Fluidigm Inks Deal With Bayer CropScience

Chuck Zimmerman

Fluidigm LogoAgWired sponsor, Fluidigm Corporation has just announced a multi-year agreement with a new client, Bayer CropScience. Here’s some details.

Fluidigm Corporation today announced it has entered into a multi-year agreement with Bayer CropScience to supply integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs) and instrumentation to Bayer CropScience’s global operations. Bayer CropScience will be using Fluidigm technology to conduct marker-assisted breeding, genetic analysis in its molecular breeding program and quality control on its vegetable seeds.

“Fluidigm is delighted to be a global supplier to Bayer CropScience. Our technology is perfectly suited to help them develop and take-to-market the highest-quality seeds for field and vegetable crops,” said Gajus Worthington, president and chief executive officer of Fluidigm. “We are committed to helping Bayer CropScience meet the ever-increasing demands for high-quality food supplies throughout the world.”

While many seed producers are using molecular breeding techniques, the capacity of the available test systems has been limited. Fluidigm’s technology increases output more than ten-fold and reduces the cost-per-data point to a mere fraction obtainable with standard 384 well plates for “high-throughput” genotyping. “Until recently, breeders throughout the world could only dream of such a technique, yet now Fluidigm is making this a reality,” Worthington explained. Read More

Agribusiness, Technology

Beef Board Executive Committee Meets

Chuck Zimmerman

If you’ve never attended a committee meeting of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board then now’s your chance to take a peek inside. Here’s how things started out at this morning’s Executive Committee Mtg. of the CBB.

Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Cattle Industry Conference, Video

Annual Meeting Outlook From CBB CEO Tom Ramey

Chuck Zimmerman

Tom RameyThe CEO of the Beef Board is Tom Ramey, seen here providing information to CBB Chairman Lucinda Williams at the Operating Committee Mtg. I spoke with him this morning about the issues and work being done here from the staff perspective.

Tom says this annual meeting is where they go over the financial reports and audits from the last year as well as priorities that they would like the board members to consider as they plan the 2011 fiscal year. So a big part of the discussion is looking to the future in light of the reality of reduced revenues. He says the world is very different now than it was when the Checkoff began and specifically mentions the “digital world” we live in. This proliferation of new media channels has given greater voice to people who can have an impact on demand for beef. At the same time he sees some good opportunities to satisfy consumer demand for American been in foreign markets.

Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

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

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

There’s an App for IPE

carly

How many times have you gone to a conference and found yourself constantly having to pick up a new program because you lost the one you had?

IPEWell, the International Poultry Expo has made things easy this year with an iPhone app. The IPE app is free and gives attendees access to all events and exhibitor information right on their iPhones. The app is available from Apple’s app store by searching for “IPE”. It’s a great way of using the latest technology in a very practical way and giving attendees a paper-free way to always know how to find exhibitors or where the next event is being held. Pretty cool! I expect we will be seeing that a lot more at conventions.

2010 International Poultry Expo photo album

AgWired coverage of International Poultry Expo is sponsored by:
Novus

International, Novus International, Poultry, Poultry Expo, Social Networking, Technology

FeatherFest 2010

carly

featherfestRotten Egg or Egg-straordinary? This year the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association has partnered with Atlanta to find the city’s most popular and best poultry dishes. New to the International Poultry Expo, Featherfest is a week long culinary event that showcases 51 of Atlanta’s restaurants to see who can make the best appetizers, entrees, and desserts based on poultry meat or eggs.

Featherfest began on January 22nd and ends at midnight January 28th. Voters are also entered into a drawing to win a free iPod Nano and are encouraged to visit as many of the restaurants featured on the list as possible. To find the list and cast your vote on site look for the FeatherFest booth or the @tlanta booth located in the main lobby or the show floor, or you can enter online at www.atlanta.net/featherfest. The winner will be announced on Friday the 29th at the IPE.

2010 International Poultry Expo photo album

AgWired coverage of International Poultry Expo is sponsored by:
Novus

International, Novus International, Poultry, Poultry Expo

Blog Training With National Beef Ambassadors

Amanda Nolz

Ambassadors I spent the morning with the 2010 National Beef Ambassador Team (pictured LR: Ellen Hoffschneider, Neb.; Malorie Bankhead, Cali.; Mandy-Jo Laurent, Tex.; Rebecca Vraspir, Wyo.; and Jackson Alexander, Okla.) The morning was spent in a social media training workshop, where I helped to equip the ambassadors with the tools they need to write an effective blog post to share the positive agriculture story with consumers.

