International Company Fits Perfectly at Int’l Precision Ag Conference

John Davis

The good folks at Leica Geosystems have found plenty to talk about at the 10th International Conference on Precision Agriculture. And why shouldn’t they? Leica is into precision agriculture systems, and it’s definitely for farms just about anywhere in the world.

“It’s important for us to be here to show people where Leica comes from [and] our product range,” Rob Kiernan, Leica’s Global Sales and Marketing Manager told me.

He says while agriculture is different in other parts of the world … some places focus on huge fields, while many farmers work in numbers of acres that you could count on one hand … there is a need to have precision technology, such as Leica offers.

“If we have the core technology of the GPS, it does benefit agriculture across the regions [of the world]. We’ve always looked at the big fields, but the small fields are equally important.”

You can hear more of my conversation with Rob by listening to it or downloading it from the player here: Rob Kiernan, Leica Geosystems

ICPA Photo Album

Coverage of the 10th International Conference on Precision Agriculture brought to you on Agwired by leica When it has to be RIGHT!

Audio, Leica Geosystems, Precision Agriculture

Ag Media Summit Cruise Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Ag Media SummitThe 2010 Ag Media Summit got off to an official start this weekend. I joined up in time to go on the welcome reception cruise. It was a good one. In fact, I’m kind of at a loss for words how to describe it. So I guess I’ll just have to let the photo album tell the story. We had awards for the best dressed “Minnesotan” and I’ve got them in the photo album including these winners.

I also caught some of our winners early on the dock before the cruise, getting in the mood.


2010 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit

Rolling On The River at AMS

Chuck Zimmerman

Ag Media SummitI am ready for some rolling on the river at the Ag Media Summit. Just got in and got registered. Now getting ready for our evening welcome reception.

Of course I’ve got a photo album started. There will be plenty more added to it in coming days so keep your eye on it and see who you know.

2010 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Ag Media Summit

Wrapping Up Peanut Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Don Koehler, Executive Director, Georgia Peanut Commission, helped me wrap things up for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference. As of this point in time everyone has a free afternoon before our concluding dinner this evening. I’ll be adding some photos from that event to the photo album. You can also find another set of photos taken by Joy Carter, Georgia Peanut Commission on her photo album with this link.

Don says the conference attendance has been consistent with previous years in spite of the economy and gulf oil worries. He says farmers are all positive and that’s the best word to describe the conference. The mood is upbeat and even with some areas needing some rain. He’s looking forward to conference number 13 next year. The move to an end of the week program has been very positive so that’s likely to be the schedule next year too. Don Koehler Interview

Joy and I will be heading north tomorrow to join the Ag Media Summit which is already in progress.

12th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Peanuts

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