BASF Amps Up Headline

Cindy Zimmerman

nafb basfDuring NAFB Trade Talk last week, BASF announced that Headline AMP™ fungicide has received full registration from the Environmental Protection Agency. I talked with Reed Barrett and Nick Fassler about Headline AMP and Headline Advantage.

Nick says Headline AMP is the first combination fungicide specifically developed for corn growers. “There’s a segment of corn growers that desire a combination fungicide and we went out and developed the best combination available on the market for them,” Nick told me.

Headline AMP™ has federal registration and expect to have all major state registrations completed to be available in time for the 2010 season. Reed says Headline is already the number one product used in corn and soybeans and usage just keeps growing. BASF is offering an even better ROI for growers using Headline in the coming season, with Headline Advantage. “Through this program, growers can be eligible for up to $100 per gallon back directly from BASF for their 2010 purchases,” Reed says.

Listen or download back-to-back interviews with Nick and Reid from NAFB Trade Talk.

Audio, BASF, NAFB

Farm Credit Takes Ownership of Superior Livestock Auction

Joanna Schroeder

Superior Livestock Auction, Inc., the largest livestock auction company in the U.S. and the number one in the livestock marketing industry, is now owned by SLAI, LLC, a wholly owned entity of Farm Credit West, ACA.

superiorlivesAccording to company materials, Superior Livestock is the nations’ leader in marketing load-lots of cattle via satellite and the Internet, and pioneered video cattle marketing in 1987. On an annual basis, the company offers more than 1.5 million cattle and to date, has sold more than 1.6 million head of cattle in 2009.

In its first move as the new owner, Farm Credit West has asked Jim Odle to return to the company as general manager. Odle was one of the company co-founders and played a significant role of the development and growth the the company.

Agribusiness, Livestock

Pfizer Animal Health Awards U.S. Cattle Business to Bader Rutter

Joanna Schroeder

us_en_corp_pah_logoPfizer Animal Health has announced today that it selected Bader Rutter, a full service agency based in Milwaukee, Wis. to service its U.S. cattle business. The agency will begin work on the account in January 2010.

In other recent news, Pfizer Animal Health unveiled a new look in October after its acquisition of Wyeth, including its subsidiary Fort Dodge Animal Health. The acquisition makes the company the, “world’s leader in the discovery, development, manufacture and sales of veterinary vaccines and medicines for livestock and companion animals.”

In a company press statement, Clint Lewis, president of U.S. Operations for Pfizer Animal Health said of the acquisition, “We’re extremely proud to offer our customers even more best-in-class and innovative products. The products, services and expertise we are gaining strengthen what is already a robust U.S. portfolio and will enhance our leading position in the animal health marketplace.”

Advertising, Animal Health

A Year of Growth Energy

Cindy Zimmerman

nafb growth energyIt was a year ago this month that ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy was formed, absorbing the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC) and more recently merging with the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition (NEVC).

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis has been with the organization since March, after leaving the National Farmers Union and he was on hand at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Trade Talk last week discussing ethanol issues with ag reporters like Gary Cooper of Southeast Agnet pictured here.

I talked with Tom about what Growth Energy has accomplished in one year and what the organization is working on now.

Audio, Ethanol, NAFB

Book Review – Power Trip

Joanna Schroeder

PowerTripI went to bed last night thinking I should write an ode to oil. It would be partially flattering as some of my favorite things come from petroleum by-products, and partially lambasting as our addition to it has caused such harm. The fuel to my passion last night? The book “Power Trip“ by Amanda Little.

Little traveled the country for two years to take us on the journey of fossil fuels including oil and coal. One area where she spent considerable time is fossil fuel’s role in our food. It’s used to fuel the farming equipment. It’s used in fertilizer. It’s used to transport the food to market (on average, our food travels 1500 miles from farm to table).

To help us better understand the relationship between petroleum and agriculture, and agriculture and fuel, Little visited the Kansas farm of a dear agricultural friend of ours – former National Corn Growers Association President, Ken McCauley, where she was treated to a lesson in precision fertilizer application technologies, and the role of corn in ethanol production.

Farmers have been getting harassed of late about their use of fertilizer, and when Little asked McCauley what would happen if he, “cut out fertilizers altogether?” he answered, “If you don’t put your fertilizer on, you’ll cut your yields by half or more…Look at poor countries–when you travel to places that don’t use fertilizer you’ll see they’re raising a third of the yield.”

But what about organic farming that uses no fertilizer, asks Little in response to Micheal Pollen’s claims most notably made in his book Omnivore’s Dilemma? Well, I’m only going to give you a taste of what McCauley said….you’ll just have to read the book to discover his thoughtful answer.  “It’s not a way to maximize production…”

To read more about this book check out my separate review on energy.agwired.com. Ready to learn what McCauley’s answers are to sustainable farming, and why corn ethanol is so important to America? Then buy the book.

