Farm Bureau Honors Goodlatte

Cindy Zimmerman April 16, 2012

Virginia Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte is the latest recipient of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)‘s highest award to members of Congress.

AFBF presented Rep. Goodlatte with the “Golden Plow” award last week for his long-standing support of America’s farmers and ranchers. The award was presented by AFBF President Bob Stallman and Virginia Farm Bureau President Wayne Pryor during an event in Harrisonburg, Va.

Stallman noted that Congressman Goodlatte “has set a solid example of the courage required to rein in government spending” and “is a vigorous defender of private property rights, both real and intellectual, and he continues to lead the fight against regulatory overreach.”

According to Stallman, since Goodlatte was first elected in 1992 to represent Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, he has “applied his common sense, expertise and determination to finding solutions to the challenges facing American agriculture.”

Since coming to Congress, Goodlatte has served on the House Agriculture Committee and also serves on the Judiciary and Education & Workforce committees—assignments where he has worked on a number of issues facing farmers and ranchers. The Virginia Farm Bureau nominated Goodlatte for the award.

AFBF

Monsanto Debuts Ground Breakers Program

Cindy Zimmerman April 16, 2012

Monsanto is breaking new ground with a new, on-farm trial program called Ground Breakers℠.

Beginning this spring, farmers will have an opportunity to participate in the new program that will give them first-hand experience with pipeline products under commercial-scale planting conditions.

“Ground Breakers allows farmers to obtain a better understanding of product benefits and an opportunity to give us feedback on the product,” said Matt Kirkpatrick, Monsanto Corn Traits Marketing Manager. “A farmer will now have a chance to see how products will perform on their own farm in large-scale trials in addition to plot trials prior to commercial introduction.”

This season, Monsanto will be piloting the Ground Breakers program with its new drought-tolerant corn system, Genuity® DroughtGard™ Hybrids. Approximately 250 growers throughout the Western Great Plains region will have the opportunity to plant DroughtGard Hybrids on their farm. These hybrids are part of a comprehensive drought-tolerant system to mitigate yield loss caused by drought stress.

Farmers are looking forward to participating in the new program. “It will be nice to see how DroughtGard Hybrids perform in my own environment because I will be able to see how it works in my region and compare it to the current hybrids that I’m planting,” said Chris Nelsen, a South Dakota farmer from Mission Hill participating in Ground Breakers. “It shows Monsanto is making the effort to prove that they have a good, consistent product that will work across many different environments.”

As Monsanto works to bring new technologies to farmers, the company will evaluate which products may have a good fit for the new Ground Breakers program. “Farmers have asked to see products prior to commercialization,” said Kirkpatrick, “and Ground Breakers is a flexible program that allows us to give farmers a preview. The program will also generate data and farmer feedback to help us make commercial decisions.”

Pending key regulatory approvals, Monsanto plans to evaluate a Ground Breakers program for the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System for soybeans. This system is designed to provide farmers with more consistent, flexible control of weeds, especially tough-to-manage and glyphosate-resistant weeds, to help maximize crop yield potential.

Farming

NAMA After After Party With Chef Ray

Chuck Zimmerman April 16, 2012

Pancakes and Flapjacks are the specialties of Chef Ray. He says they are not the same thing. They are on the menu for the Rhea+Kaiser After the After Party this coming Thursday night, or morning, depending on your definition. Watch below if you have not met Chef Ray yet.

Here’s a little info about Ray:

I’m Ray. Work? Not really into it. But, I do own the Kaiser Roll Diner. And, I’m the resident chef @ the 2012 NAMA Pancake Breakfast..after the AFTER party (Brownfield’s shindig). Midnight. 4/19. Be there. Don’t make me come after you.

Agencies, NAMA, Video

Fires out in the Country

Melissa Sandfort April 16, 2012

I’ve lived on both sides of the street, so to speak. I’ve lived in town where my insurance agent loved it because the nearest fire station was only one mile away. That was good for homeowners insurance. I’ve also lived (and still do!) in a rural community where the closest fire department is only five miles away but you have to have a well for the truck to hook into for water, and their philosophy is to only save what they can of the structure or foundation.

Another big difference between the two is that when I was growing up, one of my weekly chores was to burn the trash. We’d collect it in the garage and it would always take me at least 15 minutes to get the fire lit. When mom asked what took so long, I’d tell her it was windy and the match wouldn’t spark. In truth, I was just striking a match just to watch it burn, literally. I missed that about living in the city where we couldn’t burn trash.

