Boycott Congress and the White House

Cindy Zimmerman

no-congressI really resent Congress and President Obama for the absolute stupidity they have been exhibiting during this holiday season. Some of us would like to be relaxing with friends and family, enjoying holiday football and taking a last holiday break before having to get back to more regular work schedules again. We wish you all in Washington DC had decided to actually work together and do something that is really important – making some fiscal sense – so that you also could be home relaxing instead of in Washington acting out this tragic comedy.

If Congress and the White House were businesses or products, we could just boycott them to get them to stop acting like complete idiots. It’s like the Three Stooges – the House, the Senate and the President making complete fools of themselves and our nation.

I should be interested in finding out what these people are doing, what is happening with the “farm bill” and the death tax, whether renewable energy tax incentives will be extended, etc., but I am frankly just so disgusted with this train wreck and embarrassed to be an American that I have to be content with boycotting coverage of it on New Year’s Day.

Happy New Year to all and prayers for our nation under the protection of Mary, the Mother of God, on her feast day today. Lord have mercy on us.

Uncategorized

Appy New Year from AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman

Appy New Year from ZimmCommAppy New Year from the ZimmComm Team here on AgWired.

We’re betting that many of you now have a new smartphone or tablet. So whether it’s an iPad of any version or an Android you can get your AgWired on it most easily via the AgWired App! Within the app you’ll also find the news feeds from our other ZimmComm News Network websites, energy.agwired.com; PrecisionPays.com and WorldDairyDiary.com. You’ll also find our main Twitter feeds and the feed from our YouTube and Flickr accounts.

Best of all it’s Free!

So click here to find out where you can get the AgWired App and have an Appy New Year.

Apps

Happy Gadget Year

Chuck Zimmerman

iPad miniHello and welcome to the last day of 2012. Have you taken our last ZimmPoll of the year yet? How would you rate 2012? 1 = Poor, 5 = Excellent Let us know what you think?

We’ll have some end of the year stats and thoughts for you as soon as we get final numbers, etc. It’s always interesting to see where we’ve been, what we’ve done, how we’ve done it.

So, you’re wondering why there’s a picture of an iPad mini on here right? That’s because I think it represents the continuing change we’re seeing in how people consume media, get news and information and stay connected socially. Mobile communications just continues to develop and evolve and that’s just as evident in the agricultural industry as anywhere else. Look at a lot of the stories we’ve done this year over on Precision Pays and you’ll find more and more companies turning to tablets and mobile apps to provide their customers with more efficient ways to do business.

I’m an Apple iOS fan even though I also own and use an Android device as well. I think the iOS platform is more stable and has more options and when it comes to tablets the iPad rules. I’ve been counseling a number of friends and family on what type of cover they should get for their new iPad or iPhone and what apps they should get. If you’ve got questions about these please post them in comments and I’ll do my best to get you an answer. BTW. I love my iPad mini. For anyone who travels a lot it has my highest recommendation. Feel free to ask me why.

So, happy gadget year and may you always have good service and wifi!

Technology

Aerial Precision in the Hemisphere

Chuck Zimmerman

Greg Guyette Hemisphere GPSI had my first opportunity to learn about Hemisphere GPS during the National Agricultural Aviation Association convention when I spoke with Greg Guyette, General Manager, Air & Imagery Business. Greg says that their systems are “moving to data management, data movement, real time systems.” It’s becoming all about being able to immediately move a file or access a file to be more efficient as an aerial applicator or farmer. He mentions their purchase of Ag Junction which he says have had the best record of handling data in the past ten years.

The product Greg talked with aerial applicators the most about was their new Satloc G4 aerial guidance system.

The Satloc G4™ is the most complete and advanced aerial guidance system for aerial applicators. Satloc G4 is built with the top-of-the-line processing power of Intel® Dual-Core™ i7 processor and includes Windows® 7 64-bit operating system.

The Satloc G4 features a new 9-inch, 16:9 ratio touchscreen capable of providing faster video graphics as well as the latest in touchscreen technology. Use multi-touch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, rotate and press and drag to access information. Experience improved connection speeds for downloading job and shape files and prescription maps. The Satloc G4 features video capabilities including Skype™ and Ethernet connectivity for cell-based modems.

You can listen to my interview with Greg Guyette here to learn more about Hemisphere GPS: Interview with Greg Guyette

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, NAAA, Precision Agriculture

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

zimfo-bytes-128

Zimfo Bytes

Importance of Support for Aerial Application Business

Chuck Zimmerman

Kyle Scott and Justin MookDuring the National Agricultural Aviation Association convention I met aerial applicator Kyle Scott, Scott Aviation (right). Kyle sponsored Justin Mook, 2012 NAAA/BASF Agricultural Aviation Scholarship recipient, pictured on left. Kyle is Treasurer of the NAAA and has been in the aerial application business for over twenty years. He’s been a member since the beginning of his career in the industry.

