I’m back on the floor for the start of the trade show portion of the International Poultry Expo and International Feed Expo. My coverage sponsor, Novus International, created a welcome invite to their booth. I’ll be there shortly.
2011 International Poultry Expo/International Feed Expo Photo Album
AgWired IPE/IFE coverage sponsored by: 
The World Agriculture Investment Conference 2011 announces new speakers.
On May 9-10, leading investment groups from across the globe are coming to Chicago to discuss the opportunities and risks in agricultural markets at the World Agriculture Investment Conference USA.
The meeting’s foremost speaker panel – addressing a delegation of institutional and private investors – has recently been strengthened by Warren Weissman of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Rajesh Behal of the Agribusiness Department, IFC.
Following months of research, this forum has been designed specifically to help investors to walk away with the practical information and contacts needed to make an appropriate choice based on varying risk tolerances and return objectives.
Among the timely discussion, Mr. Weissman will take a look at agriculture opportunities throughout Latin America, focusing on regulatory environments and current crop production.
And Mr. Behal will talk on private equity investment in the full agriculture supply chain, exploring opportunities in fertilizer, technology and infrastructure.
This is a truly unique chance to network with key investors, hedge funds and Ag managers, and to effortlessly discover how best to develop the ideal Ag portfolio.
For more information please visit: http://www.aginvestconference.com/usa/
For additional information, registration assistance or questions, please contact George Kiley, Investment Director – World Agriculture Investment Series by email on gkiley@aginvestconference.com, or call on +44(0)207 3757 54
You can find the agenda here.
Judging from the results to our latest ZimmPoll, sustainability, is a hot button issue. We had the most results of any survey so far. The question: “What does “sustainability” really mean to the public?” By a big margin, most say “A combination of factors” at 47%. That’s followed by “Farm managed for profit/growth,” 25%; “green,” 13%; “organic,” 10% and “local,” 5%. So I think it’s safe to say that sustainability is not understood to mean any one thing and probably within the ag community as well as the general public. For this reason I don’t see how we can expect people to agree on a definition much less use this word to create meaningful legislation. Your thoughts?
Our next ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Which tillage practice do you employ on most of your farming operation?” Let us know and thank you for participating.
ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.
One of the people representing Novus International here at the International Poulty/Feed Expo is Scott Fleetwood, pictured (right) next to Charlie Arnot, Center For Food Integrity. Scott says that Novus has supported CFI’s efforts since the beginning. I asked him about that support. He says that it’s very important to have a third party organization to do research and speak to consumers about food production in a non-partial manner. That’s why he supports it.
Scott says that those in the industry do a good job of speaking to themselves but just talking about science doesn’t resonate with consumers. So the work that CFI has done to learn how to communicate with the consuming public is very important. I also asked him about how Novus is doing its own direct communication with the consuming public. He says they are working to do this and social media is playing a role in it.
You can listen to my interview with Scott here: Interview with Scott Fleetwood
2011 International Poultry Expo/International Feed Expo Photo Album
AgWired IPE/IFE coverage sponsored by:
Giving a keynote address to a Novus International luncheon for poultry industry scientists was Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity. His remarks were titled “From The Lab To The Dinner Table.” He presented consumer trust research they conducted in 2010 that found out some very interesting things including the fact that it was the first time consumers have said their number one source of food information is the internet.
The research has been conducted by CFI since 2006. You can download a pdf of the 2010 summary on their website.
In 2010, CFI is taking its research to the next level, testing the trust model, messages and programs with specific consumer segments. The findings from this year‘s groundbreaking approach will provide guidance to CFI members and others on how we can specifically build trust with opinion leading consumers who drive social change.
Charlie told scientists that CFI research suggests new ways to convert scientific information into messages that will resonate with consumers. They’ve used that information to create tested messages which you can find on their website. For example, he suggests speaking to values first and then backing statements up with the science. Historically the ag science industry has tried the opposite approach. He hopes the attendees take away ideas for different way to engage the consumer. He gives some other specific examples in my interview with him: Interview with Charlie Arnot
2011 International Poultry Expo/International Feed Expo Photo Album
AgWired IPE/IFE coverage sponsored by:
Welcome to the 2011 International Poultry and Feed Expos. They take place in the Georgia World Congress Center. The trade show portion of the shows gets started on Wednesday. Today there are various meetings going on in the convention center including a board meeting for the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. I caught up with President John Starkey before the meeting started to get a preview of this year’s show.
