AGROTAIN Working On Indian Creek Watershed

Chuck Zimmerman

Martin Case AGROTAINField days and tours are heating up this summer along with the weather. During the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour one of our stops put us right out in the corn, looking at the impact of various levels of nitrogen application. Martin Case, AGROTAIN, our sponsor for tour coverage, conducted one of the presentations. He’s seen here answering questions after his presentation. AGROTAIN is one of the sponsors of the tour as well.

Martin gave us an overview of AGROTAIN and the company’s products. He was showing initial results from a nitrogen use efficiency study. This type of study can take several years to obtain all the results needed. He believes that nitrogen management is critical not only for the environment but also for the financial sustainability of the farmer. The study going on here on this farm is intended to show how using new technology like that provided by AGROTAIN can achieve these goals. You can watch Martin’s presentation here:

CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by
Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Fertilizer

Photos From CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour

Chuck Zimmerman

I finally got back to ZimmComm World Headquarters and was able to get all my photos uploaded from yesterday’s Conservation Technology Information Center Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour. I’m working on interviews and will have more story posts to come so please check back often.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos.

CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by
Ag Groups, CTIC

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The North American Meat Processors Association is partnering with 12 other meat industry organizations, FSIS, and six trade media to host the Third Annual E. coli Conference for North American Beef Further Processors.
  • The National Association of Farm Broadcasting Foundation awarded three college scholarships to deserving upper-classmen aspiring for a career in ag broadcasting and/or ag communications.
  • New Holland has announced the Boomer 555 contest. Beginning July 1 and continuing for the next five months, you can enter to win a five-year lease of a New Holland Boomer 30 compact tractor and loader.
  • The Angus Foundation was honored for excellence in producing publications and communication projects at the annual meeting of the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Conservation Technology

    Chuck Zimmerman

    We couldn’t have had better weather for a farm tour than today for the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Day. Several bus loads of participants visited Livingston County, IL area farms to see and hear how they are implementing best management practices for things like nutrient management.

    One of the people working on the project with CTIC and a presenter today is Harold Reetz. I visite with Harold prior to the start of today’s activities. I’ll see him again next week in Sprinfield, IL for the InfoAg Conference. Since that’s all about precision agriculture and since that is an integral part of the BMP’s being implemented on the tour stops here we decided to call it “precision conservation.”

    Harold says the project purpose is to demonstrate different best management practices for nitrogen. It’s a relatively small watershed with mostly corn and soybean crops. So the goal is to come up with practices to improve nitrogen efficiency which will reduce the amount that will get into the ground water. Local farmers have volunteered in this first year of the project to implement suggested practices and it is their farms we visited. I’ll have interviews with each of them in coming days.

    The project is receiving funding from a variety of sources that includes the Illinois EPA. It is really a proactive approach to voluntarily manage natural resources without the need to have new regulations. That sure seems like a potentially win win situation for all parties.

    You can listen to my interview with Harold here: Harold Reetz Interview

    Post Update: I’ve updated the link to my photo album below:

    Here are some of my photos from today’s tour. I’ll have more after getting back to ZimmComm World Headquarters. The internet access here pretty well quit about half way through uploading. CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

    AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by
    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, Fertilizer, Technology

    United Egg Producers Hatches Deal With HSUS

    Cindy Zimmerman

    In a move to avoid fighting legislative battles in individual states, United Egg Producers (UEP) will work together with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) “toward the enactment of comprehensive new federal legislation for all 280 million hens involved in U.S. egg production.”

    According to a release from UEP, the proposed standards advocated by UEP and HSUS, if enacted, would be the first federal law addressing the treatment of animals on farms.

    The two groups will jointly ask Congress for federal legislation which would require egg producers to increase space per bird in a tiered phase in, with the amount of space birds are given increasing, in intervals, over the next 15 to 18 years. Currently, the majority of birds are each provided 67 square inches of space, with roughly 50 million receiving 48 square inches. The proposed phase-in would culminate with hens nationwide being provided a minimum of 124-144 square inches of space, along with the other improvements noted.

    Other livestock sectors facing challenges by HSUS are concerned about the agreement. National Pork Producers Council President Doug Wolf says they fear that legislation pre-empting state laws on egg production systems would “set a dangerous precedent for allowing the federal government to dictate how livestock and poultry producers raise and care for their animals.”

    If Congress passes the legislation proposed by UEP and HSUS, it would supersede state laws including those that have been passed in Arizona, California, Michigan and Ohio and “puts a hold on planned ballot measures related to egg-laying hens in both Washington and Oregon.”

    Animal Activists, Poultry

    NAFB on the Move

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) will be moving into new digs next week.

