The Trials and Errors of Lab Work

Chuck Zimmerman

Zachary Larson, Borlaug Summer Intern, is on location at Nanjing Agricultural University and providing us with updates this summer of his trip. Here’s his latest. You can also find a photo album he’s got started here: Borlaug Summer Intern Photo Album. The internship is being sponsored by the Iowa State University Plant Sciences Institute.

My lab work here in the wheat lab has been a bit of a trial and error experience, but I take this as an experience every person who wants to get involved in a research setting must undergo before they can actually conduct a research task proficiently.

For the last few weeks I have been solely working on helping my friend Wang Jia do his lab work, and understand his research. He is trying to detect the genetic differences between a variety of wheat, and a species of grass that shows a serious resistance against a variety of wheat disease. To do this, he first has to run hundreds of PCRs and Page Gels in order to get enough data to find the genetic differences. Read More

Education, International, University

USDA Says Ask The Expert

Chuck Zimmerman

If you have questions, USDA has answers. They just launched a new portal to Ask The Expert.

. . . a knowledge-based search engine that optimizes customer experience while conserving taxpayer dollars. This intuitive tool relies on self-service to deliver reliable and relevant information 24/7, greatly reducing wait time and USDA resources associated with the previous system.

USDA

Web Browser Compatibility

Chuck Zimmerman

Since so many of you have become more web savvy than you used to be I thought I’d point out a growing problem that I’ve been seeing lately. It’s website browser compatibility. Have you ever looked at your website in a browser other than the one you use? I highly recommend it and you may be very surprised at what you find. Does your web developer do this? You should make sure.

Why? Well if you look at this graphic which shows AgWired visitors for the last month by type of browser they use you can see a top ten list. That’s right. Ten different browsers and there are actually more. So not everyone is using Internet Explorer or Firefox. And although Internet Explorer (IE) is the biggest you need to realize that there are multiple versions of IE. There’s IE6, IE7, IE8 and a test version of IE9. Google Analytics isn’t breaking them out here. Your website could look different in each of them if it isn’t properly coded. And besides the browsers you have to also consider the operating system of your computer. What version of Window are you using or Mac OS? It makes a difference.

I’ve seen this browser compatibility problem with all kinds of websites and companies lately even including my bank where I do online banking. Now, even when we upgrade to a new version of our website software we have to fix all kinds of little bugs that pop up depending on which browser you’re using. It’s a pain in the you know what! But it’s reality. BTW. We find the most problems with IE and its various versions. And if I go back just 2 years ago IE was at 70% and of course there was no Chrome.

Internet

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Rabobank recently appointed David C. Nelson as Global Strategist, Animal Protein Grains and Oilseeds for the Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group based in Chicago.
  • The newly released Soybean Cyst Nematode Management Guide, produced by the North Central Soybean Research Program and the Plant Health Initiative, is a comprehensive guide to SCN and how to manage it.
  • Agriculture Future of America is excited to announce that the 2010 AFA Leaders Conference will be held Nov. 4-7, 2010, in Kansas City, Mo.
  • Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson presented Osborne Industries with the 2010 Kansas Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award.
    Zimfo Bytes

    New Research Shows BASF Headline Yield Advantage

    Cindy Zimmerman

    A new research summary shows that BASF Headline® fungicide effectively controls a broad spectrum of corn and soybean diseases, provides Plant Health benefits, and maximizes crop yields.

    basfThe Headline Fungicide Yield Research Summary demonstrates that the BASF fungicide provides corn growers approximately a 3 bu/A yield advantage over other available fungicides.

    “Growers are constantly weighing the practices and inputs they use for successfully growing a crop and maintaining their business,” said Nick Fassler, BASF Technical Market Manager. “BASF conducts this exhaustive research so growers can be assured that selecting Headline will help them meet their operational goals.”

    The results of the report are based on a summary of university small plot trials, seed company hybrid evaluations and large scale, on-farm side-by-side comparisons of Headline from 2004 to 2009. Headline was applied with a 6 oz/A use rate in all tests. Compared to untreated checks, research shows a 13.5 bu/A average yield increase and 12.2, 16.9 and 19.4 bu/A yield improvements under conditions of low, moderate and high disease pressure, respectively, in corn. In soybeans, an overall 3.5 – 5.5 bu/A yield increase was demonstrated, along with a 7.3 bu/A yield advantage in East and Southeast soybean trials.