I asked Kyle why he sponsored Justin for the scholarship. Justin used to be a customer of his who always wanted to be a pilot. Kyle says that when Justin’s farm dried up due to drought he talked with Kyle about getting into the business and has been working on the ground for Kyle since then. Kyle says the scholarship is very important as a way to attract young people to get into the aerial application business. There is a significant investment in getting your license and going through the educational process and the scholarship helps make that possible.

You can listen to my interview with Kyle here: Interview with Kyle Scott

2012 NAAA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, BASF, NAAA

EPA Adminstrator Latest Cabinet Member Resignation

Cindy Zimmerman

In addition to Secretary of State, President Obama now has another cabinet member to replace. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lisa Jackson announced today that she will be leaving her post with the president’s new term. “I will leave the EPA confident the ship is sailing in the right direction, and ready in my own life for new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference.”

President Obama praised Jackson for her service and said that “under her leadership, the EPA has taken sensible and important steps to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink.”

jackson-vilsack-regAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, pictured here with Jackson during pictured here during a tour of a Renewable Energy Group (REG) biodiesel plant in April 2011, is sorry she is leaving the cabinet.

“Lisa Jackson has served our country well as she balanced improving the environment and the health of the American people – while ensuring our country’s economic competitiveness – because they are intrinsically linked,” said Vilsack in a statement today. “Throughout her tenure, she listened to stakeholders, including farmers and ranchers, and took their concerns into account while considering policies that impacted rural America. She was a friend to me and to those who live and work in rural America and her leadership will be missed.”

Under Jackson the EPA has come up with several initiatives considered to be unfriendly to agriculture, including the landmark declaration that carbon dioxide is a pollutant that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act, and controversial limits on nutrient pollution flowing from several states into the Chesapeake Bay.

Jackson has not said what her next move will be and there has been no indication from the administration yet of who might replace her.

USDA

Today’s Agriculture Exhibit Expands

Chuck Zimmerman

Today's Agriculture ExhibitPennsylvania’s agricultural industry joined forces to create the Today’s Agriculture exhibit at the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex. That exhibit has been expanded and will be ready for folks to see starting January 5, 2013. There will be a media unveiling on January 2nd from 10am to noon.

What is Today’s Agriculture exhibit?
Today’s Agriculture is an exhibit constructed within the Farm Show Complex showcasing Today’s Agriculture, including livestock for meat and milk; crops for feed; farm machinery; and on-farm conservation management.

How big is the Today’s Agriculture exhibit?
The exhibit’s total display area is more than 13,000 square feet, including a specially constructed 84-foot long x 48-foot wide barn that will house the farm animals.

Why did Pennsylvania agriculture join forces to bring Today’s Agriculture to life?
The best way to understand livestock and crop production is to visit a farm, view the systems, and ask questions. Farmers know it’s not practical to bring every Farm Show visitor to all the different commodity farms in Pennsylvania. Instead, they want to bring the farm to the public with the construction of the Today’s Agriculture exhibit. Farm Show visitors will see animals, in their typical housing environment. To feed those animals, farmers need to harvest crops with sophisticated farm machinery. The crops and machinery also will be on display, with farmers available to answer questions during the show. Read More

Ag Groups, Education

2012: A Stellar Year?

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ”What kind of Christmas tree do you have?”

Our poll results: Fifty-one percent said artificial tree; thirty-three percent said real tree; eleven percent said none and four percent said other. It looks as though the majority of you have allergies to real trees like my family!

12.26chart

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How would you rate 2012? 1 = Poor, 5 = Excellent” There were a lot of big news items this year: the Olympics; Presidential election; Hurricane Sandy; the death of Whitney Houston; the new iPad and iPhone. But how did the headlines affect your year? Did it make it a stellar year or just a ho-hum kind of year? Let us know, and Happy New Year!

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

Acceleron Seed Treatment Interviews

Chuck Zimmerman

Monsanto AcceleronHere is the next installment from Monsanto’s series of videos with farmers using Acceleron Seed Treatment products. In it you’ll see dealer Mike Rentschler and farmer Richard Bilstein of Atkinson, Neb.

Acceleron® Seed Treatment Products are the only seed treatments designed to help maximize performance potential in Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® Soybeans. Learn more about how Acceleron® Seed Treatment Products can get your Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® Soybeans off to a strong start.

Agribusiness, Seed, Video