Record Crop Production in 2009

Cindy Zimmerman

Despite weather challenges in 2009, American farmers produced record corn and soybean crops.

usdaAccording to USDA’s crop report out this morning, U.S. corn for grain production is estimated at a record 13.2 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the November 1 forecast, and 1 percent above the previous record of 13.0 billion bushels set in 2007. U.S. grain yield is also estimated at a record level for 2009, at 165.2 bushels per acre. This is up 2.3 bushels from the November forecast and 4.9 bushels above the previous record of 160.3 bushels per acre set in 2004.

Soybean production in 2009 totaled 3.36 billion bushels, up 1 percent from the November 1 forecast and up 13 percent from 2008. U.S. production is the largest on record. The average yield per acre is estimated at a record high 44.0 bushels, 0.7 bushel above the November 1 forecast and 4.3 bushels above last year’s yield. Harvested area is up 2 percent from 2008 to a record 76.4 million acres.

Corn, Soybean, USDA

YouTube Farmer New YF&R Chair for AFBF

Cindy Zimmerman

American Farm Bureau Federation 91st Annual Meeting Photo Album

A dairy farmer who is a YouTube hit with his original “Water ‘n Poo” song is the new chairman of the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.

afbfWill Gilmer of Alabama was elected as by the committee as chairperson for 2010 and will take over those duties in February to serve for one year.

Gilmer owns and operates Gilmer Dairy Farm, which includes a herd of 450 Holstein cows, heifers and calves, as well as more than 500 acres of pasture and forage crop production.

In addition to his daily farming duties, Gilmer maintains a Web site, www.gilmerdairy.com, along with The Dairyman’s Blog, in an effort to reach out to the public about modern farming practices. Gilmer also is active on the micro-blogging Web site Twitter under @gilmerdairy.

Farm broadcaster Meghan Grebner with WIRL in Peoria interviewed Will for her noon show yesterday and you can listen to that interview below the video.

And if you have never heard or seen Will’s funny YouTube hit about nutrient management – viewed over 9,000 times – here it is. Heck, even if you have seen it – worth watching again so you can be singing “Water ‘n Poo” all day long!

AFBF, Audio, Video

ASABE’s AETC Co-Located With AG CONNECT

Chuck Zimmerman

Chad YagowOne of the events taking place in conjunction with AG CONNECT Expo is the Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference (AETC) conducted by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). The conference chairman is Chad Yagow, John Deere.

I spoke to Chad about the conference while a range of educational sessions are taking place this morning. I’ll be attending their luncheon later. Chad says the AETC brings together people in the ASABE membership involved with the power machinery industry. They have lots of professional development classes that range from hydraulic systems to moving biomass logistics. He says that ASABE and AEM have always worked together through their standards programs and that’s why they viewed the opportunity to locate their conference here as a way to grow closer organizationally. They plan to co-locate with AG CONNECT next year in Atlanta too.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

You can listen to or download my interview with Chad below:

Audio

Georgia Ag Commissioner Honored for Service

Cindy Zimmerman

The longest serving agriculture commissioner in the nation was honored by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) at the annual meeting in Seattle on Monday.

afbfAFBF president Bob Stallman presented the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award to Tommy Irvin who has served as Georgia’s commissioner of agriculture since 1969. Irvin has 51 years in public service. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives for 10 years as a member of the Agriculture, Education and Appropriations Committees and has served as Georgia’s commissioner of agriculture for 41 years, the longest consecutive years of service by any State agriculture commissioner in the United States.

American Farm Bureau Federation 91st Annual Meeting Photo Album

Listen to Irvin’s remarks receiving the award here:

AFBF

AG CONNECT Expo Floor Preview

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s Preview Day at AG CONNECT Expo and the final shine is being put on the equipment. I shot a short video clip to show you what to expect. Preview time is at 11am for media and invited guests. The opening ceremony will take place at 4pm this afternoon. The shuttle buses are running and the sun is shining. I think it’s going to be a great day and a great first time event.

Video

Bradshaw Leaves Them Laughing

Cindy Zimmerman

afbfFootball great Terry Bradshaw encouraged thousands of farmers and ranchers to keep smiling during an address at the 91st American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting on Monday.

