Dr. Fred Below is Quotable on BASF Panel

Cindy Zimmerman

Dr. Fred Below, Professor of Plant Physiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was one of many experts on a panel at the recent BASF Agricultural Solutions Media Summit but he had some of the best quotes that were most tweeted from the event.

One of his more quotable comments was that because university extension budgets are being “cut to the bone,” the agricultural media has a greater role than ever in getting the word out about sustainability in food production. “I would love to see extension and university research have a larger role, but we simply don’t have the numbers that we need,” he said. “So we need to rely on our corporate partners and the media to get the message out.”

Below is very excited about the potential for drought tolerant corn in getting toward the ever-elusive consistent 300 bushel yield. “I can hardly wait for drought tolerant corn,” he said. “If you can even partially control the weather in your hybrid selection, that would give us a huge advantage.”

Dr. Below says that the focus on feeding a growing population is really making people pay attention to the importance of crop yield, one of his favorite topics. “It’s good to see crop yield, and agronomists, and the whole ag industry be sexy again,” he quipped. “It’s a great time to be in agriculture.”

Listen to my interview with Fred Below here. Dr. Fred Below at BASF Summit

Audio, BASF

Late Swine Nutrition Expert Honored at Pork Expo

Cindy Zimmerman

A University of Illinois professor who spent his lifetime contributing to the livestock nutrition industry was honored at World Pork Expo earlier this month.

JBS United recognized the contributions of Dr. David H. Baker as this year’s John B. Swisher Leadership Award Winner. Dr. Baker’s family accepted the post humus award in his honor on June 5 at the Expo in Des Moines.

The John B. Swisher Annual Leadership Award (by JBS United, Inc.) is an honor presented to an individual who exemplifies extraordinary leadership qualities and who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the swine industry.

Throughout Baker’s career, he provided over 40 years of contributions to the animal and human nutrition industry. His work has helped improve the quality of livestock feed, led to the production of chemically defined diets for use in animal research studies, and increased the understanding of diseases caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

With 451 peer-reviewed publications, six major awards from the American Society of Animal Science and five from the Poultry Science Association, Baker’s lifelong commitment has fundamentally advanced the scientific community in the fields of animal nutrition.

Baker’s work has been recognized by the University of Illinois, which named Baker a University Scholar, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which presented Baker with the Distinguished Service Award.

2012 World Pork Expo Photo Album

Feed, Livestock, Pork, World Pork Expo

Farm Foundation Free Webinar on Data Collection

John Davis

Knowledge is power, and having good data to have good knowledge (and thus, good power) is key to having an efficient operation, no matter if it’s farming or any other business. That’s why our friends at Farm Foundation will be holding a free one-hour webinar this Friday at 2 p.m. EDT on how the ag industry needs to respond to changes in data collection systems:

This webinar is organized by the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE), in partnership with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), and Montana State University. Farm Foundation, NFP is a sponsor.

The free webinar will review how federal budget cuts are changing the nature of data collection and data use. Four speakers will provide perspectives on how agricultural statistics are used by the food and fiber sectors, and how the changing nature of data collection, distribution and availability will impact the industry.

Speakers will include Joseph J. Prusacki, Director, Statistics Division, USDA National Agricultural Statisics Service (NASS), providing an overview of data uses, user groups and the impacts of budget cuts; Paul Hughes of Nestle Purina PetCare, looking at perspectives from the grains and oilseed sectors; Jim Robb of the Livestock Marketing Information Center, focusing on how data collection changes will impact the livestock sector; and Mark Seetin of the U.S. Apple Association, offering perspectives from the fruit and vegetable industry.

To register, CLICK HERE and to join the webinar on the day of the event, click on this link. When you are asked to log in, use the “Enter as guest” option. Type in your name and click the “Enter Room” button.

Farm Foundation

New Editorial Content Director Of Successful Farming

Melissa Sandfort

Meredith Corporation announced that David Kurns has been named Editorial Content Director of the Successful Farming brand, effective August 1. He will replace Loren Kruse, who is retiring after 36 years with Meredith.

Kurns, 51, is a leading digital content expert. He was part of the founding team that launched www.agriculture.com. He later served as the first Editor-in-Chief of Meredith Interactive Media, which included oversight of the Better Homes and Gardens and Parents branded websites.

Kurns next took his editorial content expertise to the company’s business-to-business marketing services agency, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing. He was responsible for creating and directing custom marketing initiatives for major clients, including Kraft Foods, The Principal Financial Group, Chrysler, MetLife and Publix.

