Student Reporters Sought for Green Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

renergizeAre you a journalism student who has a passion for the environment? Then don’t miss out on your opportunity to become a roving reporter during the inaugural rEnergize Communications Summit, a gathering of 300 + green public relations experts from around the country. This premiere event is being held May 23-25th in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Three current journalism students will be selected to report on the conference. Roving reporters will conduct audio and video interviews with speakers and attendees, post live stories to the conference blog site, help to facilitate the interaction with speakers and attendees during the conference sessions, and assist the conference PR team with promoting the event.

The roving reporter winners will receive an all expenses paid trip to the conference, including registration fees plus valuable experience in both social media, multi-media, online writing, as well as learn best practices of green PR.

Download application form here.

Education, Environment

Syngenta Resistance Fighters

Cindy Zimmerman

The term “resistance fighter” was coined in World War II to describe the underground guerrilla movement that actively fought against Nazi occupation, particularly in Yugoslavia, Poland and France. Today, resistance fighters are targeting a different enemy in the ground – glyphosate-resistant weeds.

I talked with one of Syngenta’s Resistance Fighters of the Year at the National Farm Machinery Show. Paul Barchenger of Hutchinson, Minnesota was honored by Syngenta this year, along with Jeremy Kichler of Oglethorpe, Georgia. Both were recognized for exceptional leadership and advocate proactive management practices in the battle against glyphosate-resistant weeds.

“We have confirmed resistance in giant ragweed to glyphosate, started around 2004,” Paul told me. “We’ve been able to keep it isolated to a couple of townships in my geography, but it is growing.” He says that Syngenta is working to create awareness among growers and retailers that resistance can happen and they need to watch out for it.

Listen to my interview with Paul from NFMS here:

Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, Syngenta

Working With Celeste Laurent

Amanda Nolz

I had the great opportunity and honor to meet and work with Celeste Laurent at the 2010 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in Frankenmuth, MI. I had first encountered Laurent through the big world of social media, where I have countless online friends across the country who are actively engaged in social networking and who are also passionately involved in the agriculture industry. Laurent is a junior studying animal science and communications at Western Kentucky University, and she found her internship on Twitter!

She is an incredible writer and communicator, and she is dedicated to the beef and pork industries. I know that she has a promising future ahead of her, and I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce this up and comer to the AgWired community.

Celeste discovered her interest in journalism while attending Western Kentucky University. Her animal science adviser recommended she pursue her love of writing along with her passion for agriculture advocacy so she signed up for her first news writing class. Celeste’s career plans now include expanding online agriculture news, promoting youth livestock programs and agriculture literacy.

In the summer of 2009, Celeste was employed by the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources as an Animal Welfare & Animal Agriculture Initiative Communications intern. She was responsible for designing and managing a social media campaign for the Michigan Dairy Expo. Currently, Celeste is continuing her studies at Western Kentucky University and working as a freelance writer, speaker, and social media manager.

Check out her blog, Celeste Laurent – A Farm Girl’s Perspective, and follow her on Twitter, @celestelaurent.

Beef, Education, Pork

Pfizer Bovine Externship Program

Chuck Zimmerman

Pfizer Media BreakfastDuring the recent Cattle Industry Convention, Pfizer Animal Health held it’s annual breakfast for the media.

Dr. Mike Nichols, Senior Veterinarian Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Operations, was on hand to talk about how the company is helping veterinary students. A year ago they made a decision to support the veterinary profession by creating an externship program for students to encourage them to look at and choose a food animal practice and specifically bovine. They sponsored 78 first and second year veterinary students for the Bovine Externship Program who then spent 4 weeks at a local veterinary practice where they were mentored and received exposure to what the practice was like. He says they’re continuing the program this year and 78 selected students who will receive a $2,000 stipend and be matched with either practicing veterinarians or producers for a four-week field work experience.

You can learn more about the Pfizer Animal Health Bovine Externship Program by listening to my interview with Mike below:

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Fillmore Co. Cattlemen’s Banquet

Amanda Nolz

I have been busy traveling the country over the past five weeks, and my last stop on the tour was to Lanesboro, MN for the 2010 Fillmore County Cattlemen’s Banquet. What a beautiful spot in the world! I truly enjoyed my stay in the quaint little town, and I was excited that my dear friend Carol Abrahamzon was able to attend the meeting to listen to me speak.

Abrahamzon is the Project Manager for the National Beef Ambassador Program, and I got to know her when I served on the 2006 team. This year’s Beef Team has a fantastic blog that they post on nearly every day. I encourage you all to check it out and leave your comments of support, questions and ideas for future promotions.

This group is dedicated to promoting the American beef cattle industry through educational efforts in consumer events and through social media. These five young people are truly the future leaders of this industry. Kudos to them and their wonderful leader, Carol!

Beef

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