    In addition, due to the hot, muggy weather this year, BASF is giving growers more time to take advantage of the Headline Advantage by extending a $50 per gallon grower incentive on Headline® fungicide through August 15. More info is available at headlineadvantage.com.

    BASF, Corn

    Alltech Games Day

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Here’s one way to get your employees excited about an upcoming promotion. Create your own holiday.

    It’s official. Alltech has named July 9th “Alltech Games Day.” In anticipation of the largest sporting event to come to the United States since the 2002 Winter Olympics, Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, has announced that all 120 Alltech offices located worldwide will be celebrating a day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

    Twenty-three hundred employees from around the globe will celebrate Alltech Games Day by dressing in Games apparel and buttons. Along with having a dress down day at the office, each employee will take one hour out of their work day to call and invite customers, friends and family to the Games.  That time is equal to more than 287 work days worth of time spent on inviting contacts.

    Alltech

    NAFB Foundation Scholarship Recipients

    Chuck Zimmerman

    National Association of Farm BroadcastingThe National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Foundation just announced their 2010 scholarship recipients.

    The Foundation is pleased to announce the 2010 selections:
    Taylor James, Kansas State University, Glenn Kummerow Scholarship, $5,000
    Denise Donley, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, $4,000
    Julie Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, $4,000

    The NAFB Foundation Board of Directors would like to congratulate these students. In addition to their scholarship, they will each receive a trip to Kansas City for the 2010 NAFB Annual convention, funded by the Foundation. These scholarships and other projects that sustain the future and prosperity of the ag and rural broadcasting industry, would not be possible without the NAFB Foundation Boosters and supporters. Thank you to everyone who supports the NAFB Foundation.

    For more information on the NAFB Foundation, or to pledge your support, visit www.nafbfoundation.com.

    NAFB

    2010 NAMA Boot Camp Registration

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Registration is now open for this year’s NAMA Boot Camp.

    Join us for the 7th annual NAMA Boot Camp, August 17-19, 2010 in Kansas City. Sign up for this program today to learn more about the agri-marketing industry. This year the Boot Camp will take it to a new level expanding on marketing and agriculture basics.

    Sessions at this year’s Boot Camp include:

    Producer Panel
    Marketing to the Row Crop Industry
    Marketing to the Animal Health Industry
    Little Red Writing Hood
    The Impact of Digital Media on Farmers and Ranchers
    Recalls, Oil Spills and the Media – Oh My!
    Marketing to Key Influencers
    Career Builder Session
    Advocating for Ag Panel

    . . . and there will be plenty of opportunities for networking during the reception on Tuesday, in addition to during the Opening General Session. Network during lunch on Wednesday and during the reception at the Boulevard Brewery or at the Dine Around that evening!

    All attendees will receive a notebook packed with agricultural terminology, facts, case studies and speaker presentations. This notebook has become one of the most popular aspects of the boot camp experience.

    NAMA

    ZimmComm Client Site On Forbes Top 100

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Congratulations to Cali Yost. Her website/blog Work+Life Fit made the Forbes Top 100 Websites For Women. Cali has been a ZimmComm client for years and had this to say when she let us know about the distinction:

    I thought I would share this with you because my blog was just named one of the Top 100 Websites for Women by Forbes!! And I couldn’t have done it without you! Thank you both.

    We’re very proud of what Cali has accomplished. She’s a shining example of what you can do online today if you’re passionate about your subject and willing to be persistent and patient. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in either. There might just be something to this whole blogging thing, eh? See the complete list on the Forbes website.

    To determine which sites and blogs made the cut we looked for compelling and decidedly female-oriented content, outstanding design, an active community and frequent updates. In short, sheer clickyness.

    Uncategorized

    Missourians For Animal Care Continues HSUS Battle

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Missourians For Animal Care continue to fight the HSUS battle by releasing another video to help create public awareness.

    Our mission is to promote and protect Missouri’s vibrant and diverse agriculture, which includes livestock and domesticated animals.

    Like ’em on Facebook.

    A ballot initiative is currently underway in the state of Missouri. This ballot initiative is called “The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act”. This ballot measure would place onerous restrictions on Missouri’s well-run licensed breeding facilities which is unfair and misguided. This law punishes law-abiding, licensed breeders for the minority of unlicensed breeders who do not follow the Animal Care Facilities Act Program (ACFA) and who are non-compliant to the law. This measure would also impose detrimental economic consequences for our Missouri farming and agriculture communities.

    Ag Groups, Animal Activists