Farm Bill’s Effect On US Grains

Jamie Johansen

You may believe the farm bill doesn’t effect you, but you might be surprised to find out that it covers more than you think. It was a hot topic during National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk. While sitting down with U.S. Grains Council’s President and CEO, Tom Sleight, I was reminded how intricate this farm bill is.

“It’s an interesting dilemma for us. The farm bill is not well known and one reason to get the farm bill moving. Public/private partnerships between US Grains Council take checkoff dollars and match that with business contributions. Thats matched again by USDA funding. That USDA funding was no longer authorized when the farm bill lapsed on October 1. So, we are working very closely with USDA to keep our offices open as long as we can. If the farm bill doesn’t get passed we might be forced with furlowing employees and closing offices come sometime in February.”

Tom said we need to talk more openly about the importance of trade to US agriculture. Many people don’t realize this public/private partnership funding is included in the farm bill.

The US Grains Council is partnered with 29 different checkoff entities for corn, sorghum and barley throughout the United States. But also with around 100 agribusinesses and grain exporting companies. These groups all have the common interest of making trade work around the world.

Listen to my complete interview with Tom here: Tom Sleight - US Grains Council

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Grains, NAFB, Trade, USGC

Final Panel Thoughts from USFRA Food Dialogues

Chuck Zimmerman

Here are the panelists from the last session of today’s New York Food Dialogues. Wow. It was a long day of very interesting discussion. This panel’s topic was Biotechnology (GMO’s) and Your Food. There were some very real contrasts in what some of the panelists as well as the audience thought of various specifics. In my opinion we got a lot of very good information presented. In fact, as good a presentation about the truth about GMO’s as I’ve heard.

After the session I spoke with one of the panelists, Greg Jaffe, director of biotechnology, Center for Science in the Public Interest. Greg says there is a lot of misinformation on the topic of his session. That was clear from questions from the audience and from Twitter. He says this discussion is a good “first step.” He believes that even the panelists learned from each other.

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

Our moderator for today’s Food Dialogues was Ali Velshi, CNN chief business correspondent. Ali did a fantastic job of keeping the conversation moving and getting all the panelists engaged.

Ali thought the event today was remarkable. In his work he deals with commodities and the impact of things like drought but not with the detail that was delved into today. He says it was great to get that detail today and to hear from the farmers who attended. I hope you’ll enjoy some of his thoughts after moderating today.

You can listen to my interview with Ali here: Interview with Ali Velshi

All media and well, just anyone, is free to use my photos and share: 2012 USFRA Annual Mtg. & Food Dialogues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Biotech, Food, USFRA

Faces of Farming & Ranching Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

The finalists in the USFRA Faces of Farming and Ranching program were announced today at the New York Food Dialogues.

Those finalists include: Chris Chinn (Missouri), Will Gilmer (Ala.), Daphne Holterman (Wis.), Brenda Kirsch (Ore.), Tim Nilsen (Calif.), Eric McClam (S.C.), Katie Pratt (Ill.), Bo Stone (N.C.) and Janice Wolfinger (Ohio).

More than 100 applications were received from passionate, dedicated farmers and ranchers from across the nation, nine of whom were selected as finalists. The winners will become the face of agriculture, and will be tapped to share stories and experiences on a national stage to help shift conversations about food production and set the record straight about the way we feed our nation.

I talked with two of the finalists, Chris Chinn and Janice Wolfinger. In our interview you’ll hear how passionate they are about farming and why they think this program is so important.

You can listen to my interview with Chris and Janice here: Interview with Chris Chinn and Janice Wolfinger
Starting at 1:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 15 through Dec. 15, people can visit www.fooddialogues.com to learn more about each of the nine finalists and the work they do. Consumers, farmers and ranchers are asked to vote for who they believe best represents those across the country who work to bring food to the table. These votes will be factored into the decision to determine the Faces of Farming and Ranching.

In addition to the public vote, a panel of judges will interview and evaluate the finalists to help determine the winners of Faces of Farming and Ranching. Winners will be announced in early January 2013.

All media and well, just anyone, is free to use my photos and share: 2012 USFRA Annual Mtg. & Food Dialogues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Farming, Food, USFRA

Second Panel From the USFRA Food Dialogues

Chuck Zimmerman

The second panel discussion of the USFRA New York Food Dialogues has concluded. The topic was the use of antibiotics and food. Backstage I caught up with a several of our panelists. I spoke with Dr. Keith Ayoob, pediatric nutritionist, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Dr. Christine Hoang, DVM, MPH, CPH, assistant director of the Division of Scientific Activities of the American Veterinary Medical Association and Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives, Consumers Union.

