Legislators Question USDA Objectivity On GIPSA/Workshops

Chuck Zimmerman

The forums and USDA/DOJ public workshop I’ll be attending in Ft. Collins, CO get more interesting by the minute it seems like. Today a letter was sent to Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack from Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Sam Brownback (R-KS), and Tom Coburn (R-OK) expressing some concerns about a USDA official helping to promote “a message from an interest group soliciting attendance at the workshop.” Now who do you think they could be referring to? Here’s the text of that letter:

“We continue to have concerns about the objectivity of your Department’s actions with regard to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s (GIPSA) proposed rule of June 22, 2010 and the ongoing Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Department of Justice (DOJ) competition workshops. Even though you assured us that the workshops would “be organized and conducted as open and balanced forums to provide an opportunity for diverse viewpoints to be heard”, recent press accounts of an email sent by a USDA official concerning the upcoming agriculture competition workshop in Fort Collins, CO, would suggest otherwise. A USDA employee in a Colorado field office used his official government email account to pass along a message from an interest group soliciting attendance at the workshop.

“This raises serious concerns about the objectivity of your department. To that end, we request:

1. the number of USDA and non-USDA recipients who received the email in question from an official email account;

2. the content of subsequent email messages to and from the official email account responding to the original message;

3. any memoranda or directives sent to USDA employees asking for assistance in soliciting workshop participants;

4. a description of how the Administration will ensure the August 27, 2010 joint DOJ/USDA workshop will be conducted in a fair and unbiased manner; and,

5. all solicitations or position statements from any USDA agent or employee regarding the competition workshops.
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Livestock, USDA

Cows Under The Influence?

Chuck Zimmerman

I have got to agree with Trent Loos on this. He says, “Tell me why a good video about how cows improve human lives get no traction on YouTube and this thing has 4.1 million views….OOOOOHHHHHH Why? By the way how many cows were used to make this?” I am not sure the answer to that. Perhaps the cows weren’t under the influence. Maybe the creator of this video was. He’s a “freelance animator based near Brighton UK.”

Video

Iowa Farmers Participate in Biomass Harvest

Joanna Schroeder

Eighty-five farmers in and around Emmetsburg, Iowa have become early adopters by participating in the world’s largest biomass harvest for cellulosic ethanol ever. Over the next year, nearly 60,000 tons of bone-dry light corn stover and corn cobs will be delivered to Project Liberty in an effort to refine biomass harvesting, storage and transportation techniques in time for the production debut in early 2012.

I spoke with Scott Weishaar to learn more about the role these pioneering farmers will play and also what concerns have been raised and how POET is addressing them. Farmers have been concerned about the effect of removing the cobs and stover on soil health and yield. Early tests by Iowa State University show that these will be minimal as long as no more than approximately 25 percent of the biomass is removed. In fact, Iowa State is working on creating variable rate removal technology that will ensure that only the appropriate amount of biomass is removed from each field.

Over the next 12 months, the farmers who are participating in the program will harvest their biomass into either round or square bales and then store the at either the edge of their field or at their actual homestead. Eventually, the biomass will be delivered to Project Liberty and the research team will conduct tests to determine the best ways to store the biomass and how long it can be stored before the biomass is compromised to an extent it can’t be converted to ethanol.

Once the date is compiled, POET will publish a white paper that will help guide farmers who plan on harvesting biomass for ethanol in the future. Weishaar stressed that POET’s goal is to arm farmers the tools to become successful.

“Because if they’re not successful, we’re not successful,” said Weishaar. “So we want to make sure we address all their questions and concerns so they not only have a positive experience, but profitable one that moves us towards sustainability.”

You can see photos from the Biomass Harvest Kickoff here.

Listen to the interview with Scott Weishaar here: Scott Weishaar Talks Biomass

Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Video

“Big Bud” at Farm Progress

Cindy Zimmerman

The world’s largest tractor is sure to be a big attraction at the 2010 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa next week.

