Twitter Doesn’t Always Reflect Views of General Public

Chuck Zimmerman

Pew Twitter StudyI love Twitter but have wondered for some time how the “voice” you hear compares to the general public, most of whom are not using Twitter. I am no fan of The Pew Research Center but they just came out with some interesting results from a project on just this subject.

The reaction on Twitter to major political events and policy decisions often differs a great deal from public opinion as measured by surveys. This is the conclusion of a year-long Pew Research Center study that compared the results of national polls to the tone of tweets in response to eight major news events, including the outcome of the presidential election, the first presidential debate and major speeches by Barack Obama.

At times the Twitter conversation is more liberal than survey responses, while at other times it is more conservative. Often it is the overall negativity that stands out. Much of the difference may have to do with both the narrow sliver of the public represented on Twitter as well as who among that slice chose to take part in any one conversation.

It’s also interesting to keep in mind that only 13% of adults say they use Twitter. And you might be interested to know who is using Twitter.

Twitter users are not representative of the public. Most notably, Twitter users are considerably younger than the general public and more likely to be Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party. In the 2012 news consumption survey, half (50%) of adults who said they posted news on Twitter were younger than 30, compared with 23% of all adults. And 57% of those who posted news on Twitter were either Democrats or leaned Democratic, compared with 46% of the general public. (Another recent Pew Research Center survey provides even more detail on who uses Twitter and other social media.)

I believe that Twitter should still be considered a useful agvocating tool. In fact, when you look at who uses Twitter I think this study shows that it is a very good audience to reach out to and engage with. Keep in mind how often the mainstream media is publishing tweets in their newscasts and stories. What do you think?

Read more about the study here.

Social Media, Social Networking

Vaccination Sharply Lowers In Utero Disease Transfer

John Davis

bivi-vets-13-madsonIn utero transmission of Porcine Circovirus Associated Disease (PCV2) is more common than we might think, and vaccinations can make a world of difference to lower those transmissions from sows to their unborn piglets. That was the message veterinarians at the at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) Swine Health Seminar heard in San Diego. Dr. Darin Madson, Assistant Professor of Pathology with the Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, gave a talk titled “From Uterus to Fetus: PCV2 Unstable Sow Herds,” and said that while it might not show clinical signs in utero, it can cause problems downstream.

He said that in non-vaccinated herds, 17-71 percent of in utero piglets or piglets being weaned are infected. Vaccination drops that dramatically. “Repeat the same study, and you’ve got from less than 1 percent to 20 percent of the pigs being born actually are infected,” Darin said.

He went on to say that producers need to consider the primary effects of the vaccination, that the sows themselves won’t get the disease, and the secondary effects, the impacts on production, more stability and increased immunity to PCV2. “Which would include decreased sow mortality, decreased wean to service intervals, and even decreased piglet mortality and increased weaning weights.”

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Darin here: Interview with Dr. Darin Madson Iowa State


BIVI Swine Health Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

ENOGEN: Profitable Hybrid for Corn Farmers

Joanna Schroeder

Growers looking for a more profitable corn crop should consider planting ENOGEN corn. Ethanol producers looking for more gallons from a bushel of corn should look to farmers growing ENOGEN corn. I learned about the emerging corn trait designed specifically for ethanol production from Jeff Carver who is the ENOGEN Accounts Manager for Syngenta, when we spoke during the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit.

irfa-13-carverCarver explained that the trait is expressed in the endosperm so it works really well in the ethanol production process. He said the competitiveness of the hybrid is great for the farmer as well. “It transcends value across both the ethanol plant and the direct payback to the farmer.”

So why is this trait unique? Carver said that one difference is that it is an end-use trait that is expressed in the endosperm. During the hydrolysis of the protein, it allows for a very rapid viscosity break. This allows the plant to reduce the amount of water used in the process. With that, based on market conditions, the plant can either push additional through-put through the plant or actually slow the plant down to produce more ethanol.

So in a “corn kernel” you’re actually producing more ethanol from the same bushel of corn. Carver also discussed the benefits of the trait for the production of dried distillers grains and corn oil.