    The big move will mean limited operations for the office during the week of July 11. The News Service will continue operations from a remote location and Stacia Cudd (stacia@nafb.com) will be the primary contact for the office staff during the period of limbo. Phone and email access will be limited until at least Thursday with normal operations expected to resume on Monday, July 18.

    The new NAFB office address is: 1100 Platte Falls Rd., Platte City, MO, 64079.

    NAFB

    Farm Conservation Technology In Action

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Hello from Illinois and the Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour. This project and farm tour is being conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center.

    Farmers and corporate sponsors at the sites will focus on effective agricultural systems while they showcase products, practices and technology that can boost profitable farming and improve water quality.

    Tour demonstrations will include nitrogen fertilizer split-application, slow release products, strip-till N application systems, and fertilizer use efficiency studies. These practices can improve both the farmer’s bottom line and water quality. Practices shown will emphasize the 4R cornerstones of nutrient management: use the Right source at the Right time, in the Right place at the Right rate. Producers can implement the four Rs and substantially reduce the amount of N fertilizer escaping fields, a clear financial loss, and detrimental to water quality.

    During the day I’ll be conducting interviews with various farmers and stakeholders in this CTIC project. Most of these will be posted during coming days since we’ll be on a bus and out at farm locations. However, I’m pretty sure you’ll find some tweets throughout the day if you’re following along on Twitter.

    AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by
    Ag Groups, Conservation, CTIC, Technology

    Growing AgCareers

    Cindy Zimmerman

    ZimmCast 309There’s never been a better time for careers in agribusiness with a bigger variety of jobs that span the spectrum from production to promotion.

    “I just feel like it’s a very exciting time to be in agribusiness,” says Eric Spell, president of AgCareers.com. He should know, since they have been specializing in human resource services to the agriculture and food industry for nearly 15 years now, starting out as a print newsletter. “Year to date, we’ve had 23,000 jobs posted on our site, and we’ve had just over 50,000 applications to jobs on our site,” said Eric. In 2010, there over 36,000 agribusiness jobs in North America were posted on AgCareers.com with nearly 22,000 jobs posted in the Midwest region alone!

    In addition to the job board, AgCareers.com offers a number of other services and tools for human resource professionals, including the upcoming 9th AgCareers.com Ag HR Roundtable, August 1 – 3, 2011 in West Lafayette, Indiana, which is being hosted this year by ADM and Purdue University. Eric says the event brings together agribusiness employers, professional organizations and college career counselors “to talk about issues facing the recruitment and retention of entry level and professional level talent in our industry.”

    This year for the first time, the HR Roundtable will be followed by the 2011 National Academic Programs Summit with the theme of “Creating Change: Reforming Curricula for a 21st Century Education” where participants will be able to receive input from the agribusiness employers at the roundtable on what changes they would like to see in preparing young people for careers in the industry.

    AgWired will be blogging the Ag HR Roundtable this year and finding out more about this important topic that impacts everyone in the agribusiness industry. In the meantime, listen to this edition of the ZimmCast featuring my interview with Eric Spell of AgCareers.com: Growing AgCareers with Eric Spell

    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.

    AgCareers, Audio, Education, Events, ZimmCast

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Charly Cummings recently won the Livestock Marketing Association’s 2011 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship.
    • Leica Geosystems has released the new features for the AS7500 section controller.
    • Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association invites you to visit their member farms and ranches on National Alpaca Farm Days on Sept. 24-25.
    • The FAO Prize is awarded every two years to the individual or institution judged by an FAO Selection Committee to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of global food security. The AU’s Jacques Diouf Prize is awarded by the African Union every two years to countries or institutions contributing to achieving or improving food security.
    Zimfo Bytes

    InfoAg 2011 Conference App

    Chuck Zimmerman

    This is the newest app on my iPhone and will be on my Android phone later this morning. It’s the InfoAg 2011 Conference app.

    The InfoAg 2011 Conference, hosted at Springfield Illinois’ Crowne Plaza, from July 12-14th, is pleased to add a digital Conference Companion available exclusively for the InfoAg 2011 exhibitors and attendees. Designed to supplement the online conference program, this app allows its user to view an at-a-glance program, search speakers, exhibitors, and presentation synopses, as well as create a personalized conference itinerary.

    As you can see from this screenshot I’ll be on the program talking about social media. Our moderator for that session is Paul Schrimpf, Group Editor, Croflife Media Group. Also in our session will be Jeremy Wilson, Technology Specialist, Crop IMS. Our session will be offered twice next Thursday. Hope you can make it.

    The app is the creation of Quentin Rund, PAQ Interactive. Get it and let him know what you think. I think this is going to become a standard offering of shows of all kinds, farm included. Kind of like the “old” conference brochure but much easier to use and carry around!

    Apps, Precision Agriculture