The Big Bud 747 tractor was built in Havre, Montana by Ron Harmon and the crew of the Northern Manufacturing Company. Measuring 27 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 14 feet tall, and weighing in at 100,000 pounds, Big Bud can work more than one acre per minute, at speeds up to 8 mph. Except for its new paint job, chrome stacks, and a whopping 900 plus horsepower – the Big Bud looks like it did when it rolled out of the Northern Manufacturing Company building back in 1977.

Crop Production Services (CPS), Dyna-Gro Seed and Loveland Products Inc. will be featuring Big Bud to reinforce their “Think Big” theme for 2010.

Here’s a promo video of Big Bud:

Equipment, Farm Progress Show, Tractor, Video

Soybean Board Sponsors Jeff City, MO Tractor Pull

John Davis

This weekend, Friday, Aug. 27 & Saturday, Aug. 28, the folks in Jefferson City, Missouri will enjoy the power of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA), courtesy of the United Soybean Board (USB).

Todd Gibson, the director of the USB and a soybean farmer from Western Missouri’s Carroll County, says this will be his first professional tractor pull he’s attended, and he’s satisfied to leave his own equipment back home. “I’ll let the big boys take care of it.”

The pullers, many of whom are associated with agriculture, will be available for the public to meet and talk to about the performance of soy biodiesel.

The video below is from last year’s event in Jeff City.

NOTE: This version of the story corrects an error that said the tractors will be running on soybean-based biodiesel. While the pullers MAY use biodiesel, they are not REQUIRED to do so. Much of the support equipment in the tractor pull will be using biodiesel.

Biodiesel, Soybean, USB

Little River Band Provides Cool Change For Commodity Classic

Chuck Zimmerman

All right Commodity Classic. Now you’ve got my attention on the whole entertainment thing. CC just announced that the Evening of Entertainment will feature the Little River Band.

Described as “the best harmony band in the world,” the Little River Band is in its thirty-fifth year of producing and performing hit making music. The group has sold over 25 million records and has 13 American top 40 hits to their credit.

Formed in 1975, this Australian band was the first of the “Down Under” rock groups to crack the U.S. market. During their initial tour of the states, the band saw their 1976 single It’s a Long Way There make the U.S. Top 30 hit list. Before the 1970s were over, the Little River Band would release Top 10 hits Lady, Reminiscing, Cool Change and Lonesome Loser. With over 4 million plays, Reminiscing remains the most frequently aired song in American radio history. Considered one of Australia’s most significant bands, the Little River Band was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry’s Hall of Fame in 2004.

They are on my iPod and I do have them in my old (I don’t even know where it is) LP collection. You can follow them on Twitter.

Ag Groups, Commodity Classic, Video

Advertise On AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s a completely shameless pitch to encourage some more advertising support on AgWired.  Actually, it’s my shout-out to you advertising and public relations agencies and ag media companies.  AgWired started as my attempt at a company website when I realized I was never going to be a designer and developer on my own with “traditional” websites.  By using a self publishing platform (blog) I immediately realized the power of the new medium.  Since my passion has always been agricultural marketing the content direction was set and a unique online publication was born.  My core target audience is the membership of the National Agri-Marketing Association.  That’s you plus many, many more readers, followers, subscribers and fans.  AgWired is promoted each week with my ZimmNews e-Newsletter that is sent to about 6,000 people now.  So I know who you are and you include not only NAMA members but farmers, agribusiness marcomm people, government and university staff and other types of industry leaders.

So, my shout-out is for you agencies and media companies to consider adding an AgWired schedule to your marketing budget.  We didn’t accept advertising for years until we believed we had created a product with staying power and an audience you would desire.  I think we have proven that.  The encouragement and support received from so many of you has been overwhelming and it’s what keeps me committed to AgWired.  We’re showing our support by investing in new mechanisms to increase the AgWired community with channels like our text delivered service, AgWired Mobile, and now the AgWired iPhone App.

