The Global Perspective at Novus

Jamie Johansen

ippe-13-68-editedThe trade show is currently in full swing at the International Production & Processing Expo here in Atlanta.

Right as you walk in you can’t help but notice Novus International. I stopped by and had the opportunity to talk with Jim Gerardot, Executive Director of Global Marketing, about how they bring local solutions into their global marketplace.

“It’s a great point especially in the nutritional business. Local solutions are just critical. Local ingredients that are going into the feed, the way the animal is raised in India vs. the U.S., is really a local approach that you have to use when managing customer needs. And we try and do that by actually taking those learnings and aggregating them globally so we can really take the products forward in other markets by learning from those local activities. We try to identify the things a global producer may have in common so we can leverage that in our research into new products.”

Jim also shared how Novus has utilized their 3 Pillars of Solutions, Service and Sustainability into their global presence. They recently launched regional specific products to meet global market needs like SPORULIN in North America and AVIMATRIX in Europe.

Check out my complete interview with Jim here: Interview with Jim Gerardot

International Production & Processing Expo Photo Album

Sponsored by Novus International Inc

Audio, Events, IPPE, Novus International, Poultry

Koch Agronomic Services Has Scientific Integrity

Chuck Zimmerman

Greb Schwab AG CONNECT ExpoKoch Agronomic Services is on display here at AG CONNECT Expo. I visited with Greg Schwab, Director of Agronomy (seen on AgriTalk), to learn what he’s talking to farmer attendees about.

Greg says the company has grown tremendously in the last two years with multiple acquisitions to add to their product lineup. One of the key issues he’s talking to attendees about is nitrogen management. He’s also talking about the company commitment to “scientific integrity.” He says that they’ve been working with university researchers around the country to make sure the products they develop bring real value to producers that will help their bottom line.

You can listen to my interview with Greg here: Interview with Greg Schwab

2013 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Fertilizer

AG CONNECT Expo is Bigger and Better

Chuck Zimmerman

Sara Mooney AG CONNECT ExpoAG CONNECT Expo is off to the races in Kansas City, MO. Show Director Sara Truesdale Mooney was on the show floor early as a guest on AgriTalk, seen here with host Mike Adams. AgriTalk was broadcasting live from the Koch Agronomic Services exhibit this morning.

Sara says there are over 30 co-located events taking place here this week. That’s a lot of extra activity that id drawing people to the convention center. There are almost 400 exhibitors this year with over 30% more exhibit space. There is also a record number of educational sessions taking place here as well.

You can listen to my interview with Sara here: Interview with Sara Truesdale Mooney

Please feel free to download and share my interviews and photos. You can find my photos in the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album.

Sponsored by JohnDeere

Agribusiness, Equipment

New Hire & Promotion for Harvest PR & Marketing

Talia Goes

Harvest PR & Marketing, Inc., is pleased to announce the recent addition of industry veteran Eric Davis as account director, and the promotion of Adriane Marten to digital and social media manager.

harvest prAs account director for Harvest, Davis will be instrumental in managing key food and agriculture accounts, guiding strategy and developing new business for the agency. His food category experience includes product launch, education, policy and advocacy campaigns for organizations, such as National Cooperative Grocers Association, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Food and Society Fellows, Organic Valley and Organic Trade Association.

harvest pr 2Harvest also promoted Adriane Marten from account coordinator to digital and social media manager. Since joining the agency in February 2012, Marten has spearheaded numerous digital and social campaigns for food and farm clientele, including U.S. Apple Association, National Watermelon Promotion Board, Farm Journal Foundation and Willamette Egg Farms.

In her new role, Marten will continue to focus on enhancing and integrating strategic content across multi channels to support key communications objectives.

Agencies, Agribusiness, Public Relations

Becker in New Position with GROWMARK

Chuck Zimmerman

Cassie BeckerCongratulations to Cassie Becker who is moving into the Publications and Media Relations Specialist position at GROWMARK effective February 1, 2013.

In her role, Cassie will serve as the primary journalist/photographer/videographer and managing editor of the GROWMARK Spirit and Growing Forward. Additionally, she will be responsible for creating and producing various publications, multi-media, and institutional materials and developing and implementing public, member, and media relations activities.

Cassie joined GROWMARK in 2011 as a Public Relations Associate. Prior to that, she served as an Intern for the Corporate Communications department. Cassie has her Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Communications from the University of Illinois.

Agribusiness, GROWMARK

NAMA Regional Best of Awards Banquets

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA Region II AwardsI wish I could attend all the National Agri-Marketing Association regional Best of NAMA Awards banquets. It’s just another great time to network with professionals in the industry.

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the Region II awards banquet in Kansas City, MO, conveniently scheduled prior to the start of the AG CONNECT EXPO. In the top photo you’ll see banquet emcee Tom Steever, Brownfield Ag News; Jennifer Saylor, J.L. Farmakis and Chair of the Region II Awards banquet and Paul Redhage, FMC, NAMA President. I visited with Jennifer before the event got underway.

