Understanding Beef Board Committee Structure

Chuck Zimmerman

Polly Ruhland, CEO of the Beef Board, is making a point in answer to a question during the first Beef Board business session in this photo. I spoke with Polly to get a better understanding of the new committee structure that was approved during that session.

Polly explains the process that led to the proposal for restructuring that was presented here. She says that “What the working group came up with was a structure that relies on the industry long range plan and consumer demand drivers.” It was a big step forward in focusing Checkoff work on consumer demand. Learn more about this in my interview with Polly.

Listen to my interview with Polly here: Interview with Polly Ruhland

2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Cattle Industry Summer Conference Going Well

Chuck Zimmerman

The President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is J.D. Alexander. I talked to him about how the Cattle Industry Summer Conference is going. He says it’s going well in spite of challenges like the drought. There are over 700 people registered which is about normal for this meeting. When it comes to the weather related issues affecting the industry he says that “We develop a nice business, take care of the land, take care of the animals, the agriculture, put it back better than what we had it, hopefully make a nice living off it.” The ultimate goal is to turn it over to a new generation. So they’re in it for the long haul and that includes making it through this situation.

When it comes to the work being done here at this meeting J.D. says the biggest thing being discussed is the joint committee restructuring with the Beef Board. He says it will help dictate the future including staffing and who is going to serve on which committees. It’s an election year and a farm bill year. He says NCBA will continue to work on it but admits it can get frustrating. He says the farm bill is almost as cyclical as the cattle market.

Listen to my interview with J.D. here: Interview with J.D. Alexander

2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

National Beef Quality Audit Updated

Chuck Zimmerman

During the Cattle Industry Summer Conference the results of the 2011 Beef Checkoff funded National Beef Quality Audio were released. It shows that progress has been made but that there is still room for improvement. To learn more about it I spoke with Tom Field, Director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska. He’s a fifth generation cattleman. He was also integrally involved in the start of the NBQA. Tom was on a panel that presented the results during a media conference call.

Tom says the National Beef Quality Audit is meant to perform one main function, “In a multi-segmented semi fragmented industry to actually take the time and allocate the resources to stop, take our eyes up off the work we’re doing inside our individual sectors and actually ask questions up and down the supply chain with customers, vendors and suppliers – How are we doing as an industry?” Tom says there are a couple of key messages that came out of the audit. One was that each sector of the industry defines quality differently so there needs to be some consensus on that. Another item learned was that it’s not just a focus on a particular trait like marbling but also on the process since the marketplace is concerned about how animals are handled and processed. Additionally, he says that farmers are doing a lot of things really well but their biggest shortcoming was documenting it. He says that the overall quality of U.S. beef has improved.

Listen to my interview with Tom here: Interview with Tom Field

You can learn more about the 2011 results by visiting the NBQA website.

2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Research

Getting to Know Raven Industries

Cindy Zimmerman

The Raven Innovation Summit this week was a great chance to get to learn more about this dynamic and diverse company that manufacturers precision agriculture solutions.

This year was the 10th Innovation Summit and the first time that the company invited media to attend the event that brings Raven partners from around the world to company headquarters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, according to Paul Welbig, Director of Marketing, Product Management and Slingshot Operations for Raven. “The reason why we did that is we have a big story to tell,” Paul said. “We decided to broaden the audience and help the ag media understand what Raven can offer and help communicate that message back out to the growers and others in the agribusiness community that helps to feed the world.”

The summit highlighted all of the Raven precision products and what is new, including a new smartphone app to see them all in the palm of your hand. “It’s basically a mobile product guide of Raven technology that’s very interactive,” said Paul. The app is available on both iPhone and Android platforms – just search for Raven Product Guide in your store. I should note that Raven has been the primary sponsor of our Agwired app since we launched it two years ago, which just proves how they embrace and support new technology!

This was a great event and I have to especially commend Jessica DeJong, Marketing Communications Coordinator, who for some reason I never got a photo of at the event. Which is sad because she looked fabulous every day even though she was fighting laryngitis that kept her from speaking above a whisper. By the third day she was in much better voice and through it all she was smiling and a great pleasure to work with.

Listen or download to my interview with Paul where he talks about the summit, what’s new, the new app, Raven’s global presence and more:
Interview with Paul Welbig, Raven

Check out photos from the summit – except any of Jessica! – at the link below:

2012 Raven Innovation Summit Photos

Audio, Precision Agriculture

Beef Board Approves Committee Restructuring Plan

Chuck Zimmerman

The Chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board is Wesley Grau, Cow/calf and seedstock producer from Grady, N.M. He joined NCBA President J.D. Alexander on stage at the first general session to welcome about 700 cattle farmers from around the country to the Cattle Industry Summer Conference.

After the general session most attendees moved to the Joint CBB Business Session & NCBA Federation Forum where the main topic of discussion was a proposed restructuring of the Beef Checkoff joint committees which is part of the beef industry long range plan. I spoke with Wesley just before that meeting started.