At the conclusion of the workshop, I had the opportunity to interview the ambassadors about their year, and why they believe they are the best team to represent America’s beef cattle producers. These are the best and brightest in the industry, and they certainly do a great job. Be sure to follow their blog. They are pros now!

You can listen to my interview with the Ambassadors here:

Audio

Beef Board Operating Committee Meets

Chuck Zimmerman

Beef Board Operating Comm. Mtg.The Beef Board Operating Committee had a big challenge here at the Cattle Industry Convention. A number of previously funded projects returned unused dollars which now became available for re-allocation. This happens normally and so a number of what are called AR’s or Authorization Requests (amended) were made from other projects that had funds cut last year to obtain some of the newly available funds. As you might expect, there were requests for more than the dollars available.

To learn more about the work of the Operating Committee I spoke to Beef Board Chairman Lucinda Williams who presided over the meeting. She explains the process the committee is going through. She says an example of a program requesting funds is the summer grilling program which would like to extend the promotion. After hearing presentations from all the requests the committee then makes decisions on them to approve or not approve. I spoke with her prior to the voting.

Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

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

Audio, Cattle Industry Conference

Masters of Beef Advocacy Commencement Ceremony

Amanda Nolz

MBALR Yesterday, I had the opportunity to take part in the Checkoff’s Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) Commencement Ceremony, where I was the afternoon speaker. My speech was titled, “Discovering the Power of Social Media,” and I challenged the graduates to use these online tools to share the agriculture story.

Troy and Stacy Hadrick, Advocates for Agriculture, also spoke during the morning session, as well as Daren Williams with the MBA program. Workshops included developing your elevator speech and drafting a letter to the editor or response comment in an online forum. Following the conclusion of the workshops, diplomas were passed out to all of the graduates, including myself!

700 people have completed the MBA course, which consists of six hour-long online courses, with exams and homework assignments. This is a great way to brush up on your beef industry factoids, so you’re ready to have a conversation with the next consumer you chat with. If you’re interested in participating in this program, link here for more information.

Beef

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • New Holland Agriculture received two prestigious 2009 GOOD DESIGN™ awards for the Boomer 8N compact tractor and the SideWinder II armrest.
  • USDA reports commercial red meat production during December totaled 4.148 billion pounds, including a new record high for the month in beef production. 2009 red meat production totaled 49.264 billion pounds, down 2% from 2008’s 50.225 billion.
  • KIOTI Tractor is pleased to announce the appointment of Brent Baer as territory manager in the Canadian province of Ontario.
  • Producers interested in growing biomass crops can eliminate financial risk through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP).
    Zimfo Bytes

    John Becherer USB CEO Honored By St. Louis Ag Club

    Chuck Zimmerman

    john-bechererUnited Soybean Board CEO John Becherer (left) received the 2009 Agribusiness Leader of the Year award from the St. Louis Agribusiness Club.

    According to Dale Ludwig, executive director of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, “John leads one of the most successful farmer-checkoff programs in the world.” Ludwig, a senior staff member of a Qualified State Soybean Board, nominated Becherer for the award. The St. Louis Agribusiness Club represents farmers and others involved in one of the richest agricultural regions of the world.

    Becherer describes himself as a consensus builder and views his position at USB as an opportunity to continue his career-long interest in helping farmers farm more profitably.

    “This well deserved honor reflects highly upon John’s leadership, but also to the level of commitment this organization has to U.S. soybean farmers,” says USB Chairman Phil Bradshaw, a soybean farmer from west-central Illinois. “For 15 years, John has provided guidance in leveraging checkoff dollars and complying with the federal law that established the national soybean checkoff. He helped to spearhead QUALISOY, an industry-wide effort to help market the development and availability of healthier soybeans and soy oil, and helps lead SOY 2020 to create a long-term vision for the U.S. soy industry.”

    Becherer was raised on a dairy farm in central Wisconsin and has always maintained strong ties with the agricultural community. John has more than 20 years of management experience and holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics.

    Ag Groups, USB