More AgriBlogging Tools

Chuck Zimmerman

There are times when my Big Mac is busy or I just don’t want to pull it out of my Mojo (mobile journalism kit). That’s when I’ll be using my new HP Mini 311. I figure that I can still do email and web app functions without having to get all kinds of new software since I just don’t want/need PC stuff. This box has Windows 7 but I’m using Firefox. I don’t recommend IE in any version on my worst enemy.

The photo was edited with Photoshop.com. It’s an online version of the only software currently worth using to edit photos. You can get a free account with 2GB of online storage, download the Photoshop.com Uploader and keep online folders/albums in sync with your desktop. Now how cool is that? One thing I would suggest you keep in mind regarding netbooks like this one. They don’t replace your notebook. Think of them as a convenient, small gadget that can enhance your mobile work experience.

I’ve been asked about some gadgets a number of times lately and am getting ready to do an updated version of my mobile ag journalism kit post from May of 2008. It’s going to be interesting to see the changes (and there are changes).

Equipment

Record Breaking “Harvest for All”

Cindy Zimmerman

Farm Bureau families helped to feed more of the nation’s hungry than ever in 2009.

The American Farm Bureau reports that their member families around the country raised more than $213,000 and donated more than 4.8 million pounds of food to hungry Americans as part of Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program. Combined, the monetary and food donations provided the equivalent of nearly 5.3 million meals through Feeding America food banks.

The money raised last year broke the prior record of $160,000 in 2008. Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All program started in 2004, and is a joint effort between Farm Bureau and Feeding America through which agricultural producers can help all Americans enjoy the bounty produced by the nation’s farm and ranch families.

Read more here.

AFBF

Tracy Mader Promoted At Syngenta Seeds

Chuck Zimmerman

Congrats to Tracy Mader who was just promoted to head of Product Marketing for Syngenta Seeds corn and soybean products.

In this new role, Mader will be responsible for the corn, soybean and other field crops portfolio, including traits, genetics, seed care and other relevant technology, and will oversee late stage product development, product launches and product lifecycle management.

Mader most recently served as the Agrisure marketing manager, responsible for branding, launching and marketing of Agrisure® corn traits. Mader joined Syngenta in 1995 as an employee of predecessor company Ciba. He brings a wealth of marketing experience and knowledge to the product marketing role, having had various positions within Syngenta throughout the U.S. He has an agricultural economics degree from Kansas State University.

Agribusiness, Seed, Syngenta

Getting in the Mood for Corn

Cindy Zimmerman

We are getting ready to head out to Anaheim next week for the 2010 Commodity Classic and I got in the mood this week by attending the Missouri Corn Growers Association annual meeting in Jefferson City where I interviewed two of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) leaders. On the left is Mike Geske, former president of the Missouri Corn Growers now serving on the 15-member National Corn Board, and on the right is NCGA president Darrin Ihnen of South Dakota. Darrin was guest speaker at the Missouri Corn Growers luncheon and he helped to get the farmers fired up to go and talk to their lawmakers at the state capitol about important issues that could ultimately threaten their livelihood.

One of those issues is a threat posed by the Humane Society of the United States. Our buddies at HSUS are working up a petition drive in Missouri directed at dog breeders – lumping them all in the unsavory category of “puppy mills” – kind of like they lump all of agriculture under “factory farming.” Mike says that is why all agriculture groups in the state are working to keep legislators informed about how food is produced and the importance of the industry to Missouri. “We feel that once they get past the dog breeders they are going to be headed for commercial agriculture,” he told me.

Darrin says the threat posed to animal agriculture in individual states by groups like HSUS ultimately impacts all of agriculture across the country. “It’s very important that we help defend them,” Darrin says. “We can’t be separated when it comes to agriculture. We need to work together.”

This is just one of many important policy issues that corn growers will discuss at Classic next week, the annual meeting that also includes soybean, wheat and sorghum producers. Others include the indirect land use issue, climate legislation, increasing the ethanol blend rate and extending the blender’s tax credit for ethanol. Watch for our coverage from Commodity Classic next week sponsored by BASF and New Holland.

Listen to or download back to back interviews with Darrin and Mike here:

Audio, Corn, NCGA

Consumer Messaging Via Agricenter International

Chuck Zimmerman

John Charles WilsonThe first presentation at the Agricultural Relations Council annual meeting in Memphis was on consumer messaging. Our presenter was John Charles Wilson, Agricenter International.

Agricenter International is a self-sustaining, non profit that provides economic development by facilitating agricultural research, educational programs, environmental conservation, natural area preservation and recreational opportunities.

John’s presentation focused on their efforts to better inform and educate consumers on the importance of agribusiness to the U.S. economy and the impact of ag exports to the world. He also gave us an overview of the status of what is considered to be the world’s largest urban farm and research test facility.

His presentation will give you another idea of what you miss when you don’t attend an ARC meeting. Think about putting it on your calendar next year!

