Rural America Key to Energy Security

Joanna Schroeder

“I am a great believer in American ingenuity,” began Vilsack during his speech in Shenandoah, Iowa where the only first generation ethanol plant is co-located with an algae plant. “I’m a great believer in the capacity of the American farmer and rancher to literally meet any challenge.”

Vilsack recently went on an “energy” tour of the Midwest where he visited various energy projects, many that are supported by the USDA. One project, started three years ago, is the BioProcess Algae project co-located with a first generation corn-ethanol plant. The algae plant utilizes the waste carbon dioxide, waste water and waste heat to produce algal fuels and by-products. Vilsack, along with CEO Tim Burns of BioProcess Algae and CEO Todd Becker of Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) all believe that farmers will soon be growing algae – just like they currently grow other energy crops such as corn. In fact, Burns’ vision is that in 10 or 15 years, when you fly over Iowa, you will see concentric circles of algae around the ethanol biorefineries.

While Vilsack was excited about the technology and partnership happening in Shenandoah, Iowa, maybe what he was more excited about was the ability for domestically produced energy to revitalize rural America. During his keynote speech, Vilsack focused on the need for innovative and creative jobs to bring bright, young people back home. Today, 16 percent of our country’s population comes from rural areas like Shenandoah, Iowa and 44 percent of our military comes from these areas.

Vilsack believes that projects such as the BioProcess Algae / GPRE project will spread across the country and rural communities. “There’s phenomenal innovation and phenomenal growth opportunities to be able to do something for your country that needs to be done and that’s to wean ourselves off of our dependence on foreign oil,” continued Vilsack. “It’s an opportunity for us to create jobs in small towns. It’s an opportunity for American agriculture to continue to respond to the challenges it has met time after time in the country.”

There are four components that Vilsack believes are the secret for success in revitalizing the rural economy: significant investment dollars, innovation, networking, and a sense of place. Vilsack said these are the reasons why the USDA was supporting this project.

He concluded, “I want to congratulate the folks at BioProcess Algae and I want to congratulate the ethanol industry and the advanced biofuels industry for coming together in this operation because it’s a model for the rest of the country and it sends a strong unmistakable message the ethanol industry and the biofuels industry is here to stay and is going to play an important role in shaping not just opportunity for America but very specifically a wonderful opportunity, an unlimited opportunity for the bright young people who want to live, and work and raise their family in the greatest part of America.”

Click here to view the Flickr photo album from the BioProcess Algae/GPRE Grower Harvester event.

Agribusiness, Biofuels, Corn, Energy, Ethanol, USDA, Video

Frontera Intros Melon Mania

Chuck Zimmerman

Speaking of fresh produce. I was just a few moments ago. How about some melons? We’re at peak time of freshness according to Frontera Produce. So the company has just launched a new website for consumers called Melon Mania. Of course they have a booth at the United Fresh Convention in New Orleans.

“Our new Melon Mania website showcases our full line-up of melons: honeydew, watermelon and cantaloupe,” said Amy Gates, Executive Vice President for Frontera Produce. “We wanted to provide all the ‘not always easily accessible’ and non-traditional information about melons in a bright, fun and very consumer-friendly package. The new site highlights peak growing seasons, tips on picking the perfect melons, and custom recipes from Frontera’s own Executive Chef, Michelle Gonsalves.”

Follow on Twitter.

Food

An App That’s United And Fresh

Chuck Zimmerman

The United Fresh App is now available just in time for the United Fresh Produce Association conference taking place this week in New Orleans. It will be on my iPhone at the next iTunes sync.

The United Fresh app is available for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone users and can be downloaded free of charge at www.UnitedFresh.org/apps. The apps feature United Fresh 2011 schedules, exhibitor information and product listings, as well as convention news. Users of the app can access customized United Fresh 2011 content for each of the four United Fresh Market Segments: Grower-Shipper, Wholesaler-Distributor, Fresh-Cut Processor and Retail-Foodservice.

