album

Audio, BASF, Farming, Seed, Soybean