Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Beef Today announces the launch of its Beef Today Cattle-Exchange (BTC-E) eNewsletter, which combines the current Beef Today Cattle Drive eNewsletter and Cattle-Exchange Reports.
  • Broadhead was recently awarded a contract to raise awareness of the invasive species known as the emerald ash borer.
  • A rapidly expanding global business has led to major organizational leadership changes for Becker Underwood’s corporate executive team and North American business unit.
  • The Agriculture Council of America will host National Agriculture Day on March 19, 2013 with the theme “Generations Nourishing Generations.”
    Zimfo Bytes

    Farm Foundation to Host Long-Term Drought Forum

    John Davis

    With half the country under abnormally dry condition, our friends at Farm Foundation have scheduled another one of their free forums… this time on how long-term drought conditions impact regional and national agricultural production and food systems.

    The forum will be held on June 27th, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. It will include presentations by Matthew Rosencrans of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Jay Armstrong of Armstrong Farms, Kansas; Kitty Smith of American Farmland Trust; and David Anderson of Texas A&M University. An open discussion will follow.

    As I said, the forum is free, but they do ask that you register in advance by noon, Monday, June 25. Email julie@farmfoundation.org to save your spot. But if you can’t attend in person, you can catch up on what was said on the Farm Foundation website.

    Farm Foundation

    New Mississippi River Basin Conservation Projects

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that $8.4 million in financial assistance is available to support 23 new partnership projects in several Mississippi River Basin states under USDA’s Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). On the phone with reporters to talk about it this morning was NRCS Chief David White, seen here talking with participants in the recent Conservation in Action Tour conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center.

    These projects will fund producer activities that will avoid, control and trap sediment and nutrient runoff from agricultural lands, improving water quality throughout their operations.

    “We are building on our Mississippi River actions from previous years by continuing to target priority conservation practices in priority watersheds to improve water quality in the basin,” Vilsack said. “USDA is committed to working cooperatively with agricultural producers, partner organizations and state and local agencies to improve water quality and the quality of life for the millions of people who live in the Mississippi River Basin.”

    The MRBI was first announced in September 2009 and provides financial assistance for voluntary projects in priority watersheds in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

    I asked Chief White how well these partnerships are working after he saw some of them “in action” recently. He pointed to one of the farms we visited that is using two stage irrigation ditches which is one of the projects previously funded by USDA-NRCS in 2011. He says they hope to expand that practice to other areas. He also mentioned being impressed by the younger farmers who were on the tour and making conservation work, including financially. He says, “We can have conservation in harmony with agricultural production and we’re going to prove that.”

    Listen to my Q&A with David here: Q&A With NRCS Chief David White

    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, USDA

    Senate Cuts Farm Bill Amendments

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The number of proposed amendments to the Senate farm bill shrank from nearly 300 to 73 yesterday as senators struck a deal to get debate back on track.

    “This is not a great agreement, but it’s a good agreement,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announcing the deal late last night.

    The good news is that the “rotten egg amendment” offered by Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) did not make the cut. Sen. DeMint’s (R-SC) amendment that would make mandatory checkoff programs voluntary is on the list, along with Sen. Johanns (R-NE) measure that would stop EPA from making aerial inspections of agricultural operations. Other important amendments to be considered concern crop insurance, the dairy program, energy title, Market Access Program, payment limitations, food assistance programs, conservation and broadband funding.

    Votes on the chosen amendments are expected to start this afternoon.

    Farm Bill

    BASF Plant Health Alive and Well in Canada

    John Davis

    There were a good number of agricultural journalists from Canada at the recent BASF Agricultural Solutions Media Summit in Chicago, which highlighted both the differences and the similarities in the crop protection market compared to the U.S.

    One of the breakout panels for Canadian agriculture journalists at the event featured Canadian farmer Wayne Black, director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and Senator JoAnn Buth of the Conservative Party of Canada and BASF Business Director for Canada Crop Protection Scott Kay, who was pleased with the turnout at the event. “Plant health is alive and well in Canada and we have no where to go but up,” Scott said during an interview at the conclusion of the summit.

    Scott came to Canada by way of Iowa, where he worked as a BASF representative, so he has perspective from both sides of the border.

    “We trade for a few more letters beyond corn, when it comes to where Headline [fungicide] fits,” said Scott. “We put Headline on canola, but it’s managed in a similar manner as corn is here in the U.S.” Scott says they are really just getting started with plant health in canola, expecting the number of acres that were sprayed with Headline last year to go from just shy of a million acres to twice that much next year.

    Scott says BASF is pro-actively working with producers and consumers in Canada on sustainability issues.

    Listen to Cindy’s interview with Scott here:
    Scott Kay, BASF Business Director, Canada Crop Protection

    Photos from BASF Ag Media Summit

    Audio, BASF

    Record-Setting World Pork Expo

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The 2012 World Pork Expo was another one for the record books.

    The Expo set records for the number of pigs in the Junior National show and the quantity of meals served at the Big Grill, and featured the creation of the world’s largest pork burger during its well-attended MusicFest.

    The WPX Junior National broke another record for the number of pigs exhibited in the pedigreed barrow and gilt shows hosted by the National Junior Swine Association and Team Purebred. More than 700 junior exhibitors from 26 states competed with 2,177 head, a 25 percent increase from 2011.

    The Expo set another record by grilling the world’s largest pork burger, made with 260 pounds of pork and a 40-pound bun. Sponsors Hog Slat, Newton Grove, N.C., and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) donated half of the pork burger to be served as pork sandwiches in Des Moines-area homeless shelters; the rest was enjoyed by Expo-goers during MusicFest.