Photos are already available in the Agricultural Relations Council Meeting Photo Album.

You can listen to the presentation below.

Ag Groups, ARC, Audio

Plant and Animal Genome Conference Success For Fluidigm

Chuck Zimmerman

paglogoThe 18th International Plant and Animal Genome Conference was a big success for AgWired sponsor Fluidigm. I spoke with product manager, Yong Yi, about his participation and what his take-aways were.

Yong says the key one for him was seeing the pace at which people are doing plant and animal research and picking up new technologies. He says it was easy to see it at the conference with not only the researchers in attendance but also in the exhibitors space with the growth of vendors coming to the show.

Fluidigm conducted a workshop titled, “Enabling High Sample Throughput SNP Genotyping for Plant and Animal Studies.” Speakers included Curt Van Tassell, USDA-ARS, Bovine Testing; Jim Seeb, University of Washington, Salmon Conservation and Nanne Faber, Enza Zaden, Seed Quality Control. Yong says they had great attendance and are planning on conducting a workshop like this at future conferences.

Fluidigm was also an exhibitor and Yong says the show once again proved a great place for the company to be. He said that they had a lot of interaction with people who were not familiar with their system that includes SNP genotyping and a new product line that does sample preparation for next generation sequencing. He feels very optimistic for the future after Fluidigm acquired recent new customers, USDA-ARS and Bayer CropScience.

You can listen to my interview with Yong below:

Agribusiness, Audio, Biotech, Technology

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The USDA predicts 52,000 agriculture-related job openings for college graduates will be needed in 2010 — including those needed to teach ag science at high school, college level.
  • In 2009, Pfizer Animal Health contributed more than $1.3 million to support FFA programs and help fund the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Foundation/Pfizer Veterinary Student Scholarships. Pfizer announced the same program is available for 2010 through March 31.
  • Syngenta has been recognized by Fast Company magazine as one of the world’s most innovative companies.
  • Osage Bio Energy announced it has signed a contract with Land O’Lakes Purina Feed to market its barley protein meal (BPM).
    Zimfo Bytes

    All Ag All Day

    Chuck Zimmerman

    I don’t know if you know Tony St. James or not but he was broadcasting and web streaming live from the U.S. Grains Council International Marketing Conference in Mexico that I attended last week. I learned a little more about All Ag News and I’m happy to see another broadcast business utilizing online tools in a creative way. I thought I’d bring it to your attention after learning that you’ll be able to listen to the National Sorghum Producers general session at Commodity Classic on All Ag News.

    Welcome to All Ag, All Day. We are the only ALL FARM radio stations in Texas: broadcasting live on 900AM (KFLP) in Floydada-Lubbock, TX and 1310AM (KZIP) in Amarillo, TX. The cornerstone of All Ag day is the syndicated-program Agriculture Today – heard now on 20 radio stations.

    I am also glad to see another company use WordPress software to build a website. It’s our preferred platform and we’re seeing more and more companies adopting it.

    Getting back to the Grains Council meeting, you can listen to archived audio from there (as well as here on AgWired) on their website.

    Media

    10 out of 24 Corn Yield Contest Winners Use Headline

    Cindy Zimmerman

    You know, it’s kind of like “4 out of 5 doctors recommend” – 10 out of 24 National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Corn Yield Contest winners used BASF Headline fungicide on their contest plots last year.

    basfAccording to BASF, contest winner David Hula, of Renwood Farms in Charles City, Virginia said Headline really helps him with plant health. “In the Eastern United States, we’re very concerned with storm season, so we like our plants to have better stalk strength and standability. Headline has helped us achieve better plant health through each phase of the plant’s life, and, of course, that translates into higher yield.”

    Hula and the other 2009 National Corn Yield Contest winners will be recognized next week at the Commodity Classic in Anaheim.

    BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, NCGA

    Boomer 8N is Booming

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The New Holland Boomer 8N made its debut at the National Farm Machinery Show last year – but it was just as popular with young and old alike at this year’s show. Some of you might recognize our tractor model, Mr. Gene Hemphill, who is not too young and not too old either (even though he is supposedly retired) – he’s just right!

    The Boomer 8N is a updated remake of the classic Ford 8N tractor, part of New Holland’s heritage. I talked about the Boomer’s first year with New Holland’s John Hundley. “The history of this project was basically a fusion between the old styling of the Ford 8N with new technology of today,” John said. Many of this first year’s sales have been to collectors or people who have fond memories of the legendary Ford 8N growing up on a farm in the 40s and 50s. “We have some people who are buying this tractor and parking it because they don’t want to use it, but this is a workhorse and we do have people buying it and running it in the field everyday.”

    John says lots of people have stories to tell about the old classic tractor – and some have great stories about their new Boomer 8N. You can find out more on one of the Boomer 8N websites – myboomer.com features real people and real stories about Boomer tractors, and www.8N.com has information about the history and design of the tractor.

    Listen to my interview with John about the Boomer 8N here:

    Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland, Tractor