Mourning the Passing of Stewart Doan

Chuck Zimmerman

It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of good friend and industry colleague Stewart Doan, Agri-Pulse. I’ve known Stewart long enough not to even remember when I first met him. He’s always been there and it was through the National Association of Farm Broadcasting that we got to know each other.

Here’s a photo I took of Stewart (center) talking with Sen. Pat Roberts and Sara Wyant during their reception the night before National Ag Day Activities in Washington, DC. So it’s a shock to learn of his abrupt passing just earlier today. I can already see on Facebook a significant amount of emotion being expressed in sorrow for the loss of a great person and professional. Stewart, we pray for you and for your family.

Here’s the message sent out by the NAFB office just now.

Dear NAFB members,

We were saddened to learn earlier today about the passing of Stewart Doan. Stewart served as president of NAFB in 1998 and continued his involvement serving on countless committees and as a stringer for the NAFB News Service.

Details of Stewart’s passing are unclear at this time, but we will provide more information and details about services as soon as they become available.

Media

Top 5 Largest Agriculture Cooperatives in 2010

Melissa Sandfort

The nation’s 100 largest agriculture cooperatives reported near-record revenue of $118 billion in 2010, announced USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager. This was an increase of 4 percent over 2009 figures. Net income for the 100 top agriculture co-ops was also up more than 10 percent in 2010, reaching $2.39 billion, up from $2.16 billion in 2009.

Here are the cooperatives that hit the charts in the top 5:
CHS Inc., Saint Paul, Minn.
Land O’Lakes Inc., Saint Paul, Minn.
Dairy Farmers of America, Kansas City, Mo.
GROWMARK Inc., Bloomington, Ill.
Ag Processing Inc., Omaha, Neb.

Leading the revenue increase from 2009 to 2010 were dairy cooperatives, which saw 2010 revenue climb more than 14.5 percent from the previous year, to $29.5 billion. Dairy cooperatives accounted for more than half of the revenue increase recorded by the top 100 ag co-ops in 2010.

Click here for the complete listing or read more in the USDA Rural Cooperatives magazine.

Agribusiness, Cooperatives, Dairy, USDA

Up and Out

Melissa Sandfort

A little over a week ago I planted my entire garden and my new job responsibility around our place is “always watering or feeding something”. Whether it be the horses or cat, trees or new flowers, garden, husband and son, they all have to eat and drink.

So every evening, you can see me dragging three hoses through the yard to various items to give them a drink. But my persistence has paid off and in less than a week, everything I planted in my garden is growing.

My cucumbers came up gang-busters as have my sugar snap peas…and last night we just installed the chicken wire and electric fence stakes to hold up the climbing tendrils. Come the end of July, my family will be tired of mixed greens lettuce and spinach (things I can’t freeze), but I’m hoping that the carrots and cucumbers come up at the same time to complement our “greenery”.

And so far so good on having no weeds in the new raised beds. The dirt is fresh and untouched which should make for a bountiful harvest – and black kitty continues to keep the rabbits away (he just caught another one last week!) – so bring on summer! Oh – and a little rain would be nice, please.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Fastline Publications Inc. Hires Susan Arterburn as Marketing Manager

Melissa Sandfort

Fastline Publications Inc. is proud to welcome Susan Arterburn as the newest addition to the company. Susan will take over the duties as Marketing Manager, overseeing the marketing team that develops and creates marketing materials geared toward readers and advertisers of Fastline.

Susan Arterburn joins Fastline with eight years’ experience in advertising and marketing, most recently as Account Supervisor at Finelight Marketing Agency in Louisville, Ky. Before that, Susan was an Account Executive at BOHAN Advertising in Nashville, Tenn. Her marketing career began with a BA in Advertising from Western Kentucky University.

Publication

Food Confusion

Chuck Zimmerman

Do you find food confusing? Not sure who to believe? Try the folks who produce it and the science behind today’s food production. CommonGround is one resource you should look to if you’ve got questions

CommonGround, a volunteer group of farm women dedicated to creating conversations around farming and food, wants to help provide moms with facts around some of the biggest food myths that exist in America. Recently, CommonGround commissioned the Gate-to-Plate Survey to gain insights into how U.S. moms feel and think about their food and the food choices they make for their families. More than 70 percent of moms surveyed admitted to having questions or concerns about how their food is grown or raised – a number that CommonGround volunteers hope to decrease through independent third-party data, firsthand experience and honest conversations.

Here are some major topical areas in the report:

Guilt and Confusion Around Organic Foods
Buying into “buying local”
Myths About Food Costs and the Modern Family Farmer

Ag Groups, Food

Syngenta Saving The Oasis

Chuck Zimmerman

Farmers, the original environmentalists. Continuing the tradition and using good science to do so.

Syngenta today announced the launch of a new website, “Saving the Oasis,” featuring three short documentaries that tell the story of how atrazine helps modern farmers protect precious water and soil resources while aiding the environment and economy. The site also contains information about other Syngenta efforts that help farmers preserve water.

