Got Your IFAJ Press Card?

Chuck Zimmerman

I just noticed that my IFAJ Press Card is out of date. Time for a new one. Why? Because it has been helpful many times when press credentials are required by a government agency or some other organization or event I have been covering. Just one of many benefits of being a member of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.

One of the benefits of IFAJ is an international Press Card. It’s recognized by (agricultural) institutes, governments, ministries, exhibitions, fairs and events all over the world.

The IFAJ Press Card is only available for members of organizations/guilds, which have joined the IFAJ.

BTW. If you’re looking for freelance help check out the IFAJ Freelance Directory.

IFAJ

Agvocating At National Farm-City Week Symposium

Chuck Zimmerman

The National Farm-City Council will hold it’s annual National Farm-City Week Symposium (pdf) on November 18 in Lancaster, PA. I’ll be there on the panel with an “Agvocacy” message. If you’d like to attend please get your ticket order in soon. BTW. Our panel will be part of a live AgriTalk broadcast that morning.

The 2010 National Farm-City Week Symposium will address the topic “Agriculture: A Growing Story” with a panel of distinguished experts in media and agriculture. The purpose of this Symposium is to explore friendly methods that can help assist the urban media when preparing news or feature stories that could significantly and negatively impact farmers, ranchers and the many agribusiness industries.

“Today, the chances of incorrect information on agricultural issues being mistakenly passed to the general public are not only a possibility – it is a reality that has caused serious financial damage and hardship to farmers, ranchers and others within the industry,” says Al Pell, noted national agricultural broadcaster and chairman of the National Farm-City Council.

“The goal of this Symposium is to consider tools with which local, state and national agricultural leaders and organizations can use to assure that the information obtained by the media is from reliable and credible sources. With a successful merging of efforts with the urban media, we can more confidently be assured that accuracy will be paramount in communicating this growing story of agriculture.”

You can bet I’ll be pointing to the AgChat Foundation which has grown quickly and become a significant source of information for farm agvocates and those who want to be. Here’s an interview with two of our founding board members that was conducted at the recent 140 Character Conference at Connected Marketing Week 2010 in San Francisco.

Ag Groups

Blogging Rising

Chuck Zimmerman

Blogging continues to grow in spite of all the naysayers who have thought it wouldn’t “go anywhere.” In fact, I’d dare say that many people who read online content don’t even know they’re on a blog and don’t really care. As you’ll see in a comment from the author of a new eMarketer report (The Blogosphere: Colliding with Social and Mainstream Media), “. . . Over time, blogs will continue to become indistinguishable from other media channels,” blogging has become sort of mainstream. Who’d have thought?

But blogs continue to be important. eMarketer estimates that this year more than half of internet users will read blogs at least monthly. By 2014, readership will rise to more than 150 million Americans, or 60% of the internet population in the US. One reason for the rise in readership is that blogs have become an accepted part of the online media landscape.

I love that. “an accepted part of the online media landscape.” As if it isn’t already. The reason some don’t think it already is has most to do with their own fear or dislike of the mechanism and those of us who have chosen it as our information publishing platform. Or maybe it’s something else. What do you think?

Uncategorized

What’s New From Pioneer Hi-Bred

Chuck Zimmerman

I’ve been looking for an excuse to post a Kip Cullers photo and decided the time was right. Kip, the king of bionic ag, is modeling at Farm Progress Show with an iPad showing what’s new with Pioneer Hi-Bred. That’s my connection here since I actually have an interview I did with Pioneer’s Drew Porter.

Drew says the biggest news is Optimum AcreMax 1, “the industry’s first
in-the-bag solution for corn rootworm refuge.” He says it helps place the right product on the right acre. In the future they will “continue to focus on additional reduced refuge technologies to bring even that next level of simplicity to the Optimum AcreMax platform.” They’re also very excited to be showcasing the Y Series soybean lineup using accelerated yield technology.

You can listen to my interview with Drew here: Drew Porter Interview

Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Pioneer, Seed, Soybean

New Holland Commitment To Tier IV

Chuck Zimmerman

I have participated in a seminar on the new Tier IV engine requirements which go into effect this coming January and found myself very lost. I’m not that kind of engineer. To help understand it better I spoke with New Holland’s Sean Dorosz at the Farm Progress Show. Pictured is a New Holland T9 Series Tractor that will support the new technology.

“We don’t simply consider Tier IV as a legal requirement, but as a part of our fundamental role of agricultural machinery manufacturers which safeguards the farming environment for future generations,” says David Greenberg, Senior Director of Marketing, North America. “New Holland’s Clean Energy Leader position is based on fundamental elements for environmental respect that encompass not only Tier IV, but also biodiesel, the NH2TM hydrogen tractor and the Energy Independent Farm concept.”

