ZimmComm Crew At Commodity Classic

Chuck Zimmerman

Cindy just found a photo from Commodity Classic in Anaheim that didn’t make it into our photo album.

Pictured l-r are Joanna Schroeder, one of our web editors, Robert, our web guru, yours truly and Cindy. Rob and I met at our hotel for several hours of face to face consultation time since he lives out on the west coast and we don’t often have that opportunity.

Cindy and I are off to south Florida today. Hopefully it will be warmer than the midwest. I’ll be working with AGROTAIN and covering the International Conference on Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers. See you from there.

Commodity Classic

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Westlands Water District and Ag-Water New Sky, LLC, announced they will develop an integrated drainage water treatment facility in California’s Central Valley.
  • Cooperatives Working Together announced that it is reactivating its Export Assistance program, effective immediately, to boost sales of U.S.-made cheddar cheese.
  • The American Lamb Board partnered with Boston Chefs to bring lambtastic dishes to the table at the first Boston American Lamb Jam on March 7 at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass.
  • Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has been joined by Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and 12 other senators in introducing legislation to expand farm to school links to boost the use of local farm products in the federally supported school lunch program.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Ag Day Meat BBQ Cookout at MI State Capitol Overwhelming Success

    Chuck Zimmerman

    It looks like there was quite a barbeque party at the Michigan State Capitol on National Ag Day. Wish I could have been there in person but I was in spirit. I’m hoping to obtain a photo of the event to add to this post.

    Post Update: Thanks to George for sending over a couple of photos from the event last night!

    Here are the details from organizer George Hubka.

    In direct response to Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s insult declaring that residents should not eat meat on Saturday, March 20, 2010 as part of her “Michigan Meat Out Day”, Barry County farmer George Hubka and friends held a very successful “Ag Day Meat BBQ cookout” on the Michigan State Capitol lawn on March 20, 2010.

    Hubka, a part time crop farmer from Dowling, MI says he and other volunteers served nearly 200 attendees about 500 hamburgers and hot dogs in about a two hour period. Hubka declared the event a complete success when he stated, “just look around and see how glad these 200 people are to be out here enjoying delicious Michigan meat products, despite the cold and wet weather”.

    The hot dogs were donated by Michigan’s turkey growers through the Michigan Turkey Producers Co-op of Grand Rapids, MI. Hamburgers were donated for the event by Sobie Meats & Byron Center Meats in Grand Rapids, MI. In addition, white and chocolate milk was provided by MMPA (Michigan Milk Producers Association) and processed by Prairie Farms dairy in Battle Creek, MI. Buns for the BBQ were donated by the Sara Lee and Butternut baking companies. Expert cooking for the event was coordinated by: Clint’s Hot Dogs of Lansing, MI and Linn Merindorf of Merindorf Meats of Mason and Williamston, MI.

    Additional sponsorship for the activity was provided by the Michigan Cattlemans Association, Michigan Corn Grower Association, beef farmers Jeff Kala of Onaway, MI and Gary Voogt of Marne, MI. Other assistance was provided by the Michigan Beef Industry Commission, and the Michigan Pork Producers Association (MPPA).

    Here’s the story from WZZM13.com:

    Animal Activists

    Celebrating The Great American Steak Out

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Thank you America’s farmers and ranchers for all you do. I want to especially thank Michigan’s beef producers. Sorry you had to put up with that silliness from your Governor.

    I made some steak choices today and they were good. Never let a little sleet and rain stop a good steak to celebrate Ag Day.

    If you’ve enjoyed a good steak then feel free to post onto Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm’s Facebook page or on the Great American Steak Out. I have.

    Ag Day, Beef

    Ag in the Classroom

    Amanda Nolz

    Earlier this week, my sister, Kaley, and I participated in Ag in the Classroom, an annual event held at the 4-H grounds in Mitchell, SD. Educational stations were set up to teach students about beef, dairy, pigs, sheep, horses, soil and farm safety. Kaley and I hosted the beef booth, complete with a baby calf, arial photograph of our farm and a table displaying beef by-products.

    Nearly 300 students attended this event, and it’s truly an honor to be able to work with area fourth graders and teach them about agriculture, food products and the hard work farmers do each and every day. They ask so many questions, and they get incredibly excited to pet a baby calf. This event only reaffirms my belief that educating our consumers should be our number one priority. Have you shared the agriculture story today?

    Ag Day, Education

    The Great American ‘Steak’ Out Today!

    Amanda Nolz

    You may have noticed updates from South Dakota have been pretty scarce lately, and I can pretty much sum up the reasons why in a few words: baby calves, snow and mud. It’s been a hectic month of March moving cow/calf pairs to the barns and dealing with flooding from the James River.

    However, I haven’t been completely stuck in a hole for the last few weeks, and there have certainly been some interesting headlines filtering in my email account during National Ag Week. As a result of Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm proclaiming National Ag Today as Michigan Meat Day, Dewey Mann of Purdue started an event on Facebook called The Great American ‘Steak’ Out. Like Michigan Meat Day, this day calls for all beef lovers to enjoy a steak today and take a photo to send to the governor. Although she edited her statements, like a two-stepping politician, changing Michigan Meat Day to Michigan Ag Day, I think it’s still important to send your photos and share the positive message about meat with the governor.