So, if you want to promote your brand to your current and potential customers then contact me or our manager, ave Larson, and we’ll create a customized schedule.  We’re creative and open to your ideas.

Finally, I’ll issue this additional invitation.  If you’re in an agency or ag media, send me a “guest post” and I’ll use it. For example, maybe your CEO wants to write a post about what sets your company apart from the rest of the industry, or maybe you’ve got a white paper you want to promote, whatever it is, email it to me and I’ll use it.  I’m offering this in addition to the regular releases you send us about adding staff, getting new clients, unveiling a new website, etc.  But I only want one.  If you’d like to write a series then let’s discuss that as a component of a promotional campaign.

Thank you for your consideration and I hope to hear from you!

Advertising

Some Groups Support GIPSA Rule

Cindy Zimmerman

We’ve been hearing a lot from producers and organizations with concerns about the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule, but there are some groups in favor of the rule.

The most vocal is R-CALF USA, led by CEO Bill Bullard, who calls the proposed rule “critical” to help “an industry in crisis.” Bullard contends that the rule is simply designed to address anti-competitive practices by meat packers and that concerns about unintended consequences being made by groups like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council are “scare tactics” initiated by the packers themselves. “The opponents to the rule, primarily the meat packers, are fighting against it as hard as they can and trying to convince producers that they should help the meat packers kill this rule,” Bullard says. He believes that the rule will not result in meat packers abandoning marketing agreements they have made with producers for premium traits. “It is incomprehensible that the packers would forgo what they claim to be a very profitable venture simply because they have to maintain the records to justify it,” said Bullard.

R-CALF is encouraging 25,000 rural Americans to show up at the USDA/DOJ public workshop this Friday in Ft. Collins, CO to show their support for the rule.

Listen to or download Chuck’s interview with Bill here: Bill Bullard Interview

Another group supporting the GIPSA rule is Food & Water Watch, an environmental activist group, which is working with R-CALF on a public forum they are sponsoring the day before the USDA/DOJ public workshop in Ft. Collins. This is the group behind “The Meatrix,” an anti-“factory farming” viral video series produced in 2007 that comes off more than just a little anti-animal agriculture in general. Other groups supporting the rule include the Western Organization of Resource Councils, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and the Missouri Rural Crisis Center.

I had forgotten just how darn funny and clever the “Meatrix” videos were, even if you don’t agree with the agenda. Watch the original here:

Audio, GIPSA, Livestock, USDA, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Farm Journal Media has launched an all-new AgWeb.com – the Homepage of Agriculture. AgWeb, the largest online media and information network in agriculture, now features even more robust news, weather and market data.
  • The Food Channel has released its top ten snack trends, one of its regular trend reports.
  • The U.S. Grains Council has hired Keith Williams as the new director of strategic relations. In this role, Williams will help provide accurate and timely information to the Council’s membership and international customers of U.S. corn, barley, sorghum and their products.
  • Farmer, Lumpe + McClelland Advertising Agency announced the addition of nationally acclaimed agency executive K. Burke Johnson as creative director.
Zimfo Bytes

USDA/FFA Lesson Plans

Chuck Zimmerman

The USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service and FFA are teaming up to develop new tools for classrooms to “help promote agricultural and statistical literacy among kindergarten through 12th-grade students.”

“By including these materials in the classroom curriculum, teachers can help students better understand statistics and their importance to the farming community, rural America and society as a whole,” said Dr. Cynthia Clark, NASS administrator. “These lesson plans contain relevant information to give students a realistic view of statistical processes used to track trends and changes in U.S. agricultural production, economics and demographics.”

The classroom-ready resources, which include lesson plans and supporting materials, are aligned with national curriculum standards for science, math and social studies. The materials use current Census of Agriculture data to teach a variety of concepts including discovering new trends in population subsets and evaluating diversity among farmers.

The materials are available online via the NASS website (http://www.nass.usda.gov/Education_and_Outreach/index.asp) and the FFA Learning Center (http://ffa.learn.com).

Education, FFA, USDA