NCGA

Food Fight Underway

Cindy Zimmerman

beef food fightA FOOD FIGHT got underway today with dairy farmers and beef producers joining forces to fling facts in the face of food foes.

The main message is to Give Thanks for food and farmers as we prepare for the holiday season. Giving thanks can even get you a steak – actually, an Omaha Steaks Ideal Gift Collection of steaks and burgers valued at $135. Just leave a message of thanks for our farmers and ranchers here on the Pasture to Plate website. Producers can join the Beef Checkoff’s five-day FOOD FIGHT by visiting the FOOD FIGHT website.

beef food fightCattlemen’s Beef Board chairman Lucinda Williams, a dairy producer from Massachusetts, was at NAFB Trade Talk last week talking about why livestock producers need to be armed with the facts to defend themselves against critics. “There’s an awful lot of people trying to tell our story,” Lucinda says. “This is our time to get out and tell our story.”

She says they are encouraging producers to get out an tell that story on Facebook and Twitter and email, (as well as traditional methods like actual face to face communication!) and encouraging everyone to give thanks for the safe and abundant food supply we enjoy in this country.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Lucinda from NAFB here:

Audio, Beef, Dairy, Food, Livestock, NAFB

Harvest is Making Progress

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA reports that farmers took advantage of a dry week to get 17 percent of the corn out and 14 percent more soybeans harvested last week. The new crop progress report has the soybean harvest nearing average for this time of year at 89 percent, while corn remains about 35 percent behind normal at just 54 percent complete. North Dakota has yet to get out of the single digits in corn harvesting, but they do have 80 percent of the soybeans complete.

nafb bart schottThe late harvest was one of the major topics of discussion for National Corn Growers Association first vice president Bart Schott of North Dakota at the NAFB Trade Talk last week. Bart is still optimistic because the corn remains in good to excellent condition. “If we get a few more weeks of really nice weather, we’ll get this corn crop off in good shape,” he said. Despite the problems this year, he says the crop continues to look good and is still expected to be the second largest on record, “If there’s ever been a debate about whether we can produce enough corn feed our exports, livestock industry and ethanol industry, this will be the second year in a row that we’ve proved them wrong.”

Listen to my interview with Bart here.

Audio, Corn, Farming, NCGA, USDA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The American Farm Bureau Federation is partnering with the Agriculture Department’s National Agricultural Library to create the National Curriculum and Training Clearinghouse for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.
  • Advanta has reached a research and commercial development agreement with Bioceres S.A., for the development of drought-tolerant sorghum, rice, cotton and brassicas.
  • Boston Millennia Partners (BMP II) has announced that its portfolio company, Athenix Corporation, has been acquired by Bayer CropScience for $400 million.
  • The Land O’Lakes Foundation announced the establishment of a new program, Feeding Our Communities, focused specifically on helping alleviate hunger in rural America.

    Zimfo Bytes

    Farmers and Farm Media Use of Internet Tools

    Cindy Zimmerman

    ZimmCast 239This week’s ZimmCast features two interviews done at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual meeting last week in Kansas City.

    NAFB 2009We have been attending the NAFB convention since 1985 and some things never change – like Ted Haller, for example. But, other things – like Ted’s hair – do change, and in recent years that has been the emphasis on usage of the Internet and social media. Teddy presented us with findings from Internet Ag Information Usage Study that surveyed farmers and ranchers about their Internet access practices and preferences for agribusiness information, including use of the mobile Web. That study will be available on the NAFB website for members to access.

    NAFB 2009Meanwhile, Dr. Emily Rhodes of THE Ohio State University (who is also a Gator), did a study of farm broadcasters and journalists about their usage of the internet and social media tools like Facebook and Twitter. She had some interesting findings and her main message to the media was that utilizing these tools helps us reach new audiences to get the positive message about agriculture to the general public.

    Thanks to AgWired Sponsor, Fluidigm, for their support of the ZimmCast. Be sure to check out the combined NAMA/NAFB Flickr photo album for lots of pictures from both events last week.

    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.

    Audio, Media, NAFB

    NAFB Honors Fabulous Farm Babe

    Cindy Zimmerman

    nafb honorsOutgoing National Association of Farm Broadcasting president Pam Jahnke – the one and only “Fabulous Farm Babe” – was honored and roasted by fellow members at the annual president’s banquet Friday night.

    Pam was teased by her colleagues about all the things we love about her – from her boisterous personality to her undying love for Brett Favre. Let’s just say she took a huge amount of grief from her friends in Minnesota like Mike Parry. Party favors supplied by World Dairy Expo friends included Farm Babe Bobbleheads and Pam Fans.

    nafb honorsnafb honorsPam was joined by her saintly husband Buck and the rest of her family, including nephew Jayden – who seemed to find the Auntie Pam bobbleheads kind of scary!

    Here’s a YouTube video with a few highlights from Pam’s roast – make sure to check the photo album for the pictures!

    NAFB