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

New Paint Scheme for Farm American Car

Cindy Zimmerman

farm american carColorado Farm Bureau informed us today that the Farm American Chevrolet that will debut at the Brickyard 400 Sprint Cup race in Indianapolis on Sunday has a different look than when it was on display at NAMA earlier this year. As you can see here, the No. 78 Farm American Chevrolet is now a bright green, yellow, blue and white with the theme of ‘Cultivating the Future’.

Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers has lots more great photos on their Facebook page, including this YouTube video walk around of the car. Can’t wait to see it on the track!

AFBF, Public Relations, USB

Get Ag Media Summit Mobile Updates

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s almost time to go rolling on the river at the Ag Media Summit. If you’re going then sign up to get mobile updates via Commodity Update.

Be sure to sign up for our FREE reminder service this year at the Ag Media Summit: Mobile Updates These tiny texts tell you where you need to be and when. It’s like having a mini agenda on your mobile phone. Sign up now! The Ag Media Summit has entered the mobile era, thanks to the generosity of our technology provider, CommodityUPDATE. Mobile Updates will end at the close of the conference.

You can download the current list of those registered here (pdf).

Ag Media Summit

NAMA Sustaining Sponsor

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmComm New Media, publisher of AgWired, is proud to become a Sustaining Sponsor of the National Agri-Marketing Association. We’ve always been an advocate and encourage anyone involved in agricultural marketing and communications to join and get involved.

As a sustaining sponsor you can count on even more information about NAMA activities and news about the industry we all know and love. If your company would like to provide more long term support for NAMA then just give Jenny a call at the NAMA office.

Under Jenny’s leadership NAMA has continued to grow and evolve to serve its members. If you ask most members they’ll tell you that the annual convention and other activities are extremely important to them professionally and personally. We echo that. Just the opportunity to network with friends and clients alone makes it worth the investment.

NAMA

Media Frenzy Over USDA Blunder

Cindy Zimmerman

I had to wonder while watching the live press conference of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s apology for firing an employee over apparently unfounded accusations of racism – how many of those mainstream media journalists had ever been inside the USDA? Were they just bored because the oil stopped gushing in the Gulf and Lindsay Lohan is in jail? I really would never have thought this could be such a HUGE story.

vilsack apologyVilsack offered the most contrite, nearly pathetic, apology that I have ever seen from a public official for firing Georgia USDA official Shirley Sherrod. It was actually refreshing to hear someone in such a high position be so totally and profoundly apologetic for his actions. He took full responsibility and did not put blame on anyone else – not the White House, not the media, not the “tea party blogger” who first put the video out there accusing Sherrod of black against white racism. Good for him.

Vilsack repeatedly said he “deeply regretted” his hasty decision to ask for Sherrod’s resignation. “As a result, a good woman has gone through a very difficult period and I’m going to have to live with that for a long, long time,” he said. “This is a good woman and she’s been put through hell. I could have and should have done a better job.”

I recorded some of the Q&A from the presser which you can listen to here: Vilsack Apology

In a nutshell, the story started unfolding on Monday when Andrew Breitbart of the website Big Government circulated a video clip from a speech that Sherrod made at an NAACP event in March where she talked about wanting to discriminate against a white farmer in danger of losing his farm. As a result of the video, she was condemned by the NAACP and curtly dismissed by Secretary Vilsack on Tuesday. By Tuesday evening, it became apparent that the video was only part of her speech, during which she revealed that this situation changed her attitude towards racism. This morning, all hell broke loose, with blame being tossed all over the place.

Fact is, this is an equal opportunity blame game with plenty to go around. Shep Smith of FOX News ripped most of them in a very genuine soliloquy following Robert Gibbs’ press conference about the mess. He blamed his own network, the White House and the NAACP for failing to fully investigate the video and its source before acting on it. Watch it here.

As Vilsack noted, “This is a teachable moment for me and for all of us. We need to think before we act. I did not think before I acted.” True indeed.

Media, USDA

Thank God I’m Fishing

Chuck Zimmerman

Today TGIF meant, Thank God I’m Fishing. Since I had to come to Florida to cover a farm convention it only seemed to make sense to come a day early and get in a salt water fishing experience. Living in Missouri makes that a rare event anymore.

So, Gary Cooper and I spent the day out on the water with Captain Edward Thomas, T.G.I.F. Charters. This time of year on a 97 degree day you don’t expect much but Gary and I limited out on sea trout and red fish. It’s a good looking board and you know what’s for dinner! What an awesome day on the water. We not only caught lots of fish, including these keepers, but we all looked up at one point and saw a huge tarpon double jump out of the water which was a memorable sight. We weren’t fishing for them and I’ve personally never seen them here (north Florida Gulf peninsula). So, TGIF!

Uncategorized

Family Farmers Get Networking Opportunity at Wyffels Corn Strategies

John Davis

One of the great things at the Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies 2010 meeting in Malcom, Iowa is the opportunity farmers are getting to talk to each other, as well as hearing from the experts on the agenda. It’s even better when family farmers are able to get together.

I caught up with a pair of brothers, Jayson and Matt Willimack, who row crop corn and soybeans with their two other brothers and Dad between Oxford Junction and De Witt in Eastern Iowa. They appreciated the fact that this meeting is being held on the Cummings’ family farm near Malcom, Iowa.

“It’s a great environment,” says Matt. “Look in the background and you’ve got Marty Cummings’ bins set up, and it’s stellar looking. It’s a great feel rather than a conference at a hotel.”

And Jayson points out what a great networking tool this place is. “You get to meet farmers from all over the state of Iowa and talk to them in a no pressure situation.”

Both Matt and Jayson say it has been a great meeting with some quality speakers who gave them some great insight into where the future growth in the corn industry will be.

You can hear or download more of my conversation with Matt and Jayson here: Jayson and Matt Willimack

Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies 2010 Photo Album

Audio, Corn, Seed

Wyffels – A Personal Touch in Corn Planting Strategies

John Davis

So what kind of company is Wyffels Hybrids? Well, the approximately 600 corn farmers who have gathered on the Cummings farm just north of Malcom, Iowa for Wyffels Corn Strategies 2010 are finding out firsthand (and have known for quite a while) that it is a family-owned seed company located in the heart of the corn belt in Iowa and Illinois.

I caught up with Jeff Hartz, marketing director with Wyffels, to find out a little bit more about the company. In the video below, you can hear Jeff talk about how his company sets itself apart from competitors, some who have decidedly bigger assets, by offering their customers the kind of personal service more should expect to get. He also pointed out that since Wyffels is an independent company, it has the ability to be more flexible with access to a wide variety of manufacturers. If you couldn’t be at the Corn Strategies 2010 to meet the good folks from this truly farmer-focused seed company, you can at least watch what Jeff has to say in the video below. Better yet, contact Wyffels yourself through the company’s website and set up a face-to-face conversation yourself.

Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies 2010 Photo Album

Corn, Seed, Video