Farmer Involvement in Agvocacy Training

Chuck Zimmerman

Ryan Weeks is a 5th generation farmer from south-central Nebraska (pictured on left). He thinks that if farmers don’t use social media to tell their story someone will do it for them. He’s involved in the AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 Conference. He got interested after starting on Twitter and attending last year’s conference. This year’s he’s serving on the training committee.

He thinks there are a lot of people having conversations online in agriculture but says we need to get outside our comfort zone to extend that conversation with more people who are not on the farm. Ryan says the conference here will talk about getting outside your community. He calls it “farming your online community.”

You can listen to my interview with Ryan here: Interview with Ryan Weeks

2011 AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Photo Album

AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 coverage is sponsored by The New Holland Boomer 555 Contest.
Audio

Kicking off AgChat Agvocacy 2.0

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2011 AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 Conference is underway in Nashville, TN. We’ve got about twice as many attendees as the first conference last year.

Getting us started is AgChat Foundation President Jeff Fowle. He welcomed everyone and provided some thoughts on how important it is to engage people via social media. Engagement and interaction is vital to developing trust because as Jeff told us, “The public does not care what you know until they know that you care.”

You can listen to the first part of Jeff’s comments here: Jeff Fowle Opening Remarks

I’ve got a photo album started for the conference which you can find here: 2011 AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Photo Album

AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 coverage is sponsored by The New Holland Boomer 555 Contest.
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One and Two

Melissa Sandfort

Remember me saying that about three weeks ago, our Black Kitty had her first litter of kittens? All four of them – looking like a mix between cat and raccoon. Well, they’ve been a source of enjoyment for our son ever since, carrying them two at a time into the house to pet them and show them his tractors. (I’m sure they’re excited to share in his love of tractors.) Their eyes are open now, too, and my dad believes them to be Siamese but I’m still on the fence about that.

Introducing “One” and “Two” (or maybe two and three). It’s certainly not Four because “she” is a little smaller than the rest.

They remain known as numbers because we can’t think of catchy names for them. And they weren’t born looking like a Charlie or a Nutmeg, and truth be told, we haven’t even checked on their gender.

In a house where all three of us are allergic to cats, the fun will have to end at some point. Until then, watching them grow has been fascinating. And then I got the question from my nieces about whether or not they use the litter box. Explain that one my farm friends.

Until we walk again …

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Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • It is important to farmers and ranchers that the Federal Communication Commission’s review possible interference with the Global Positioning Systems that could be created by a broadband network being developed by LightSquared.
  • T. Joe Robertson has been named product marketing manager for Topcon Precision Agriculture.
  • The Animal Agriculture Alliance welcomes two new team members: Catharine Kuber, who will serve as Membership Services Manager, and Kerry Lynch, who will fill the role of Communications & Membership Coordinator.
  • Novus International has launched the BioOptimized Trace Minerals Program for beef producers.
Zimfo Bytes

Novus International Shares Vision with US Soybean Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

usb soybean exportsThe vision of Novus International is “To help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life.”

That is a vision this global animal nutrition company shares with the U.S. soybean industry, with exports around the world accounting for more than half of annual production. “A lot of commonality in that and a lot of opportunity to work together and have complimentary efforts to do the right thing, not only for agriculture and livestock production, but for mankind,” said Novus International Director of Product Management Wendell Knehans, who participated in the US Soybean Export Council Animal Utilization Stakeholders meeting in Seattle this past weekend.

Wendell gave a presentation at the meeting to provide an overview of Novus and possibilities of partnership, explain some of the technical services that Novus provides in the livestock industry, and discuss some of the mutual opportunities.

Listen to my interview with Wendell here. Wendell Knehans with Novus International
USSEC First Animal Utilization Stakeholders Meeting Photos

Audio, International, Novus International, Soybean, USB

AgChat Foundation Board Discussion

Chuck Zimmerman

In advance of tomorrow’s start to the AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 Conference, the AgChat Foundation board members are having a discussion. It has been a year and a half since this organization got started. We’ve got a lot to talk about and I’m looking forward to it.

The Agvocacy Conference is larger than last year and if we hadn’t had to cap it I’ll bet we could have even more people here. We’ve got some very interesting sessions and presenters here and I hope to be able to share some of what will be taking place.

I want to thank the New Holland Boomer 555 Contest for sponsoring my coverage of the conference and thank them for becoming a conference sponsor.

AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 coverage is sponsored by The New Holland Boomer 555 Contest.
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What Soybean Stakeholders are Learning at USSEC Meeting

Cindy Zimmerman

usb soybean exportsThe weather is fabulous in Seattle this weekend, but directors of the United Soybean Board (USB) are inside and hard at work learning more about opportunities for exports at the US Soybean Export Council Animal Utilization Stakeholders meeting.

As far as stakeholders are concerned, USB is one of the major ones represented here, since soybean checkoff dollars are used to fund the USSEC’s export promotion efforts. “I’m here to learn more about the world demand for protein for animal feeds,” says David Hartke, USB Director from Illinois. “Sitting on the Production Committee with USB, I’ve been asked to be the lead on the composition of the soybean and felt that I needed to be here.”

Listen to my interview with David here. David Hartke, USB Director

usb soybean exportsWhile all the USB directors I have featured so far are from Illinois, there are directors outside of the Midwest! One of them is Jacob Parker from North Carolina who says the export market for US soybeans is critically important for the industry, accounting for over half the production nationwide.

“We need to maintain that business,” Jacob told me. “We need to also make sure that our domestic crush continues and try to figure out ways to export meal as well as whole beans.”

Listen to my interview with Jacob here. Jacob Parker, USB Director
USSEC First Animal Utilization Stakeholders Meeting Photos

Audio, Feed, International, Livestock, Soybean, USB

USB Helps Direct Soybean Export Promotion Dollars

Cindy Zimmerman

usb soybean exportsThe whole purpose of the US Soybean Export Council Animal Utilization Stakeholders meeting this weekend in Seattle is to evaluate the international marketing program for animal feed use and explore ideas for the future.

One of the architects of the series of meetings that will be held in advance of program allocations for the 2013 budget year is United Soybean Board (USB) International Marketing Animal Utilization Subcommittee Chair Dwain Ford of Illinois. “By gaining the knowledge of the market we hope to be able to invest checkoff dollars more wisely and get a greater return on our investment for the farmers,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Dwaine here. Dwaine Ford, USB Director
USSEC First Animal Utilization Stakeholders Meeting Photos

Audio, Soybean, USB

Around the World at Soybean Export Stakeholders Meeting

Cindy Zimmerman

usb soybean exportsParticipants in the US Soybean Export Council Animal Utilization Stakeholders meeting got a quick trip around the world in about four hours Saturday morning with presentations on global opportunities for soybean exports for animal use.

“We had 11 speakers representing eight different countries or regions,” said Miguel Escobar, USSEC Global Director of Animal Utilization. “We heard from all of them what kind of things they are doing in the marketplace for the future.”

Miguel says they wanted to let the stakeholders who fund the efforts of the USSEC know how their money is being spent. “The main two are the the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) of the USDA, the United Soybean Board (USB) and all the companies that are members of USSEC who have interest in animal utilization part of the business,” he said.

Miguel is very excited about the stakeholders meeting. “We are breaking the ground for what is going to happen in the future for animal utilization,” he said, noting that it represents an $18 billion segment of the U.S. soybean export market.

Listen to my interview with Miguel here. Miguel Escobar with USSEC
USSEC First Animal Utilization Stakeholders Meeting Photos

Audio, Feed, International, Soybean, USB

Soybean Board Leader at Stakeholders Meeting

Cindy Zimmerman

usb soybean exportsOne of the many United Soybean Board (USB) farmer representatives in Seattle for the first US Soybean Export Council Animal Utilization Stakeholders meeting is Phil Bradshaw, immediate past chairman from Griggsville, Illinois.

Phil has also served on the USSEC board and is on the International Marketing committee for USB and he is pleased to see this meeting taking place and where the USSEC is at today. “I think we’re on the right track and the future’s bright, I just think we’re really going to move a lot of soybeans and soybean meal in the future.”

Phil just announced that he is retiring from the United Soybean Board in December. “It’s been a lot of fun and it was kind of a sad day when I wrote Secretary Vilsack and said I would be resigning as of December 7, but I want to focus on some other areas,” he said. “We got a lot of great new people on the board who can come on and take my place.”

Listen to my interview with Phil here. USB Past Chair Phil Bradshaw
USSEC First Animal Utilization Stakeholders Meeting Photos

Audio, Soybean, USB