Agribusiness, Environment, Syngenta

New York Hosts Veal/Dairy Tour

Melissa Sandfort

The New York Beef Industry Council (NYBIC) once again invited more than 50 industry influencers to an educational veal/dairy tour of New York State. The dynamics of this year’s tour was different than the tour of 2010 as this year’s attendees were a mix of chef educators and their students. Six different culinary schools, along with food service, retail, dietitians and media, were present for a farm-to-fork look at the veal and dairy industries.

The tour discussed how the dairy industry impacts the veal industry, the aspects of group housing and feeding, veal nutrition, Veal Quality Assurance, Veal Issues Management, and Packer Processing, including inspection and grading. Center-of-the-Plate expert Steve Olson and Executive Chef Dave Zino conducted a 90-minute veal cutting and cooking clinic. After the lectures, attendees were sent to the “hands-on kitchen”, tied on aprons and cooked up a veal storm creating eight culinary dishes to be served for lunch.

Tours such as the one hosted by the NYBIC are a way for farmers and ag groups to showcase the transparency of the industry on a local level. It gives industry influencers (such as bloggers, media, foodservice reps, chefs and dietitians) a chance to freely ask questions and express their concerns over myths and misconceptions that are often portrayed about agriculture, which enables them to then communicate the FACTS with the consuming public.

Beef, Dairy, Events

Got Raw Milk?

Chuck Zimmerman

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Should raw milk be allowed for sale?” The question was prompted by one of the panelists at the 2012 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. She is a reporter with a food safety publication who says that this issue is the one that gets the most comments and response of any other. This question generated the most comments of any ZimmPoll to date so I understand what she was saying. Actually, most comments wanted a 4th response option to allow the sale of raw milk but with sufficient regulation and testing to ensure it is safe. I saw the comments too late to make that change so I don’t know if these results would have been different. So the answer, Absolutely with no regulation received 66%; On a very limited and regulated basis received 20% and Definitely not, too many health concerns received 14%. Surprised? I’m thinking that we not only have a lot of raw milk lovers in the ZimmComm News Network community but they are very active at getting others to vote! This poll also had one of the highest number of responses we’ve had so far. Why do you think that is?

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “When was the last time you talked to a journalist about agriculture?” The question is inspired by last night’s AgChat Twitter conversation and a question that had been submitted by @BASFAgro! We’re supposed to stand up for our industry and livelihoods that are threatened by lots of misinformation that gets spread by the media. What are we doing about it? How are we speaking out? Are we willing to develop a relationship with the reporters at our local mainstream media outlets (newspaper/radio/tv/web)? More questions I know but there is a lot we can all do to help educate the ultimate consumers of the products we produce. Keep it up. It does make a difference!

Let your friends and neighbors know they can participate by sharing this link.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

Dairy, Media, ZimmPoll

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Kathy Simmons, D.V.M., started a new role May 7, 2012, as chief veterinarian for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
  • Growers Edge has introduced a new basis tracking tool to help farmers find, track and evaluate basis at hundreds of grain elevators.
  • FMC Corporation announces the Farming with Authority Sweepstakes. Growers are invited to go online and share their experiences with Authority herbicides for the chance to win one of five $1,000 Tractor Supply Company gift cards.
  • Online registration is now open for the U.S. Grains Council 2012 Annual Board of Delegates Meeting, which will be held July 30-Aug. 1 in Vancouver, Wash.
    Zimfo Bytes

    GROWMARK Keeps IT Growing

    Cindy Zimmerman

    As a multi-state agricultural co-operative system with over 6000 employees and numerous brands, information technology (IT) is a vital aspect of GROWMARK‘s ability to communicate on a number of levels.

    "growmark IT award"

    GROWMARK was honored with the first CropLife America and AgGateway Information Technology Innovation Award for CropNAtion

    That keeps GROWMARK Manager of Network Services Scott Bross busy keeping up with the latest on-line communications tools – from improved websites to blogs and all the various social networking platforms. Last year, Scott and his team launched the redesigned GROWMARK.com, with all new functionality. “We’re continuing to add new functionality as we go,” Scott said, noting that the Media Center was one of the most exciting to develop. “To be able to provide multi-media formats, to be able to do video and audio and bring in news releases in pdf and Spirit Magazine.”

    The new design won GROWMARK first place in the Heartland region NAMA competition this year and GoFurtherWithFS.com won the Merit award in the same category. CropNAtion.com was selected by CropLife America (CLA) and AgGateway to receive the first annual CLA Information Technology Innovation Award. “It’s neat to be able bring these technologies together and then get recognition and positive feedback,” Scott said. “That’s really strong affirmation.”

    CropNAtion has been a very ambitious project for GROWMARK to create a social media platform that serves as a 21st century “coffee shop” for today’s farmers. “It’s about what they want to talk about, not what someone else is putting in front of them to talk about,” he said.

    Scott says they have new projects in the works, such as designing a new website platform for member cooperatives, but just staying on the cutting edge of communications technology keep them busy. “Technology and social media are moving so quickly these days that by the time you begin to evolve something there’s three other things out there,” he said. Tell us about it!

    Listen to my interview with Scott here: Scott Bross Interview

    Audio, GROWMARK, Social Networking, Technology