    On Saturday March 20th, enjoy a big ole, juicy steak and mail a picture to Michigan governor, Jennifer M. Granholm. Then you can send the picture to:
    Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
    P.O. Box 30013
    Lansing, Michigan 48909

    I will be enjoying a steak today on National Ag Day; will you?

    Beef, politics

    Ag Day Essay Contest Winner

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ag-council-americaThe Agriculture Council of America has announced the 2010 National Ag Day Essay Contest winner. Her name is Christine Vanek.

    ACA called upon seventh- to 12th-grade students nationwide to submit original essays of 450 words about the importance of agriculture in the U.S. Using this year’s theme, “American Agriculture – Abundant, Affordable, Amazing,” students were encouraged to focus their essays on the importance of agriculture and how the industry continues to overcome new challenges. These include keeping food affordable, meeting the demands of a growing population with fewer acres, working with legislative influences, and addressing consumer concerns.

    Vanek, a 12th-grader at Greenhills School, Ann Arbor, Mich., was named the national winner of the 2010 contest during the Ag Day event held at the USDA Whitten Building Patio. Vanek read her essay to industry representatives, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, media and others at the Celebration of Agriculture dinner in Washington, D.C. The following is an excerpt from her essay:

    “At seventeen, I have come to admire the work my grandfather and all American farmers do. It is thanks to the abundance of American agriculture – from the corn, soybean, and wheat fields of the Great Plains to the expansive fruit orchards in the South – that I, along with the rest of the country, have access to a wide variety of affordable, safe, nutritious foods.”

    Ag Day

    Learning About Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers With AGROTAIN

    Chuck Zimmerman

    AGROTAINNext week I’ll be covering the International Conference on Enhanced-Efficiency Fertilizers courtesy of AGROTAIN. The event is produced by IFA-New Ag International. We’ll be kicking things off on Tuesday morning.

    While at Commodity Classic I spoke with Andrew Semple, VP, International Sales for AGROTAIN. He says this category of fertilizers was created only recently. It was meant to encompass types of fertilizers that are designed to be better for the environment. This first of its kind conference will include innovators and early adopters of this new category of product. AGROTAIN was one of the pioneering companies of this type of fertilizer. They’re a major sponsor of the event.

    You can listen to my interview with Andrew here.

    Agribusiness, Audio, Fertilizer

    Farmers New Cash Crop is Clean Energy

    Joanna Schroeder

    Farmers and small business have found a crop to make them more money – clean energy. This according to a recent report from the Environmental Lay & Policy Center (ELPC) which just released “Farm Energy Success Stories” that demonstrate how a farm or small rural business adopted clean energy technologies and cut energy costs. Much of the monies that made these projects possible came from the Farm Bill’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). For example, Jim McBratney, who used a REAP grant to install a wind turbine at his Massachusetts nursery, says REAP is “…the right thing to do. It spurs industry and allows new, better technology to reach the market.”

    Andy Olsen, a policy advocate for ELPC an organization that has been a public supporter of the program since its inception in 2003, said, “With the help of farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses, America can make great strides toward solving its energy problems. REAP is creating economic development, energy independence and a cleaner environment one farm at a time.”

    The program has also generated new rural businesses. After Glen White slashed his energy costs by installing a solar water heating system on his Indiana farm, he began selling and installing solar energy systems on other farms and homes in the area.

    Since 2003, REAP has funded over 3,000 clean energy projects, in 50 states that cover the clean energy spectrum – wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and energy efficiency. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees the program receives applications for more than three times the amount of funds available, and in February, President Obama raised the funding levels to the highest amount ever to $109 million.

    You can download Farm Energy Success Stories here.

    Agribusiness, Biofuels, Energy, Farm Policy

    Ladhoff To Lead USPB Retail Marketing

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The U.S. Potato Board will have Don Ladhoff leading their retail efforts for their Domestic Marketing Program.

    He will provide key input to strategy and guide the tactical execution of the program, with the goal of increasing demand for potatoes in the retail environment.

    “I’m pleased Don has joined our team,” said Kathleen Triou, USPB’s Vice President, Domestic Marketing. “He brings considerable experience and enthusiasm to the position, and he’ll be ready to contribute from day one.”

    Ladhoff was most recently the President of BrandForce, a full-service marketing agency he founded in 2008 that assisted clients including Butterball, Chiquita and T-Mobile. Prior to BrandForce, he was the Vice President of Client Solutions at Seismicom from 2006-2008, working with brands such as Nestle, Fresh Express and Challenge Dairy. From 2002 to 2006, Ladhoff was a Vice President of Account Services with MARS Advertising, developing shopper marketing programs for clients including Clorox, ConAgra Foods, Dr Pepper/Snapple and Procter & Gamble.

    Ag Groups, Potato