Peanut Farmer Family Tradition

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s always good to hear from our presenters and sponsors but what about our growers? Let’s find out what a peanut farmer thinks about the Southern Peanut Growers Conference.

I spoke with Steve “Beaver” Yoder, Altha, FL. Steve brings his family as many peanut farmers do. They look forward to it as a “tradition” and it shows his children what he does and how he keeps himself informed as a farmer. He sees the conference as a great opportunity to combine some vacation time with a professional improvement conference. He says his peanut crop is off to a good start by the way. That’s what I’m hearing a lot in the hallways.

Steve Yoder Interview

12th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Farming, Peanuts

Wyffels Corn Strategies: Part Family Reunion, Part State Fair

John Davis

It’s an effort to bring high-quality information to corn farmers so they can improve their bottom line. But Bill Wyffels, who is the President and owns Wyffels Hybrids along with his brother Bob, likes to describe the Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies 2010 held in a tent on the Cummings family farm just outside of the eastern Iowa town of Malcom a little differently.

“It’s kind of a combination of family reunion and state fair atmosphere.”

Family reunion … if you have about 600 members who plant corn for a living. And if you’re from a family that big (gee, sounds like an Iowa Catholic family from my neighborhood!), there are some family members who you might not even know. Wyffels says they’re also trying to introduce themselves to more farmers by setting themselves apart from the big seed companies.

“Wyffels is quite unique. We only sell hybrid corn. We mostly do business in Illinois and Iowa, and the name of the company is kind of a funny name.”

But besides the family-owned apsect that lends Wyffels that “funny name,” the company makes its mark by its level of customer service … where the farmers they sell to are their friends and partners in business.

“There’s more than what’s in the bag. There’s a personalization. We need to know the needs of every individual farmer. We need to know about his land. We need to prescribe those products and how to use those products to maximize his profitability on his farm.”

Wyffels says his company’s small size does give it a bit of advantage when going up against some of the big boys in the seed corn business as they’re able to have a more personal touch.

“It’s been part of our culture for a long, long time. The office where I grew up was the kitchen table. Farmers would buy seed from my father, and it’s kind of ingrained into the other family members.”

Wyffels says they started offering this type of event five years ago, when just about 60 growers showed up. Now, even as it’s grown to more than 600 corn farmers at each of the two locations where it’s offered, Wyffels sees it as another chance to touch people.

You can hear or download my entire conversation with Bill here: Bill Wyffels

Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies 2010 Photo Album

Audio, Corn, Seed

Beaches Clean In Panama City Beach Area

Chuck Zimmerman

Like me, you may wonder what the beach is like here on the Gulf coast. I thought I’d heard warnings about oil coming on shore as far as Panama City Beach. That does not seem to be the case right now at least. The water is clear and pretty emerald green, the beaches are white and lots of people are on vacation.

Video

Valor Award Presented at Southern Peanut Growers Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Each year the Southern Peanut Growers Conference presents a Valor Award to someone in the industry. This year the award was presented to Leslie Wagner, Executive Director, Southern Peanut Growers. The award was presented by John Altom, Valent.

I spoke with Leslie prior to the award and you can listen to our conversation below. So congrats to Leslie because she’s also celebrating the 30th anniversary of Southern Peanut Growers. In fact, during registration yesterday there was anniversary cake to celebrate with. You can see the cutting of the cake below.

Southern Peanut Growers used to be the Peanut Advisory Board but changed its name last year. Leslie says that SPG has had a great couple of years doing promotion and publicity. She is really excited that peanuts and peanut butter are mentioned as healthy foods in the new dietary guidelines that were published recently.
Leslie Wagner Interview

12th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Peanuts, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The Illinois Soybean Association recently unveiled a new book titled “Sam’s Soy Trek” to help young children get acquainted with soybeans.
  • Farm Progress Companies, Inc. and IRON Solutions, Inc. broaden their current marketing alliance, as Farm Progress will begin representing IRON Search’s online media assets to advertisers throughout the U.S. agricultural market.
  • A new slate of officers and Board of Directors were elected at the U.S. Grains Council’s 50th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting. Terry Vinduska, a corn farmer representing the Kansas Corn Commission, was elected chairman for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
  • Spring Chicken Media LLC, announced the launch of Home Grown on a Hobby Farm, Internet television’s first professionally produced program to be dedicated to sharing the “how-to” of activities on a hobby farm.
Zimfo Bytes

Grains Council Elects New Officers for Golden Anniversary

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is moving into its second half century with a brand new slate of officers and directors.

usgcAt the U.S. Grains Council’s 50th Annual Board of Delegates meeting in Boston this week, Terry Vinduska, a corn farmer representing the Kansas Corn Commission, was elected chairman for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Other officers elected include Wendell Shauman, representing Illinois Corn Marketing Board, as vice chairman; Don Fast, representing Montana Wheat & Barley Committee, as treasurer; and Julius Schaaf, representing Iowa Corn Promotion Board, as secretary.

