Investors Look to Farmland as Tangible, Stable Asset

John Davis

With the ups and downs of the stock market in the past few years and the boom in the rural economy, institutional investors are looking at farmland as a tangible, stable asset to have in their portfolio. At the recent 83rd Annual Meeting and Trade Show of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and AgroNomics Conference & Trade Show, Steve Kenney with the Hancock Agricultural Investment Group in Des Moines, Iowa talked about how investors are seeing ag areas as an obvious choice.

“Institutional investors are now taking a look at this asset class as a way to have stable income flow, steady returns to offset their liabilities from their pensioners. It helps to mitigate some of the volatility in their overall pension,” Kenney explained. He said interest is being driven by the volatility in stocks and bonds and the troubles in the commercial real estate market. “It’s a tangible asset. It’s something they can go out and kick the dirt… no pun intended.”

Kenney added that they can invest in annual crops, like row crops, or permanent ones, such as timber, or both, but the row crops offer less risk. He said the institutional investors are beginning to carve out a real asset portfolio, and farmland is part of that package. Kenney counsels that investors need to look at a long-term approach to this investment… at least 10 years and probably closer to 20-30 years.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Steve here: Interview with Steve Kenney, Hancock Agricultural Investment Group

2012 Agronomics Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the ASFMRA Agronomics Conference is sponsored by Halderman Farm Management.

Agribusiness, Audio

USB Ensures Safe, Sustainable & Secure Food Supply

Jamie Johansen

The 2012 Trade Talk during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s annual convention served as another successful opportunity for agriculture organizations to share what they are doing to serve their customers and the consumer.

An example of this was when I sat down with Bob Haselwood, Treasurer for the United Soybean Board and Kansas crop farmer, at the recent event. Bob shared with me how USB is working to ensure that the U.S. soy industry and its customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate. He also discussed ways they are helping fund educational endeavors to stimulate the conversation about agriculture.

“The United Soybean Board wants to help increase the profitability for soybean farmers. We’ve got several key areas we work in based on our long-term strategic plan and that is we want to work in meal, oil, customer focus and freedom to operate.”

“One of the big things we do is help fund United States Farmers & Ranchers Alliance. Several organizations are big in that and we are one of the big sponsors of that. USFRA is one way to get dialogue started with consumer groups so we can get our story across and show we do have a safe, sustainable and secure food supply.”

Listen to my interview with Bob here: Bob Haselwood - USB

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Education, NAFB, Soybean, USB, USFRA

Farm Foundation Blog Addresses 2050 Challenges

John Davis

How do you feed the expected world population of 9 billion people by the year 2050? Our friends at Farm Foundation are taking on that challenging question, hopefully with some good answers through their new blog, AgChallenge2050.org.

“It’s an opportunity for more people to be involved in the conversation,” said Mary Thompson, Farm Foundation’s Vice President, Communications, adding there are four key areas of consideration: role of science and technology in agriculture, farm and food policy, adaptability resistance, and human capital needs in agriculture and the food system. “We have contributors who will be twice a week posting new ideas and new perspectives in those four areas, and we will encourage all types of stakeholders to come in and be part of the conversation.”

And don’t forget, Farm Foundation has another one of their forums coming up this Wednesday, November 14th looking at what the recently completed election means to agriculture, food and rural policies. It will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC and webcast for the very first time. Click here for more information.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Mary here: Mary Thompson, Farm Foundation

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Foundation, Media

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

Zimfo Bytes

New NAFB Officer Team

Cindy Zimmerman

This good looking trio will be the new officer team for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting in 2013.

From left to right they are: President-elect Janet Adkison of KMZU Radio in Carrollton, Missouri; President Mark Oppold of RFD-TV; and newly-elected Vice President Susan Littlefield of KZEN Radio in Columbus, Nebraska.

I talked with Susan last week after she won the election for vice president about some of her goals in the coming three years. “The broadcasters that I’ve talked to, no matter the size of their entity, they want a level playing field,” Susan said, noting that they want to be able to market and promote themselves better to clients and agencies. Another issue important to Susan is helping farm broadcasters talk to consumers more. “We kind of dabble in it here and there, but I think we really need to take a stand and say this is what happens behind that gate on those farms.”

Susan has been an NAFB member since 1996 and has worked her way up through the ranks to get to the position of vice president.

Listen to my interview with Susan here: New NAFB Vice President Susan Littlefield

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

NAFB

Honoring NAFB President Tom Steever

Chuck Zimmerman

The NAFB president’s banquet Friday night honored Tom Steever of Brownfield Ag News who received toasts and more than a few little roasts for his distinguished career as a farm broadcaster and officer for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting.

A hoarse Orion Samuelson emceed the dinner, which provided lots of laughs in itself, such as a quip that he was doing a great imitation of Max Armstrong. Orion hired Tom many moons ago as an anchor for the quickly defunct Channel Earth, a 10 month episode of Tom’s life that was the butt of several jokes during the evening, but to which Tom himself noted “he would do it all again” even knowing how it would end.