The ENOGEN program is designed around ethanol production and there are trials currently underway. There are still a few acres left for growers interested in participating this spring. All growers who are interested in joining the current or next trial should contact Jeff now.

Listen to my interview with Jeff Carver here: ENOGEN Profitable Hybrid for Corn Farmers

View the IRFA Renewable Fuels Summit Photo Album.

Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Syngenta

Monsanto Xtend’s Products for Growers

Jamie Johansen

classic-13-11The team at Monsanto is excited to start talking about their new line of products called Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System. Their goal is to help maximize yield potential and weed control through effective and economical weed management.

During the recent Commodity Classic, Chuck talked with Michelle Vigna, a Monsanto representative, about the product’s features and when growers can take advantage of it’s capabilities.

“The Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System is going to be a future component of our now Roundup Ready PLUS weed management solution that a lot of growers are familiar with. The Roundup Xtend Crop System contains a couple of different elements.”

classic-13-jamie-145-edited

“We are looking to introduce this system in 2014 for soybeans and 2015 for cotton. And we are really excited about this system bringing a new option for some of these tough weed control challenges that a lot of folks are dealing with.”

Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System is intended to bring growers more consistency and greater control over weeds, especially tough-to-manage and glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Michelle here: Interview with Michelle Vigna

Listen to Monsanto’s press conference at Commodity Classic here: Monsanto Press Conference

2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, Commodity Classic

Leaked USDA Email Makes News

Cindy Zimmerman

*UPDATED WITH USDA STATEMENT*

A leaked email from a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service field office is in the news today as evidence that the Obama administration wants to make the sequester cuts “as painful as possible.”

usda-logoAccording to the email, the USDA budget office directed the APHIS field office regarding flexibility of spending cuts for aquaculture, “However you manage that reduction, you need to make sure you are not contradicting what we said the impact would be.” USDA had previously told Congress that APHIS would “eliminate assistance to producers in 24 states in managing wildlife damage to the aquaculture industry” without additional funds.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was questioned about that email by Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) during a House Agriculture Committee hearing yesterday. “Mr. Secretary, I’m very concerned about that last line,” said Noem, who read the email to the committee. “Is it the policy of your department to not use any flexibility that you may have in managing the sequester?”

“No,” Vilsack responded. “If we have flexibility, we’re going to try to use it to make sure we use sequester in the most equitable and least disruptive way.” He added that in the case of meat inspectors, for example, he has less flexibility.

Noem stressed that her concern is that the administration not have an agenda that “prioritizes staying consistent” with what was previously said, rather than looking at “reductions we have to deal with and do them in the best manner possible to make sure that we protect the industry and as many producers as we can.”

Listen to the exchange between Noem and Vilsack here: House Ag Hearing 3/5/13

*USDA STATEMENT*

USDA released the following statement to clarify context of leaked email.

Several reports yesterday misrepresented a USDA effort to explain the impacts of budget cuts to an employee in USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Here are the facts: Recently, a member of the APHIS field staff suggested to the agency’s budget officers that budget cuts in the APHIS Wildlife Services program could be spread out across 24 states in a particular region in order to avoid furloughs. The budget officers explained that the employee’s suggestion had already been communicated to Congress as part of the Administration’s FY2013 budget proposal and will be included as part of the sequestration plan. To be clear, the APHIS budget officer explained that USDA is already proposing these steps in order to avoid furloughs. USDA is committed to doing all we can to minimize the impact of sequester our employees and the farmers, ranchers, and rural communities we serve.

Audio, USDA

Sequester Monster Impact

Talia Goes

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What are your spring planting intentions for corn?”

Our poll results: Forty-four percent said More Than 50% and twenty-five percent said 50% Corn. Tying for 3rd, thirteen percent said less than 25% and Other. Six percent said 25% Corn. Even with the extreme drought conditions our poll shows that the majority of you are going to continue planting a lot of corn!

chart

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Will the sequester monster impact you personally?” U.S. sequestration ordered by President Obama officially began Friday March 1st. Will sequestration impact you? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

New Holland, ZimmPoll

Precise Disk Drills from New Holland

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland Sheldon GerspacherJust how important is it to plant seeds precisely as you’d like to? Very important. That’s why New Holland has come out with a new series of disk drills.

