Tributes Pouring out for Stewart Doan

Cindy Zimmerman

Tributes to the life of Stewart Doan have been pouring out from all over the agriculture industry today as news of his sudden passing yesterday has been spreading.

According to Sara Wyant, president of Agri-Pulse, where Stewart had been senior editor, they do not have all the details, “but we know that he had not been feeling well and saw his doctor Wednesday to undergo tests related to having shortness of breath and related health concerns. He fainted at his home yesterday morning and was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he later died.”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack praised Stewart in a statement to Agri-Talk this morning. “Stewart was a voice that people depended on and that people listened to,” said Vilsack. “And he used his voice to advocate on behalf of America’s farmers, ranchers and producers.” Listen to Visack’s comments here:
Secretary Vilsack on Stewart Doan

The most common word being used to describe Stewart is “professional.” He was a first-class reporter, the master of the :45 news story with :10 sound bites. I loved that. He was kind, down-to-earth, passionate about agriculture, and a good friend to all. We were at several events together just this year and he was always working very hard and always in a good mood. I remember being very impressed with his presentation on the presidential candidates at the Farm Bureau annual meeting where he played sound bites from them addressing various issues. It was probably the best presentation incorporating audio that I have ever seen.

Besides being a colleague and friend to so many of us, he was also a dedicated husband and father. I snapped this photo of Stewart with his wife Leslie, their two daughters Lauren and Sarah and a couple of their friends at Sara and Al’s house a couple of years back.

Stewart was only 52 years old and for more than 30 years of his life, this Kentucky native covered agricultural news for a variety of media, beginning with radio. He was president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting in 1998, and was named 2006 Farm Broadcaster of the Year. But, most of all, he was a great guy and we will miss him. Rest in peace.

NAFB

Just Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

Just Farmers is helping tell agriculture’s story and there are already a number of them posted. See what you think. Just Farmers is offering a variety of services that include: Developing Social Media Action Plans; Creating Listening Centers; Shaping Your Message; Targeting Specific Audiences; Analyzing Your Presence and Building Your Brand.

Just Farmers is a digital sandbox for those interested in using conversations, relationships and community to harness the power of humanity’s inner want for social interaction in all forms. Several years ago a few in the agricultural world jumped head first into realm of Social Media. Through many learning opportunities, not all good, we found our way to where we are now and our shared passion of conversations as a way to collectively harness the power of individual people when brought together into communities.

As a play on our everyday profession as Farmers we have created “Just Farmers…”. Just Farmers is not specifically about the agricultural meaning of farmer and really is a more broad look at how through the use of different social channels conversations are being grown into crops of relationshipsand the harvest are the communities brought together in the end. More simply Just Farmers… includes those people interested in farming communities of engaged committed individual people by engaging in conversations.

Just Farmers is a project of:

Jeff Fowle
Mike Haley
Ray Prock, Jr.

Ag Groups, Social Networking

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The National FFA Organization has selected 50 outstanding young people to participate in the 2012 New Century Farmer program.
  • ON MONDAY, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will host the May USDA Virtual Office Hours on Twitter to talk about USDA’s 150th anniversary, major accomplishments and the future of agriculture and food. Submit your energy related questions in advance to the @USDA Twitter account using the hashtag #AskUSDA and #USDA150.
  • Lisa (DiGnazio) Pine joined the U.S. Soybean Export Council as Communications Manager, in its Chesterfield, Mo. office.
  • FMC Corporation announces the addition of Lamar Buckelew, Ph.D., to the North American Crop Business and Product Development Team as product development manager.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Featuring American Farriers

    Chuck Zimmerman

    July 8-14 is National Farriers Week and American Farriers Journal wants to feature farriers via their social media channels. So get your camera or smartphone out and send ’em a photo/story!

    As mentioned, this year, American Farriers Journal is going to spotlight farriers based on your feedback. From now until July 1, we encourage horse owners to submit pictures of their farrier working with their horses, and share why you appreciate your farrier or tell us a story about your farrier.

    If you are a farrier making a difference in the industry, send us your pictures and tell us a unique story of how you helped improve a horse’s life. We will be featuring your stories, and the stories horse owners share with us during National Farriers Week on Facebook, Twitter and AmericanFarriers.com. You (or your nominated farrier) could even be featured on our Facebook cover photo!

    Great or small, we want to hear everything farriers are doing to support the industry. You can submit your photos and stories to Michelle Sauer at msauer@lesspub.com. Be sure to include your full name and location with your submission (if you are a horse owner, please include your farriers full name and location as well).

    American Farriers Journal has also posted a certificate for National Farriers Week that horse owners can download and personalize for their farriers. It can be downloaded at http://www.americanfarriers.com/file_open.php?id=173.

    Ag Groups, Horses

    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