Soybeans Used for Tractors Now… and Back Then

John Davis

Attendees at the USB Biobased Products Stakeholders Workshop this week in Dearborn, Michigan got a chance to step back in history. Antique Ford tractor collector Dave Schafer showed off his pair of 1939 Ford 9Ns, one that was given to his father by Henry Ford himself! “My father worked for Henry Ford as a tractor demonstrator,” Schafer explains. “The day that my dad was driving that tractor, that 179, was the day I was born, and Henry Ford gave him that tractor that day.” The other tractor was built the very last day of production for the 1939 model, so Schafer has the very first and last Ford 9Ns built in 1939.

While these days, we hear a lot about using soybean-based biodiesel in farm equipment, Schafer points out that the beans were also used for other parts way back when. “The tractor I have, the very first one, that had a soybean seat made on it in 1939,” he says. “Ford was already using soybeans to make the seats, steering wheels. They also used it on all the knobs in the car,” ranging from gearshifts to window cranks. “It’s terribly strong material. It lasts forever!” And Schafer says we can keep using soybeans for all those parts and more today.

Listen to Cindy’s interview with Dave here: Antique Ford Tractor Collector Dave Schafer

Check out the photo album below and the SoyBiobased.org website as well.

2012 USB Biobased Products Stakeholders Workshop Photos

Audio, Soybean, USB

Time to Vote in FMC Anthem Singing Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s time for voters to stand and be heard by casting their votes in the FMC Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest. Rick Ekins, FMC Product Mgr., says voting has been going well with over 61,000 votes so far. I spoke with him during InfoExpo at the Ag Media Summit.

All you need to do is go to the FMC Singing Contest web page and you can see the entries and vote for your favorite. Rick says FMC is ready to give away some scholarship money ($25,000 in all). There are about two weeks left to vote so let’s get it done.

You can listen to my interview with Rick here: Interview with Rick Ekins

2012 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Ag Media Summit is sponsored by FMC
Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, FMC

Meet New AAEA President

Chuck Zimmerman

Let’s meet the new President of the American Agricultural Editors’ Association, Lauri Bedord. Here’s Laurie presenting now past President Greg Horstmeier his plaque with gavel during the AAEA business meeting at the Ag Media Summit.

Laurie says she’s going to have several priorities that include the strategic plan which calls for an increase in membership. She encourages members to get involved. She says that although things have been great for AAEA they must not become stagnant. AAEA is also looking ahead to celebrating 100 years soon and making plans on how to celebrate it.

You can listen to my interview with Laurie here: Interview with Laurie Bedord

2012 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Ag Media Summit is sponsored by FMC
ACN, Ag Media Summit, Audio, Media

New President of LPC

Chuck Zimmerman

The new President of the Livestock Publications Council is Kathy LaScala. Her term started here at the Ag Media Summit following the organization’s board meeting.

Kathy is ready to get to work and make a difference at LPC. She says that under past President Scott Vernon they’ve done research to determine what the membership wants so they can bring them those programs and value and she plans to work on that. The organization is doing very well and she says she wants to increase the number of young members involved in LPC.

You can listen to my interview with Kathy here: Interview with Kathy LaScala

2012 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Ag Media Summit is sponsored by FMC
Ag Media Summit, Audio, LPC, Media

Georgia Peanut Commission Opens New HQ

John Davis

As part of their recent 50th anniversary celebration, members of the Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) board of directors held the official ribbon cutting ceremony and open house at the new headquarters in Tifton, Georgia:

“We are proud of the new energy efficient headquarters and the opportunities that exist to promote peanuts to millions of consumers traveling through Georgia,” says Donald Chase, GPC Building Committee chairman and peanut farmer from Oglethorpe, Ga. “The principles of forward thinking in the design of the new headquarters is a testament to the forward thinking of farmers in the peanut industry here in Georgia.”

The new headquarters is the Georgia state government’s first net-zero energy building, designed and built to meet criteria for LEED Certification at a Platinum Level. The building also boasts both passive and active geothermal systems, solar energy arrays, systems to take advantage of natural sunlight, and even rain harvesting capabilities.

The one thing the building does lack is any kind of debt for its construction. “We’re absent of a mortgage because it’s paid for,” noted Don Koehler, GPC executive director. Sponsorships and a commemorative brick and bench program paid for the construction. The commission also pointed out that the building was put up using local contractors and businesses for the relatively low price of just $87 per square foot.

You can see more pictures from the ribbon cutting ceremony here.

Ag Groups, Peanuts

From New Zealand to BASF

Cindy Zimmerman

The Vice President of U.S. Crop Protection for BASF decided he wanted a career in agriculture when he was still a young boy growing up on a small farm in New Zealand.

“Mom and Dad farmed on a small holding just outside Christchurch, New Zealand,” Paul said during a recent interview at the BASF Ag Media Solutions Summit. “So farming’s in my blood. It’s all I’ve ever done, all I’ve ever known.” His family operation had mixed crops, peas and cereals, and sheep. “I also worked on a number of local dairies, milking cows on Sundays, and worked on a poultry farm as well,” he said, which impressed upon him the importance of hard work and dedication in agriculture.