Whether seeding into summerfallow or stubble, New Holland’s new P2000 Series disk drills slice through crop residue to ensure precise, uniform seed placement with very low soil disturbance. Both the new P2080 disk drill (with tow-between or tow-behind air cart) and P2085 disk drill (with a mounted seed tank), offer exceptional seed placement accuracy.

Sheldon Gerspacher, New Holland Seeding Products Marketing Manager, is seen here with the P2080 on display at Commodity Classic. He says these new disk drills allow a farmer to place the seed at the exact depth and down pressure they choose to ensure quick seedling emergence. He also says that through their customer driven design process they learned what features a farmer wants before they ever started manufacturing the product.

Listen to my interview with Sheldon here to learn about more of the features of these new products: Interview with Sheldon Gerspacher

2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, Equipment, New Holland, Precision Agriculture, Seed

ASTA Seed Treatment Guide

Chuck Zimmerman

ASTA Seed Treatment GuideA guide to seed treatment stewardship is a new project by the American Seed Trade Association along with a collaboration of seed companies, researchers and organizations like CropLife America, National Corn Growers Association and Farm Bureau. Growers will soon find “The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship” online.

I spoke with Andy Lavigne, ASTA President/CEO, during Commodity Classic about this project which is very timely since growers are getting ready to get back out in the field. The guide will answer questions like, “How can I protect my treated seeds; What environmental factors should I consider when planting treated seeds; Am I following state and federal regulations for treated seed and What should I do with unused treated seed?”

Right now growers have an incentive to visit and sign up for notifications at www.seed-treatment-guide.com. Two lucky people will win a $500 cash prize!

Listen to my interview with Andy here: Interview with Andy Lavigne

2013 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Ag Day, ASTA, Audio, Commodity Classic, Farming, Seed

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Broadhead, a Minneapolis-based full-service marketing communications agency, has added three new employees to its team.
  • Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., CEO Jordan Burns announces changes in leadership structure and promotions in U.S. division of global specialty agriculture products company.
  • Monsanto Company announced it has completed the purchase of substantially all of the assets, and assumption of certain liabilities, of Rosetta Green Ltd., Rehovot, Israel.
  • ConAgra Foods, Cargill and CHS announced a definitive agreement to combine their North American flour milling businesses to form Ardent Mills, a new flour milling company that will serve customers in the baking and food industries.
Zimfo Bytes

PRRS Like Waterfalls, Waldo & National Debt

John Davis

bivi-vets-13-slideAnalogies are a great way to illustrate your point, and Dr. Dale Polson, technical resources specialist with Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI), really used them in talking about vertical transmission of PRRS at the BIVI Swine Health Seminar for swine vets in San Diego. Polson compared PRRS waterfalls, Where’s Waldo and even the national debt, among others, to talk about how transmission of the disease is defined too narrowly.

He said if you look at transmission of PRRS from the sow to the piglet as a waterfall, you also have to consider where that “water” travels. “That water is going to other sites, which then, themselves become waterfalls, and that’s going to other downstream sites, which then, themselves are waterfalls as well.” And Polson added you need to manage an entire area for PRRS, because that just like a waterfall crashing down on the rocks below, PRRS spreads horizontally as well, which creates even more waterfalls.

And when it comes to comparison to the national debt, Polson said while the numbers $16.5 trillion for the national debt compared to $16.5 billion that PRRS has cost swine producers, the cost-share per farm is larger than each home’s share of the national debt.

Finally, just like finding the cartoon character Waldo, when it first starts out, PRRS seems to be everywhere. But as “Waldo” … or PRRS in this case … gets harder to find, it is just as impactful. “Especially if people pull the trigger on sending pigs to a negative area,” Polson explained.

Polson said managing vertical transmission of PRRS is non-negotiable and that there needs to be better, more active collaboration between swine producers and observation of a modified Golden Rule: “Transmit unto others as you would have others transmit unto you.”

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Dr. Polson here: Interview with Dr. Dale Polson, BIVI


BIVI Swine Health Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine