GROWMARK Supports Farm Bill Now Efforts

Cindy Zimmerman

As part of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, GROWMARK is in full support of the Farm Bill Now Coalition that will be taking its message to Capitol Hill next week when Congress is back in session.

GROWMARK Government Affairs Director Chuck Spencer says there are two basic reasons Congress should pass a five year farm bill this month. “One, because it expires September 30 and we would go back to the ’49 Act. Two, is that it’s traditionally passed on a five year basis which gives you a good planning horizon,” he said. “We need certainty in the market place.”

Chuck is confident Congress will do something in the short time they have before the current farm policy expires at the end of the month. “I know there’s a lot of talk about eight days of session in September and that it’s going to be difficult. It can be difficult. But we saw the Senate pass in one day a farm bill, the House Agriculture Committee pass in one day a farm bill. When the motivation is present to take action, we have seen our elected leaders do so,” Chuck said.

While there are options of a short or longer term extension of the current farm bill being considered, Chuck notes that Congress will have lots of other issues to deal with during a lame duck session, such as the expiring estate tax provisions that agriculture would like to see extended – or better yet, have the estate tax eliminated altogether.

Listen to or download my interview with Chuck. Chuck Spencer, GROWMARK

Audio, Farm Bill, GROWMARK

Bayer Surveys Farmer Concerns at FPS

Cindy Zimmerman

Drought and weather concerns topped the Bayer CropScience Farm Progress Show survey this year about issues and opportunities facing farmers.

Not really surprising, given this summer’s challenging drought – 73 percent of respondents to Bayer CropScience’s daily survey noted climate and weather problems as the biggest challenge experienced on their farm this year. Weed resistance ranked second in terms of challenges this year, with 18 percent of growers reporting this to be of significant concern on their farms.

The grower survey was part of Bayer CropScience’s new “One World to Grow On” trade show exhibit that was unveiled in Boone, featuring a holistic approach to help growers identify ways to establish a healthy harvest which is vital to farming families and their communities, not only next season but for years to come.

I had the opportunity to chat with Bayer Head of Profiling and Market Support Harry Streck during a media luncheon on FPS, and we talked about the problem of weed resistance world wide and how that fits in Bayer’s “One World to Grow On” theme. The “profiling” part of Harry’s title refers to how Bayer screens compounds for crop selectivity and weed spectrum.

“Resistance is all over the world, wherever intensive row crop agriculture is being practiced,” Harry said. “In Europe, the problem is most acute in the cereals. In Latin America, Brazil and Argentina, they’re locked into the same agricultural dynamics as we are in the United States.” Basically, he says, anywhere you practice one weed strategy over and over again, that’s the common recipe for developing resistance, which is why they are getting the message of respecting the rotation out worldwide.

“We recognize there are similarities throughout the world and there are some platforms that combat problems that have similar angles,” he said. “But it’s a big world and there are lots of differences.”

Listen to my interview with Harry here: Harry Streck with Bayer CropScience

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show, weed management

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Farm Foundation, NASDA to Host Presidential Forum

    John Davis

    Our friends at Farm Foundation will team up with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) to hold a Presidential Forum on Agriculture, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates, 100 Locust Street, in Des Moines, Iowa. The forum will use Nebraska Senator and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns to represent the Romney campaign and former Iowa Lt. Governor and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge to represent the Obama campaign.

    “It is a challenging time in agriculture and it is exciting to see the presidential campaigns engage directly on these important issues with leaders from across the country,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, who is the current NASDA President. “This forum will highlight the impact agriculture has on nearly every aspect of our economy. I encourage voters to tune in and learn more about where each candidate stands on important issues affecting agriculture.”

    “As a non-advocacy organization, Farm Foundation has an important role in providing this opportunity for voters to learn more about the platforms of the respective candidates,” says Neil Conklin, President of Farm Foundation, NFP. “This Forum is an important opportunity to focus on the candidates’ attention to the enormous challenges facing the global food system, agriculture and rural communities.”

    There will be a moderator and questions from the invitation-only audience, but it will be streamed live online on Iowa Public Television (IPTV), www.iptv.org, and viewers can submit questions via Twitter using the hashtag #AgForum. It will re-air at 1 p.m. Sept. 16, and at 8 p.m. Sept. 19 on IPTV WORLD. The forum precedes the 2012 NASDA Annual Meeting taking place in Des Moines Sept. 12 to 17.

    Ag Groups, Farm Foundation, politics

    Battle of the Brands Winner

    Melissa Sandfort

    Simpson College stands alone as champion of Lessing-Flynn Advertising’s Battle of the Brands.

    The contest, now in its third year, pitted 65 Iowa brands head-to-head in a March Madness-style bracket. Over the course of four weeks, fans of the brands determined who moved on by voting on each match-up, including the championship match that saw Simpson College triumph over Anderson Erickson Dairy.

    By winning the 2012 event, Simpson College’s charity of choice, Children and Family Urban Ministries, will receive $5,000 worth of marketing support from Lessing-Flynn.

    Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Simpson College, Jill Johnson, attributed the victory to an extremely loyal alumni base that responded enthusiastically to the school’s efforts to drum up support.