Christine thinks that a lot of misconceptions about antibiotic use in animals was cleared up today. She was really puzzled by the repeated reference to using antibiotics to “increase profits” when the reality is that they are used to take good care of animals just like in humans. Keith says it’s difficult to have this kind of dialogue anywhere else but without it progress can’t be made.

You can listen to my interview with Keith and Christine here: Interview with Dr. Keith Ayoob and Dr. Christine Hoang

Jean thinks the panel really focused on the issues being discussed today on the subject of antibiotics. She points to her organization’s campaign called the “Meat without Drugs Campaign” which is directed at supermarkets. What do you think of this concept?

You can listen to my interview with Jean Halloran here: Interview with Jean Halloran

All media and well, just anyone, is free to use my photos and share: 2012 USFRA Annual Mtg. & Food Dialogues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, USFRA

Thoughts From First USFRA Food Dialogues Panel

Chuck Zimmerman

Here are our first panelists from the New York Food Dialogues backstage after their session was completed this morning. I visited with almost all of them before we moved on to the next panel. They were tasked with talking about Media, Marketing and Healthy Choices.

Richard is a New York vegetable farmer. He says it was a little daunting to be up on the stage here at the Times Center. I can relate! He says the whole concept of the Food Dialogues is a good one and a correct one. He believes that “at no time in our history has agriculture done a better job than it’s doing today.”

You can listen to my interview with Richard here: Interview with Richard Ball

Next up during our first break today I spoke with Kat Kinsman, managing editor, CNN Eatocracy and Debbi Beauvais, RD, SNS, New York School Nutrition President and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson. Kat says she’s rarely happier than when she’s talking with farmers. She got a Twitter message during the session inviting her to a farm and says she’s going to “do it.” Debbi says we’re not doing a good job of marketing all the great things we’re doing, both farmers and those preparing school meals.

You can listen to my interview with Kat and Debbi here: Interview with Kat Kinsman & Debbi Beauvais

I had a great conversation with panelists Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RD, WebMD and Craig McNamara, California organic farmer. Carolyn says that by providing people with more and better information about their food and where it comes from they can make better choices about what they eat. Craig talked about how important it is to be transparent as a farmer. He wants people, especially young people to come out to the farm to make a connection with nature and learn more. He welcomes people to visit his farm.

You can listen to my interview with Craig and Carolyn here: Interview with Craig McNamara & Carolyn O'Neill

All media and well, just anyone, is free to use my photos and share: 2012 USFRA Annual Mtg. & Food Dialogues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, USFRA

USFRA New York Food Dialogues Underway

Chuck Zimmerman

The New York Food Dialogues is now live on the web. Here’s our panel being led by Ari Velshi, CNN chief business correspondent.

Just before we got started I visited with U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance board member Doug Wolf, National Pork Producers Council. This is his first visit to New York. He says the “agenda is laid out that we can present some good true stories of real life situations in agriculture.”

You can listen to my interview with Doug here: Interview with Doug Wolf

All media and well, just anyone, is free to use my photos and share: 2012 USFRA Annual Mtg. & Food Dialogues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Farming, Food, USFRA

USFRA Board Meets and Ready for Food Dialogues

Chuck Zimmerman

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance board is in session in New York City. I’m in the audience right now and will be featuring some thoughts from various members of the board while I’m here. We’ll be taking a break to attend The Food Dialogues which will be a live web stream featuring three different panel discussions. It will start at 10am eastern time and conclude at 3:30pm. The panel topics include: Media, Marketing and Healthy Choices; Your Toughest Questions Answered on Antibiotics in Your Food; Your Toughest Questions Answered on Biotechnology (GMOs) in Your Food.

To get some perspective from a couple of the USFRA board members I spoke with Weldon Wynn who represents the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and Craig Uden who represents the Federation of State Beef Councils.

Weldon says New York and the east coast is “where the people are.” He says we’re here to “let the nation know what safe and unique farm products that we do have.”

