57th Princess Kay of the Milky Way

Melissa Sandfort

Katie Miron, a 19-year-old college student from Hugo, Minn., was crowned the 57th Princess Kay of the Milky Way in an evening ceremony at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds August 25.

As Princess Kay, Miron, who represents Washington County, will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s nearly 4,700 dairy farmers. Katie is the daughter of Fran and Mary Ann Miron of Hugo, and attends the University of Minnesota, studying agricultural education. This marks the second time two people from the same family have been named Princess Kay: Miron’s sister, Ann, was crowned Princess Kay in 2007.

Throughout her year-long reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Miron will make public appearances helping consumers make a connection with Minnesota dairy farm families who are dedicated to producing wholesome milk while caring for their animals and natural resources.

Dairy

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The American Soybean Association has confirmed five new members (John Heisdorffer, IA; Lucas Heinen, KS; C.W. Gaffner and Dan Farney, IL; and Monica McCranie, S.D.) and extended the appointments of nine other soybean growers to lead ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health Program.
  • Eric J. Steiner will join the National Association of Wheat Growers as director of government affairs for farm policy on Monday, Aug. 30.
  • INFORCE 3, a new three-way respiratory cattle vaccine, will be available Sept. 1 from Pfizer Animal Health. The intranasal vaccine offers unprecedented respiratory protection with the highest level of disease prevention available against bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV).
  • Something big is coming to the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa: Geringhoff unleashes the only 24 row folding corn head in the world.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Opening Remarks At GIPSA Rule Forum

    Chuck Zimmerman

    I’m betting that by the end of today’s USDA/DOJ public workshop (it is today) we’re going to know a lot more about the proposed GIPSA rule and what it means for everyone in the livestock industry. I’ve got quite a bit of information from the evening’s forums that I’ll post when time allows in coming days and weeks.

    To get us started I thought I’d let you listen to the opening remarks from the leadership of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and National Pork Producers Council at their forum on the GIPSA rule. They’re introduced by emcee Kevin Ochsner, NCBA’s Cattlemen To Cattlemen. Also in this audio clip is Allie Devine, VP and General Counsel, Kansas Livestock Association, who provides a backgrounder on the proposed GIPSA rule: NCBA/NPPC GIPSA Panel Open
    USDA/DOJ Livestock Competition Workshop and Forums Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Audio, GIPSA, Livestock, NCBA

    Live Audio From R-Calf GIPSA Forum

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Now I’m attending the R-Calf GIPSA forum. Got here a little late. They’ve got an overflow crowd. There are several speakers to go. The language being used in the presentations is very different. Lots of references to factory farms and corporate control. No definition given though.

    I tried to live stream the audio but I couldn’t get on the hotel internet access and my Verizon MiFi just didn’t have enough oomph. I recorded the presentations and hope to post some of them at a later date. I’ll update the photo album with photos from here later.

    So, I’ll probably see you from the USDA/DOJ Workshop in the morning.

    Ag Groups, Audio, GIPSA, Livestock

    Live Audio GIPSA Forum With NCBA/NPPC

    Chuck Zimmerman

    I’ve been live streaming the audio from this evening’s forum and press conference on the proposed GIPSA rule. I’ll be posting selected audio and interviews at some later time since I have another forum to try to attend this evening and then an all day workshop tomorrow. I hope all you who listened got something out of it. It’s always best to hear it “live!”

    I’ve got a photo album started from tonight’s activities and will add to it during tomorrow’s workshop: USDA/DOJ Livestock Competition Workshop and Forums Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Audio, GIPSA, Livestock

    Learning More About GIPSA

    Chuck Zimmerman

    It’s time for some livestock industry forums in Ft. Collins, CO. I’m attending the first one which is the NCBA/NPPC GIPSA Rule Press Briefing. We’re in the Hilton for this session. I’ll be attending another one later this evening too. It looks like we’ve got people rolling in and the room is set up for a big crowd.

    Media are just now checking in. Here’s Melissa Tessitore, executive producer, NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen, which airs on RFD-TV. She graduated from Colorado State University which is right across the street. Helping Melissa out as videographer is her “old” college professor, Greg Luft, who is still teaching at CSU.

    I’ll be live tweeting tonight as much as I can while recording audio, doing interviews and taking photos. Tomorrow at the USDA/DOJ Workshop on the CSU campus I’ll be doing the same starting around 8am mountain.

    Ag Groups, GIPSA, Livestock

    Pepper Protection for Plants

    Cindy Zimmerman

    If pepper spray can protect a person from an assault, maybe it can protect plants, too.

    umnThat’s why researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) have licensed a unique plant protection product to keep deer and rodents from eating up the ornamentals.

