AgWired

I wonder how many people are spending a romantic St. Valentine’s Day out at World Ag Expo. I was not there but got a photo courtesy of one of the live web cams. This is a show I’ve always wanted to attend but it just never seems to work out for one reason or another.

The 45th annual World Ag Expo kicked off today with ceremonial speeches, a rousing rendition of “God Bless America” and the traditional cannon blast.

Tulare mayor Wayne Ross quipped that “if you can’t find what you’re looking for here, it probably doesn’t exist.”

That’s kind of how I feel about today – Valentine’s Day. Not that I don’t tell the people I love that I love them and not that I don’t believe in love, it’s just over-priced, over-hyped and over-rated if you ask me. I instructed my husband if he was thinking of getting me flowers to save his money and buy me something other than roses on a day other than Valentine’s Day. A little cynical, yes? Sorry.

Another tradition on Valentine’s Day is a big, fancy dinner which also comes with about an hour wait. My husband also knows that lack of sustenance makes me crabby – it’s an inherited trait from my father. Really, it is.

Which brings me to the point of this post. These are bone-handled forks. Isn’t it a little ironic to eat a juicy steak with a bone-handled fork made from cow horns? Maybe not ironic, but a little funny if you ask me. They truly did use every part of the animal back in the day.

These are not dishwasher safe. And Happy Valentine’s Day, even if you’re a cynic like me.

Until we walk again …

The 2012 Commodity Classic is still two weeks away, but the annual meeting of corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum growers has already shattered attendance records.

Last year, total attendance set a record of 4,826 show participants. This year, registrations for the 17th annual event have already surpassed the 5,000 mark with two more weeks left until onsite registration opens.

“We are thrilled that more and more growers and industry professionals recognize the value of attending Commodity Classic,” said Commodity Classic co-chair Martin Barbre. “Agriculture is both an exciting and challenging way of life. Because Commodity Classic addresses farming from a grower’s perspective, attendees find they can take information they’ve gathered from the show and put what’s practical for their operations into the field.”

More farm families, first-time attendees and agribusiness representatives will be at Commodity Classic than ever before. To celebrate the record breaking attendance, Commodity Classic’s 5,000th registrant, Kirk Zinkievich from Medina, N.Y., received a complimentary registration.

If you want to be part of the record-setting 2012 Commodity Classic March 1-3 in Nashville, visit www.commodityclassic.com.

One of the touchiest topics for cattle producers at the recent Cattle Industry Convention was last year’s bankruptcy of MF Global, which cost many of them money they have yet to get back. CME Group Inc. is attempting to address producers’ concerns by establishing a $100 million fund to protect farmers and ranchers who utilize the exchange.

CME chief operating officer Bryan Durkin told cattlemen at the meeting that that MF Global found a way to manipulate a system that has been working flawlessly for 75 years and that CME felt an “inherent” responsibility to help their customers. “We are in unchartered territory,” said Durkin. “There are a lot of facts that still need to be sorted out. We took an important first step for farmers and ranchers.”

However, the fund will not help former MF Global customers who haven’t received all their money as a result of the bankruptcy, with an estimated $1.2 billion shortfall in customer segregated accounts.

Durkin said customers with accounts in the United States have received about 72 cents on the dollar. Under the new fund, farmers and ranchers will be eligible to receive up to $25,000 per account if they lose money resulting from the bankruptcy of a clearing member. Durkin said farming and ranching cooperatives will be eligible for up to $100,000 per cooperative. He said if losses are more than $100 million, those customers will be eligible for a pro-rate share of the fund up to $100 million.

“All viable solutions should be explored. We understand the significant risk you face every day,” said Durkin to the room full of cattlemen and women. “It is our responsibility to restore your confidence. We will work with industry groups including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) to explore options to give farmers and ranchers more protection.”

NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall said the action taken by CME represents a good first step and speaks volumes for CME’s commitment to protect their customers.