“We’ve come to a point at which, in a modern industry like ours, business leaders expect to be able to connect with their association in multiple ways,” said Ray Gilmer, vice president of communications for United Fresh. “The United Fresh app enables its users to quickly and easily get the information they need about the United show, in order to stay current, plan their days, and make the most of their United Fresh 2011 experience.” Users of mobile devices other than the Android, BlackBerry and iPhone can visit m.unitedfresh.org on their mobile browsers to experience the same customized features.

Follow along with their social media channels:

UniteFresh.TV
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Foursquare

Use #United2011 for the conference Twitter hashtag.

Ag Groups, Social Networking

Novus Celebrating 20 Years of Innovation with Integrity

Cindy Zimmerman

novus“Innovation with Integrity” is the theme of the 20th anniversary of Novus International, which is being celebrated around the world this year.

“It really is an exciting year,” Novus International Chief Sustainability Officer Joyce Cacho said during the company’s recent “Science in Action” day. “We started celebrating in January in India, we’re currently celebrating in China and we will have a really wonderful celebration here at global headquarters with our customers in June and the fun continues throughout the year.”

You can listen to or download my interview with Joyce here: Joyce Cacho

novusPart of the celebration will be the long-awaited unveiling of Leo the water organ. The students who visited Novus as part of “Science in Action” day got a sneak preview of Leo from Tricia Beal, Global Communications Director.

“Leo is a water organ based on the codexes of Leonardo da Vinci,” Tricia explains in the video. “We are composing music and actually creating a documentary on the history of this water organ.” The instrument, which is really a work of art, will make music depending on the amount of water flowing through the pipes. It will be officially unveiled, with music, May 6 at the Novus Annual Art Walk benefiting the Arts and Education Council.

Novus Science in Action Day 2011 Photos

Get a sneak peak of Leo here:

Audio, Education, Novus International, Video

Vidalia Onion Museum Opens

Chuck Zimmerman

The Vidalia Onion Festival has just concluded but that doesn’t mean you can’t find out all you want to know about these world famous onions. The event also marked the opening of the Vidalia Onion Museum.

The Vidalia Onion Museum provides guests with an interactive, historical experience. The museum is filled with educational exhibits that highlight the sweet onion’s economic, cultural and culinary significance. The Vidalia Onion Museum is located at 100 Vidalia Sweet Onion Drive and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

This is of course in Vidalia, GA.

Ag Groups

The Daisy #40

Melissa Sandfort

I love butter. Isn’t everything better with butter? And I love sour cream. Not the fat free kind – the full octane spread it on your hips kind of “real” sour cream. With that attitude, I would’ve done well back in the early 1900s when everything was real and a size 12 dress (or was it 14?) was average.

This is a Dazey #40 butter churn, patent date of Feb. 14, 1922. Speaking of sour cream, after the cow was milked, a cream separator was used and then the cream would sit until it was actually SOUR. You got it – sour cream. They’d pour that sour cream into this butter churn and crank the handle until the whey was worked out of it. It was grainy at first, but with enough cranks, produced a creamy yellow REAL butter (they did have to add a little salt). The liquid left after the butter was taken out, the buttermilk, and it is said to have made the best pancakes in the world.

If the cream was too fresh or not the right temperature, they’d have to crank a long time on this wooden handle until it made butter. These days, if it’s not fresh, we just toss it out. Think of all the good butter we’re wasting.

