“Ethanol Rocks” Video Contest at Farm Progress Show

Joanna Schroeder

The annual Farm Progress Show is heading back to Iowa this week and Boone, Iowa will be swarming with thousands of attendees checking out the latest and greatest in agricultural and energy technologies and products. One group who will be showcasing its work is the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA), a state affiliate of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). Organizational employees will be educating members about what they are doing to help Iowa corn growers just inside the gate at booth 26N.

ICGA will also be promoting the “Ethanol Rocks” video contest open to high school and college students. Those students who attend the Farm Progress Show along with their coordinators can enter to win a Sony Handycam and NCGA backpack filled with just the right loot to get them started on their film career.

“With school starting, NCGA is taking this opportunity to reach out to high school and college students, along with FFA and Ag Club coordinators to sign up for our “Ethanol Rocks” video contest,” said NCGA First Vice President Pam Johnson. “In addition to finding out more about this program, show attendees can stop by the Iowa Corn Growers Association booth, visit with corn growers and learn what NCGA and Iowa Corn are doing to promote our industry at the national and state levels.”

The short videos should be two minutes or less and should highlight the benefits of ethanol fuel blends to the U.S. environment and economy. The first place winner will pocket $1,500 and the second place winner to take home $500. There will be winner for two categories: high school and college students. Videos must be received by 5:00 pm CDT, Monday, October 15, 2012.

In addition to getting the low-down on 411 for the Ethanol Rocks video contest, Farm Progress attendees can also stop by the ICGA booth to sign a petition to keep the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in place. There is also an opportunity to win free registration to the 2013 Commodity Classic and visitors can walk away with educational materials on programs, topics and policies affecting the corn industry.

Each day during the show, at 2:00 pm, ICGA will host membership VIP educational sessions where speakers from the Iowa Corn Collegiate Advisory Team, CommonGround along with industry spokespersons will discuss how to involve the next generation in agriculture, discuss the economics of corn stover and learn about feed feasibility trials using corn stover.

The ZimmComm team will be posting live this week from the Farm Progress Show so don’t miss out on the one-of-a-kind coverage only Chuck and Cindy can bring.

Agribusiness, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, Farm Progress Show, NCGA

Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Woodstock, ON is known as the Dairy Capital of Canada but is also home of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show – the nation’s largest agricultural trade show. As Cindy and I gear up for a big one here in the USA it’s time to look ahead to the big show in Canada!

From September 11 to 13, thousands of farmers flock to the show for its infamous demonstrations and 725 exhibitors. You can find a list of features for 2012 here.

New for the dairy producer in 2012 are: FIVE robotic milking systems will be on display presenting the full scope of today’s options. The BriteSpan Dairy Innovation Centre, a fully operational barn, will showcase the DeLaval VMS Voluntary Milking System and Lely Astronaut A4 as they milk side-by-side. Farmers can also see the Astrea 20.20 robotic milking system from Ag-Co Products Ltd., MIone (Milking Intelligence) from GEA Farm Technologies and the MR-S1 Milking Robot from BouMaticRobotics Canada.

Since 1994, this annual event has built a hefty reputation as the one-stop-shop for new farm equipment and technology. For dairy crowds and farmers of all types, it’s a must-see event.

For more information, visit www.outdoorfarmshow.com or follow @outdoorfarmshow on Twitter.

Farm Shows, Farming, International

Weed Resistance Warning from Arkansas

Cindy Zimmerman

Retired Arkansas weed scientist Ford Baldwin wants Midwest growers to learn from what happened in his state before it’s too late for them. “The story I try to tell in the Midwest is how we basically have lost the world’s greatest herbicide technology in the south in Roundup Ready,” Ford said at a Bayer CropScience Respect the Rotation field day in Collinsville, IL. “If the Midwest farmer gets proactive now, I think you guys still have a chance to save that technology.”

Ford explained how glyphosate has failed in the south on driver weeds like Palmer pigweed, waterhemp, ragweed and mare’s tail. “And the driver weeds, if you don’t control them, nothing else matters,” he said, and the key to that is rotation. “The key is first being proactive. A weed doesn’t have a brain, surely we can be smarter than a weed.”