Alan Tiemann, of the Nebraska Corn Board, was re-elected to the Council’s Board of Directors. Newly elected Board members include James Tobin of Monsanto; Bill Kubecka of United Sorghum Checkoff Program; and Jere White of Kansas Corn Commission.

Thomas C. Dorr, USGC president and CEO, said, “As the U.S. Grains Council begins its 51st year, we are fortunate to have strong, active leadership in place. Our new chairman, Mr. Vinduska, the Board of Directors, Board of Delegates, A-Team leaders and state liaisons provide excellent insight into the challenges and opportunities in the international market arena. The Council’s success over its first five decades is attributable to a long tradition of farmer and agribusiness leadership that’s determined to see the Council succeed.”

Many representatives from the National Corn Growers Association attended the meeting this week to congratulate the Council for 50 years of helping to increase export opportunities for U.S. grain producers. “We’re proud of the work the Grains Council has accomplished in its history, and we are proud to share several common founding members,” said NCGA President Darrin Ihnen. “We are working to build on our half-century history of collaboration so that we can continue to serve the country’s corn farmers to the best of our abilities.”

NCGA is a founding member of USGC and works cooperatively with their export promotion efforts.

Corn, Grains, NCGA, USGC

Mike’s Million Mile Ride

Joanna Schroeder

Remember when American-made cars meant quality? Well, maybe it still does. An interesting little story has surfaced this week as Mike Lewallen, a Stoller salesman, who has traveled around the country in the name of agriculture, has put more than 1 million miles, on his Ford truck.

Now this my friends, is quite an accomplishment.

Ironically, this video was shot during 2010 Corn College right next to the Chevy display. Check it out.

Uncategorized, Video

Book Review – Green Gone Wrong

Joanna Schroeder

Everyone has an opinion about the veracity of global warming, except, maybe global governments who are pursing economic improvements on the back of climate change. The quest for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and predominately carbon dioxide (CO2) has led to a spurt of new research around the development of more sustainable practices and technologies. But at what cost to the environment? This question is asked and answered in the new book Green Gone Wrong, by Heather Rogers.

This question may on the surface sound like an oxymoron. How can you be developing technologies to improve the environment, yet hurt it at the same time? According to Rogers, this is in fact happening every day, all over the world. Rogers breaks up the offenses into three categories: food, shelter and transportation.

The crux of the food section studies what organic farming really means (or doesn’t mean) and the movement to “beyond organic“.

So let’s talk a little about Rogers’ view of agriculture. She writes, “The fallout from conventional agriculture can be devastating. Synthetic fertilizers typically contain high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, much of which is eventually washes into coastal waters where it fuels rampant algae growth.” The result are Dead Zones where no fish can survive.

She continues by saying that pesticides linger on food, which “wreak havoc on human health.”Read More

Farming, Food, Organic

Peanut Industry Looks Healthy In Florida

Chuck Zimmerman

Ken BartonOne of the first people I met at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference was Ken Barton, Executive Director, Florida Peanut Producers Association. FPPA is one of the state peanut groups that puts on the conference.

Ken provided me with an overview of the conference in a short interview. He says the content seems to get better each year. The registration room was very busy so it looks like attendance is off to a great start.

The program will include speakers talking about each segment of the peanut industry including research and promotion. Of course farmer attendees get some time to enjoy the beach with their families. Ken points out that the water is beautiful and clean.

I asked him about the status of the Florida peanut industry and he says it’s “very healthy.” Consumption is increasing and the crop is in good shape although some areas could use more rain.

Ken Barton Interview

12th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Peanuts

Panama City Beach Welcomes Peanut Growers

Chuck Zimmerman

Panama City BeachI don’t know what I expected after all the horror stories in the news about the Gulf oil spill but it wasn’t crowded immaculate white beach here in Panama City Beach. But that’s what we’ve got as the 12th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference gets underway. No oil marring the coastline here. I drove along Hwy. 98 coming in from the east and that’s the way all the beaches looked in that direction although I did see some colorful booms out in the water in a few places. Maybe they’re there just in case.

So, I’ve already had my hot grilled PBJ sandwich in the registration room and conducted a couple of interviews in advance of this evening’s opening dinner. Photos will be added to the Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album so check it often.

Ag Groups, Peanuts