    “I appreciated the record-breaking pork burger, which was made possible by a company from my home state of North Carolina and used to help reduce hunger in central Iowa” said NPPC president R.C. Hunt of Wilson, N.C. “I also was impressed with the time both Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds spent with producers at Expo. It is very special to have this type of support for the work we do as pork producers.”

    The expo attracted nearly 20,000 pork producers and industry leaders from 38 countries to Des Moines, Iowa, for the world’s largest pork-specific trade show with more than 400 exhibitors. We appreciate the sponsorship of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica for making our coverage of the 2012 World Pork Expo possible.


    2012 World Pork Expo Photo Album

    Boehringer Ingelheim, NPPC, World Pork Expo

    Bailey Ballou 2012 LMA Champion Auctioneer

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The 2012 Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) World Livestock Auctioneer Champion is Bailey Ballou of Elgin, OK. Bailey participated in a press conference call just now which I thought I’d share with you in case you couldn’t be on it or are interested in what Bailey had to say. The competition was held last Saturday in Turlock, CA. If you listen in below you’ll hear that Bailey is going to be a champion spokesperson for animal agriculture during his coming year!

    Raised in southwest Oklahoma on a dairy farm, Bailey attended livestock auctions with his grandpa. Like many children, he was enamored with the auction chant and would try to emulate it while at play. When he realized, as an adult, that he would like to make a career of the art of bid calling, he set out for auctioneering school in Missouri. That was in 2003.

    Nine years later, he assumes the title of 2012 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion on his fourth attempt, having competed previously in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Bailey was sponsored by Oklahoma National Stockyards, Inc., and Oklahoma City Livestock Exchange, both of Oklahoma City.

    As champion Bailey takes home a 2012 Silverado pickup to use during the year of his reign; $5,000 cash; a championship sculpture; world champion Gist belt buckle and a hand-tooled leather briefcase from LMA; world champion ring sponsored by Turlock Livestock Auction Yard, Inc.; the Golden Gavel Award sponsored by the World Wide College of Auctioneering; and a James Reid, Ltd. money clip sponsored by CattleUSA.com. That’s a pile of winnings!

    So if you’d like to get to know Bailey a little better then take a listen: Bailey Ballou Press Call

    You can also hear what his chant sounds like here: Bailey Ballou Chant

    Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Audio

    Southeast AgNet Announces AgNet West

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCast 354Southeast AgNet introduces a new venture, AgNet West Media, LLC. The company has just announced the newly formed joint venture with California farm media personality Patrick Cavanaugh, Farm Director, and Laurie Greene, West Coast operations (pictured below). The company will operate AgNet West Radio Network, local farm radio network for stations and listeners in California and the western region. I visited with Gary and Patrick this morning to learn more about what their plans are.

    The network’s weekday radio programs feature specialty crops; livestock and dairy; tree, nut & vine crops; and general agriculture news localized for the state and region. Network programs air primarily in morning and mid-day on affiliate stations.

    AgNet West radio programs are in production, affiliate stations and clearances are being arranged and the network’s website is now active at www.AgNetWest.com. The initial website features categorized news archives, an interactive weather page and daily program feeds for radio stations.

    Station lists and advertising rates will be announced soon. Robin Loftin is the primary contact for AgNet West advertising and can be reached at her Southeast AgNet office in Ocala, Florida.

    “Realizing a void in modern, local farm radio networking in California, the top agricultural state, we’re excited to bring AgNet West into immediate reality,” said Cooper. “There are many crop similarities between the regions. This partnership combines decades of experience and excellent reporting skills with a fully operational network support team to launch complete operations.”

    Cavanaugh added, “It’s long been a dream of mine to be part of a local farm network to complement my other ag media interests, and to better serve farm audiences throughout the West.”

    Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Introducing AgNet West Radio Network

    Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

    The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

    Audio, Media, ZimmCast

    GROWMARK Recognized for Communicators’ Works

    John Davis

    We’ve had the pleasure of helping our friends at GROWMARK tell their story right here on this blog, and now, several of the company’s employees who also tell that story have been recognized by the Cooperative Communicators Association (CCA) Institute, recently held in Tucson, Arizona. This company press release has details.

    First place honors went to Cassie Becker, corporate communications associate, in the photo illustration category.

    Second place was earned by Becker in the miscellaneous category for the Gold Rush parody video and Karen Jones, publications and news specialist, and Karen Higgins, graphic designer, in the brochures and pamphlets category.

    Third place went to Becker in the promotional video category, Jones and Julie Fontana, graphic designer, in the annual report category, and Jones in the featurette category.

    Honorable mention was awarded to Heather Thompson, electronic communications specialist, in the cooperative education category.

    Congratulations to our friends at GROWMARK!

    GROWMARK

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Swanson Russell announces the promotion of Chris Johnson and Laura Witte in the Omaha office and Robin Barrett, Ryan Holt, Venetia Reimnitz and Lynette Von Minden in the Lincoln office.
    • The USDA has appointed James Wuerflein of Kremlin, Okla., to the United Sorghum Checkoff Board of Directors.
    • Hoosier Ag Today has announced a partnership with Growers Edge to bring its unique grain marketing tool and content to the Hoosier State.
    • Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan recently received the 2012 American Agri-Women “Champions of Agriculture” award.
      Zimfo Bytes