As the Tier IVa regulations for products with engines over 174hp (130kW) go into effect in January 2011, New Holland will use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology for all machines producing over 100 hp. The advanced SCR engine solution was developed in partnership with Fiat Powertrain Technologies. SCR is a cool-running, quiet system that’s separate from the main engine function and does not compromise horsepower or torque. It does not interfere with engine performance but, in fact, actually improves it. The SCR after-treatment requires an easy-to-use additive.

You can listen to my interview with Sean here: Sean Dorosz Tier IV Interview

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Tractor

A Swine Health 3-Way Called 3FLEX

Chuck Zimmerman

They really need to simplify the pronunciation of these swine diseases. However, when it comes to simplifying how to treat them Boehringer Ingelheim has that covered with 3FLEX.

THE ONLY USDA-APPROVED COMBINATION PACKAGE FOR PORCINE CIRCOVIRUS, MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE AND PRRS

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. brings you the 3FLEX™ combination package, the first 3-way combination approved by the USDA to be mixed and administered as a single shot for pigs three weeks of age or older.
EASY AS 1-2-3

By mixing and administering Ingelvac CircoFLEX® 1, Ingelvac MycoFLEX® 2 and Ingelvac® PRRS MLV 3 in one 2 mL shot, you’re protecting your herd against three of the most critical diseases in the Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex (PRDC) and the swine industry. You’re also reducing stress on pigs and people, and reducing labor costs.

The technical manager for BIVI on this product is Dr. Greg Cline who spoke at the company’s weekend seminar I attended. He presented research that shows the effectiveness of the product. You can listen to my interview with Dr. Cline here: Dr. Greg Cline Interview

BIVI 2010 Swine Health Seminar Photo Album

Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

Harold Beaver Wins John Deere Chip Foose 4020 Tractor

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere just announced the winners of their Big Buck Sweepstakes. The big prize winner is Harold Beaver who receives the Chip Foose customized John Deere 4020 Tractor.

As the grand prize winner of the John Deere Big Buck Sweepstakes, Beaver not only won the customized John Deere 4020 Tractor but also met and talked with Chip Foose, who designed and modified one of Deere’s most widely used and popular tractor models ever produced. From March through July, the Big Buck 4020 Tractor toured the country as part of the John Deere Drive Green Tractor Experience events.

Beaver filled out the winning entry at the James River Equipment John Deere dealership in Statesville, North Carolina, when he was getting parts for a lawnmower. He thought it was a great idea to use Chip Foose to promote the John Deere 4020.

In addition to the grand prize Foose-customized 4020 Tractor, John Deere is giving away three Gator XUVs as first-place prizes. Recipients of these prizes are: Stephen Hendricks, St. Louis, Mo.; Philip Cripe, North Manchester, Ind.; Robert Leis, Togo, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Agribusiness, John Deere, Tractor

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The Oklahoma Beef Council announced a $250,000 gift to Oklahoma State University’s newly created endowed professorship in honor of animal scientist and autistic expert Dr. Temple Grandin whose life story, put to film, recently won seven Emmy’s.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced five new inductees into the USDA Hall of Heroes. Click here for the complete list.
  • New leadership has been elected by the Farm Financial Standards Council which recently held its 2010 conference and annual meeting.
  • FMC Corporation announced the introduction of Authority XL Herbicide, part of the Authority herbicide line of products for soybeans.
Zimfo Bytes

JoAnn Alumbaugh Joins McCormick Company

Chuck Zimmerman

Congratulations to JoAnn Alumbaugh on her new job with McCormick Company!

JoAnn has been working for Farms.com and has been a solid supporter of professional organizations like the American Agricultural Editors Association and International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. I hope she knows that the fine print in her membership said she had to stay involved “for life” even if she made a career move. LOL.

JoAnn is pictured kissing her “Best Dressed Minnesotan” award at the Ag Media Summit. Notice she’s holding up her “mini soda.” Get it? Yeah, took me a minute too.

Have you made a career move? Let the AgWired community know. We like to keep up.

Agencies, Media

Farm Market iD Partners with Successful Farming

Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmCast 272Successful Farming® and Farm Market iD have joined forces to create “SFMiD,” what they are calling “the most comprehensive agricultural and rural lifestyle database in the industry.” SFMid will offer a wide variety of options for multi‐sourced farm and rural lifestyle data, as well as customized solutions to help agrimarketers better understand owner/operator relationships, establish electronic communication data points, and know the farmer as an individual person.

That got our attention, so we called John Montandon, President of Farm Market iD, to find out more about what this new partnership has to offer. In this ZimmCast, John talks about how they are using the latest technology – both in communications and agriculture – to offer agrimarketers the most comprehensive information about their customers.

Find out more here: ZimmCast 273

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our a Subscribe page

Audio, ZimmCast