I’m betting there are a few Toby Keith fans out there in the AgWired community so I thought I’d share a photo from his performance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally at the Buffalo Chip Campground. After a long day of working with the Renewable Fuels Association on their sponsorship of the rally it’s really nice to kick back and enjoy some good music. I’ve got more photos online, including opening act Poison and from Monday’s bands. Tonight’s feature is Gregg Allman and I plan to be there.
Rupert Loves Home Grown Fuel
His name is Rupert Boneham but everyone knows him as Rupert, winner of Survivor. Rupert is one of the folks I’ve had the pleasure to meet here at the 2011 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. In the photo he’s being interviewed on the street before the Legends Ride. I ran into him again out here where I’m staying at the Buffalo Chip Campground.
Rupert has a charitable organization called, “Rupert’s Kids” which is “dedicated to serving an easily overlooked population of youth: those that have become too old for the youth social service system, but are not old enough for the adult social service system. We teach these youth valuable skills and trades, while also empowering them to discover their inner strengths, passions and interests.” I heard him speak about the work his organization is doing and the fact that they’ve never taken any government money. That message alone was well worth bringing to your attention. With donations lagging due to the economy he’s turned to some very creative ways to create funding that includes his own branded video games.
Rupert is from Indiana and is also a big supporter of home grown fuel like ethanol, one of the sponsors of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Listen to my interview with Rupert here: Interview with Rupert
Biorefinery Safety
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think the biggest safety issue is at a biorefinery?” Here’s what you said. 43% said interaction with chemicals, 34% said, slips, grips and falls, 14% chose equipment and 9% other. We’ll be delving into this issue more in a series of stories on Domestic Fuel and appreciate your input!
Our new ZimmPoll is now live. We’re asking the question, “What do you like best about farm radio?” Your input and thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.
National Farm-City Week Symposium Topic Announced
“Childhood Obesity: The School Lunchroom Debate,” will be the 2011 topic of the annual National Farm-City Week Symposium held at the Griffin Gate Marriott, Lexington, Ken., on Thursday, Nov. 17. The public is invited to attend.
The purpose of this symposium will be to explore the issues around childhood obesity in the United States and how it can be managed through healthy choices made available in the school lunchroom.
The Symposium begins at 10:30 a.m. EST and will continue until 2 p.m. Discussions from 11 a.m. until noon will be broadcast live by the nationally syndicated AgriTalk radio show, hosted by nationally noted broadcaster, Mike Adams. It will include a lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. with a topic-related speaker.
Symposium participants and the lunch speaker will be announced later.
For more information on the National Farm-City Council Symposium on “Childhood Obesity: The School Lunchroom Debate,” contact Holly Fritz at 610.621.2253 or holly.fritz@hbfritz.com.
The event kicks off National Farm-City Week from Nov. 18-25, ending on Thanksgiving, and celebrates the important partnership between farm and urban residents in providing the nation with a bounty of food, fiber, fuel and a growing list of other products.
Zimfo Bytes
- Kinze introduces a new line of grain carts featuring an externally mounted, forward-angled corner auger.
- New Holland’s new ProCart™ deluxe carted wheel rakes are designed for fast, big raking capacity.
- Gerald Ketterling of Clive not only enjoyed his 15th RAGBRAI ride last month, he also won an iPad2 through a contest sponsored by Iowa Farmers Feed Us.
- The all-new Hesston by Massey Ferguson DM1300 Series Butterfly Mower System being unveiled this fall provides professional producers with a reliable, smooth-cutting disc mower configuration that can be best suited to fit their needs.
Sun Sets on Great Tour of Great Farms and Great Lake
The rosy glow over the Maumee River as we returned from the 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour Tuesday was reflective of the mood of the participants about the future of the Great Lake Erie and the agriculture that surrounds it.
The theme of the tour was “Great Farms, Great Lake” and we heard from so many agricultural producers in the area who are taking pro-active steps to keep it great. I have lots of interviews and video but am exhausted after a very long day so we will work on that in the days to come. Meanwhile, the photo album has been updated and you can enjoy the tour just like you were there! A big thanks to the CTIC staff, board of directors, tour organizing committee and the great sponsors – including our coverage sponsor Agrotain.
CTIC 2011 Conservation in Action Tour Photos
AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAINCongresswoman Marcy Kaptur at CTIC Tour
The 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour concluded with a visit from Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) who represents the district that includes much of the area of Ohio that we visited today.
This 15-term representative is an advocate for agriculture and conservation in her district and was pleased to take time to meet with the tour group. “My main message was to thank them for being in the greatest tradition of the United States – our love of the land, the ethic of conservation and land stewardship that is rooted deep in our history,” she told me in an interview.