Bradshaw talked about his horses and owning 58 head of Angus cattle that he bought in Kansas. “I had 60 but cougars got two of them,” he said. Then he talked about his “Pigs for Jesus” foundation that has fed some 10,000 people – even though he doesn’t know what a female pig is called.

Bradshaw also praised the work farmers and ranchers do. “There is no greater drug, no greater addiction, than being in the farming business,” he declared.

Listen to the first 15 minutes of his talk here – pretty funny stuff! And check out the photos in the American Farm Bureau Federation 91st Annual Meeting Photo Album.

AFBF

AG CONNECT Expo About To Go Live

Chuck Zimmerman

AG CONNECT ExpoIt’s almost time for the official start of the first ever AG CONNECT Expo. It’s historic and it’s going to be fun.

The big banners are now hanging outside the Orange County Convention Center welcoming attendees who will be coming from all over the world. The ceremonies will kick off tomorrow afternoon and I’ll be on the scene live bringing it all too you. So don’t go away.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

Uncategorized

Farmers Exchange Ideas

Cindy Zimmerman

American Farm Bureau Federation 91st Annual Meeting Photo Album

afbfAn Illinois farmer won the top prize in the Farmer Idea Exchange competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation 91st annual meeting on Monday.

Paul Berbaum of Champaign (pictured here with his wife Shirley) came up with the “Auger Dolly” to easily move an auger from place to place. As the top winner in the competition, he wins a year’s use of a New Holland TV-145 Bidirectional tractor. New Holland is sponsor of the Farmer Idea Exchange.

Listen to my interview with Paul here:

AFBF

National Beef Ambassadors in Action

Amanda Nolz

NBAP-WinnersMy favorite youth agriculture organization, the National Beef Ambassador Program (NBAP), is busy working on behalf of America’s beef cattle producers. Their latest efforts took them to Wooster, OH where they visited the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) headquarters to take part in their Building Blocks for Success Seminar. As the NBAP Team learned about successful marketing programs, grassroots consumer education strategies, as well as an overview of sales and trade marketing within the industry, the beef ambassadors took away important messages about the beef industry and about how they can make a difference as youth leaders within the beef cattle business. Here is what a few of the team members had to say about their experience…

Jackson Alexander found CAB’s role in selecting cattle for the program interesting. “The cattle selected are only the best and we were able to experience “Angus Beef at it’s Best!” The trainers and CAB employees educated us so much about industry issues, selection and grading processes, and marketing strategies facing their business. Not to mention they kept us well fed and made us feel right at home.”

Malorie Bankhead felt learning from professionals that exhibit great passion for the beef industry not only taught her about the Certified Angus Beef Brand, but it also taught her to hold tight to her passion for the beef industry. “I will always remember that the integrity of the beef industry is that which the members of the industry believe in and uphold wholeheartedly and that Certified Angus Beef makes for a positive, memorable experience within the beef industry!”

About the photo: National Beef Ambassador team members include: Malorie, Bankhead, Calif.; Rebecca Vraspir, Wy.; Ellen Hoffschneider, Neb.; Jackson Alexander, Okla.; and Amanda Laurent, Texas. Read more about their travels and beef promotional and educational efforts at their blog.

Beef

Outlook For Ag Equipment Industry

Chuck Zimmerman

Massimo GoldoniAgrievolution 2010 is a very international event. We’ve got participants and presentations from countries like Russia, Brazil, Venuzuela and China. I met one of our delegates, Massimo Goldoni, President, UNACOMA, the Italian equipment manufacturers association, who attended the first Agrievolution in Rome in 2008.

Massimo says that back in 2008 they thought it would be helpful to pull together the worldwide associations and company executives to discuss the future for the industry. That first event took place during a boom period he says but the forecast they were looking at took a plunge in 2009. So they found that the idea of an event like this every 2 years might need to be revisited in light of quicker changes in the industry. Looking at the forecast now he says that he thinks we’re at the bottom and are starting to recover.

AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album

You can listen to or download my interview with Massimo below:

Audio, International