Minnesota Farmers Feed Hungry Families

Cindy Zimmerman

Farmers in Minnesota are helping to feed the hungry, even as they face their own tough times.

Minnesota Farmers Helping Families, a coalition of state agriculture commodity groups, recently donated more than $115,000 in pork and dairy products to Hunger Solutions Minnesota.

Governor Tim Pawlenty was joined at the state capitol by representatives from the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Minnesota Pork Board and Minnesota Milk Producers Association to announce the donation of approximately 85,000 pounds of pork and more than 36,000 pounds of cheese.

“Minnesota farmers are known for their willingness to help neighbors in times of need,” Governor Pawlenty said. “It’s heartwarming to see the agricultural community lending a hand, even as it faces its own economic challenges.” In the past two years, high feed costs, the downward spiral of the economy, and now, the fallout from H1N1influenza, have translated to a 5 billion dollar loss for the pork industry. About 200 of the state’s dairy farms have closed in the past year as the worldwide economic crisis has resulted in record low prices and a sharp drop in demand.

Pictured here with Gov. Pawlenty are Barb Overlie, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council; Pat Lunemann, Minnesota Milk Producers Association; and Jim Merritt, Minnesota Pork Board.

Dairy, Pork, Soybean

Harvesting Corn Cobs With Green Equipment

Chuck Zimmerman

POET Project LIBERTY EquipmentThere were 16 different equipment manufacturers involved with POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day. One of them was John Deere, represented by Dean Acheson, Manager, Solutions Development. Dean says that what they’re working on is completely customer based. He says they don’t want to be slowed down during harvest and they want to keep up a high level of productivity.

The prototype equipment they had on display was a one pass, two stream cob collection system. On the back of their combine they have a new prototype piece of equipment that allows the grain to follow a normal path and the cobs then flow out of an attachment on the back of the combine. He says the equipment allows you some flexibility in how you choose or handle what is being harvested. A wagon is pulled by a tractor alongside the combine to collect the cobs. They’re currently not endorsing the towing of equipment behind their combines but this is equipment that is in development for the future.

You can listen to my interview with Dean below and watch a video clip of their equipment in action.

POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, Equipment, Ethanol, John Deere, Video

Agriculture Evolves Under Ag Leader Technology

Cindy Zimmerman

Ag Leader TechnologyPrecision farming took a step forward this week as Ag Leader Technology of Ames, Iowa and AutoFarm of Fremont, California joined forces to provide auto steering and assisted steering solutions to the marketplace.

Ag Leader Technology“We think the combination of the two companies’ products is going to provide some great efficiencies to the end user,” says Dave King, Ag Leader Marketing Communications Manager. “So, it’s a one stop shop for all their products and one stop for customer support as well.”

That’s just one of the announcements made this week by Ag Leader, in addition to a number of new products, which will all be showcased during a media event December 7-8 in Ames. “We’re going to have both Ag Leader and AutoFarm personnel on hand,” Dave said. “We’re going to cover all the new products and give editors a chance to see the products in action.”

Those who are lucky enough to be attending Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany next week will be getting the first chance to see and hear about the new products and the new alliance since Ag Leader will be there. “Ag Leader has distribution throughout the world, Europe being a primary export market for us,” said Dave. “Agritechnica is such a great show to introduce new products and a great opportunity to meet people in the European marketplace.”

Listen to an interview with Dave here:

Audio, Farming, Precision Agriculture, Technology

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The 21 industry legends elected in June as the Class of 2009 are now charter members of the Meat Industry Hall of Fame.
  • AG CONNECT Expo announced a new awards program for those who support “in a compelling way the work of farmers and ranchers to provide abundant and affordable food and fiber.” There are three categories: Ag Woman of the Year, Community Leadership and Ag Innovation.
  • Michiel van Lookeren Campagne, Ph.D., has joined Syngenta to lead global biotechnology R&D at both of the company’s key biotech facilities.
  • Select Sires Inc. has announced plans to offer two summer internships at its headquarters facility in Plain City, Ohio, during the summer of 2010. Positions are available within the sales and marketing department, with applications due by Dec. 1, 2009.
    Zimfo Bytes

    IOWA Invests In Project LIBERTY

    Chuck Zimmerman

    IA Lt. Gov. Patty JudgeCorn growers heard from Iowa Lt. Governor Patty Judge at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day. She said, “We are seeing for ourselves that cellulosic ethanol is here, that it is viable and that it will transform renewable fuel as we know it today”. It was a cold, breezy day and she talked General Wesley Clark out of his jacket.

    She reminded attendees about how they tried to hold meetings like this back in the early 1990’s to promote ethanol and how it was a slow process but she said they knew it would become a viable reality. So as a farmer and Lt. Gov. she says a lot of work has gone in to making a day like this happen. She says this POET project is helping keep Iowa at the forefront of renewable energy production. She says the state has made a total investment in this project of $20 million and that the funds will make the project a reality and help create new jobs. She pledged that she and the Governor would do all they can to increase the demand for ethanol.

    POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

    You can listen to Judge’s speech below:

    Audio, Biofuels, Ethanol

    Providing Homegrown Fuel is Historic

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Wesley ClarkOne of the stars on hand to address the crowd at POET’s Project LIBERTY Field Day was former four-star General Wesley Clark. He spoke about the important role they would play in providing more homegrown fuel for the nation.