Listen to my interview with Ford here: Ford Baldwin of Arkansas

University of Arkansas weed scientist Jason Norsworthy also spoke at the Bayer event and also stressed the need to be proactive. “Rotate technologies, use other herbicide modes of action before you lose glyphosate,” he said. “A single escape within a field is going to rapidly result in complete failure and loss of a herbicide.”

Jason says it was 2005 when they found their first glyphosate-resistant population of pigweed in Arkansas. “As of last year, we’re estimating that we’ve got in excess of 2.5 million acres of resistant Palmer amaranth,” he said. “Once you lose a herbicide, you’ve lost it for good.”

Listen to my interview with Jason here: Univ of Ark weed scientist Jason Norsworthy

Bayer CropScience Respect the Rotation photo album.

Audio, Bayer, Farming, weed management

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • SFP has expanded staff across its sales, research and product management departments to meet demands of growers and dealers.
  • Dr. James Adams has been promoted to Director of Product Development for Nichino America, Inc.
  • CoBank has once again been named to Global Finance magazine’s list of the safest banks in the world.
  • The United States Potato Board is pleased to announce the promotion of Alexandra Imhof to the position of USPB Industry Communications & Policy Manager.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Beef Bucks Holds Largest Golf Tourney Ever

    Melissa Sandfort

    More than 200 golfers turned out on behalf of the beef industry on the tenth anniversary of the Beef Bucks Golf Challenge—the largest number ever for the major fundraising event of Beef Bucks, the South Dakota-based volunteer-run beef promotion organization.

    Sporting 52 teams, this year’s Beef Bucks Golf Challenge on August 17 at the Brandon Municipal Golf Course brought together beef producers, beef industry reps, and beef- supporting businesses, consumers and organizations for a day of golf, ending with a grilled steak dinner and auction.

    Dollars raised through the golf tournament are used to fund scholarships for college or vocational school-bound young people with a background in the beef industry. Beef Bucks also promotes beef through a number of other promotional events throughout the year.

    This year, the top dollar-generating auction item was a Lincoln commemorative rifle donated by the Henry Rifle Company and purchased by Daniel Holt from Fayetteville, AK. Other auction items included a basketball autographed by South Dakota’s-own Mike Miller of the Miami Heat, and a limited edition Bert Blyleven-signed Hall of Fame Induction print from the Minnesota Twins.

    The first-place winning teams of the Beef Bucks Golf Challenge Championship Flight were: first place Pharmco Sod Busters; second place Yankton Livestock; and third place J & R Distributing.

    Agribusiness, Beef

    Buck-a-Liter Program Supports Wounded Warriors

    Melissa Sandfort

    Beef and dairy producers will have the opportunity to show wounded veterans their appreciation, simply by buying Cydectin® Pour-On from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2012. For each liter of CYDECTIN (moxidectin) Pour-On purchased, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. will donate $1.00 to Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP). In 2011, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. donated nearly $200,000 to support Wounded Warriors through the Buck-a-Liter program.

    The money raised through the CYDECTIN Pour-On Buck-a-Liter Program is used to help support WWP’s programs, which are uniquely structured to nurture the mind and body, and facilitate economic empowerment and engagement.

    Producers are encouraged to visit their local veterinary clinic or dealer store to purchase CYDECTIN Pour-On from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30 to support WWP.

    Agribusiness, Beef, Boehringer Ingelheim, Dairy

    Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Underway

    Chuck Zimmerman

    A passionate and powerful group of agvocates are doing their best to shut down the wifi connection at the Kansas City Crowne Plaza Hotel! It’s Agvocacy 2.0 Conference time. I just joined the conference this afternoon and have some photos in the process of uploading now. Jamie Johansen is also attending the conference and between us we’ll collect a lot of photos and some interesting interviews to share.