NAMA Region II AwardsJennifer says that “It’s kind of a well oiled machine,” with the NAMA office staff doing a lot of work but then so do the committee members who plan and hold meetings to make sure this is a special event for the winners. Jennifer says that attendance was the largest ever for a Region II event.

There were a lot of awards handed out during the event with committee member Jeff Moore (left) working with Paul Redhage to hand them out. Congrats to all the winners from all the regions.

You can listen to my interview with Jennifer here: Interview with Jennifer Saylor

Invites to the regional awards banquets are:

Region I
Region II
Region III
Region IV

Ag Groups, Audio, NAMA

Novus Luncheon Addresses Consumer Trends at IPPE

Jamie Johansen

ippe-13-27-editedThe International Poultry, Feed & Meat Expo’s have joined forces this year to bring you the International Production & Processing Expo.

The trade show doesn’t open until tomorrow, but for poultry scientists from around the world, events like the Novus Luncheon brought a new-found insight into the changing world of the food industry.

As attendees enjoyed lunch, Andy Vance, Staff Editor for Feedstuffs, was introduced with the statistic that 1 out of 5 consumers call knowing where their food comes from equals a status symbol. Andy continued to discuss how we impact consumer trends.

“This is a huge change in terms of the perception that consumers have about what really is their priority when they go to the grocery store. I got to credit USFRA for doing the research behind that data. And what they found back in November, was that about 21% of consumers say food knowledge is a status symbol. An even high percentage of New Yorkers, almost 50%, said that food knowledge is a status symbol. Well, what does that mean? It means that instead of a Rolex or a Lexus, if you’re a foodie, that’s sexy, for lack of a better word. Consumers want to know more about their food. We have known that for a few years in agriculture, but I think this evolution of it just being something that people are interested in or a passing fade, to actually becoming a status symbol is a bigger issue. It’s something we can’t take for granted, consumers are going to forget.”

Andy went on to share that this trend in consumers demand is something substancial and something the food industry needs to remove from the back burner. Consumers and farmers have more in common than what we all realize and we must all be honest with each other about who we are.

Check out my complete interview with Andy here: Interview with Andy Vance

International Production & Processing Expo Photo Album

Sponsored by Novus International Inc

Agribusiness, Audio, Events, Food, IPPE, Novus International, Poultry

Two Ag Senators Retiring

Cindy Zimmerman

Two strong advocates for agriculture on both sides of the aisle in Congress are retiring after this term, leaving a void in the Senate that could make it even more challenging for farmers and ranchers to have their voices heard on the Hill in the future.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced Saturday that he would not to seek reelection in 2014. “I’m 73 years old right now,” Harkin said in a statement. “When the current Congress is over, I will have served in the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for a total of 40 years. After 40 years, I just feel it’s somebody else’s turn.”

Saxby ChamblissOn Friday, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) announced he would be retiring after serving a combined 20 years in the House and Senate. His reasoning is different than Harkin’s. “Instead, this is about frustration, both at a lack of leadership from the White House and at the dearth of meaningful action from Congress, especially on issues that are the foundation of our nation’s economic health,” Chambliss said.

Both of these lawmakers have served in leadership positions on the agriculture committees in both the Senate and House and have helped shepherd several farm bills through Congress. Certainly their reasons for not seeking reelection are very good ones. There is definitely something to be said for limiting terms in Congress and no doubt a lack of action in Washington, but agriculture needs its friends on the Hill and they are getting fewer and farther between. We can only hope that they will be followed by others who see the importance of our nation’s food system.

Uncategorized

John Deere High Tech Display at AG CONNECT Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

AG CONNECT Expo 2013John Deere is ready for AG CONNECT Expo. So says Barry Nelson who I spoke with at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention.

Barry says one of the great features of AG CONNECT Expo is that John Deere is bringing a lot of their executives. He says customers will be able to talk directly to them. He says this is true of all the exhibitors at this industry show. Barry says that if you visit the John Deere exhibit, “You’re going to see higher tech displays than you’ve ever seen?” It can’t be a more convenient location for the company since the John Deere marketing center is in Olathe, KS, right next door!

You can listen to my interview with Barry here: Interview with Barry Nelson

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, John Deere

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • CHS, Inc. is pleased to introduce the CHS Center for Cooperative Growth, an online platform that gathers and shares diverse viewpoints.
  • Kinze Manufacturing, Inc. held a grand opening of the Kinze Innovation Center with Iowa Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds.
  • AgReliant Genetics is expanding its corn research efforts in Kansas by adding a breeding program facility and nursery that will accommodate the company’s continued business growth in the western Corn Belt states.
  • AGCO announced that its Board of Directors approved the initiation of quarterly cash dividends to its stockholders.
Zimfo Bytes