Have you registered for the 69th National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention? Here’s your invitation to join Cindy and me for this year’s event in Kansas City, celebrating Our Rich Heritage–A Bridge to the Future.
Ready For Some Pensacola Seafood
One of the many reasons that Cindy and I re-located ZimmComm World Headquarters to Pensacola, FL is seafood. We love fish farmers! Today we’re going to be sampling at the Fiesta of Five Flags Pensacola Seafood Festival. I think everyone loves festivals. We’ve gone to more than I can even remember. Some stand outs for me have been the Catfish Festival, Swamp Cabbage Festival, Strawberry Festival, Testicle Festival, Sweet Corn Festival and Watermelon Festival. Mmm, mmm! Today should be a foodie delight.
Today we’ll visit a new one that has a lot of promise. Here’s what we’ll be doing.
The festival is one of the largest arts and crafts fairs in northwest Florida with more than 160 artisans and craftsmen who travel from around the country to participate in this three day festival. Vendors will be displaying their unique wares, and many items are reflective of the area’s Gulf Coast lifestyle. Arts and crafts vendors will be located in Pensacola News Journal Pelican Park (Seville Square).
The Pensacola Seafood Festival will feature seafood dishes and other delicious festival fare. Treat your taste buds to a variety of dishes from 17 carefully selected food vendors bordering the park along Government and Alcaniz Streets. Enjoy favorite foods such as grilled conch, seafood gumbo, oyster croquettes, soft shell crab, coconut shrimp, Caribbean crab cakes, and more.
You can follow the action on Twitter with the hashtag, #PcolaSeafood. BTW. Did you know that in 1559, Spanish Conquistador, Don Tristan de Luna, established Pensacola as the first European settlement in the United States?
USDA Lowers Grain Stocks
USDA’s Quarterly Grain Stocks report out this morning shows declines in stocks of corn, soybeans and wheat compared to this time last year.
The report shows corn stocks down 12% from September 2011, soybean stocks down 21% and all wheat stocks down 2%. Old crop corn stocks in all positions on September 1, 2012 totaled 988 million bushels, soybeans totaled 169 million bushels, and wheat totaled 2.10 billion bushels.
On the Minneapolis Grain Exchange crop conference call this morning to analyze the report, Brad Paulson of Northern Crops Marketing & Investment said the numbers wheat and corn were lower than expected, while the soybean number was higher. “We fed quite a bit of wheat and feed demand for corn is still quite strong,” he said. “(The soybean number) would suggest that they underestimated or raised the 2011 soybean crop.”
Listen to the MGEX crop call here: MGEX Grain Stocks crop call
Zimfo Bytes
- Mike Marshall from Clarion, Iowa, has been named the September winner of the “Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.”
- The American Meat Science Association in cooperation with the National Pork Board will host PORK 101 October 15-17 at Iowa State University.
- Recently, 34 Pioneer brand soybean varieties passed final scrutiny from the Pioneer research and development, field sales and agronomy technology service teams and will be commercially available to producers for planting in 2013.
- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the appointment of 16 members to the United Soybean Board.
Register for Borlaug Dialogue 2012
Register now for The World Food Prize – Borlaug Dialogue 2012, October 17-19, 2012, in Des Moines, Iowa. Themed “Transforming the Global Food Security Agenda”, this event will feature the expertise and diverse perspectives of governmental leaders, policymakers, CEOs and executives from agribusiness and NGOs, scientific and academic experts, development leaders and young leaders from around the world.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Ban Ki-moon, will address the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol on the evening of October 18. In addition to the Secretary-General, two other high-ranking United Nations representatives will also participate in the Laureate Award Ceremony: Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, a UN Messenger of Peace; and Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme.
NEW for 2012 — World Food Prize has gone mobile! Download the new app here.
AgWired is pleased to announce that Elanco will be sponsoring our coverage of World Food Prize this year and we are looking forward to being there.
Farm Roads to Urban Intersections
The Ag Institute of Florida is going social on their next luncheon workshop. It’s called “Farm Roads to Urban Intersections, a workshop exploring social media avenues from planning your trip to “are we there yet?” I know you’ll enjoy seeing Ryan speak, a great agvocate!
Nationally recognized writer Ryan Goodman, known for his daily blog “Agriculture Proud,” will be the keynote speaker for the luncheon. Goodman, a young cattle rancher from Arkansas, will share his passion for agricultural advocacy and insights on blogging to bridge the gap between farmers and urban customers.
“It’s not a matter of ‘if’ a company or organization is going to use social media as part of its public relations and marketing – it’s a matter of ‘how.’ This workshop brings together experts who can help with strategy and messaging to make sure you’re getting the results you want from your social media efforts,” said Lisa Lochridge, president of the Ag Institute and director of public affairs for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association.
This event includes the Agriculture Institute of Florida’s 2012 Annual Meeting and lunch. Registration is required.
