Final Day of Alltech Symposium

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s the final day of the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium. This morning there are several general session presentations. You can watch them live on the Alltech website.

I finally had a chance to get some participant interviews done yesterday afternoon and will be posting them during the next several days. I hope you’ve been enjoying the coverage here. I continue to be amazed by the organization and quality of this conference. The staff at Alltech work at a frantic pace to make sure everything happens on time and that the facilities and overall experience for the participants is excellent.

I’ll be heading over to the general session room from this great media room momentarily and finish out the morning there. So stay tuned and enjoy a video look at yesterday’s afternoon sessions.

2010 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Foster Team Building

Chuck Zimmerman

Eric HeemskerkThe Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium brings in participants and customers from all over the world. I met several of them during a reception yesterday. They represent companies that have partnered with Alltech for the upcoming World Equestrian Games. I’ll feature interviews with them over the next several days. So let’s get started with the Netherlands.

Eric Heemskerk, Heemskerk, says his company is based in the Netherlands but also works in Belgium and Germany. They have both equine and dairy products. Eric says business in his country has been very strong.

Heemskerk is a partnering company with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and Eric sees the event as a great opportunity. He calls the opportunity one of team building since his company works very closely with Alltech and together they hope to make the Games very successful. His goal is to build that team spirit between his customers, his staff and the Alltech representatives he works with.

2010 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech, Audio, International, Uncategorized

Alltech Discussion Dinners

Chuck Zimmerman

Alltech DinnerThis evening participants in the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium broke up into discussion dinners with various topics. I attended the dairy dinner.

Other topics included:

* Food Fight: Do consumer perceptions affect the future of commercial agriculture?
* The Urban-Rural Divide: Farmers need to learn how to communicate with the media (pictured)
* Greening planet: Regulatory considerations for animal agriculture
* Contaminants in feed: How can feed & food companies address this challenge?
* Mycotoxins from the 2009 Crops: Realities & solutions
* Train your people and risk they leave or not train them and risk they stay?
* Poultry profitability: Do benchmarking systems help or hinder?
* New standards for pig nutritionists: 35 pigs per sow, 2.2 FCR
* Will milk be the ‘new oil’ again? Perspectives for a return to profitability
* Beefing up demand and profitability: What goes into a successful beef program?
* The equine genome: What does it mean for you and your horse business?
* Aquaculture: Is the future so bright?
* Profits from pets: The next frontiers of knowledge.

2010 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech

First Annual NAFB Lake Girls Retreat

Cindy Zimmerman

lake girlsThe 1st Annual NAFB Lake Girls Retreat was held this past weekend at the lovely home of the incomparable Sara Wyant and Al Johnson of Agri-Pulse.

Some of you may remember that a group of gals who are NAFB old-timers got together and bought the weekend at Al and Sara’s up for bid at the NAFB Foundation auction last fall. That included myself, Cyndi Young and Anita Vanderwert (both with Brownfield), Cindy Cunningham (Pork Board), Sally Behringer (Nicholson-Kovac), Janet Adkinson (KMZU-Carrollton, Mo.), and Robin Loftin (Southeast Agnet).

Unfortunately, Cindy C and Robin were unable to make it at the last minute, but we invited Meghan Grebner with WIRL in Peoria to join us and we all had a fabulous time — even without any sunshine. The weather was crappy, but the company was wonderful.

lake girlsSara and Al were very gracious hosts and showed us a great time at the Lake. We were able to take the boat out on Saturday and have lunch at Shorty Pants, a drink in Paradise and dinner at The Fish. It was all quite marvelous and only the weather could have been better.

There are more photos posted on Facebook pages of those who were there. We’d love to do it again, if Sara and Al put it up for NAFB auction again, but there are lots of others who have already said they want to go with us next year (girls only! Sorry guys… although Al would like some company). Sally says, “We’re gonna need a bigger boat!”

Thanks Al and Sara for a wonderful weekend and for your support of the NAFB Foundation!

NAFB

Wet Weather Slows Planting Progress

Cindy Zimmerman

cornCool, wet weather slowed down corn and soybean planting last week, but didn’t stop it.

USDA reports that 38 percent of the soybean crop is now planted and 87 percent of the corn – which is way ahead of last year in both cases and a comfortable amount above normal. Both crops are emerging ahead of normal – corn at 55 percent and soybeans. The rain especially put the brakes on planting in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri and there are concerns that a little replanting may be necessary in some areas that got a little flooding or have standing water.

This photo was taken in a field right next to the Missouri River where it flows past Jefferson City. The river was expected to crest higher than it did over the weekend, which spared this field all but a few rows on the edges.

Corn, Soybean, USDA

Alltech Great Debate

Chuck Zimmerman

Great Debate PanelThe third Great Debate is underway at the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium. This panel answers questions posed by a moderator and these guys don’t hold anything back. This year they’re talking about “People, Profits and Planet: Views from around the world.”