    Simpson College utilized multiple marketing tactics to garner votes, including social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. In addition, email announcements were sent out to remind alumni, staff and students to vote.

    Advertising, Agribusiness, Education

    Top Farmers Markets in America Announced

    Jamie Johansen

    Throughout the summer farmers market shoppers from across the United States have been voting for America’s Favorite Farmers Markets. American Farmland Trust sponsors the event and is ready to announce this years winners.

    But the contest isn’t just about being number one. This fun-loving contest showcases the role farmers markets play in local communities and cities alike. Farmers markets are a great educational tool informing consumers of where their food comes from and gives them the opportunity to meet the farmers who grew and raised the dinner they will eat.

    Are you ready to find out if the farmers market you visit made the list? Wait no longer! The top markets in the 2012 America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest are…

    View the top 5 by state and the top 20 overall, but here are the winners of each category:
    Small: Arlington Farmers Market
    Mid-sized: Sulphur Springs Texas Farmers Market
    Medium: Winter Garden Farmers Market
    Large: Fayetteville Farmers Market

    Food

    New Holland Weather App

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Can’t get enough weather information? Then get this new app from New Holland. This new service was announced last week at the Farm Progress Show.

    New Holland’s commitment to making farming easier for enhanced productivity is once again confirmed by the launch of the free ‘Farming weather forecast and services by New Holland Agriculture’ app which forms a key element of the overarching digital strategy. New Holland is the first in the agricultural sector to develop and launch such an application, which is distinct from the purely product based apps already on the market, and offers the increasing number of farmers and agribusinesses that use smart phone technology a comprehensive service.

    The essential app for farmers: it provides professional forecasts dedicated to agriculture and important data such as evapotranspiration, degree days and almanac to compare current conditions with average of the same period. In one single place it also provides the most important news on farming and professional agriculture directly from the most authoritative sources. Also locate your nearest New Holland dealer and get driving directions to reach the dealership or contact New Holland for further information or requests

    Get it in the iTunes Store or Google Play.

    2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
    Agribusiness, Apps, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Weather

    Vilsack Talks Obama Plan for Rural Economy at DNC

    John Davis

    Pres. Obama has a way to keep the rural economy moving forward… that’s the message delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC received from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “President Obama has a detailed plan for a new rural economy,” Vilsack told the delegates. “More support for small businesses making, creating and innovating. More investment in biofuels and other biomaterials. And more trade and more markets.”

    Vilsack said rural Americans want someone who will help the middle class and that Obama and running mate Vice President Joe Biden are the ones to keep things moving forward.

    In a recent ZimmPoll, Obama and Biden’s challengers, Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan seem to be holding a small lead in a close race, with 42 percent choosing Romney/Ryan and 35 percent going for Obama/Biden. But nearly a quarter of respondents say we need a better choice.

    Hear Vilsack’s remarks here: Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack at DNC

    Audio, Biofuels, politics

    GROWMARK Honors Youth in Ag

    Jamie Johansen

    The role of young people involved in agriculture is a true focus for GROWMARK. During their recent annual meeting State FFA Officers from Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin and representatives from the Ontario Cooperative Young Leaders spoke to members on the role of young people in agriculture and their future roles in the industry.

    I had the chance to talk with Darren Riskedal, State FFA President from Illinios, and Marley Burgess, Ontario Cooperative Young Leader Representative, before they took the stage. You can find their complete interviews below.

    GROWMARK also recognized forty-one college students from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin with scholarships aimed to promote higher education in agriculture and business. GROWMARK has been supporting college students since the early 1960’s and strives to provide $44,000 in scholarships annually.

    Listen to my interview with Darren here: Interview with Darren Riskedal

    Listen to my interview with Marley here: Interview with Marley Burgess

    You can find photos from the event here:2012 GROWMARK Annual Meeting

    Agribusiness, Audio, Cooperatives, Education, FFA, GROWMARK

    Up and Back the River

    Melissa Sandfort

    I’ve never been one to wish for snow, at least not while I’m lucid, but this summer I find myself dreaming of big sweatshirts, scarfs and my fur-lined boots. August teased us with some 70-degree days but now it’s been back near 100.

    I also wonder if winter will come in October since the seasons have been accelerated by at least a month in 2012, which gets me to thinking about snowy, icy days. When we were kids, we lived in town and by town I mean all 120 of us according to the last census. I think it must have been a holiday when they counted and everyone’s family was included in that number. There was (and still is) a small 1 block by 1 block field across from our house that they planted to soybeans each year. When it was cold enough, the farmer would flood the field and make a skating rink for the kids who lived in town. You had to watch out for bean stalks poking up through the ice, but it really was fun.

    When my grandpa was about 15 years old, he recalls a similar ice skating story. So take a listen as grandpa takes another “AgWalk” with us today.
    Listen to Grandpa explain

    The difference was, his ice skates were clamp-on skates that would tear off the soles and heels of his shoes and I had shoe skates.

    Back to wishing for cooler weather … Not snow, just cooler fall days.

    Until we walk again …

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