IFAJ Meeting During International Green Week

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJ at Green WeekIt is time for International Green Week in Berlin, Germany. That means that many members of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists are their and having their own meetings. It has been several years since I’ve had the opportunity to attend this massive show.

Thanks to Riitta Mustonen for sharing this photo on Facebook with a description of the seminar she is attending.

IFAJ Freedom of the press seminar going on. Oliver Vujovic (in the middle): “If you have a dangerous information, don’t try to be a star. Share your information with colleagues. Then it doesn’t help if they kill you, the info is already spread.”

“In every country you can increace democracy, and it is the work of journalists.”

IFAJ, Media

Zimfo Bytes

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    Zimfo Bytes

  • Syngenta launched a landmark e-licensing platform to provide plant breeders and researchers with easy access to patented native traits from its commercial vegetable varieties.
  • Monty’s Plant Food Company launched a redesigned website this month to enhance overall customer experience.
  • The U.S. Department of Education has appointed a highly experienced and accomplished education professional to help develop, implement and manage policy for the National FFA Organization.
  • CIC & NCBA mobile app for the Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show is now available for download.
Cattle Industry Conference, FFA, Syngenta, Zimfo Bytes

Together We Are Ag Leader

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyAn end user’s most important resource is their precision farming dealer. Ag Leader recognizes the importance of their dealer network and that’s why, in 2013, we’re going to introduce you to a few of those dedicated professionals in a series called “Getting to Know Ag Leader”.

To kick things off, we caught up with Todd Peterson of Peterson Ag service in Remington, Indiana:

1. From an agronomy standpoint, what do you consider to be the biggest issues facing growers today?
Being able to maximize profit from every acre by controlling input cost, managing pests and diseases, applying what the crop needs and analyzing data to make good decisions.

ToddPeterson2. Tell us about how growers in your area are using precision agriculture.
In my area of row crop corn and soybean production, growers have seen the benefit of many things from precision agriculture from guidance to machine control. SeedCommand and DirectCommand have been big to help reduce seed and input costs, while maximizing yield. Guidance has also played a large part, allowing my growers to cover more acres more efficiently. With the addition of Intellislope, it allows my growers to improve drainage and make these acres more productive.

3. What benefits are growers seeing by using precision ag on their farms? Give us some examples.
With the use of SeedCommand and clutch control, growers have been able to reduce seed cost from overplanting end rows and point rows. In turn, this has increased yield on end rows. With the use of guidance, growers are able to cover more acres in a day with less overlap and skip, as well as less operator fatigue, which allows them to be more productive.

4. What do you believe is on the horizon when it comes to technology and agriculture?
Since technology is an ever-evolving thing, I can’t wait to see what’s next. As we have the ability to better understand and analyze the data we collect, and manage our operations to maximize yield and reduce costs, the possibilities are great.

5. What’s your best piece of advice to a grower who might be looking at using precision ag products?
My best advice for a grower starting to use precision ag, or one that has been using it for a while, is to work with a trusted advisor that has the grower’s interest in mind. As technology moves fast, you have to have a plan of where you are and where you are wanting to go. Precision ag products are great IF you know how to use them and they fit and work for your operation.

Check back next month to “Get to Know” another Ag Leader dealer!

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Ag Leader, Agribusiness

dishNET Learning From Rural America

Chuck Zimmerman

Brian McIntyre at AFBFDISH Network wants everyone in rural America to have internet access. That’s why they launched dishNET last fall. Now they’re going a little further by bundling DISH tv & entertainment with dishNET. They’re also reaching out to rural Americans and various organizations to find ways to capitalize on the economic and educational opportunities that internet access provides.

I found them doing that at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Nashville. DISH Network was conducting a rural access survey to gather information about where and how people are using the internet. I am hoping to find out the results of that survey when it is complete. This is part of a Rural Access Listening Sessions program they’ve started to create a dialogue with rural influencers.

To learn more about what is going on with DISH and dishNET I visited with Brian McIntyre, vice president of broadband at DISH. Brian says that a key message he’s hearing from rural America is the desire to stay relevant. There’s a word we heard multiple times during the AFBF annual meeting. He says that dishNET brings service to rural America on par with that found in urban markets. Plans start as low as $39.99 and include download speeds of up to 10 mbps download. You’ll also get one bill for your tv/entertainment and internet services. Brian also talks about some of the technology upgrades DISH has undertaken in recent years to make their services better.