Pictured are (l-r) Trent Loos, Loos Tales, Nebraska, USA, Osler Desouzart, Managing Director, OD Consulting Planning and Strategy, Brazil, Gordon Butland, Director, G&S Agriconsultants.Co. Ltd., Patrick Wall, Associate Professor of Public Health, University College Dublin, Ireland

I’m going to share some selected comments from them when I have time later. We’ve got a reception following immediately and then multiple dinners organized by animal species preference. The photo album is up to date.

2010 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech

Alltech Young Scientist Awards

Chuck Zimmerman

Lee-Anne HuberThe Alltech Young Scientist winners have been announced. Maybe you had a chance to see it live but if not here are the winners. First up in the Undergraduate Category is Lee-Anne Huber, University of Guelph, Canada.

For the fifth year, and with more than 5000 applicants, global animal nutrition company, Alltech has focused in on their 2010 Young Scientist local winners. The Alltech Young Scientist Award brings together the world’s brightest scientific thinkers from colleges and universities across the globe. Alltech, celebrating being 30 years old, has a history of supporting education initiatives as this is the fifth year Alltech has put on their Young Scientist program.

Michael SteeleThe other big winner in the Graduate Category is Michael Steele, also University of Guelph, Canada.

So Canada has a clean sweep in the competition this year. As you can see above, getting 5,000 entries is big but Dr. Pearse Lyons has made a challenge to get that number up to 50,000!

They’re both pictured in between Inge Russell, Alltech and Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech. You can see a list of the 10 finalists on the Alltech website.

2010 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech

Looking Forward To Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Chuck Zimmerman

Dr. Pearse LyonsHere’s Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech, facing his adoring paparazzi. The founder of Alltech is looking forward to the upcoming World Equestrian Games which will be held in Kentucky. He should be after investing millions of dollars in the event. According to Dr. Lyons the games may never be held here again so there’s a lot of pressure to make these the best games ever.

I spoke to him at the Kentucky Night celebration during the Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium. He says there are 61 countries participating in the games and that gives Kentucky a great opportunity to welcome the world. An economic impact study shows that the event will have a $167 million impact on the region but that doesn’t take into account the facilities that have been built and are already being used to host other events.

The World Equestrian Games is a wholesome family oriented event that is free to children under 12 yrs. old and $25 for children over 12 yrs. old (that includes me). Dr. Lyons says, “Y’all come to see us in September, y’hear?”

2010 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

Alltech, Audio

Groundbreaking for Pioneer Soybean Plant in Missouri

Cindy Zimmerman

pioneerMissouri Governor Jay Nixon joined DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred executives for yesterday’s groundbreaking on a $55 million parent and commercial soybean seed production plant in New Madrid County, Mo.

“Missouri’s economic recovery continues to strengthen; and to maintain that momentum, it is vitally important that high-tech, 21st-century companies such as Pioneer Hi-Bred invest in Missouri and create new jobs for our work force,” said Nixon. “Pioneer’s investment in New Madrid County through its new soybean production facility further demonstrates how the strategic use of state tax incentive programs can serve as a powerful tool to help draw quality companies to Missouri, creating solid, high-paying jobs, and moving our economy forward.”

As the first Pioneer seed production facility in Missouri, the new plant will primarily serve soybean growers in more southern geographies in the United States. Pioneer also has a research facility in Miami, Mo., selling corn, soybean, sorghum and wheat seed in the state.

Pictured from left to right are: New Madrid commissioner Clyde Hawes, Pioneer President Paul E. Schickler, Governor Nixon, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, and Alejandro Munoz, Pioneer vice president and regional director, North America. See more photos here.

Read more from Pioneer here.

Pioneer, Soybean

BASF Receives Approval for New Fungicide Seed Treatment

Cindy Zimmerman

basfCharter® F2 fungicide seed treatment has received registration from the Environmental Protection Agency, according to BASF Crop Protection.

basf“Charter F2 combines the benefits of Charter® fungicide seed treatment and AcquireTM fungicide seed treatment for convenience of use and excellent seed safety whether applied on-farm or commercially,” said Chris Exton, Marketing Manager, Seed Treatments for BASF Crop Protection. “Charter F2 is a ready-to-use formulation that controls a broad spectrum of the toughest diseases to help barley and wheat seedlings get a strong start.”

Charter F2 controls many of the most common disease threats in grains, including Fusarium seed rot and seedling blight, damping-off, wheat common bunt, and wheat and barley loose smut. It also provides suppression of Rhizoctonia root rot, common root rot and dry seed decay.

Charter F2 can be mixed with Stamina® fungicide seed treatment for a broader and enhanced spectrum of disease control, as well as Axcess™ insecticide seed treatment for insect control.

BASF, Wheat