Wesley says the summer meeting is an opportunity to talk about the proposed contracts being put in front of the operating committee and talk about the direction the Beef Checkoff needs to go. He says attendance here is great. When it comes to the committee restructuring proposal he says they “are very exciting. They tend to lend us efficiencies and adaptable maneuvers we’ve not had in the past.”

During the following CBB Business Session the Beef Board voted unanimously to approve the committee restructuring proposal. Now we’ll wait to see what the Federation does at its business meeting tomorrow.

The four core committees under the proposal are: Domestic Consumer Preference, Global Growth, Beef’s Image and Freedom to Operate. It’s a major restructuring that if fully approved will take some time to implement.

Listen to my interview with Wesley here: Interview with Wesley Grau

2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

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Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • CropLife America is proud to announce that submissions are now open for the second year of CLA’s Information Technology Innovation Award.
  • AGCO Application Equipment is seeking nominations for the 2012 Operator of the Year.
  • FMC Corporation announces the voting phase of its “Stand & Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest.”
  • ImmuCell launches the Immediate Immunity YouTube channel to help educate dairy and beef producers, veterinarians and the agricultural industry about newborn calf immunity.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag More than Just Tools and Technology

    John Davis

    With the introduction of conservation and horticulture, precision ag is branching out. “This is an indication that precision agriculture goes beyond just tools and technology. It’s really a mindset,” said Steve Phillips with the International Plant Nutrition Institute and moderator of a session entitled, Precision A to Z for Practitioners III, at the recent International Conference on Precision Agriculture in Indianapolis, IN. During an interview with Chuck, Phillips said that a more holistic view is being taken of the entire cropping system, looking at environmental, economical and social sustainability. He added that his institute recognizes the value precision agriculture can have for implementing the 4Rs in crop inputs: the right source, at the right rate, in the right place at the right time. “[It] protects our waterways, protects grass buffers… any type of conservation structure we have in place.”

    And with precision horticulture, Phillips sees the value in using some of the techniques from large-scale crops on the smaller, high-value specialty crops, such as wine grapes, that will gain a larger international acceptance of these ideas.

    Phillips said they will look at the well-attended sessions from this conference and use that as a guide for next summer’s InfoAg Conference, July 16-18, 2013 in Springfield, Illinois. “We really hope to build on the momentum from last year, with 700 attendees and over 60 exhibitors. We’re really hoping to grow on that.”

    Listen to Chuck’s interview with Steve here: Interview with Steve Phillips with the International Plant Nutrition Institute

    11th International Conference on Precision Agriculture Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the International Conference on Precision Agriculture is sponsored by John Deere
    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, Precision Agriculture

    2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference is underway in Denver, CO. The opening general session is going on right now.

    I’ll be Beef Board Blogging once again for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and will have stories to share here on AgWired soon. We’ve got a Beef Board Update session coming up where I’m sure I’ll get some interviews to share.

    Photos are being uploaded here: 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

    Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

    Raven Offers Solutions for Farmers Worldwide

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Raven Industries is helping farmers all over the world be more productive and efficient with precision agriculture solutions.

    At this week’s Raven Innovation Summit, I talked with Karl Erichsen of Effective Farming Solutions in Middleburg, South Africa who has been a distributor for 12 years.

    Karl says precision farming is very important in South Africa because of the wide variety in soil depth and classification. “That’s where precision farming technology is working in South Africa,” he said. “We’re bringing a whole new dimension to farming in South Africa.”

    Like anywhere else, Karl says guidance systems are in most demand. “We use unskilled operators to run the tractors,” he said. After guidance, variable rate application is most popular in South Africa.

    Karl says cellular connectivity provided by Slingshot has really taken off in his country. “Slingshot is a game changer in South Africa,” he said. Slingshot allows them to not only provide RTK corrections to tractors, but also remote support. “The farmer is far from the office, it’s 5-6 hours drive, now we can remotely lock in to the unit and help him to solve the problem,” said Karl.

    Listen to my interview with Karl here: Karl Erichsen, Raven Dealer, South Africa


    2012 Raven Innovation Summit Photos

    Audio, International, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    My First Shot

    Melissa Sandfort

    One jar – that’s all I got – and it wasn’t even a full jar but it made me proud. This was my first attempt at stewed tomatoes from the fresh ones I harvested from my garden. And I’ve got about 20 more tomatoes ripening in the window by the washer and dryer. It’s been so hot outside that I pick them once they show the least bit of pink and bring them inside to finish ripening.

    Instead of pressure-cooking the jar to seal the lid, I’m freezing it. My husband makes fun of me because I freeze everything, but I’ve never heard him complain about my cooking! I already have plans for these tomatoes, and if the winter is as cold and snowy as they’re predicting, homemade chili will hit the spot.

    It’s amazing what memories certain smells will evoke. As I was peeling the tomatoes it reminded me of being at my grandma’s house growing up. She was always cooking and freezing corn, stewing tomatoes, making applesauce or doing something else to preserve food. I appreciate her efforts more now because the freshness of summer lasts a little bit longer, and I see that by doing this, my recipe box has a little more variety during the cold winter months.

    Until we walk again …

    Uncategorized