Super Successful NAFB Foundation Auction

Cindy Zimmerman

A brand new record was set for the NAFB Foundation’s annual fundraising auction Thursday night – $22,295! Not sure how much it beats the old record by, but last year the total was about $13,000, so this was a biggie.

A big reason for the huge success this year was the generosity of two NAFB past presidents – Evan Slack and Rich Hull. They each bought and donated back the #2 NAFB Foundation Ertl model tractor – for $2750 EACH. That tractor ended up bringing in a total of about $7000 for the foundation and I think Evan ended up taking it home. These are the last of the special edition NAFB Foundation tractors, which have been sold at the auction in seven series for the past seven years.

Orion Samuelson, the original NAFB Foundation president, once again served as Master of Ceremonies for the auction. First he was honored with a special video presentation marking his 50 years at WGN. “I don’t want people to get confused that this is a retirement,” Orion said. “It isn’t. I’m having too much fun doing what I’m doing.”

I did a quick interview with Orion and asked him about the history of the NAFB Foundation, which he helped to start many years ago. Listen to or download that interview here: Orion Samuelson


NAFB Convention Photo Album

Audio, NAFB

Secretary Vilsack Beyond the Mic at NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

Farm broadcasters at NAFB Thursday went straight from Trade Talk to a 45 minute press conference with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The secretary addressed a number of issues – from Veterans Day to rural development to biofuels and took quite a few questions on several topics. He did get a couple of questions about the GIPSA rule, but still refused to say very much about it since the proposal is still in comment period until November 22.

Listen to or download the press conference here: Vilsack Press Conference

Photo album is now up to date – including pix of Sammy Kershaw last night!


NAFB Convention Photo Album

Audio, NAFB, USDA

NAFB Trade Talk Was Hopping

Cindy Zimmerman

NAFB’s annual Trade Talk seemed to be one of the best ever, with many of both the exhibitors and the broadcasters claiming they had set all time interview records.

The marathon interview session latest from 7:30 am until 2:00 pm, extended for a half hour this year and it seemed to make a little difference in the pacing of the event and I heard several comments that it seemed to flow smoother and was a little less hectic. But, it still makes for a long day!

Trade Talk is really a unique event that has grown to be very popular with about 100 different companies, organizations and government agencies that come every year. Most of them have been participating in Trade Talk since it started 20 years ago. It gives the broadcasters and allied members an opportunity for real networking with each other.

Having some trouble uploading new photos to Flickr tonight, but we are at least up to date through Trade Talk.


NAFB Convention Photo Album

NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Social media is taking the internet by storm, but within that storm are dangers lying in wait for your company. Simply being aware of what some of those dangers are is the easiest way to prevent you or your company from facing legal ramifications. Join us for the next NAMA Webinar, Thursday, Dec. 9 at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) and learn how to protect yourself from online dangers.
  • Becker Underwood has introduced Polymer 1172-O, an OMRI-certified, water-soluble seed polymer designed to bind organic seed treatments onto seed and control dust-off.
  • Farm Safety 4 Just Kids has received $100,000 from Nationwide Insurance, presented by Gary A. Douglas, president and COO of Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company.
  • JCB, one of the world’s largest heavy equipment manufacturers, has launched an exciting new line of highly productive and reliable skid steer loaders and compact track loaders.
    Zimfo Bytes

    USFRA Announces Board and Group Members

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The newly formed U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance announced their board of directors and officers today at the NAFB convention. Pictured is Chairman, Bob Stallman, AFBF.

    You can listen to and download the press conference that was just held in the media room and I’ve posted a release which has a lot more details below as well: USFRA Press Conference

    NAFB Convention Photo Album

    Today’s agriculture continues to be attacked by a number of different groups. Unfortunately, as the majority of the U.S. public has become further and further removed from the farm, they tend to believe the groups attacking agriculture, according to the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA). This new alliance is comprised of most of the leading national farmer- and rancher-led agricultural organizations.

    USFRA believes the actions of these groups have led a number of agricultural organizations to fund programs that bolster the image of agriculture and enhance public trust in our food supply. While these individual efforts have been helpful in answering some of the criticism, there is a growing need for all of agriculture to coordinate their messages and reach out even further to the consuming public through consumer influencers and thought leaders.