    Today the sessions have been focusing on telling our story beyond the choir. I know there has been some concern about farmers being able to reach out to non farmers with social media to tell their story. We have lots of good examples here from attendees to presenters who are showing how that is possible.

    I’ll add a link to our photo album from the conference as soon as I can.

    Post Update:

    Here’s where our photos can be found. More added all the time. 2012 Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Photo Album

    Uncategorized

    Pray for Farmers and Ranchers Hit by Drought

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The American Farm Bureau Federation is asking everyone today to remember the many individuals and families facing severe struggles due to this year’s devastating drought. According to AFBF President Bob Stallman, suggestions for a National Day of Prayer for Drought Victims have come from a number of people throughout farm country as a way to support people facing challenges related to the ongoing drought.

    “There is hardly a person involved in agriculture this year who has not been adversely affected by the drought of 2012,” said Stallman. “Due to the terrible impact the drought disaster has dealt, we think it is fitting to come together as an organization and as a nation for unified prayer for all those who are hurting and who face serious challenges in the months ahead. As we all know, the agriculture community is about coming together during the tough times, and this is yet another time that calls for unity, compassion and faith for better days ahead.”

    Bow your head, get down on your knees, say a short prayer or a long one – but pray. God never gives us more than we can handle, with His help. Amen.

    AFBF, Farming, Weather

    Farm Progress Preview

    Cindy Zimmerman

    More than a dozen agricultural journalists this week got the annual sneak preview of the Farm Progress Show being held August 28-30 in Boone, Iowa. FPS media tent organizer since 1986, Gene Hemphill, was on hand to meet and greet every one and sent us a few photos.

    In this picture, Mark Lovig, Operations Manager for the Farm Progress Show, gestures toward a FPS attraction during the Media Advance tour of the Tent City as journalists enjoy a ride on the rubber-wheeled train pulled by a new tractor from New Holland Agriculture, sponsors of the Media Tent for the past 26 years. The Boone site got the first phase of a major infrastructure upgrade in time for this year’s show, with more and better roads, but just wait until 2014 when all of the nearly 5 miles of roads at the permanent site will be asphalt.

    Don Tourte, Vice President of Sales & Events for Farm Progress Show, welcomed the journalists attending the Media Advance and talked about some of the new information technology that will be used to help visitors navigate and enjoy the show this year.

    Four web cameras, sponsored by Slingshot brand from Raven Industries, have been installed on the show site to see what’s going on during show days right from the FPS website.

    Interactive map and exhibitor list is also featured to allow visitors to map their days at the show in advance.

    A Farm Progress Show app is now available for free download to your Android or iPhone. Just search for “Farm Progress Show” in your store and download for free.

    Phone delivered voice messages from Max Armstrong during the show days you choose when you register. Updates will include traffic updates, field demo reminders, program info and more! Call 708-675-4648 and follow prompts to register.

    And FPS is also on Facebook and Twitter – oh, and on AgWired, too! It’s the next best thing to being there!

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

    Farm Progress Preview Pics

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Yesterday was media preview day for next week’s 2012 Farm Progress Show and our good friend Gene Hemphill sent us a few pics from the event with his commentary.

    It’s a bird … it’s a plane … No, it’s a wagon? For many years the seemingly flying Kinze wagon has towered over the Farm Progress Show’s Tent City, giving arriving travelers one of the first signs that they were nearing the legendary City’s annual exhibits of agriculture – past, present, and future. And, while Ag-Wired’s Chuck has scaled many a grain bin to capture a breathtaking view of the Tent City, the flying wagon remains beyond his reach!

    Oh, what a tangled web the Media can be! At least that might be how it feels for Dena Morgan, Marketing Specialists for the Farm Progress Show. Dena is preparing identification tags for the media guests arriving at Tent City for the annual Media Advance Day, always held the Wednesday before the FPS begins. Maybe the lanyards for the ID cards are tangled, but the agricultural media gets stand-along top billing for its dedication to the industry it represents. Truly, the ag media considers itself part of the industry!

    We’ll be there next week – hope to see you then!

    Farm Progress Show