The first version of oleo was actually white. That didn’t go over too well, so they’d send you home with an orange color capsule or dry powder to mix in it to make it yellow. It’s all about appearances, now, isn’t it? I guess a size 14 didn’t matter as long as the butter was yellow.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Informa Economics is proud to announce the launch of its new web-based policy news and analysis service, the Informa Economics Issue Monitor.
  • The Conservation Legacy Awards program is looking for those soybean farmers who should be recognized for their outstanding environmental and conservation practices.
  • The Colorado Wheat Research Foundation has selected Demeter Communications (www.demetercommunications.com) as its new marketing communications partner for the foundation’s existing and new winter wheat varieties.
  • The USDA announced that Irish potato growers in Idaho and Malheur County, Ore., voted to continue their federal marketing order program.
    Zimfo Bytes

    A Gentle Reminder

    Meghan Grebner

    The weather during the month of April has been strange for a lot of the United States and Central Illinois is no exception (my weather man on Friday said this would go down as one of the top ten wettest April’s on record).  While farmers are attempting to patiently wait to either get back in the fields or get into the fields for the first time – we’ve been talking a lot about on farm safety.  At WMBD/WIRL we have a monthly “webisode” called GROWMARK Gleanings and this month Safety Service Specialist with GROWMARK Doug DeFilipo addressed all aspects of safety.  I thought our conversation about chemical safety was one that could serve as a thoughtful reminder for everyone… Especially this time of year.  As always – here is to a very safe Spring Planting Season.

    To steal a line from Mike Rowe Safety Third!

    A Gentle Reminder

    GROWMARK, Safety

    Amazing Social Media Coverage of Royal Wedding

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The official social media coverage of the Royal Wedding is impressive and word is that the event set records for an online streaming audience.

    dukemobileWhen I saw on Twitter that the Royal newlywed getaway car was an Aston Martin converted to run on 85 percent ethanol, I was first amazed that there was a biofuels angle to the wedding. When I went searching for official photos and releases, I was totally amazed by the wall-to-wall, immediate social media coverage provided on the official level. The official Royal Wedding site includes links to constantly updated videos on YouTube and photos on Flickr, in addition to frequent posts on Facebook and tweets on Twitter. I have to wonder how many people were involved in this effort – and how much it cost! It takes the kind of event coverage we do to a whole new level! Wondering if Pope John Paul II’s beatification on Sunday will be as impressive. They do have an official Vatican Facebook page for the beatification and the events reportedly will be live-streamed at many of the sites.

    Getting back to the Dukemobile, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge left Buckingham Palace for the royal residence Clarence House, they drove off in a “convertible Aston Martin Volante DB6 MKII in Seychelles blue is owned by his father HRH The Prince of Wales” that runs on 85 percent ethanol. That according to the official update on the Royal Wedding website, adding that in “June 2008, at the specific request of The Prince of Wales, who is keen that his cars should be run on sustainable fuel, the Aston Martin was converted to run on E85 bioethanol, made from English wine wastage.”

    They even have a Royal Wedding YouTube video of the couple leaving in the car:

    Social Networking, Video

    Ag Communications Groups United for Japan Relief

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Ten North American agricultural communications organizations have joined together in an effort to provide support for the people of Japan as a result of the earthquake and tsunami.

    AAEAThrough the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) is coordinating the North American effort that also includes:

    Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT)
    Agricultural Media Summit LLC
    Agricultural Relations Council (ARC)
    American Business Media Agri-Council
    Canadian Farm Writers Federation
    Livestock Publications Council
    National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA)
    National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB)
    North American Agricultural Journalists

    So far they have raised more than $9,000 and are now reaching out to the members of all the participating organization to ask for donations. All contributions are being sent to and managed by the Japan Agricultural Journalists Association and be directed to rural areas and predominantly farmers. Chuck recently did a ZimmCast with Japanese ag journalist and IFAJ representative Masaru Yamada about the situation there.

    Donations can be made on-line https://www.humanspan.com/secure/aaea/donation.asp by credit card. Check should be made payable to AAEA Foundation and mailed to:

    AAEA Foundation
    Den Gardner
    120 Main St. West
    PO Box 156 (if sent by US Postal Service)
    New Prague, MN 56071

    So spread the word through newsletters, websites, members’ magazines, radio announcements, Twitter, Facebook, whatever and contact Den Gardner for further information.

    ACN, IFAJ, LPC, NAFB, NAMA