Kurns began his career as a newspaper journalist with stops at the Ames Tribune and the Quad-City Times. A 1982 graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, Kurns currently serves as Chair of the ISU Greenlee School of Journalism Advisory Council. He is a past recipient of the James W. Schwartz Award for Distinguished Service to Journalism and Communication, the Greenlee School’s highest honor.

A native of Joliet, Ill., Kurns and his wife, Sharon, live in Johnston, Iowa. They have two children, Daniel (24) and Anna (21).

Agribusiness, Media

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The Sorghum Checkoff is currently funding the re-instated Sorghum Conversion Project in conjunction with MMR Genetics (NuSeeds America), and USDA.
  • Professional Farmers of America announces the launch of a new subscription service called Pro Farmer Inputs Monitor.
  • Under a new agreement, Great Plains will supply Case IH with twin row planters to be sold through Case IH dealerships under the Case IH brand beginning in 2013.
  • DTN/The Progressive Farmer is bringing its industry leading weather-information system to the Apple iPhone and Android devices in its new Ag Weather Tools app.
Zimfo Bytes

NAMA Executive Committee Meets

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the Executive Committee of the National Agri-Marketing Association after an afternoon of meeting on the business of the organization. Things are going very well for NAMA and we’re going to have some exciting announcements soon about the new fall meeting. Which by the way needs to be on your calendar – September 25 – 26, Minneapolis, Minnesota – Graves 601 Hotel. This new meeting replaces the Trends in Agriculture meeting that has been held in the fall.

And while I’m at it, I know there are a lot of you AgWired fans who are not members of NAMA. I highly encourage you to join. I’ve said it many times, but if there were just one professional organization I could belong to, it is NAMA. No question about it. If you are involved in any form of agricultural marketing then this is “your” organization. Got questions? Feel free to ask me.

NAMA

ASTA Assists With Seed Phytosanitary Issues

Chuck Zimmerman

During the American Seed Trade Association annual convention committees meet to set policies for the organization for the coming year. One of those is the phytosanitary committee. I visited with Darrell Maddox, Endless Sky Partners, about the work of this committee that he used to chair.

Darrell says the committee works with USDA-APHIS to facilitate trade. They work with seed companies as well as regulatory agencies through ASTA to resolve issues. He says that in the last couple of years they’ve tried to be more proactive on these issues. One way is to put better standards in place with sound science behind them. Darrell says that Brazil and Mexico tend to be challenging markets in part because there seems to be a frequent change of people to work with. Looking ahead he says the new committee leadership hopes to proactively work with the Asian countries to try to get them all on the same page as how the U.S. and Europe look at phytosanitary issues. He says they’re ultimately looking for an international “seed standard,” but are not quite there yet.

Listen to my interview with Darrell here: Interview with Darrell Maddox

2012 ASTA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, ASTA, Audio, Seed

Sleight Selected as USGC President and CEO

Melissa Sandfort

The U.S. Grains Council announced the selection of Thomas N. Sleight as president and CEO to replace the retiring Thomas C. Dorr. Sleight initially joined the Council in 1983 and has served in multiple capacities both in Washington, D.C., headquarters and overseas. After leaving for stints with other agricultural organizations, he returned to the Council in November 2010 as vice president of operations and membership. Sleight’s cumulative service with the Council spans 18 years and includes successful assignments in program operations in the Washington, D.C., office, international program direction in the field, communications, membership and administrative functions.

“The Council is expanding its reach and focusing on new priorities and strategic direction set by the Board of Directors,” said Sleight. “We have made great progress in recent years and I look forward to continuing to create value for U.S. producers and agribusinesses.”

Agribusiness, Grains, USGC

Deadline For IFAJ-Yara Award

Chuck Zimmerman

The deadline for the IFAJ-Yara Award for Sustainable Agriculture Reporting is coming up fast – July 1, 2012. Don’t know what it is? Here’s some information.

The IFAJ-Yara Award for Sustainable Agriculture Reporting is open to articles, Internet productions or radio/TV broadcasts on the broad themes of hunger, feeding the world sustainably and meeting the challenge of providing nutrition to a growing world population. This award provides a unique professional development opportunity for all IFAJ members to participate in a broad-based contest that is relevant to current global issues – the goal of higher food production with a lower carbon footprint.

Theme for 2012: Food or Fuel….or both?

Who can enter:

It is open to all members; guilds are not required to put forward a candidate.

For full awards information, visit http://www.ifaj.org/contests-and-awards/yara-award.html.

The award is sponsored by Yara.

Agribusiness, IFAJ, International, Media