NCBA PAC Fundraising Campaign Underway

Joanna Schroeder

The political needs of cattle producers across the country may seem like a no brainer for many, but they are not well known or well supported by enough current senators. That is why it is so important for the beef industry to have representation on the Hill. And that’s why the Political Action Committee (PAC) plays such an important role for the industry.

Phil Hardy is the chair of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Political Action Committee (PAC) and he educated me on what the mission of the PAC is. “What we try to do is raise money so that we can elect people who understand and appreciate our business and our needs.”

Hardy said the PAC’s goal is to raise $1 million per election cycle, which equates to $500,000 a year. “Our goal in the 2012 election year is to hopefully elect enough more conservative senators that we’ll have the majority in the Senate who understand our business and appreciate and support our issues,” explained Hardy.

He said that today we have a conservative body in the House and would like to maintain the general make-up of the House. However, although the industry has gained some seats in the Senate, more support is needed. The PAC committee is hoping that more pro-cattle senators are elected in the 2012 election.

The fundraising campaign is well underway and thousands of dollars were raised during the Cattle Industry Summer Conference 2011 in Florida last week. But much, much more is needed. Hardy said each person who sends in money – from $1 to $25,000 plus – is credited for their contributions. Those interested can find information on the new NCBA website at www.beefusa.org.

Listen to my interview with Phil Hardy here: PAC Fundraising Campaign Underway

Photos from the conference are posted to this photo album: 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album.

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

Allied Industry Council Focuses on Market Research

Joanna Schroeder

The Cattle Industry Summer Conference 2011 might have officially ended last Thursday afternoon, but the work for most is just ramping up. I had a chance to speak with Rod Nulik, who is the chair of the Allied Industry Council group, to discuss some of the issues they would be focused on in the coming months. Nulik explained that the members of the council are stakeholders from the feed and animal health industry along with any other group that contributes to keeping beef moving forward.

Nulik noted that the industry has some distractors out there so the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is doing a great job of understanding what the issues are and making sure it is gathering relevant information and disseminating that among its members. He said one important thing the Council has been working on is understanding consumer’s ideas about beef and understanding what they’re hearing from the media. The Council works with NCBA to ensure that proper messages and materials are developed and that the industry is defending itself with sound science.

One issue in particular that seems to pop up quite frequently in the media is beef safety. Nulik said the best way they’ve addressed concerns is through the research done by the Beef Checkoff Program. He said the organization is able to measure what they’re getting done and monitoring how safe beef actually is and making sure they’re getting the information to those producers so that they keep a safe product out there.

Nulik also stressed that beef safety goes beyond the producer. It is also important to educate consumers about how to prepare beef to avert any kind of safety issue that could arise. He added that ultimately, what their research shows is that, “we have the safest food product on the planet.”

Listen to my interview with Rod Nulik here: Focus on Market Research

Photos from the conference are posted to this photo album: 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album.

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

What’s New With Becker Underwood

Chuck Zimmerman

At the Ag Media Summit I visited with Russ Berndt, Becker Underwood. I asked him what’s new.

Russ says one of the relatively new products he’d like to point to is their Vault HP product line. He says they had a phenomenal increase in sales last year. You’ll hear him explain why in our interview. He says that the ag media were interested to know what the trends are that he sees in the marketplace. Those include the increase in use of seed applied treatments and interest in biological solutions to disease and pest problems, both of which are being worked on by Becker Underwood.

You can listen to my conversation with Russ here: Russ Berndt Interview

2011 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by BASF and AgHaven
Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, Seed, Soybean

Social Media at AgCareers.com Ag HR Roundtable

Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmCast 314This edition of the ZimmCast features a couple of interviews from the AgCareers.com 2011 Ag HR Roundtable held last week in West Lafayette, Indiana where social media in the spotlight – like it is everywhere!

One of the featured speakers at the event was Eve Mayer Orsburn, CEO of Social Media Delivered, one of the largest social media optimization companies in the world. Eve has developed this multi-national company in just three years, serving clients like GM and Sheraton with consulting, training and managing their social media services. Eve also hosts a weekly radio show called “Social Media for the CEO” and is author of a book by the same name.

Eve spoke to the Ag HR Roundtable about how companies can use social media in their recruiting efforts, as well as their marketing efforts. She will get more in-depth on that topic at an AgCareers.com workshop in Des Moines, October 12-13 titled “Implementing A Successful Social Media Strategy to Boost Recruitment.” The first 25 participants to register for the workshop will get a complimentary copy of her book “The Social Media Business Equation.”

Kathryn Doan coordinates social media efforts for AgCareers.com from the company’s Guelph, Ontario office. Kathryn grew up on a dairy farm and is now a turkey and cash crop farmer with her husband in Ontario. She talks about the AgCareers.com social media strategy and their goals to create conversation within the agriculture and food industries.

Listen to my conversations with Eve and Kathryn in this week’s ZimmCast: Social Media and AgCareers

2011 AgCareers Ag HR Roundtable photo album.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

AgCareers, Audio, Social Networking, ZimmCast

Baby Raccoons?

Melissa Sandfort

What do you get when you cross a Black Kitty with a raccoon? Four odd-looking baby kittens! I doubt if Black Kitty mated with a raccoon, but her offspring sure look as though she did. These newborn kittens have gray bodies, black heads and ringed tails. They’re the oddest foursome I’ve ever seen – and faces only a mother (and me) could love.

Of course, the birth happened while I was out of town, but my husband and son took good care of them. We’re still debating about names and as creative as we get, they’ll probably end up named One, Two, Three and Four.

Black Kitty’s mothering skills have been superb but I’m not sure where she’s getting the strength and energy since she’s still scrawny as all get-out.

