Waiting for GIPSA

Cindy Zimmerman May 23, 2011

It’s been 11 months since it was first published and six months since the comment period ended, but it will be several more months yet before USDA makes a decision on the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule.

“There were 66,000 comments, about 30,000 of which are unique,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told an agriculture committee meeting last week. “Our hope is that we get this done sometime in the fall.”

Last week, 147 members of Congress sent Vilsack a letter about the proposed rule urging him “to proceed in a manner that allows further public comment on revisions to the proposal and the pending economic analysis” before a final rule is published, adding that a timeline for completion of the economic analysis and any further action is also needed.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Bill Donald of Montana says the members of Congress are standing up for U.S. cattlemen and women. “The proposed GIPSA rule puts big government smack dab in the middle of our business. It is the most pervasive invasion of federal government into the private marketplace I have ever witnessed,” he said.

National Pork Producers Council President Doug Wolf says the regulation as written “would be bad for producers, bad for consumers and bad for rural America” and would cost the U.S. pork industry nearly $400 million a year.

American Meat Institute president and CEO J. Patrick Boyle noted that an “almost unprecedented” third of House members signed the letter. “The sheer number of signatories on this letter is a testament to the growing concern on Capitol Hill about the proposed GIPSA rule. Congress is asking a fundamental and essential question: when will USDA tell us the price tag on this rule?”

Beef, GIPSA, NCBA, NPPC, USDA

Getting With Gibbs & Soell

Chuck Zimmerman May 23, 2011

Gibbs & Soell is the highlight in this week’s ZimmCast. This is another installment in my series of interviews with the leadership of agricultural marketing and communications agencies. I spoke with Ann Camden, Senior Vice President. You can bet we talked about social media and how that has impacted their business. But we also talked about sustainability.

Gibbs & Soell conducted a survey this year on the subject of how consumers perceive what a company is doing to be more sustainable. The agency has a Greentech & Sustainability Practice to assist customers in this area.

The 2011 Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability® Study – the annual survey that gauges consumer and business perceptions on the corporate commitment to “going green” – shows a disturbing gap in communications.

Our research found that although 88% of business leaders report their company is “going green,” only 29% of executives and 17% of consumers believe that a majority of businesses are committed to sustainability.

The message is crystal clear: Many companies have taken steps on the path toward sustainability, but their stakeholders remain skeptical of their progress. More details about the study can be found online here.

Learn what else is new with Gibbs & Soell in this week’s program: Getting With Gibbs & Soell

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

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

Agencies, Audio, ZimmCast

The 8-pound Iron

Melissa Sandfort May 23, 2011

I really dislike ironing. So much so that if I find a shirt I like and it’s 100% cotton, I’ll put it back on the rack. It has to be one fantastic piece of clothing for me to buy it if it needs ironing.

When my grandmother was growing up, they ironed everything: sheets, pillowcases, clothes, kitchen towels. They used sad irons – also known as flat irons or smoothing irons. The sad in sad iron is an old word for solid. And boy was this thing solid, weighing in at 8 pounds. They had metal handles, so they had to be picked up with a pad or thick rag. Some irons had wooden handles and in 1870 a detachable handle was patented in the U.S. (the iron pictured on the left was patented May 22, 1900). This stayed cool while the metal bases were heated on the stove.

You see, in order to iron properly, at least two irons in operation – one on the stove heating up while the other was in use. So not only did they iron, they had two or three going at one time!

The key to success was temperature. It is said that a little spit on your finger and if it sizzled, it was hot enough, but not so hot that it would scorch the cloth. The iron pictured on the left is sitting on a trivet. This was placed on the ironing board and when the iron was not in use, it was placed on the trivet as to not burn the ironing board cover.

Really though, I did iron a dress just two weeks ago. I had to wipe the dust off my iron and dig out my ironing board, but that’s beside the point.

I think I’d rather get out my steamer and use these old ones as cool bookends.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort May 23, 2011

Austrian champion Christian Lanz drove a New Holland tractor mounted with Continental AC85 tires to win the 58th world competition in conventional plowing held in Sweden.
The American Meat Science Association announces that Dr. J. Brad Morgan is the recipient of the 2011 AMSA Intercollegiate Meat Judging Meritorious Service Award.
If you are a designer, know a designer, work with a designer or want to be a designer…. then mark your calendar for June 16 and the next LPC-sponsored Design Workshop in Kansas City.
ConjoStudios, LLC is proud to announce the production of an educational film documenting the current state of the Wheat industry and telling the story of custom harvesters who harvest the wheat that feeds the world.

Zimfo Bytes

Special Alltech Dinner Performance By Ronan Tynan

Chuck Zimmerman May 22, 2011

The International Dinner at the Alltech Symposium had a special performance by Ronan Tynan. He’s a tenor singer in the classical Irish style. This evening he chose to share his rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

We had a number of performances during the course of the evening. I wish I could share them all. I think you’ll enjoy this one. Here’s a little bit of information about Ronan:

Ronan Tynan is truly a modern day “Renaissance Man.” Faced with numerous challenges throughout his well documented life, he has persevered with enormous passion and determination. He attributes his success to his faith and the knowledge that the Man Above guides him through every door he opens. Introduced to international audiences as a member of the Irish Tenors, Tynan quickly became known for his unique voice and irresistible appeal. Following his mother’s advice to always follow your dreams, Tynan decided to launch a solo career, and has achieved the fame and ado.

You can listen to Ronan Tynan’s performance here: Ronan Tynan Sings Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech, Audio

Alltech International Dinner

Chuck Zimmerman May 22, 2011

The International Dinner at the Alltech Symposium was another joyful celebration of not only good food but good fellowship and music. We had the winners of the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition from the University of Kentucky perform as well as our very own, Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder and President of Alltech. He was introduced on stage by Dr. Everett McCorvey, Director of Opera, Lexington Opera Society Endowed Chair in Opera Studies at UK.

This is my 5th Symposium. Dr. Lyons is amazed at the fact that this is the 27th event. There is record attendance. To me it seems almost like a family experience and he says that’s what they try to create. This evening it was an “international family.”

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Lyons here: Dr. Pearse Lyons Interview

You can listen to Dr. Lyons lead the dinner audience with Molly Malone here: Molly Malone Performance

Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Animal Health, Audio

Alltech and Algae

Chuck Zimmerman May 22, 2011

My first stop after registering for the Alltech Symposium was the tour of their new Winchester, KY Algae plant. Here’s one of the many tour groups getting to see the facility in action today. The company purchased the plant late last year and is in the process of fully converting it into a scaled-down replica of a large production system that will allow Alltech to research and perfect production methods before rolling them out on a large scale. The plant contains fermentors that stand over 8 stories high and have a capacity of 265,000 liters. Once they get into full 24/7 production this plant will produce about 10,000 metric tons of algae material per year. The algae produced by the plant can be used in animal feed, food supplements, pharmaceuticals, bioremediation and biofuels.

While I was waiting on a tour to get started I spoke with Kyle Raney who works for Alltech in applications research with a focus on algae. He describes the facility and the projects they’re working on right now. Many of the algae products they produce will be used by Alltech’s own animal nutrition products as well as being sold to other customers.

You can listen to my interview with Kyle here: Kyle Raney Interview

Follow the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions.

2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Animal Health, Audio

An Alltech Family Affair

Chuck Zimmerman May 22, 2011

An Alltech Symposium is almost like a family event. A very big family. Here are a few of the members. (l-r) Damien O’Reilly, David Markey and Christina Lombard, Alltech. Damien is an Irish agricultural journalist and David is past president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. I’m pretty sure they’ll keep the conversation lively over the next several days. I ran into them this afternoon and invite both Damien and David to post some of the stories they told me about their visit so far. I think I can approve most of it. Just use the comment feature guys!

So, the Symposium is underway and it’s my 5th year here. It really does feel like home and I look forward to seeing people from various countries and learning more about what’s new with Alltech!

You will be able to follow a lot of the action on the Alltech Innovations Blog, including photos, interviews and there will be live streaming of certain sessions. I’ll try to keep you pointed that way when I can.

My photos are being included here: 2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech

GROWMARK Propane

Chuck Zimmerman May 22, 2011

Here’s the latest installment of our “Getting To Know GROWMARK” series. I talked propane with Randy Miller, Director of Propane Operations. He says that they’ve been marketing propane for years with grain drying being a big part of their business. Home heat is also important. They’ve expanded their territory significantly, including into the northeast.

Randy says that propane is a very important part of their energy business. The last couple of years the growth has been driven by the increased need for grain drying. GROWMARK negotiates their supply of propane on behalf of members with the flexibility to deliver to areas when and where it is most needed. They also help members with forward contracting.

You can listen to my interview with Randy here and learn more about GROWMARK is doing in the propane business: Randy Miller Interview

Agribusiness, Audio, Energy, GROWMARK

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