Farmers Feed Cities

Amanda Nolz

At the youth workshop presented by myself, Celeste Laurent and Teresa Crook during the 2010 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in Frankenmuth, MI last week, we discussed several topic areas. First, Crook presented a demonstration on whey protein and which products have whey in them. Following her yummy speech, Laurent and I discussed the challenges young people face in being different from their peers and continuing to be proud of who they are and where they come from.

One of my favorite attendees was Keagan Long (pictured between myself and Laurent). As you can see, Long rocked a Farmers Feed Cities t-shirt. Have you heard of Farmers Feed Cities before? It’s a really cool website put together by farmers in Ontario. Here is what the website is all about:

Farmers Feed Cities! is an agriculture awareness campaign working with farmers across Ontario. Farm families have been growing food for generations, and we’re proud of our tradition of providing, safe, reliable food that tastes great! Now that you’re here, why not take a moment to look around and learn more about us? Meet farm families, take our trivia challenge, and learn more about why a long-term investment in agriculture is a smart investment in a healthier, stronger Ontario.

Dairy, Education

Farm Bureau Promotes Food Check Out Week

Cindy Zimmerman

Grab your favorite grocery cart and go for a spin this week to celebrate Food Check Out Week with Farm Bureau.

The official theme this year is “Stretching Your Grocery Dollar With Healthy, Nutritious Food,” reflecting the economic realities of American life that have meant dining out less often and preparing more meals at home. “During this week, we are focusing on providing consumers with information on stretching their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Tips for better nutrition on a stretched budget, making sense of food labels and understanding USDA’s MyPyramid are among the topics Farm Bureau members will be talking about with consumers, at supermarket demonstration stations and other venues,” said Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.

Terry is pictured here (far right) with other members of the committee shopping for groceries to benefit the Wichita Ronald McDonald House Charities. On behalf of the American Farm Bureau, Gilbert and the committee donated the food and $2,500 food to the charity. The Food Check-Out Week connection between Farm Bureau and Ronald McDonald House Charities began more than a decade ago. Since the program was initiated in the mid-1990s, Farm Bureau members have donated around $3 million in food and monetary contributions to Ronald McDonald Houses and other worthwhile charities during Food Check-Out Week.

New this year, AFBF and the Soybean Checkoff launched a joint Facebook fan page to promote Food Check-Out Week. They will donate $1 to the Galveston (Texas) Ronald McDonald House for every person who becomes a fan of the page by the end of February, up to $5,000. The house sustained major structural damage during Hurricane Ike. So far, they have about 2500 fans – so go sign up today!

AFBF, Food

New Holland Loves Biodiesel

Cindy Zimmerman

When it comes to biodiesel in farm machinery, New Holland is outstanding in the field.

At the National Farm Machinery Show, most of the New Holland equipment on display proudly displayed soybean biodiesel signage, and company representatives wore buttons proclaiming their support for the domestically-produced fuel. “New Holland has a strong commitment to not only be a part of biodiesel, but also to be a leader in the industry as far as future fuel usage is concerned,” New Holland regional service manager Phil Cobb said at the farm show. He says it was natural for their company to take the lead. “Mainly because our customers are in the soybean areas and grow soybeans,” said Cobb. “Not only does it support farming, we also use the fuel. It’s important for the ag industry to be on the leading edge.”

Cobb says all New Holland equipment is approved for a minimum of five percent biodiesel, with the large combines approved for 100 percent and many of the tractors approved for up to 20 percent.

Listen to my interview with Phil from NFMS here:

Audio, Biodiesel, Farm Machinery, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • AgraQuest Inc. announced the appointment of Cesar Lamonega to Senior Vice President, Sales – Americas & Asia, effective immediately.
  • Official judges for World Dairy Expo 2010 have been appointed.
  • Farm Journal Media announces the launch on AgWeb.com of the Virtual Wheat Tour.
  • The More than 2,000 votes were cast in the inaugural World Ag Expo Top-10 Attendees’ Choice Award and with 570 votes and an average of 4 stars per vote, Magswitch Magnets as the winner.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Potato Expo 2010 Big Success

    Chuck Zimmerman

    I probably would have overdosed on a healthy product if I’d attended Potato Expo 2010. It’s hard to say no to chips/dip or a nicely baked potato with the extras. It would be fun to blog. Maybe someday. Anyway, it sounds like the potato business is doing okay.

    Nearly 1,200 people attended POTATO EXPO 2010, along with a trade show that was completely sold out. The second annual POTATO EXPO kicked off Monday, January 4, 2010 with an “Opening Luau Reception” on the tradeshow floor at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. The record setting attendance included representatives from all across North America and from all sectors of the potato industry. Attendees from New Zealand, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands, Mexico, Korea, Japan and Ireland were also present.