John says that other than a little rain today the weather looks like it’s going to cooperate. He says “It looks like it’s going to be a real strong show for us.” The show has 100 more exhibitors than last year which represents a twenty percent increase in floor space. There are new educational programs including one on salmonella. International attendees will be about twenty percent of the total. So he’s looking for one of the best shows in years.
You can listen to my interview with John here: Interview with John Starkey
I am uploading photos into the 2011 International Poultry Expo/International Feed Expo Photo Album.
AgWired IPE/IFE coverage sponsored by:
The Farm Progress Companies has just announced another smartphone app. This one for Farm Futures and available for both android and iPhone platforms.
Farm Futures now offers the agricultural industry’s first management-oriented smartphone application that provides the most current and insightful market analysis, enhanced user-customized live CBOT/CME market quotes, ag news and audio content – and more – all updated throughout each business day.
And it’s free to smartphone users from Farm Futures, ag’s leading farm business magazine.
The Farm Futures app puts the key ag information producers and anyone in the ag industry needs each day to stay current – right in the palm of their hands – using Android smartphones and iPhones.
An easy-to-use format quickly provides:
• Top industry news and views
• Market insight from ag’s leading market analysts
• Preset CBOT/CME market quotes overview
• User-customized commodities portfolio
• Audio podcasts from Farm Futures editors
• Blogs and commentary from Farm Futures’ analysts and economists
• And more key features
Get it in the iTunes store or Android Market.
Calling all teachers and parents and those with nieces, nephews, cousins…OK, I’m basically calling everybody. You have to read this book, “Cows Can’t Jump,” by Dave Reisman. The book is about embracing our differences and focusing not on what we can’t do well, but on what we do best. In a world where a child’s self-esteem is attacked and challenged each day, this book helps gives children the tools they need to feel good about themselves and others and treat them with kindness, love and respect.
This lesson is learned through the eyes of various animals including a cow who can’t jump but who can swim who just so happens to be friends with a gorilla who can’t swim but can swing from a tree. You get the picture. While this book has fabulous illustrations by Jason A. Maas, and is geared for young children, you could make a case that this is a good book for adults to.
I think we spend so much time being harshly competitive in the workplace and not considering others’ feelings when we try to “get ahead” that you see self esteem issues among adults as well. So between the “Purple Cow” and Who Moved My Cheese? should now be a place for “Cows Can’t Jump.”
This is a beautifully illustrated and captivating tale that will make you smile with each reading and I give it high praise.
Associate Professor Craig Gundersen has been selected as the Director of the National Soybean Research Laboratory (NSRL) at the University of Illinois in Urbana – Champaign.
Gundersen is an accomplished scholar, educator, author, and one of the nation’s foremost experts in the areas of food insecurity research and the evaluation of food assistance programs. He is Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics. At Illinois, he is also a Member of the Division of Nutritional Sciences, a Faculty Affiliate of the Institute for Government and Public Affairs, and an Affiliate of the Family Resiliency Center. In addition, he is a member of the Technical Advisory Group for Feeding America. He received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Riverside and a B.A. in economics from the University of Notre Dame. Gundersen’s research has appeared in several top journals.
As Executive Director, Gundersen will provide leadership and strategic direction regarding soybean research, outreach, and education efforts from production through consumption.
It’s time to learn what’s new with Padilla Speer Beardsley courtesy of Dean Huff, Senior Vice President, Agribusiness and Environmental Science. This is the continuation of my series of podcast conversations with the leadership of various types of agricultural communication agencies.
Dean is relatively new to the agency which has offices in Minneapolis and New York City and he says employs about 130 people. The agency started out doing mostly public relations work but at the request of their clients moved to full service about a decade ago. Dean says they’ve been growing with the acquisition of new clients and more work from their existing ones. In the agribusiness sector he says growth has been at about twenty percent.
Besides learning what’s new with the agency we also talk about changes in the industry of agrimarketing. He says that manufacturers are now getting more point of sale data than ever before which allows them to do better segmentation and better understand their audiences. Another thing that stands out for him is the dissemination of technology in the farm market which always amazes him. He mentions the adoption of precision technology as well as use of the internet. Of course, social media is high on the list and he cautions making sure you know what you’re doing and why you’re there. He says it’s another channel and not a strategy in and of itself. He highly encourages a disciplined approach.
Get up to date on the latest with Padilla Speer Beardsley: ZimmCast 289 - Padilla Speer Beardsley
This week’s program ends with some music from Music Alley. It’s called “Chickens” by P.A.I.N.. Hey, I’m going to a poultry show this week!
Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, Growmark, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.
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