You can listen to my interview with Weldon here: Interview with Weldon Wynn

Craig says there are so many people who are so far removed from the production of food that there is a big need to provide them with good information. He says “We’re going to sit down with these folks on today’s Dialogues and show them what modern agriculture is about.”

You can listen to my interview with Craig here: Interview with Craig Uden

I’m collecting photos from the USFRA board meeting and Food Dialogues here: 2012 USFRA Annual Mtg. & Food Dialogues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, USFRA

The Water Stops Here

Melissa Sandfort

Part way through the summer, irrigating using surface water was put to a halt because of the drought. For more than 1,100 farmers in Nebraska, that meant no more water to their crops. The saving grace for our state was that the marching orders affected only irrigation systems that used surface water, mostly rivers and creeks, and not systems that used wells. And more than 90 percent of Nebraska’s irrigation uses well water.

No doubt though, this was the worst drought farmers had seen in more than 25 years and when you mention the farm conditions of the 80s to Nebraskans, they shake their head and “remember the hard times”. So in comparison this year was really bad.

As I drive around to do my everyday activities such as running kids to school and/or daycare, going to the bank (which is 18 miles away!), or getting gas at the co-op, I like to look around at things I see on a regular basis that other folks might not know about.

This is one of those things. It’s an irrigation stop. Meaning, when the center pivot gets to the end of its path, it’s programmed to go back across the field. But every once-in-a-while you get a runaway pivot. These metal bars are placed at the edge of a field to stop the pivot tires and prevent them from ending up in a ditch or on the highway or in a creek.

To some, it may just look like an old football goalpost hanging out in the middle of nowhere but they really do serve a purpose.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Caroline Batcheldor Wins Charles Eastin Award

Melissa Sandfort

Caroline Batcheldor, Phenix City, Ala., has been awarded the second annual Charles Eastin Outstanding Service Award from the National Farm-City Council. The award is presented to an outstanding individual who has contributed to Farm-City activities as an advocate for accurate communications between rural and urban audiences.

The award is in honor of Charles “Charlie” Eastin, DVM, who played a fundamental role in Farm-City activities. A National Farm-City Council board member for many years, Charlie was especially active in planning and initiating Farm-City events in the Lexington, Ky., region.

Batcheldor, retired from dairy farming in Russell County, Ala., has worked tirelessly and relentlessly for the local Farm-City Committee for more than 50 years, recruiting new members and seeing that veteran members are involved each year.

For the past 25 years, she has been directly responsible for arranging the annual Farm-City breakfast. Working with the local Chamber of Commerce, she has helped build the event to between 150-180 participants every year, bringing together local rural and urban citizens to celebrate the value of agriculture to the community. She also organizes the Farm-City Poster and Essay Contest for the annual breakfast, supervising student and teacher involvement and recognition.

Those interested in nominating candidates for the 2013 Charles Eastin Outstanding Service Award can do so by going to the National Farm-City Council website for nomination rules and the application form.

Agribusiness

Dairy & Beef Issues Addressed At Global 500

Jamie Johansen

In just two and a half weeks Lexington, Kentucky will once again open it’s doors to dairy farmers and beef producers from across the world. These agriculturalists are coming together for Alltech’s Global 500. The Alltech community offers an opportunity to find answers to your questions.

What are the modern challenges of animal production?
Where to invest?
How to target performance and profitability?
What is the future of farming?
Can sustainability be achieved?

I am excited to attend this years event and during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk I had a chance to talk with David Butler, Web Marketing Manager for Alltech. He offered insite to the upcoming event and shared what hot topics will be discussed.

“Global 500 is unique because we have progressive dairy farmers and beef producers from all over the world that come to Lexington, KY to spend three days. They get to hear some great speakers, some real industry experts, but more than that we have discussion dinners where they can share ideas and share some challenges. An opportunity for US dairy farmers to find out how their colleagues in Europe are dealing with some of the environmental regulations there that we may see here eventually.”

“Cow comfort, of course is always a big thing. Mycotoxins are a big issue this year because of the drought in the US. We will be talking about ways to manage that. And things like mineral execration and other sorts of challenges that make it really tough for farmers, especially with large herds.”

Alltech is also holding a Farms In Focus photo contest to be judged during Global 500. Snap a photo of what dairy farming means to you and submit at Alltech.com/farmsinfocus. Share via Facebook and Twitter, get all your friends to vote during the event for a chance to win $300.

Listen to my interview with David here: David Butler - Alltech

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

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