    One of the general session speakers was J.R. Simplot Company President and CEO Bill Whitacre who spoke on “The Future of the Potato.” He said:

    “Over the next decade, our industry will continue to change, and that will mean the potato industry will have additional opportunities,” Whitacre said. “Many of these will come from technological advancements. We need to embrace these technologies and recognize the capabilities and possibilities these will bring to the future of food production.”

    Looking forward to it.

    Ag Groups, Potato

    Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Mark BloomIt’s okay to talk about Mark Bloom. I think he’s actually in Brazil right now with an Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation group. Mark is one of the staff members of IALF and he was exhibiting at the recent Chicago Farmers Farmland Investment Fair.

    Mark says it’s a great time for IALF since they’ve got an overlap in last year’s leadership class with the international seminar group that is touring in Brazil and Argentina. He says it’s the second time they’ve been at the Farmland Investment Fair. He says it’s interesting that he’s found that other exhibitors are really good prospects for the IALF program.

    You can listen to my interview with Mark below.

    Chicago Farmers Farmland Investment Fair Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Audio, Education

    All About the Blue

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Green farm equipment apparel has gone pretty mainstream in the past several years, but if you see someone sporting a New Holland blue shirt or cap, you can be fairly certain they are a real farmer.

    I talked with Glenn Brumley who was staffing the New Holland toys and merchandise display at the National Farm Machinery Show about some of the popular items at the big show. “Hats are always popular, especially with the cold weather,” he said. Camo hats are always big sellers and the “All about the Blue” hat pictured is especially popular with the FFA crowd.

    They always have a new feature item each year at the NFMS and this year it was the CR9080 Combine in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the twin rotor combine for New Holland. Glenn says the dated toys are always big sellers for collectors, but the kids like them, too! You can find some New Holland merchandise here on-line.

    Listen to my interview with Glenn here:

    Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland

    Virtual Wrench Speeds Precision Service

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Virtual Wrench is a service offered by Leica Geosystems. For growers using precision applications it’s like having a technical support person in the cab with them. This remote service and support system uses built-in cell data modems and even incorporates Google Earth!

    To learn more about it I spoke with Darren Herstedt, Leica Geosystems service and support manager for North America. This is him sitting in front his computer utilizing Virtual Wrench. He says the customer can hit a couple of buttons and call their server so they can see the customer’s display remotely and guide them through a situation in real time. It saves time and money for both parties. He says that the system is available to almost all growers in the United States since they employ a service that utilizes most cellular carriers. Here’s what the product brochure says:

    With your permission, your local reseller can remotely view and adjust settings, look at your field terrain and base station location, install software upgrades and, ultimately, diagnose and repair 90% of problems.

    You can listen to my interview with Darren here:

    Agribusiness, Audio, Leica Geosystems, Precision Agriculture

    Public Relations Ducks Unlimited Style

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCast 250In ZimmCast number 250 learn how Ducks Unlimited does public relations. I can’t believe I’ve done 250 of these. The first posted version of the ZimmCast was January 31, 2005! I wish I could say it seems like only yesterday but it really doesn’t.

    Getting on to the topic of this week’s program, I recorded the presentation made by Tony Dolle, Director of Communications for Ducks Unlimited. He’s seen here conducting his presentation during the Agricultural Relations Council meeting in Memphis at their headquarters. Tony’s job was to tell us how they conduct public relations and deal with today’s media. I think you’ll find it very interesting. Ducks Unlimited is a very successful and well run organization with a budget of about $220 million.

    Since we were in Memphis and it’s the home of some of the best blues music you’ll ever find I ended the program with some music from Music Alley. It’s a song called, “Memphis Blues” by Ocean Street.

    Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.

    You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast below.

    The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our a Subscribe page.

    ARC, Audio, Public Relations, ZimmCast

    HSUS Feeling Heat in N.Y. Times

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Center For Consumer Freedom is dialing up the heat on the Humane Society of the United States. This is their full page ad that’s appearing in today’s New York Times. It highlight’s “the failure of the Humane Society of the United States to devote a significant amount of money to supporting America’s underfunded pet shelters. The ad explains that HSUS shares only 1 dollar out of every 200 dollars it collects with local, hands-on pet shelters.”

    You can find out a lot more by going to the organization’s just-launched website, HumaneWatch.org. You can download a pdf of the ad with this link.

    The ad reads:

    Shouldn’t the “Humane Society” do better?

    The Humane Society of the United States is NOT your local animal shelter. In fact, it gives less than one-half of one percent of its $100 million budget to hands-on pet shelters.

    Meanwhile, this wealthy animal rights group socked away over $2.5 million of Americans’ donations in its own pension plans.

    Surprised? So were we. The dog-watchers need a watchdog. Join the discussion at HumaneWatch.org.

    Animal Activists, Wackos