The next stop on the agriblogging highway is the 44th annual convention and trade show for the National Agricultural Aviation Association. This year it is being held in Savannah, GA. AgWired coverage of this year’s event is being sponsored by BASF. Coverage should begin by Monday morning. I don’t know how many will be tweeting but I’m recommending the hashtag #agaviation until I learn differently.
NAAA chose “Stewards of the Sky” as the theme of this year’s convention because agricultural aviation and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. The 2010 convention will celebrate the work that aerial applicators and the people that support them carry out every day by ensuring that the benefits of America’s agriculture remain plentiful while protecting and preserving the nation’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy.
Facebook Gets New Holland T7 Adventure Game
The New Holland social media Facebook game, T7 Adventure, has been updated to include a level 2. The game was created for the launch of the new New Holland T7 Series Tractors. The game lets you test yourself and discover the new features of the tractor. And since it’s “social” you can share your score and challenge your friend. More levels are planned for the future.
To start the game click on ‘Go to application’ and then click on the start button that appears in the window to get going.
Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to control the tractor. Forward, reverse, left and right.
Complete the road section in the fastest time. When you get to the field, collect all the bonuses by driving over the silver New Holland logos, when you’ve collected them all, go back to the farm and you’ve finished your work … at least for now!
Get the highest score and find out all about the New Holland T7 range’s exciting features.
Share your score and challenge your friends to better it … if they dare!
Don’t forget to keep checking back for the latest farming challenges.
Happy driving!
Change the Game Management
Resistance to change is normal, but there are ways to move people to make changes, without forcing them!
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) is hosting its third annual “Area Regional Control of PRRS” seminar in Chicago today, prior to the start of the 2010 International PRRS Symposium. Since the concept of ARC is a regional approach, it requires the participation of all hog producers in a relatively small area to work, and sometimes that involves overcoming resistance to change.
Ryan Bracken (pictured on the right) with Global Six Sigma and Carl Aspler (left) of Carl Aspler & Associates presented some change management strategies for the participants in the workshop. Ryan has a background for utilizing the methodology of Six Sigma with hog production companies to help them with problem solving. “Building the case for change is one key element,” Ryan says. “People assume that just because they understand the need for elimination of PRRS that others will understand it as well.”
Listen to an interview with Ryan here here: Ryan Bracken
Carl noted that the effectiveness of change is a combination of the technical aspects and people, but the people part of the equation is often the most difficult. He presented methods of identifying problems and overcoming resistance from key stakeholders that can and are used successfully in all sizes of companies and organizations, as well as in everyday life. “The key questions are who’s out there, what are their concerns, and what can I do to make them feel more comfortable with this project?,” Carl says. Communication is key, as well as sitting down with pencil and paper and mapping out clear strategy.
Listen to an interview with Carl here here: Carl Aspler
New Precision Products From John Deere
When it comes to what’s new with John Deere Dan Hawkins (pictured on right) was ready, willing and able talk about them at the recent NAFB convention Trade Talk Session. Dan works in the Ag Management Solutions group. He says that John Deere brought three main products to market this year that include JD Link, GreenStar 3 display and StarFire 3000 receiver.
The new JD Link is a wireless communication and information solution for John Deere tractors and self-propelled forage harvesters. It helps you keep tabs on each machine in your operation and makes remote, automated equipment management a reality.
You can listen to my interview with Dan to hear more about their new precision products here: John Deere Interview
Alltech Investing In Children
Aidan Connolly, VP, Alltech, was not in the booth when I did a walking photo shoot of the NAFB convention Trade Talk session but I got to interview him later. Pictured are Billy Frey and Susanna Elliott. Congratulations go to Aidan for being named an Associate Professor at University College Dublin’s (UCD’s) School of Business, for a five year period until November 2015.
Aidan was talking about the gap between the farm and urban communities. He says that to bridge that gap is a struggle. Alltech is concerned with who our future politicians are, our future employees and future consumers in general. They need to understand where their food comes from. So Alltech has invested a lot in children through educational efforts like bringing in over 60,000 to their exhibit at the recent Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Another topic important to Alltech right now is sustainability. He says that it is very clear that “things are not going to stay the same.” Farmers need to become progressive and embrace innovation. That will including feeding different feed stocks to their animals. He cites algae proteins as one such item that will play a key role in a sustainable food system . He says we also have to look at ways to add value to food.
You can listen to my interview with Aidan here: Alltech Interview
Zimfo Bytes
- LED lighting specialists, Glo lighting, launched the AgriLamp 30W Dimmable Broiler Lamp designed specifically for the broiler segment of the poultry industry.
- Outstanding leaders from across the international dairy industry are being sought for World Dairy Expo’s annual recognition awards.