    UMD scientist Tom Levar (pictured) adapted a chemical used to deliver medicines through the skin to a natural hot pepper concentrate that is delivered through the roots of young plants, making them inedible. Tablets with the delivery formulation are placed near the roots of a plant and, when watered, release a natural hot pepper concentrate known as capsicum that is absorbed by the plant.

    “This is a great application because capsicum is very safe and very effective,” said Levar. “There is no genetic modification. Eventually the plant will outgrow the capsicum treatment, but it lasts much longer than spray repellents.”

    Repellex USA has licensed the technology from the university and company president Elizabeth Summa says it is game-changing. “We’re excited because there really is no other systemic deer repellent like this. It goes right into the plant, and doesn’t wash off like spray deterrents.”

    “We did a lot of testing, mostly with tree growers in nurseries where they have a huge problem with mice eating away at their plants,” said Summa. “We think professional growers and homeowners will find value in planting two tablets with their trees and not having to worry about their investment.”

    The product has been submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for registration. Once approved, it will be available to commercial growers and shipped to retailers, likely in time for the spring planting season.

    Research

    Greasing the Rails with Soybeans

    Cindy Zimmerman

    New research is investigating the use of soybean-based lubricants in the rail industry.

    nablThe University of Northern Iowa’s National Ag-Based Lubricants Center (UNI-NABL) is the recipient of a $370,000 competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to test biobased lubricants and greases. UNI-NABL, the country’s leading bio-lubricant research center, will perform a side-by-side study of the biobased rail curve grease and hydraulic oils with petroleum-based versions of the same products. The goal is to compare the performance as well as the environmental and economic impact of each.

    According to Lou Honary, founding director of UNI-NABL and UNI professor, replacing the 10 million pounds of petroleum-based railroad grease used each year with a soybean-based product benefits U.S. farmers and the environment, while decreasing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. “Biobased greases are available for many applications,” Honary said, “including the railroads, but they require formal proof that they perform as good as petroleum-based greases before we’ll see their use nationwide.”

    UNI-NABL has been a leading developer of biobased greases and has licensed several greases for use in the railroad and trucking industries. The center will call upon industrial collaborators to help with the coordination of the research activities and to ensure the comparative tests are credible and meet industry performance requirements.

    Research, Soybean

    New BASF Top Plots Video

    Cindy Zimmerman

    My good buddy Kip Cullers of Purdy, MO is the latest star of the BASF Top Plots video series.

    basfKnown in farming circles as a “soybean celebrity,” Cullers has established world records for soybean production at 139 bushels per acre in 2006 and 154 bushels per acre in 2007. He’s also placed numerous times in the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Corn Yield Contest with consecutive first-place finishes in the Irrigated Class.

    As Cullers describes further in the video, he begins planting his crops early every season to help keep plants alive, happy and healthy throughout the year. According to Cullers, “A happy plant is a plant that’s going to produce.”

    basfBASF also wants to remind growers that they have a chance to be one of 10 to win an iPod nano® just by learning about their Kixor® herbicide technology.

    BASF recently introduced a new online training program for Kixor herbicide technology– www.kixoreducation.com – that provides valuable information on how Kixor helps address growers’ toughest weed challenges, including those resistant to ALS inhibitors, triazines and glyphosate. Growers and retailers who complete the training before Sept. 30, 2010 will be entered into a drawing to be one of 10 people to win an iPod nano®.

    BASF

    NAFB Announces 2010 Hall of Famers

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The National Association of Farm Broadcasting will honor two of its finest at the Thursday night Honors Celebration Banquet during the 66th Annual NAFB Convention, November 10-12 in Kansas City.

    national association farm broadcastingTaylor Brown and Gene Millard have been selected for induction into the NAFB Hall of Fame this year.

    Taylor Brown, owner and president of Northern Broadcasting System, Inc. in Billings, Montana, has put his stamp on the farm broadcasting industry since his start in 1979. In 1989 he was named NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as NAFB President in 1992. Additionally, Taylor has been a long-time supporter of the NAFB Foundation, serving as President since 1997. Taylor is also currently serving his first term as a Montana State Senator.

    Gene Millard, NAFB Emeritus member, former Farm Director/General Manager at KFEQ Radio in St. Joseph, Missouri, and head of Millard Family Farms, Inc., has been and continues to be a great farm communicator and ambassador. In 1990 Gene received the NAFB’s Dix Harper Meritorious Service Award and served as the NAFB Interim Executive Director in 2004. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Citizens Bank and Trust and as Chairman of the Board of Golden Triangle Energy.

    Register for the NAFB convention here.

    NAFB