    “We in production agriculture recognize the immediate need to build consumer trust in today’s U.S. food production system,” said newly-elected USFRA Chairman Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “We also recognize the need to maintain and enhance the freedom of American farmers and ranchers to operate in an economical, sustainable and responsible manner. The sun rises today on a new, collaborative and coordinated effort by many segments of production agriculture to tell our great story as never before.”
     Read More

    Ag Groups, Audio, USFRA

    Informa GIPSA Rule Study Results

    Chuck Zimmerman

    This morning at the NAFB convention a press conference was held the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the National Turkey Federation (NTF) and the National Meat Association (NMA) to release the results of an economic analysis of USDA’s proposed livestock and poultry marketing regulation – the so-called GIPSA rule. I’ve posted the audio of the remarks from the presenters below. There is a lot of information in the report. Some key points include their finding that if the rule is imposed as proposed we would see an annual drop in gross domestic product of as much as $1.56 billion, a loos of more than 22,000 jobs and an annual loss of $359 million in tax revenues.

    Panelists included Steve Meyer, president of Paragon Economics, who moderated the event; Rob Murphy, senior vice president of Informa Economics; Jim Maxey, a long-time NMA member and past chairman of the board; Bill Donald, Montana rancher and NCBA president-elect; Doug Wolf, Wisconsin pork producer and NPPC president-elect; and John Burkel, Minnesota turkey producer.

    You can find the Informa report online.

    Here’s where you can listen to or download the press conference audio: Informa GIPSA Rule Press Conference
    NAFB Convention Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Audio, GIPSA, NCBA, NPPC

    NAFB Scholarship Winners

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The winners of this year’s NAFB Foundation scholarships were announced today during the Foundation luncheon. They include Denise Donley, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville; Taylor James, Kansas State University and Julie Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison. They’re pictured with Taylor Brown, Northern Ag Network.

    I asked them how it felt to be selected and what they intend to do with their careers. You can listen to my interview with our NAFB Foundation scholarship winners here: NAFB Foundation Scholarship Interview
    NAFB Convention Photo Album

    Audio, Education, NAFB

    Support NAFB Foundation

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The NAFB Foundation board met prior to the start of the convention. Leading them was outgoing Foundation President, Taylor Brown, Northern Ag Network.

    Taylor says “things are rolling.” There are two new members to the board, Don Wick and Ken Root. Ken Anderson will be the new President of the Foundation. To support the effort Taylor says this is the last year of the NAFB Foundation toy tractor project and you can still purchase one. Over the years of the program the project has generated over $60,000! Of course there is the silent and live auction here and new this year is a 50-50 raffle. Learn what he sees for the future of the Foundation in my interview with him.

    You can listen to my interview with Taylor here: Taylor Brown Interview
    NAFB Convention Photo Album

    Audio, NAFB

    NAFB Marketing & Promotion Advisory Board Meeting

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The National Association of Farm Broadcasting Marketing and Promotion Advisory Board is meeting this morning at the convention. On the board as well as the NAFB board of directors is Kyle Bauer, center, KFRM.

    I spoke with Kyle during a break to get an update about the activities of the advisory board. Kyle says the research the group does is shared with members to help them manage their broadcast properties. He says that looking forward a continuing effort will be made to look at new forms of electronic communications, how that is being used by farmers and how it can be integrated with traditional farm radio broadcasting.

    You can listen to my interview with Kyle here: Kyle Bauer Interview
    NAFB Convention Photo Album

    Audio, NAFB

    Informa Study Finds Economic Losses Under GIPSA Rule

    Cindy Zimmerman

    An Informa Economics study on the economic impact of the proposed GIPSA rules finds it could cost the economy $1.5 billion and nearly 23,000 jobs. The study, which was conducted on behalf of meat industry organizations, was released today in Kansas City by representatives of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, National Turkey Federation and National Meat Association.

    In addition to the economic impact, the study found that a majority of industry participants think the rule language is “vague and poorly-defined”; that companies affected by the rule are uncertain about how it will be interpreted and enforced, and that “the provision that removes the burden for litigants to show competitive injury in order to seek damages is by far the largest area of concern. Informa finds that nearly 75% of the expected economic damage arising from this proposed rule can be tied directly to this provision.”

    We’ll have more information about this study and the differences between its findings and the recent John Dunham study coming up shortly.

    Beef, Livestock, NCBA, Pork, Poultry