Big Interest in USDA Conservation Stewardship Program

Cindy Zimmerman

Lots of farmers are interested in USDA’s revamped Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) – formally known as the Conservation Security Program.

usdaNatural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Dave White announced this week that they received nearly 21,300 applications to participate in the CSP, covering more than 33 million acres nationwide.

“NRCS has received enough applications to carry out conservation activities on more than twice the number of acres Congress authorized for CSP this year,” White said. “This incredible response shows that conservation-minded producers and landowners want to attain higher levels of conservation stewardship.”

Congress capped the annual acreage enrollment nationally at 12,769,000 for each fiscal year. The final national and state-by-state numbers on acreage nationwide will be available in November 2009.

Conservation, USDA

Sustainability and Modern Farming

Cindy Zimmerman

The new president of the National Corn Growers Association, Darrin Ihnen of Hurley, S.D., is the star of a new video on the subject of increasing sustainability in agriculture that debuted Oct. 3 on the television program This Week in Agribusiness. The short video features Darrin and other family farmers telling the story of how better management and modern technology spells good news for both consumers and the environment.

Darrin says, “The only thing as important as growing a crop and getting a fair price is doing so in a way that is socially responsible and assures opportunities for the next generation of farmers and consumers.”

Take a look.

Corn, Farming, NCGA, Sustainability

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • ClimateMinder, Inc. offers farmers and greenhouse growers flexible new remote monitoring and control systems.
  • The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) has presented the National FFA Organization with a contribution of $15,000 to support a new pilot contest through which students will produce videos creatively explaining the benefits and sustainability of modern agricultural methods.
  • Less than 5 percent of farms saw an improvement in income this year, a drastic downturn compared to the same time last year, according to Rabobank’s Farm & Ranch Survey.
  • A breed-specific horned/polled analysis from IGENITY is now available for Holstein cattle.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Alpharma’s Reach Teach and Learn Program

    Cindy Zimmerman

    WDX
    Alpharma Animal Health     is reaching out to teach young people more about agriculture through a grassroots educational program called “Reach Teach and Learn.”

    The company launched the program earlier this year at the 2009 Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The program supports local school districts and colleges through initiatives that encourage students to learn more about agriculture and how their food is produced, and to share their insights and knowledge about what they learned. I talked with Dr. Lance Fox, Alpharma’s Director of Technical Services, at their exhibit during World Dairy Expo about the purpose of the program.

    WDX“Essentially the program is designed to reach out to our youth – elementary, high school, college-level students – our future leaders of tomorrow, to promote agricultural awareness,” Lance told me. “It’s not about products, it’s just about reaching out to the youth.”

    It’s also about motivating young people to reach their own personal and professional goals, something Lance has done in his own life and he shares that story when he talks with young people of all ages. He grew up in the Wisconsin dairy industry, became a veterinarian, joined Alpharma as a technical services manager, and earlier this year achieved the personal goal of climbing to the top of Mt. Everest. “If you believe, you can achieve,” Lance says.

    Find out more about the Reach Teach and Learn program, which features an essay and video contest for different age level students, at reachteachlearn.com.

    Listen to or download my interview with Lance here.

    Audio, Education, World Dairy Expo

    USCP Launces SorghumCheckoff.com

    Chuck Zimmerman

    United Sorghum Checkoff ProgramThe United Sorghum Checkoff Program has a new website.

    USCP Communications Committee Chair Billy Bob Brown said the new site is dedicated to sorghum producers and their interests. “My hope is that producers will take advantage of the new site, because it is there for them to use,” Brown said. “The Web site will allow producers to take advantage of the opportunity to be updated on the latest sorghum research and market development.”

    In the future, the site will continue to grow and develop, adding a new research database, extensive information on market development activities and opportunities for even more interactive features.

    Am I missing the social networking elements of this new communications mechanism?

    Ag Groups, sorghum

    Todd Johnson New VP For NCBA

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Todd JohnsonThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has a new VP of Owner-Member Services. He’s Todd Johnson and he was with the Kansas Livestock Association. He’s schedule to start his new position in January.

    NCBA’s producer leaders recently created an organizational strategic plan to better serve members, and NCBA CEO Forrest Roberts subsequently re-aligned staff to better execute the plan, and created the Owner-Member Services department. As its name implies, Owner-Member Services will provide value and services for all types of NCBA’s owner-members, including producer and feeder members, state cattlemen’s affiliates and state beef councils. Johnson will lead the team, and will also serve on NCBA’s senior leadership team.

    Johnson comes to NCBA with a wealth of experience. In 1995, Johnson joined the staff at NCBA affiliate Kansas Livestock Association (KLA), and until 2004 he coordinated membership recruitment efforts and worked as part of the government relations team. In 2004 Johnson joined the staff of the Kansas Beef Council as executive director. Prior to KLA, he worked at the American Hereford Association as director of youth activities.

    Ag Groups, NCBA

    Livestock Publications Council Boot Camp

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Livestock Publications Council Boot CampIt’s time for another Livestock Publications Council Boot Camp. This is for designer, writers and photographers. It happens the day before opening day of deer season in Missouri just in case you wanted to know that.

    Speakers and topics will include:

    Adobe InDesign & Adobe Illustrator – Presented by Shari Holloway and Amber Martin, EDJE Technologies

    Writing Better Headlines & Cutlines and What’s New in AP Style – Speakers from the Courier Journal – Andy Alderette, Editing Manager, Jim Kirchner, News Operations Manager

    Videography & Photography – with Crystal Young American Angus Assn. Director of Public Relations, Creative Media Coordinator

    November 13, 2009 – 8 am to 4:30 pm

    Workshop will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott by the airport and Expo Center, 819 Phillips Lane, Louisville, KY 40209
    800-321-2211 or 502-368-5678 – Room rate: $109

    LPC

    Social Potatoes

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Baking a potato is not a difficult thing to do unless you’ve never done it before and have no idea how. There’s help for consumers now from the U.S. Potato Board.

    Potato classics go convenient and digital. The United States Potato Board (USPB) recently launched a campaign to help remove the time-barrier between busy moms and potatoes. It revolves around a new collection of Quick & Healthy Potato Recipes, and the news is reaching consumers reading traditional food pages and socially surfing the web.

    The six most popular online searches for potato recipes—baked, mashed, fries, soups, salads and casseroles—were updated to be “Quick & Healthy” and enhanced with several flavor variations, for a total of 24 new potato recipes to please every palate. Additionally, six, one-minute educational videos were created. This package was introduced on September 18 through a multi- media on-line news release, so in addition to an article touting the quick-and-healthy benefits of meals with potatoes, there are links to recipe pages on www.potatogoodness.com, photos to download, and links to the videos on the Potato Goodness YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/PotatoGoodness.

    Here’s how to bake a potato:


    Mom’s Dinner Helper Blog
    Facebook

    Ag Groups, Potato, Social Networking

    Dairy Farmer Leading Social Networking Charge

    Chuck Zimmerman

    As more and more farmers embrace new and social media mechanisms it’s only natural that they will see them as channels to connect with and educate the consuming public. I think dairy farmers lead the way.

    Take Will Gilmer, Gilmer Dairy Farm, for example. He’s just started a new video series on YouTube called MooTube Minute. Additionally, he has created a video to demonstrate the eco-friendly way dairy farmers conduct manure management.

    Find him on:

    The Dairyman’s Blog
    Twitter
    Facebook
    YouTube

    Dairy, Social Networking