Croplife America Presents Modern Agriculture

Chuck Zimmerman

Mary Emma Young was taking care of business at the NAFB Trade Talk session for Croplife America. I visited with her to learn what the organization is focusing on this year.

She says they have been pushing the image of “modern agriculture” and the use of new technologies. Of course using new technology depends a lot on regulations. This is an area that Croplife America works on with legislators in Washington, DC. She says agriculture is largely a bi-partisan issue so they look forward to continuing to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle.

You can listen to my interview with Mary Emma Young here: Croplife America Interview

NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, NAFB

Last Chance for NAFB Foundation Toy Tractor

Cindy Zimmerman

As you start your Christmas shopping, consider this for someone on your list – a signed John Deere toy tractor that will support future farm broadcasters.

Joe Ertl has personally autographed each of the numbered John Deere B 1/16 scale toy tractors for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Foundation. This unique tractor was specifically designed for NAFB and includes a mounted replica of a tractor radio. Only 200 of these tractors have been produced to benefit the NAFB Foundation. Numbers 6-200 have been made available to the public for sale while the first five were auctioned live during the NAFB Convention earlier this month.

The price per tractor is $85 plus shipping and handling and orders can be made online.

The NAFB Foundation is the nonprofit charitable and educational arm of NAFB that works to keep the quality and viability of the farm broadcasting profession and industry at the highest level through the support of NAFB education, marketing and research activities, annual student scholarships and internship grants to stations and networks.

NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The FDA has granted approval for feeding Optaflexx (ractopamine hydrochloride) to beef cattle as a topdress to increase live weight gain and improve feed efficiency during the final 28 days to 42 days of the finishing period.
  • Farm Market iD announced it has made available for commercial use previously unavailable information on more than 26,000 agricultural producers in Florida derived from local ownership records, and enhanced by GIS data and satellite imagery.
  • CHS Inc., announced it has named veteran agribusiness leader Carl Casale as its new president and chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1, 2011.
  • Boot Media, LLC, announced that “PegasusTV” will launch as digital channel 57.4 in the 10-county Houston television market on March 1, 2011, the first local affiliate channel of the new nationwide Pegasus Television Network.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Cindy Zimmerman

    If you have food on your table today – thank God and thank our nation’s fabulous farmers and ranchers for the affordable, safe and abundant food supply they produce for the world.

    I found this poem online that gives good reasons to give thanks today for those who produce the food, fuel and fiber that we all enjoy everyday:

    I’m Just a Farmer, Plain and Simple
    By Bobby Collier

    Happy Thanksgiving From ZimmComm New MediaI’m just a farmer,
    Plain and simple.
    Not of a royal birth
    But rather, a worker of the earth.
    I know not of riches
    But rather, of patches on my britches
    I know of drought and rain,
    Of pleasure and pain.
    I know of the good and the bad,
    The happy and the sad.
    I am a man of emotions.
    A man who loves this land,
    And the beauty of its sand.
    I know of a spring’s fresh flow
    And autumn’s golden glow,
    Of a newborn calf’s hesitation,
    And the eagle’s destination.
    I know of tall pines,
    And long, waiting lines.
    Of the warmth of campfires,
    And the agony of flat tires.
    But I am a man who loves his job
    And the life I live.
    I am a man who works with God,
    I cannot succeed without his help,
    For you see,
    I’m just a farmer
    Plain and simple.

    Uncategorized

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Premier Companies will be moving its main headquarters to a location at 875 S. Marr Rd. (Columbus, Ind.). The current office was damaged by floods in June 2008, yet the company has experienced financial growth over the past two years.
    • Paulsen Marketing interviewed producers to uncover why, when and where they are adopting new communication technologies.
    • John Deere has taken its annual preseason equipment sales promotion to new heights with the creation and launch of the Green Fever Sales Event and Sweepstakes.
    • John Deere has added three new lines of offset disks to its Frontier family of tillage products: the DH51 Series, the DH52 Series, and the DH53 Series.
      Zimfo Bytes

      Thank A Farmer For Food Aplenty

      Chuck Zimmerman

      We’re going to be doing a little bit of #thankafarmer while giving #foodthanks today.

      Let’s start with the National Corn Growers Association. They are thanking family farmers for providing “food aplenty.” The focus is on protein which is created by chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs who eat the corn produced throughout the country. You can learn more about it on their “What does protein do?” page.

      Ag Groups, Farming, Food

      Bioponica – The New Wave of Food Production?

      Joanna Schroeder

      Who wants to grow food in a box? Maybe not a lot of you yet but you just might after reading this story.

      David Epstein, D.O. a holistic osteopathic physician and Kenneth Lovell, P.E., a professional engineer have developed Bioponica, a food production system that turns food, yard and body waste into feed and then from feed to food. The system works by converting waste, that is more often than not sent to a landfill, into worm castings and worm teas that are used to fertilize soil-less hydroponic plant beds. Waste products used include grass clippings, table scraps, and other sources of carbon and nitrogen rich waste.

      “It is unfortunate that we have relied on our municipalities to dispose of waste, whether that be urine, food or yard trimmings, “ said Epstein. “It is not practical or sustainable. When nutrients that come from the environment or from the food we eat are buried in landfills or else incinerated then we lose that valuable resource and it becomes a greenhouse gas that negatively impacts our climate and environment. The alternative is to recycle nutrients with the least amount of effort and cost.”

      According to a company release, the system also hosts the growth of algae and duckweed, along with the microbes and aquatic animals that feed on the algae. All this, plus earthworms, become food for the fish. Yes, you read correctly. Bioponica is designed to use waste to feed fish in large-scale fish farms similar to the Farm in a Box aquaponic system.

      So on top of the fish farm is a table, or garden, that is designed to grow micro-greens and wheatgrass along with your variety of edible and medicinal plants. In other words, you can grow your own salad. The fertilizer for your greens comes from the fish below, which convert the waste into plant feed.Read More

      Agribusiness, Aquaculture, Fertilizer

      Broadband Out of the Wild Blue

      Chuck Zimmerman

      During the NAFB Trade Talk session I spoke with Matt Farr (not pictured), Wild Blue, about the company’s development. We’ve all been hearing about Wild Blue for years and according to Matt things have developed nicely. Here’s a short history:

      WildBlue launched its service aboard the U.S. capacity of Telesat’s Anik F2 satellite launched in July 2004. WildBlue-1, WildBlue’s second satellite, was built by Space Systems / Loral and went into service in early 2007. In August 2009, WildBlue activated service on a third satellite, AMC-15. In late 2010, ViaSat-1 is scheduled to launch, and will deliver next generation broadband services to customers in North America.

      Matt says they have almost a half million customers now, virtually all in rural areas. Next year they will be launching a new satellite which will deliver even faster service than current. Sounds like new choices coming to areas with no other options!

      Listen to my interview with here Matt: Interview with Matt Farr

      NAFB Convention Photo Album

      Audio, Internet