You can listen to my interview with Brian here: Interview with Brian McIntyre

2013 American Farm Bureau Convention Photo Album

AFBF, Ag Groups, Internet

BASF Camp Innovation Gets to the Roots

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-rootsOne of the highlights of the BASF Crop Protection Innovation Symposium for growers this week was Camp Innovation, where they got to see some amazing underground results of fungicide treatments.

Watch Brianne Reeves with BASF walk us through Camp Innovation to see how Headline, Headline AMP and Priaxor make a difference in root health for a variety of crops.

BASF Grower Symposium Photo Album

BASF, Crop Protection, Farming, Video

Producers — Complete 2012 Census!

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usda-logoAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack continues to remind producers to complete forms for the Census of Agriculture – the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. The 2012 Census of Agriculture will provide the USDA with current information to help ensure an abundant, safe, and accessible food supply for all of America. The Census of Agriculture, said Vilsack, is one of the most important tools for providing certainty to producers and sustaining the unlimited economic potential of rural America.

Currently underway by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the Census collects detailed data covering nearly every facet of U.S. agriculture. It looks at land use and ownership, production practices, expenditures and other factors that affect the way farmers do business and succeed in the 21st Century.

Census information helps USDA monitor trends and understand the needs in agriculture to better align its products and services. Ways the department used Census data in the past include:
• Helping to ensure the future of the agriculture industry in America, by developing programs and priorities to help new and beginning farmers get started and stay in business.
• Looking at where and how to provide expanded and improved Internet access and services to rural America.
• Illustrating the changing nature and needs of agriculture.

Agribusiness, USDA

New Farm Bureau YF&R Chairman

Chuck Zimmerman

Zach HunnicuttThe new Chair of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee is Zach Hunnicutt, Nebraska farmer. Many of you may follow Zach on Twitter @zhhunn. Now you’ll be following his travels in his newly elected position on this important Farm Bureau committee. Here’s Zach doing one of many media interviews at the AFBF annual meeting. I had my turn.

Zach is a Nebraska farmer. He farms with his Dad and brother and they grow corn, pop corn, seed corn and soybeans. He and his wife have been involved with Farm Bureau for several years. He officially took over his duties after the closing board meeting in Nashville. He says he’ll be doing a bunch of travel talking to groups about the activities of his committee and encouraging people to get involved. He will also be very involved in the next round of YF&R competitions that will take place at next year’s annual meeting. With all that travel I asked him if he was well equipped to keep up with his social media channels. Zach packs an iPad and a Droid so he should be in good shape. He says that social media has connected him to a lot of people from all over the country. By staying active he’s making a good agvocate! BTW. Zach is a board member of the AgChat Foundation.

You can listen to my interview with Zach here: Interview with Zach Hunnicutt

2013 American Farm Bureau Convention Photo Album

AFBF, Ag Groups, Audio

Zimfo Bytes

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Zimfo Bytes

Former NFL QB Speaks to BASF Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-13-archie-nevinArchie Manning was a well-known quarterback in the 70’s and 80’s, playing for the New Orleans Saints for ten years, then the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings – but these days he is better known as Eli and Peyton’s daddy.

Archie, pictured here with Senior Vice President of BASF Crop Protection Nevin McDougall, provided some words of wisdom about family, faith and football for farmers meeting in Ft. Lauderdale at a BASF Innovation Symposium this week. “I do a lot of speaking to a lot of different groups but there’s so many similarities in various industries and businesses,” Archie told me during a short interview. He noted that football and farming are similar because they both involve hard work. “I know something about farming. I grew up in a rural community and my dad was in farm machinery and his two brothers farmed,” he said. “I know how hard farmers work and how tough it can be. But it can be great too when those crops come in.”

basf-13-manningThe Mannings have produced a great crop of football players, that’s for sure. All three of their sons were standout players from high school and eldest son Cooper would probably be right up there with Eli and Peyton had his career not been cut short due to a spinal condition discovered when he was 18. To Archie, family is everything. “I think it’s the core of the American way. Family should be a high priority with everyone,” he says.

Listen to my interview with Archie here: Archie Manning interview

BASF Grower Symposium Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Farming

Should We Be Friends With HSUS?

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Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think is top story of 2012?”

Our poll results: It looks like the majority of you at fifty-seven percent felt like “The Drought” was the top story for 2012. “No Farm Bill” came in at fourteen percent and ten percent said “USDA Meatless Monday Uproar”.

1.16.13

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Should we sit down with HSUS in “common cause?” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s comments at the AFBF annual meeting this week about sitting down in common cause have attracted a number of comments here and on social networks. So we thought this week’s poll might produce some interesting feedback. Let us know what you think.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

New Holland, ZimmPoll