Pretty soon they’ll be able to move from the garage to the shed we’re building out front. I think the hay bales will make for a perfect winter get-away. In the meantime, we just have to be careful pulling in and out of the garage!

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Amanda Radke – Chidren’s Book Author

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Former AgWired contributor and current daily blog editor for BEEF Magazine Amanda Radke is now a published author of a new book for kids.

    “I’m pleased to announce the release of “Levi’s Lost Calf” (ISBN 1463514425), an illustrated children’s book that offers young readers a glimpse of life on a working cattle ranch,” Amanda said in an email to friends this weekend.

    When a young boy, Levi, rides out one autumn morning with his family to roundup the cattle and bring them home from the pasture he quickly sees a number of familiar faces. But, Levi was surprised to learn that one calf was missing – Little Red, his favorite red heifer calf. Determined to find the calf and prove his independence, he begins to search with his horse Pepper and trusty dog Gus. In his hunt for Little Red, Levi discovers a whole world of fun, playful animals living on the ranch, and Levi invites the reader to help find the baby calf before the sun goes down.

    In a time where today’s consumers are three generations removed from the family farm, this book will introduce kids to ranchers who serve as stewards of the land and the caregivers to the many animals. Readers will get to experience a real-life cowboy adventure, complete with horses, cattle and a new understanding for where our food comes from. Parents will enjoy the positive message of the book and might be reminded of the good old days when they may have visited Grandpa’s farm.

    Featuring original illustrations by cattle rancher Michelle Weber, the book is intended to inform and entertain young readers while helping them to understand what life is like on a cattle ranch. The book also features a kid-friendly recipe for “Hungry Cowboy Tin Foil Dinner and Dessert” and a glossary to help explain ranch terminology. “Levi’s Lost Calf” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.

    Amanda will be on a book signing tour starting this month at Dakotafest in her home town of Mitchell, SD. You can order the book on-line here.

    Congrats, Amanda – this is so cool!

    Beef

    John Deere Gearing Up For Major Product Launch

    Chuck Zimmerman

    At the Ag Media Summit I visited with Barry Nelson, John Deere, to find out what’s new. There is definitely going to be something new from John Deere very soon he says.

    “On August 24th and 25th we are going to have the largest most significant product introduction in our history.” Barry says the new equipment will be unveiled at the Farm Progress Show. I’ll be there for the launch in August and can’t wait to see what’s new.

    You can listen to my conversation with Barry here: Barry Nelson Interview

    2011 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by BASF and AgHaven
    Ag Media Summit, Audio, John Deere

    Parting Comments from Ag HR Roundtable

    Cindy Zimmerman

    By any measure, the 9th AgCareers.com North American Ag HR Roundtable was a big success and next year will likely be even bigger and better.

    I talked with Emily Gray with the University of Tennessee College of Ag Sciences and Natural Resources who has attended every one of the nine roundtables. “This is a very valuable event,” she told me. “It gives us as career service professionals from the universities a great opportunity to network with companies who hire our students. We’re always impressed year after year with the variety of companies who attend, the interest they have in our students and the number of companies we’re able to network with.”

    Listen to my interview with Emily here: Emily Gray, University of Tennessee

    There were 90 companies in attendance at the event this year, the most ever by far according to AgCareers.com, with a wide variety ranging from precision agriculture, to seed companies, biotechnology, and even artificial insemination.

    Pioneer is one company that has supported the Roundtable from the beginning, hosting three of the nine events at company headquarters in Iowa, including the very first one. I didn’t get a chance to interview them – but here is a photo of a few of their representatives – Alan Roberts, Tom Drake who conducted one of the breakout sessions, and Human Resources Manager Cindy Heser.

    Finally, I interviewed the sole international participant at the Roundtable, Mick Hay of the Australia-based Rimfire Resources – but I somehow didn’t get a photo of him. No matter, you’ll enjoy his Aussie accent in the interview!

    Mick says Rimfire is a recruitment and consulting business specializing in agribusiness – kind of like a down under AgCareers. “Not as much an on-line model as AgCareers, but we’ve got a relationship where we took the AgCareers site and launched that in Australia,” Mick says. He was glad to be able to attend the Roundtable and get some new ideas to implement back home.

    Listen to my interview with Mick here: Mick Hay, Rimfire Resources

    2011 AgCareers Ag HR Roundtable photo album.

    AgCareers, Audio, Pioneer, University

    The Importance of Soft Skills to Employers

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Soft skills are as important in the job market as software is to a computer.

    Soft skills include areas such as communications, leadership, problem-solving, self-management and professionalism – some of which must be developed over time rather than taught in a classroom – but the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) is taking a look at how their courses might be adjusted to do more to develop those skills.

    To that end, they did a survey this year, which participants at the AgCareers.com 2011 North American Ag HR Roundtable last week got a preview of prior to it being officially unveiled at the APLU National Summit on Curricula Reform. Over 8,000 survey participants included students, faculty, alumni and employers from 31 universities and 282 companies.

    APLU’s Associate Director for Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources Programs Wendy Fink says they found through the survey that the base of all the soft skills was communications. “If you can’t communicate, you really can’t do the others,” she told me. “That’s quickly followed by decision making and then self-management.” She says the biggest surprise in the study was that international experience was not valued as highly by employers as they expected.

    The results of the study will be used by universities to evaluate their curricula going forward.

    Listen to my interview with Wendy here: Wendy Fink with APLU

    Attendees at the Ag HR Roundtable were able to participate in a live survey based on some of the questions in the soft skill survey. Watch a couple of the question and responses in this YouTube video:

    2011 AgCareers Ag HR Roundtable photo album.

    AgCareers, Audio, Video