Paul moved into agribusiness by taking a job with an ag retailer in New Zealand. “I was lucky to have some great bosses who helped me in terms of guiding my career,” Paul said. He moved on to a seed business in Australia after a few years. “You think that Australia and New Zealand are right next to each other, but the agricultural systems are different in lots of ways,” he said, noting that he worked there for 15 years, including three years with BASF.

Paul has been with BASF for about 11 years, moving to the U.S. eight years ago. “I really enjoy working with my team and seeing us achieve our goals of helping growers push their yields even further,” he said. “When you see growers doing really cool things with this technology, it’s fun.”

Learn more about Paul and BASF in this interview: BASF VP Paul Rea

Audio, BASF, Farming

Ag Media Summit Closing Banquet

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2012 Ag Media Summit is nearing the end. Tonight we had a lot of award presentations. I’ll have some of those posted for you soon.

After the awards banquet it was time to relax and we did that on the dance floor and in the hallways. Just another time to enjoy fellowship with friends and colleagues in the ag communications industry.

I’ve updated the photo album. So please feel free to enjoy and share. I have more interviews to share when time on the agriblogging highway allows.

2012 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Ag Media Summit is sponsored by FMC
Ag Media Summit, Media

Day One is a Wrap at AgCareers HR Roundtable

Jamie Johansen

The first day of the 2012 North American Ag & Food HR Roundtable is a wrap. Agribusiness representatives, university personnel and HR professionals have listened two to renowned speakers and already have had a fun evening networking with agriculture colleagues from across the country sponsored by ADM.

A big shout out to Tyson Foods for hosting the event. A pre-conference tour was offered where attendees had the opportunity to take a behind the scenes look into how Tyson’s works their magic. It is easy to tell we are all welcome on their campus because every employee I have seen has greeted me with a smile on their face.

Greg Honey, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Farm Credit Canada (FCC), took the stage after a warm welcome from Eric Spell, President of AgCareers. He discussed the importance of reinventing the image of agriculture and the food industry. FCC just launched AgricultureMoreThanEver.ca where you can share your agriculture story and listen to others.

Economist and futurist, Dr. Jay Lehr, has five decades of expertise in agricultural economics, agronomy, environmental science and business administration. He talked about how the price of ‘X’ impacts recruitment and retention in the agriculture and food industry. He challenged us all to spend two hours a month simply talking about what we know about agriculture to someone different. He shared this video of him doing just that in San Francisco, CA.

Follow the event on Twitter using #AgRT and check out our photo album for the 2012 North American Ag & Food HR Roundtable.

AgCareers, Agribusiness, Education

Soybean Farmer Leaders Excited About New Uses

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. soybean crop may be struggling this summer, but the farmers who grow it know there will still be plenty to go around and they are excited about the newest biobased soy products in the pipelines for the domestic market.

Left to right here are Dale Profit and Jim Stillman – both from Iowa, Karen Fear of Indiana, and Lewis Bainbridge of South Dakota. They are all members of the United Soybean Board who attended this week’s USB Biobased Products Stakeholders’ Workshop in Dearborn, Michigan. I talked with each of them about the event, the importance of biobased products made from soy, partnerships with companies like Ford, and how the crop looks in their areas.

Jim is USB Vice Chairman, a 4th generation farmer from Emmetsburg, and he was impressed to find out that Henry Ford originally used soy oil to make some of the components of his early vehicles and tractors. “To think that it started clear back in the ’30s,” he said. “What if we had carried on? What would we see today?”

Listen to my interview with Jim here: USB Vice Chairman Jim Stillman

As chairman of USB’s Domestic Marketing Committee, Lewis was pleased to announce the new Collegiate Biobased Network to help grow the scientists who will create the new products of the future. “It’s an opportunity for outstanding students working on biobased products to actually see something brought into the market,” he said. “Gives students a chance to interact with folks who are actually getting the products on-line.”

Listen to my interview with Lewis here: USB Director Lewis Bainbridge

Karen is on the USB New Uses Committee and she stressed how the soybean checkoff works with private industry like Ford Motor Company. “It really helps the farmer understand where his dollars are going,” she said.

Listen to my interview with Karen here: USB Director Karen Fear

Dale is also on the New Uses Committee and says even though the types of new uses for soy would make up only a small percentage of the crop, it’s value added for the farmer.

Listen to my interview with Dale here: USB Director Dale Profit

Check out the photo album below and the SoyBiobased.org website as well.

2012 USB Biobased Products Stakeholders Workshop Photos

Audio, Soybean, USB

Ag Media Summit InfoExpo

Chuck Zimmerman

Last night the InfoExpo opened for the Ag Media Summit. There are at least 76 companies exhibiting here and developing relationships with ag editors.

I’ve interviewed quite a few and will be sharing those in coming days. One of our first time exhibitors is I Love Farmers. They were selling t-shirts, caps and sweat shirts and doing a great business. This is a good organization to support.

2012 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Ag Media Summit is sponsored by FMC
Ag Media Summit, Media