Brownfield’s entire staff of ten broadcasters was there for the banquet and it is worth noting that while this Missouri-based farm network is the biggest and one of the nation’s oldest, this is the first time a Brownfielder has served as president of NAFB. His boss Cyndi Young, pictured here getting a buss from Tom, could hardly contain her pride and praise for him. She had almost nothing but good things to say about Tom, unlike his first boss who hired him at KSOO and related a couple of classic stories to prove what a “dork” Tom was and still is.

To make up for Cyndi’s flowing praise, and in honor of Tom’s love of music, her husband Jim Puyear composed and performed a tribute to Tom at the dinner, complete with plenty of wise cracks about those in attendance and some not. Just a warning – it does contain a few blue words just to make Tom blush!

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Media, NAFB, Video

Bidner is Syngenta’s Pro Farm Manager of the Year

John Davis

A veteran farm manager from Illinois has been named Syngenta’s in North America Professional Farm Manager of the Year for 2012. Brent Bidner, accredited farm manager and vice president of Hertz Farm Management, Inc., has been providing professional farm management services for Hertz for 24 years. The Monticello, Ill. resident manages more than 18,000 acres across Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Colorado.

Bidner’s approach to managing clients’ land includes taking care of the land the same way he would if he owned it himself. “I look at it as a long-term, not just a short-term, investment,” said Bidner. “My goal is to leave it for the next generation in better shape than it was when I took over management of the property.”

His careful management and innovative approach has paid off for long-term client, Kenway Farm. “Through a number of improvements, Brent has increased our corn production nearly 12 percent and soybean production by 10 percent when you compare pre-management averages to recent averages,” said Paul Gorden, president of Kenway Farm in Blue Mound, Ill.

“Professional farm managers play a crucial role in agriculture today,” said Brent Rockers, district manager for Syngenta. “At Syngenta, our goal is always to help farmers increase yield and return on investment by growing more with less. Dedicated farm managers like Brent are a key partner working with us to accomplish the exact same thing for their clients.”

In addition to honoring Bidner, Syngenta made a $1,000 donation in his name to the 4-H Memorial Camp in Monticello, Ill.

Syngenta

AgProLink A Social Network for ASFMRA Members

John Davis

Communication is important for any organization, and at the recent 83rd Annual Meeting and Trade Show of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and AgroNomics Conference & Trade Show, Chuck caught up with George Baird, an accredited farm manager (AFM) who has a company called Baird & Brunson Land Management Group based in the Mid-South. He explained what one of ASFMRA’s communications tools is AgProLink, which Baird likens to a social network site just for farm managers.

“[We] work on problems, discuss issues… and it’s just another way to keep everybody tied together,” Baird said. He added AgProLink is helping farm managers do more things more efficiently. “We can’t do everything. Some of us are good at some things, [others are good at others]. This is a perfect way to lean on each other.”

And Baird stressed the importance of attending conferences like this one and the networking opportunities it brings. “People tell me it costs too much to go. I tell them, ‘I can’t afford not to go!'”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with George here: Interview with George Baird, AFM, Baird & Brunson Land Management Group

2012 Agronomics Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the ASFMRA Agronomics Conference is sponsored by Halderman Farm Management.

Agribusiness, Audio

Capital Into Ag Sector Good for ASFMRA Members

John Davis

Rising prices in the ag sector are prompting a lot of companies to look at investing in those areas. But since these companies might not know that sector, they’re going to need good farm managers and appraisers to make sure their investment is well spent. At the recent 83rd Annual Meeting and Trade Show of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers and AgroNomics Conference & Trade Show held in Indianapolis, Ind. attendees were able to hear exactly what that might mean for their fields.

“Those companies [looking to invest in farmland] are looking for good farm management talent to do the due diligence on those properties, see if they’re worth acquiring and at what level, which may lead into the management and appraisal of that asset,” explained Gary Thien, AFM, owner of Thien Farm Management in Council Bluffs, Iowa. And he says it’s why an organization such as ASFMRA and conferences like these are important. “It’s always a leading-edge conference, and you always come home with something afterwards.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Gary here: Interview with Gary Thien, AFM

2012 Agronomics Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the ASFMRA Agronomics Conference is sponsored by Halderman Farm Management.

Agribusiness, Audio

NAFB Horizon and Farm Broadcaster Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

The coveted NAFB Horizon and Farm Broadcaster of the Year awards were presented during the Friday awards luncheon.

This year’s Horizon winner was Leslie Smith of KNEB/Rural Radio Network in Scottsbluff, Nebraska and the 2012 Farm Broadcaster of the Year is Al Gustin of KFYR/KBMR in Bismark, North Dakota. They are pictured here with retiring NAFB Awards Committee Chairman Mike Perrine of AgriTalk (left) and Steve Goldsmith of Syngenta, awards sponsor (right).

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

NAFB