Visiting With Senator Grassley At Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Iowa’s Senator Chuck Grassley spent some time at the Farm Progress Show. I caught up to him and found out that he had been checking out all the new technology on display at the show. When it comes to Washington, DC policy and specifically energy policy he provided an update of what we might expect in coming weeks. In September he says there should be a push to deal with taxes and that might include the expired biodiesel tax credit and the expiring ethanol tax credit. He also mentions the estate tax and the impact of the loss of the exemptions we currently have. In the photo the Senator is being interviewed by Michelle Rook, WNAX.

You can listen to my interview with Senator Grassley here: Interview With Senator Grassley

You can follow the Senator on Twitter.

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Audio, Farm Policy, Farm Progress Show

Pioneer Hi-Bred Announces IMPACT at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Pioneer Hi-Bred announced IMPACT today. That’s Intensively Managed Product Advancement, Characterization and Training trials. The announcement was made at a press event in their exhibit at the Farm Progress Show. I spoke with Brent Wilson about the new initiative. You can listen to him describe what this means for Pioneer’s customers in my interview below.

Pioneer Hi-Bred announced plans to expand a new, innovative research initiative across North America for the 2011 growing season. The program supports a 50 percent increase in the number of experimental products Pioneer can test to help growers ultimately get the right product on the right acre to maximize productivity.

Pioneer’s IMPACTTM program, which stands for Intensively Managed Product Advancement, Characterization and Training trials, will significantly increase Pioneer’s investment in local research and development, helping to maximize grower productivity and profitability. These plots provide local testing of multiple products at the last stage before they are advanced for sale to growers. Evaluations take place on growers’ farms, emphasizing local testing to match products with regional growing conditions.

The IMPACT program also marks a unique cooperative effort between Pioneer’s research efforts and its sales organization, linking product development and advancement with the company’s “Right Product, Right Acre” strategy to help producers get the best results from each acre.

Full Release

You can listen to my interview with Brent Wilson here: Interview With Brent Wilson

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Pioneer

Novus Invests in Aquaculture Future

Cindy Zimmerman

As the world produces more and more fish protein to feed a growing population, Novus International is helping to feed those fish more efficiently and sustainably.

novusDid you know that aquaculture is the fastest growing segment of the animal production industry? But, like every other segment, aquaculture producers are facing the challenge of expanding to feed a growing population and doing it in a sustainable manner.

Because of that, Novus has launched a range of sustainable programs for the benefit to the aquaculture industry that include Reducing Feed Costs, Improved Health Through Nutrition, Optimizing Feed Through Quality Raw Materials, Feeding with a Purpose and Supporting Sustainable Practices. The company exhibited and was a sponsor of the World Aquaculture Society 2010 meeting in San Diego earlier this year to reach out to producers.

Since Asia is one of the fastest growing regions for aquaculture, Novus also established the Novus Aqua Research Center in collaboration with Nong Lam University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with the primary goals were of conducting research, developing and producing innovative science-based products and serving as a resource center to aquaculture stakeholders and the industry.

Find out more about What’s New with Novus in the world of aquaculture in this podcast that Jeremy Lutgen did: Novus aquaculture podcast

Aquaculture, Audio, Novus International

Vote For Bunge M.O.E. in Great Food Truck Race

Chuck Zimmerman

For breakfast this morning I went to the Bunge M.O.E. at the Pioneer Hi-Bred exhibit at the Farm Progress Show. My biscuit and ingredients were cooked with Plenish, the new high oleic soybean oil being developed by Pioneer. Bunge Chef Adam was doing the cooking and you can meet him in the video clip.

The Bunge M.O.E. is competing in the Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network. Please go vote for them now online: Vote For Bunge M.O.E. or text FT98 to 66789.

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Farm Progress Show, Pioneer, Soybean, Video

Former Governor Branstand Running For Governor

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s not just farmers who visit the Farm Progress Show. Politicians have a great opportunity to interact with constituents and prospective voters. One of them is former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad who is hoping to become Governor again! Terry is pictured second from the left with his new Pioneer Hi-Bred cap.

I spoke with him after our photo opp. He lives in Boone County right near the show. He says agriculture is one of the bright spots in the economy. Without the permanent location of the show he says conditions would have been very different today. However, even with all the rain he’s expecting a great show day. He remembers the wet weather during his term as Governor in 1993 but this year may go down as wetter than that.

You can listen to my interview with former Governor, running for Governor, Terry Branstad here: Interview With Terry Branstad

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Audio, Farm Progress Show, Pioneer

Farmers Only Going Strong After 5 Years

Cindy Zimmerman

The Farmers Only on-line dating service is still going strong after five years.

fp10We told you about FarmersOnly.com when it launched in August of 2005. According to founder Jerry Miller, it quickly became THE place for farmers and ranchers to meet like-minded people. In the last five years, membership went from 2,000 to well over 100,000 members, and despite the name, FarmersOnly does include non-farmers looking for love. The rapid growth includes just good old fashioned, down-to-earth people who live in small towns and rural areas.

“There have been countless successful matches and friendships made on the site. I get thank you emails and phone calls almost daily. In fact, there have been hundreds of marriages since FarmersOnly.com began,” Jerry says, in his five year update release about the site.

Jerry designed the site after talking to a frustrated divorcee who found that the regular on-line dating services were populated by “city folks” who “just don’t get” the lifestyle of farming. “I talked to farmers and ranchers all over the country and discovered they all had the same problems. They already knew everybody in their immediate areas. They didn’t have enough time to socialize. When they did find time, they didn’t want to hang out at a bar. They wanted to find someone who understood their lifestyle,” he said. “The need for this new online dating service became very clear and six months later, I launched www.FarmersOnly.com.”

Check it out if you’re single and looking on the farm.

Uncategorized

Beating Wind and Rain at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

It was a little wet out here at the Farm Progress Show this morning but the sun is shining now and it’s drying out. Before the show got started I found a couple of examples of what the wind and rain did here. Kudos to the show site builders. I think we have had a great example of how the permanent location can handle whatever conditions nature chooses to provide us.

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Video

Delayed Start To Day Two at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

A severe storm passed through central Iowa overnight and due to the water and some wind damage the show will start two hours late today. I’ve been told there were over four inches of rain and that 2 1/2 inches came down in less than two hours at one point. But the show site is draining and I’m sure we’ll have a great day.

The photo shows an example of the the impact on the New Holland exhibit. I think this was the worst of it. So the show will go on and we’ll be providing more coverage throughout the day.

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Farm Progress Show

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

Zimfo Bytes

Welcome To Iowa and Barilla Pasta

Chuck Zimmerman

Jim Middendorf is an ambassador for the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau. He was just one of the people welcoming the exhibitors in the Farm Progress Show to Iowa. Tonight we had the annual exhibitors dinner and reception. Jim also had a present for us. Barilla pasta! He says a woman came by earlier and after trying some locally produced Barilla pasta she hasn’t bought anything else. He says the show is a big boost to the local economy.

You can listen to my interview with Bart here: Interview With Jim Middendorf

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: New Holland and

Audio, Farm Progress Show