    “We are involved in something that is historic,” Clark said. “We are going to significantly reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and we will strengthen America’s national security.” He says it’s a big step for American agriculture but the work is not done and encouraged attendees to get involved and join Growth Force to help influence what is being done in Washington, DC. Clark told me after his speech how much he enjoys getting out and interacting with farmers. I think he really likes “the field” although he excelled in a different one than you’ll find here in Iowa.

    Clark is Co-Chairman for Growth Energy, a ZimmComm sponsor.

    POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

    You can listen to Clark’s speech below and special thanks to Ken Anderson, Brownfield Network, for helping me out with the audio:

    Audio, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol

    Cellulosic Ethanol Production Important To Rural America

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Corn HarvestThis is a load of corn cobs being unloaded after they were just harvested at the POET Project LIBERTY Field Day.

    We watched several different equipment manufacturers display their latest products to handle collecting the corn cobs for use in cellulosic ethanol production. I’ve got video clips of them in action which I’ll be posting in coming days. In the meantime you can see photos in the photo album which I just updated.


    POET Project LIBERTY Field Day Photo Album

    Before we got started I interviewed POET CEO Jeff Broin about what we should expect. He emphasizes the importance of cellulosic ethanol production and what utilizing corn cobs as a biomass will mean to farmers and rural America. You can listen to my interview with Jeff below or watch the video:

    Audio, Corn, Ethanol

    Cob Harvesting Equipment In Action Today

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Corn HarvestDriving to Emmetsburg, IA last night I saw a growing number of these lights the further north I got. This combine was working right near the POET plant in Emmetsburg. Well, it’s daytime now and I’m hoping it will warm up from the 25 degrees we had when I got up.

    POET is describing today’s event as “The largest gathering ever of cellulosic biomass harvesting equipment.”

    POET EmmetsburgAgriculture equipment manufacturers will soon put cob harvesting equipment on the market, and Iowa farmers will have a chance to see the latest prototypes in action at Project LIBERTY Field day at POET Biorefining – Emmetsburg (Iowa). Cobs will be the primary feedstock for POET’s commercial cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg. Also at the event, four-star General Wesley Clark and Iowa Lt. Governor Patty Judge will join POET CEO Jeff Broin in addressing the crowd about cellulosic ethanol and its importance to our energy future.

    Corn, Equipment, Ethanol

    Joking Around: Prevent Swine Flu, Eat More Bacon

    Amanda Nolz

    swine-flu This is an interesting look at the H1N1 vs. swine flu references in the media that continues to plague the pork industry. Written by Gary Truitt for Hoosier Ag Today, Prevent Swine Flu, Eat More Bacon, Truitt suggets that producers quit fighting the “swine flu” references and simply start making fun of it. I wonder how this will go over. What are your thoughts? Could this work? Here is a clip of that article. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section. (Photo courtesy Hoosier Ag Today)

    H1N1 is not a laughing matter; people are sick and dying from this unique virus. The President has signed a document declaring this a national emergency. Some schools are closed; people are standing in line for hours to get H1N1 vaccines; and, last week, some Halloween candy distribution events were called off, a true sign of a pandemic. But if this is really that serious, why are people so uninformed, why is the media so misinformed, and why has it become the latest butt of jokes? Because that is why we do in America when an issue gets overexposed. It moves from being serious to silly. H1N1 is quickly headed in that direction which may allow pork producers to finally repair the damage caused by the Swine Flu association.

    For the past several months, the ag industry has been trying to get the media to stop using the term swine flu. This effort has been, for the most part, a failure. Even efforts by USDA, The White House, and several press associations have failed to make a dent in the use of swine flu in stories about H1N1. So, if you can’t beat-em join-em. Let’s start calling it swine flu but in a way that removes all the credibility to the term and thus eliminates people’s connection to the swine industry.

    There is a web site that is selling a verity of products with humorous swine flu sayings on them. T-shirts that read, “Prevent swine flu eat more bacon.” They also sell neckties with photos of pigs wearing surgical masks. The internet is filled with funny photos, sayings, and stories all making fun of swine flu. One e-mail message that crossed my desk warmed me to disregard any messages asserting eating canned pork could give you swine flu, it said it was just Spam. There are rumors that a line of special swine flu get well cards is in the works. Perhaps Gary Varvel will do a cartoon showing healthy hogs in a bio-secure confinement facility watching CNN and saying they are glad they are not human so they can’t get swine flu.

    politics, Pork

    Novus Launches Human Nutrition Division

    Cindy Zimmerman

    NovusNovus International has launched its human nutrition division, Stratum Nutrition, to leverage the Novus core competencies in nutritional research and innovation.

    Beginning in 2010, Stratum will focus its efforts on growing a portfolio of specialty and functional ingredients that target Business to Business manufacturers of foods, beverages and dietary supplements in North America and Europe.

    As a global leader in animal agriculture health and nutrition, Novus International has been playing an active but behind-the-scenes role in human nutrition since inception in 1991. The Novus vision is to help feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life. The company’s competency is in creating science-based nutritional solutions for the daily health and welfare concerns that farmers have for their animals.

    Find out more here.

    Novus International