- The 2010 World Appaloosa Sale generated an overall average sale price of $4,481. This year’s high-seller at $25,000 was Miss Ice Te, a Yearling Incentive consignment from Winning Ways Ranch, Riverside, Calif.
- The 2011 IFAJ Congress will take place Sept. 14-18 in Guelph, Ontario.
The High Cost of PRRS
Hog farmers who might be resistant to the idea of participating in an Area Regional Control and Elimination (ARC&E) program for PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) because they don’t think it’s a problem need to listen to Brent Sandidge’s story.
Brent is a successful producer located in Saline county, Missouri. He was not on the program here at the ARC&E Working Group workshop today hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) in Chicago, but he showed up to find out more about implementing a program in his area and to tell his story.
“A year ago, I wouldn’t have been here – PRRS was the last thing on my mind,” Brent told the group. But, his operation and a couple of others nearby experienced a major PRRS outbreak in May of this year. “In about a five week period, we hauled off 619,000 pounds of dead (animals),” he said. “We’re about a 3,000 sow farm and it’s roughly going to cost us about $3 million this year.”
Brent believes the disease came from the poor handling of an accident involving a truckload of pigs that had just left his farm. He’s not positive that’s where the outbreak originated but he says it made him decide to spearhead a PRRS ARC&E program in Missouri. “We’re in the process of getting negative again, we’ve got funding from the Missouri Pork Association, we’ve got a committee formed,” and the reason he was at the workshop today was to find out what they need to do next.
Listen to Brent’s story here: Brent Sandidge
A growing number of the projects are being implemented around the country, thanks to the strong support of BIVI. Today’s workshop was focused on ways to overcome challenges in implementation, as well as the progress that has been achieved. BIVI will be sponsoring a more general workshop on Area Regional Control and Elimination of PRRS here tomorrow, just prior to the kickoff of the 2010 International PRRS Symposium.
American Ethanol Will Power NASCAR
NASCAR is in the middle of making an announcement of a “major long-term partnership with American Ethanol which is being led by Growth Energy. You can see a video that was just published below. I hope to have some audio from the announcement added after the official public announcement which is taking place in Las Vegas as 
of this posting. Pictured here is Bart Schott, President, National Corn Growers Association, who was one of the people making remarks.
Post Update: You can listen to and download the audio of the announcement here: American Ethanol NASCAR Announcement
Growth Energy, a coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters including farmers and members of the ethanol supply chain, becomes an official partner of NASCAR, using the sport to bring its message of American ethanol to millions of race fans. American Ethanol will support drivers, teams and tracks with marketing, promotional activities, advertising and a season-long weekly contingency award in 2011.
NASCAR made the American Ethanol partnership announcement just weeks after announcing a switch in its major national series to Sunoco Green E15, a new 15-percent ethanol blend fuel made with corn grown in the United States.
Financial terms of the six-year agreement were not disclosed. Pictured is POET CEO Jeff Broin who was also on stage.
American Ethanol will participate in NASCAR’s Prize Money & Decal Program, also known as the contingency program, with the creation of the “American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award” in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, while also providing weekly prize money for eligible competitors in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series based on finishing position. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series weekly award will be given to the participating driver who records the fastest average speed on restarts and who finishes the race on the lead lap.
The American Ethanol partnership also includes the National Corn Growers Association as well as others.
Sara Palin Visits BCS Communications
The streets of Kansas City, MO were safe for a while last night while the party raged on at the BCS Communications Open House. Visiting was Sara Palin (not the Sarah). She took time to pose with just about everyone at some point.
Yours truly was taking photos, some of which you can find online. I interviewed the partners of BCS for an upcoming ZimmCast as part of my series on the leadership of agricultural marketing and communications agencies. Look for it and you’ll learn what’s new at BCS.
Golden ARC Awards Deadline Extended
If you didn’t get your entries for the 2011 Golden ARC awards prepared because you were busy with the holiday last week, not to worry – you have a little more time now.
The Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) has extended the entry deadline for the 2011 Golden ARC awards. Entries for the competition are now due in by 5:00 pm (central time) on December 14.
“The original deadline for entries was so close to Thanksgiving, we had feedback from several companies regarding challenges they encountered due to the holidays,” said Amy McDonald, Golden ARC contest manager. “To make it easier for our entrants to submit all their best work, we chose to move the deadline back ten business days.”
The annual competition will include nearly 40 categories for agricultural public relations activities conducted in full or partially in the year 2010. Re-instituted this summer to recognize 18 Golden ARC winners and nine merit award winners for 2009 public relations activities, the Golden ARC awards program began in 1990. The contest recognizes the stellar work created by professionals in the agricultural industry.
ZimmComm New Media was proud to pick up two of those awards this year on behalf of work we did for our clients – the Renewable Fuels Association (podcast) and John Deere (blog).
Get details on categories and contest entry forms on-line at goldenarcawards.com.