“Fuels America” Campaign Launched
In the face of increasing calls to waive the nation’s Renewable Fuel Standard, biofuel industry stakeholders today announced a major new communications campaign to educate consumers and policy makers about the benefits of renewable fuel to America’s economy, energy security and environment.
The new coalition – Fuels America – includes several agricultural organizations in addition to ethanol companies and groups such as Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), and American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE). Farm and commodity groups represented include National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Association of Wheat Growers, National Farmers Union, and National Sorghum Producers.
The Fuels America campaign will be a national effort, including advertising, beginning in Washington, DC and several states, including Colorado, Ohio, Delaware and Montana. Each state will have its own online platform reachable through FuelsAmerica.org and feature the stories of renewable fuel innovators and communities with a stake in maintaining the RFS. The coalition also has a Twitter feed @FuelsAmerica.
A telephone press conference was held this morning to announce the new coalition and campaign with BIO president and CEO Jim Greenwood, Novozymes president Adam Monroe, Marion (Ohio) Chamber of Commerce president Pam Hall, and ZeaChem president and CEO Jim Imbler.
Listen to or download that press conference, which starts with comments from Jim Greenwood: Fuels America press conference
Portable Satellite TV Receiver from Winegard
It’s college and pro football time and judging by the social media messages I see, farmers are just as rabid fans as anyone! So, if you’re tailgating and want to bring along some HDTV experience then check this out. A portable HDTV satellite dish from Winegard. So we’re talking pre-game, during the game and post-game sports so you don’t miss anything! Maybe you’ll tailgate a little longer now. Our Sales Manager, Dave, has one and will be reporting on how well it worked after his next tailgate.
The Carryout automatic portable HDTV tailgating satellite dish by Winegard Company, the #1 antenna manufacturer in the U.S.A., sets up in just a few minutes with little-to-no effort. Compatible with DISH® and DIRECTV®, users can watch the games in crisp, clear HD with DISH or enjoy DIRECTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket in standard definition. To receive HD programming, you must have an activated HD receiver with HD programming package and an HDTV, sold separately.
‘Nothing makes tailgating more fun than watching other games and pre-game coverage before the game,” said Aaron Engberg, Director of Mobile Products for Winegard. “And, at such an affordable cost and the flexibility in using a receiver from home, it’s a quick and easy way to create the ultimate tailgating experience.”
Made in the U.S.A., the Carryout automatic antenna is only 15.6” tall and 20” in diameter, and weighs just 11.5 lbs. It features an easy grip handle along with an eyelet on the base for added security. Included are a 50’ coax and 12V power cable. The Carryout features DVB technology for extremely fast and accurate satellite acquisition and automatically locks on and switches between the desired satellites, viewing a single satellite at a time.
Muddy Footprint Mystery
It seems like things disappear on the farm and no one knows where they go. Grandma’s flowers were eaten overnight, and it wasn’t until she caught the rabbit red-pawed that we knew for sure who the culprit was. But that’s nature at work so I can’t be upset.
Tools in our shop seem to grow legs.
I am disheartened when I read stories about how, when hay prices were sky-high, farmers were finding hay bales missing. I also remember when I was younger my grandpa had a fuel tank about 100 yards from his front door, and somehow once a month or so, dad would knock on the tank to see how full it was and the fuel had just disappeared.
It has been going on for years and years, and it’s stealing, plain and simple.
Take a listen as grandpa goes on another “AgWalk” with us today and tells about his story of the muddy footprint mystery. Listen to Grandpa explain
It really wasn’t a mystery – grandpa called the sheriff because the footprints led next door, and that neighbor had just sold clean red clover seed the day before, but it was just brushed under the rug.
Until we walk again …
2012 NAMA Professional Development Awards
The National Agri-Marketing Association presented its 2012 Professional Development Awards of Excellence today. These awards honor NAMA members with hands-on responsibility in marketing and communications, public relations, product/species management and sales. Here are our recipients.
First up is Troy Schroeder, Broadhead, pictured with NAMA President Beth Burgy and Don Tourte, Farm Progress Companies. Troy received the NAMA award for Marketing Communications.
I asked each of our award recipients what the award means to them and what impact NAMA has had on their career.
You can listen to my interview with Troy here: Interview with Troy Schroeder
Our next recipient is Justin Funk, Managing Partner, Agri Studies, Inc. Justin is very involved in the Canadian Agri-Marketing Association as well as being a NAMA member.
You can listen to my interview with Justin here: Interview with Justin Funk
Receiving the award for Product/Species Management is Kevin Bien, AGCO. Kevin is passionate about marketing the Fendt and Gleaner Combine brands as you’ll hear in our interview.
You can listen to my interview with Kevin here: Interview with Kevin Bien
The award for sales was presented to John Rozum, World Dairy Expo. I’ll be seeing John next week in Madison, WI for this year’s show. He was glad to be here for the award because he got out of a little bit of set up work.
You can listen to my interview with John here: Interview with John Rozum