But back here on the farm, we burn boxes, plywood, wood scraps – you name it and if it melts, we burn it. It also helps that we’re friends with the fire chief!

Field fires can be very dangerous though if left untended and uncontrolled. Listen to my grandfather’s story about his experience with fighting an 80-acre fire with no fire truck in sight.
Listen to Grandpa explain

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort April 16, 2012

The 2012 AEM Marketing Seminar will be held with the theme of “Kon’ek-tiv’i-te (Connectivity) – Connecting to Your Customers Through Messaging and Multilevel Media.”
Hoosier Ag Today has partnered with Pioneer Hybrids to provide farmers with the most up-to-date, field and crop condition reports.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. has introduced new color caps for three of its products, Ingelvac CircoFLEX Ingelvac MycoFLEX and Ingelvac PRRS, making the products even easier to use and identify.
Sullivan Higdon & Sink is at it again and will continue its tradition of experiential marketing at this year’s NAMA conference.

Zimfo Bytes

10th Anniversary of Beef Industry Safety Summit

Melissa Sandfort April 14, 2012

Consumers expect the beef they buy to be safe, every time. That’s why the beef checkoff supports the annual Safety Summit — to bring every segment of the beef industry together in one room to focus on ways to improve beef safety.

2012 marked the 10th anniversary of the Safety Summit and participants recognized that milestone by re-affirming the commitment to beef safety that was first pledged a decade ago.

Watch more here or on the MyBeefCheckoff YouTube channel.

Beef

Find ZimmComm at Connection Point

Chuck Zimmerman April 13, 2012

Finding ZimmComm at the 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference Connection Point is not hard to do. But this graphic makes it a little easier. We’re hoping to see you there!

Cindy and I will be getting a helping hand from daughter Caitlin and we’ll have some helpful items for you to pick up just for stopping by and saying hello. Our sales manager, Dave Larson, will also be on location with us during the day on Thursday so we hope you’ll get a chance to visit with him too.

Connection Point Hours

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18
6:00-7:30 p.m. – Best of NAMA Celebration Reception

Thursday, April 19
12:30-2:00 p.m.-Trade Show Luncheon
12:00-1:30 p.m.-Student Mentor Luncheon
3:00-4:00 p.m. – Break
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Trade Show Closing/ABEF Silent Auction

Media, NAMA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort April 13, 2012

DuPont opened a $40 million plant genetics research facility in Johnston, Iowa, to further support its commitment to increasing agricultural productivity and food security worldwide.
Bayer CropScience is very pleased to announce David Hollinrake as Vice President of Agricultural Commercial Operations Marketing in the United States.
Select Sires would like to announce the newly formed Beef Sire Committee representing each of the Select Sires member-owned cooperatives.
The Sorghum Checkoff welcomes Justin Weinheimer as the organization’s Crop Improvement Program Director.

Zimfo Bytes

Last Chance to Nominate Farmers Mom of the Year

Cindy Zimmerman April 12, 2012

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and if you really want to give her a special gift – how about nominating her for America’s Farmers Mom of the Year?

This is the third year that Monsanto has partnered with American Agri-Women to judge the entries, which will be accepted until April 23. Each of five regional winners will receive $5,000 and will be featured on AmericasFarmers.com from May 1–12, where online voting will determine the national winner. The new America’s Farmers Mom of the Year will be announced on the site on Mother’s Day, May 13, and she will receive an additional $5,000. Entries are judged on how mom supports her family, her farm, her community and agriculture in general. Last year’s winner was Bette Lu Lerwick of Wyoming.

“From the outpouring of entries we’ve received thus far, it’s clear that farm moms are loved and appreciated by their families, students, neighbors and friends,” says Consuelo Madere, America’s Farmers spokesperson. “I encourage everyone whose life has been impacted by a farm mom to visit AmericasFarmers.com and nominate her before the contest ends this month. It’s one small way to say ‘thank you’ and ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ to that extra-special farm mom.”

To nominate your mom, you are asked to describe in 300 words or less how she represents the caring, values and hard work that embody the family farm way of life. You have about ten more days to do that and you can click here for the on-line entry form.

I’m sure it is a tough decision for the judges every year to pick just five farm moms around the country to compete for the overall Mom of the Year – and even harder for the online voters to pick just one! All farm moms are the best!

Farming

Page 1,264 of 2,376
←
1
...
1,263
1,264
1,265
...
2376
→