Challenges to the water quality of Lake Erie was the main focus of the CTIC tour and Marcy just participated in a ceremony Monday announcing a new $1.3 million wetlands restoration project in the latest round of Great Lakes Restoration Initiative awards at the Lake Erie Center in Oregon. She says the manufactured wetland will filter e.coli and phosphorus “in a very creative way, perhaps even being able to reuse phosphorus where it is needed.”
I also asked Marcy about her thoughts on the current attitude in Congress and, as a member of the House Agriculture Appropriations committee, what she thinks might happen with conservation funding in the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill negotiations.
Listen to my interview with Marcy Kaptur here: Rep. Marcy Kaptur
CTIC 2011 Conservation in Action Tour Photos
AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAINPromoting Ethanol at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
You might not think of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as an agricultural event but there’s a tie-in. That tie is the fact that one of the sponsors of the event and my coverage here and on Domestic Fuel is the Renewable Fuels Association. There is prominent visibility for “Ethanol, Fueled with Pride.”
On location here representing RFA is Robert White (right) being interviewed prior to the start of yesterday’s Legends Ride in Deadwood, SD. The ride ended here where I’m staying at the Buffalo Chip Campground. Cindy asked me to describe the rally when I spoke with her from the CTIC Tour she’s on. I said, “There is no easy way to describe this. The Chip is a temporary city that almost defies description.” I’ll try to do that somehow over the next few days.
Meanwhile, back to ethanol. Robert was interviewed on the street over the Legends event PA and I recorded him describing the importance of this renewable fuel to America. You can listen to the interview here: Robert White Interview
Robert also spoke at a press conference held prior to the start of the ride You can hear his introduction and statement here: Robert White Press Conference
I’ve got a photo album started which you are very welcome to visit: 2011 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Photo Album
Robert took part in the Legends Ride with his bike. You can see the start of the ride with this video clip:
Learning About Lake Erie on CTIC Tour
Lake Erie is the most important lake in the world but it is facing some challenges.
The first part of the 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour allowed us to get a first hand look at and learn more about the Great Lake and the Maumee River and Bay that feed it.
Jeff Reutter, Director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at Ohio State University says Lake Erie is very different than the other four great lakes. “The other lakes are all in excess of 750 feet deep while the deepest spot in Lake Erie is 210 feet. The average depth of the whole western basin is only 24 feet, so it’s really a shallow lake.” Jeff says Lake Erie has only two percent of the water of all the Great Lakes combined, but 50% of the fish.
It’s also the most southern and the warmest of the lakes, which makes it a breeding ground for algae. “Because we have a lot of agriculture and cities around the basin, we end up with a lot of nutrients coming into the lake. If you put fertilizer on crops, the crops do really well, if you put fertilizer out in Lake Erie, the algae does really well.”
Jeff was pleased to have the opportunity to have this agricultural group tour the area and see the proactive steps the industry can take to reduce runoff and still maintain productivity.
Listen to my interview with Jeff here: Jeff Reutter, Ohio Sea Grant Director
Check out the photo album from the CTIC Tour, which started with a boat tour of the Maumee River and out into Lake Erie. On Tuesday, we will be touring agricultural operations in the area to see the innovative conservation practices they are implementing.
CTIC 2011 Conservation in Action Tour
AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAIN2011 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Kicks Off
Greetings from Toledo, Ohio and the 2011 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour!
The Conservation Technology Information Center annual tour is taking place in Northwest Ohio and focusing on the impact of agriculture on the Maumee River and Bay, as well as Lake Erie.
We started out the event with a boat tour of the river and bay and out into the lake to get a view from the water of what the issues are for agriculture in the area. I talked with Ron Olson (left) of The Mosaic Company and Rex Martin of Syngenta about the purpose of the tour and why their companies are involved with the event and CTIC.
Florida-based Mosaic, which is the world’s leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, is the sponsor of this year’s tour. “The industry has adopted the 4R stewardship campaign,” Ron said. “The right product at the right rate, at the right place at the right time – and this is part of getting that message out to the farmers and the fertilizer dealers who are users of our product.”
Listen to my interview with Ron here: Ron Olson, Mosaic
Rex is head of industry relations for Syngenta and chairman of the CTIC Board of Directors. “We do a good job of taking folks that need to learn about conservation technology and matching them with folks that need to know about conservation technology,” Rex says about CTIC. This year’s tour has record-breaking attendance and Rex says they have lots of great stops planned on Tuesday to find out more about innovative conservation practices in the area.
Listen to my interview with Rex here: Rex Martin, Syngenta
CTIC 2011 Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by AGROTAIN