2025 Tech Hub Live

Changing Senate Ag Chairs

Cindy Zimmerman

Tom HarkinIt became official today that Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa will become chairman of the Senate health committee, replacing the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. The move means that Harkin will no longer be chairman of the agriculture committee, but says he will remain as a member of the committee which he has been on since 1985. “My dedication to the Agriculture Committee dates back to my first year in Congress when I served on the House Agriculture Committee in 1975,” Harkin said.

The new chairman of the ag committee is Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, who has served on the committee since 1998. “As a seventh-generation Arkansan and farmer’s daughter, I know my father is smiling down on me today,” Lincoln said. “I thank Senator Harkin for his tremendous leadership. As Chairman, I will work with my colleagues to build upon the Committee’s strong record and devote my full energy to producing forward-looking, balanced priorities on behalf of all families and communities. I will continue to fight for the hardworking farm families and rural communities who provide the safest, most abundant and affordable supply of food and fiber in the world.” Lincoln is the first woman ever to chair the committee.

American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman commented on the committee chair changes in a statement. “Sen. Lincoln has been a long-time friend of Farm Bureau. She received the Golden Plow Award in 2008, the highest honor the American Farm Bureau Federation presents to members of Congress, for her steadfast support of America’s farmers and ranchers,” said Stallman. “Farm Bureau is also pleased that Sen. Harkin has agreed to continue to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Sen. Harkin has always been deeply committed to the nation’s farmers and ranchers, and we are confident he will continue to represent and hear the concerns of agriculture as he helps set the tone for important issues such as healthcare, education and labor in his new chairmanship.”

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Discussing Sustainability With Novus

Chuck Zimmerman

David WeatherspoonAlthough I didn’t get to attend the Novus Media Day dinner last night, Jeremy Lutgen helped me out so you can actually hear the guest speaker. He’s Dr. David Weatherspoon, Assoc. Professor, Ag., Food & Resource Econ., Michigan State University.

David spoke about sustainability in agriculture and from what you’ll hear him say he believes we’ve got some big challenges which may even be overwhelming.

Novus International Media Day Photo Album

You can listen to David’s remarks here:

Audio, Novus International, Sustainability

Best of NAMA Call For Entries

Chuck Zimmerman

Best of NAMAThe National Agri-Marketing Association is calling for entries for its annual “Best of” competition.

You’ve done a lot of hard work and now it’s time for it to pay off. Submit your best work in the Best of NAMA competition. The Best of NAMA Call for Entries is available on-line now!

The deadline for submitting your entries is Friday, October 9.

The Best of NAMA awards program honors the best work in agricultural communications. Actually, the best of the best, since companies/agencies must first qualify through regional competition in order to advance to the national level.

Remember, your local chapter receives $25 per regional entry. So, enter your work in Best of NAMA and support your local chapter at the same time.

To view the Best of NAMA Call for Entries visit, www.nama.org/amc/bon/index.htm.

Download the Entry Form in an Adobe .PDF document at www.nama.org/amc/bon/entryform09.pdf.

NAMA

NCGA Adds Two To Communications Team

Chuck Zimmerman

Cathryn Wojcicki and Susan PowersLet’s welcome these newcomers to the National Corn Growers Association. They are (l-r) Cathryn Wojcicki Dixson and Susan Powers.

The National Corn Growers Association has added two new managers, each with agriculture marketing experience, to fill vacant positions on its award-winning communications team as it works to promote the image of corn farmers and the importance of U.S. corn and corn products.

Susan Powers joins the organization as a communications manager for events and other marketing communications initiatives, bringing with her two decades of experience in a broad range of corporate, association and agriculture communications. Cathryn Wojcicki Dixson starts with NCGA as a communications manager for editorial, managing NCGA’s editorial calendar and major publications, as well as other assignments.

Ag Groups, NCGA

What I’ve Been Up To Lately…

Amanda Nolz

Diego It’s been a few weeks since I have had the chance to sit down and blog on AgWired. I can’t believe how crazy busy the summer got, and how quickly it is fading into fall. In the past two weeks, I was at the Minnesota and South Dakota State Fairs with cattle in tow, and it’s amazing how much time and effort goes into taking a few head of cattle to display at livestock expositions! Anyway, I thought I would share some of the highlights of the last couple of weeks, and now, it’s time to get back in the saddle and get down to the business of blogging!

While at the fairs, I took in cattle shows, Century Farm Awards, Beef Cookoffs, speech contests, town hall meetings, carnival food, concerts and more. In the upcoming weeks, I will share all of it with you. So, get ready for a fun recap of my state fair adventures. And, while we’re at it, why don’t you tell me some of your state fair stories? What have you been up to lately? What fairs did you attend, and what did you do while you were there? Can’t wait to hear all about it!

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Meals in the Field

Amanda Nolz

Print More than one-hundred Illinois farm families will be reminded to stay “Alert, Aware & Alive” as they enjoy a complimentary lunch meal delivered to where they are working during the September 20-26 National Farm Safety & Health Week. Farm Credit Services of Illinois is sponsoring the annual “Meals in the Field” program to help promote farm safety. Growing up with meals on wheels out in the field, I imagine that receiving meals while doing field work was a great hit amongst the participating farmers and ranchers!

The theme of the 2009 National Farm Safety & Health Week is “Rural Roadway Safety: Alert, Aware, & Alive.” From Monday through Friday, each of Farm Credit’s 20 branch offices selects at least one farm family to provide a lunch meal. The Farm Credit staff serves the lunch wherever the farmers are working that day – whether that is in the field, in the machine shed, or around the kitchen table.

MITF '09 B&W Agriculture continues to rank as one the most dangerous occupations and industries in North America and across the globe. Illinois farm-related deaths increased for the second consecutive year last year. Farm fatalities in the state numbered 33 from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 – up from the 29 deaths in 2007-2008. Roadway collisions were the second leading cause of death; tractor rollover is number one. Especially during the long harvest work days, farmers are reminded to take breaks and drink plenty of water to help them stay alert while operating machinery – both in the field and on the public roads.

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Novus Media Day Group

Chuck Zimmerman

Novus Media Day GroupHere is the happy group attending the Novus International Media Day. It includes Novus and media folks. We caught a helpful staffer walking by so we could all be in the photo.

The group is having a tour and dinner this evening at the Schlafly Brewery. We’ll gather again in the morning to learn about another focus of the company before heading out to their “Green Acres” research farm.

Novus International Media Day Photo Album

Novus International

Novus Building Builds Teamwork

Chuck Zimmerman

Don VondriskaOur tour guide for the Novus International headquarters building today was Don Vondriska, Director of Business Development , pictured on the left here speaking to attendees. As I’ve reported before when covering the facility grand opening, this is a LEED Platinum certified building and very unique. Don took us around and show how they’ve designed with the environment and employees in mind. Everything is open so you can see outside from just about anywhere. The staff leaders have the same size cubicles as everyone else. For those in labs downstairs, there are special pipes that bring sunlight into their work areas. Don says the design really helps with teamwork and collaboration. You’ll hear some chickens in the background because after the office/lab area we walked to an adjacent building where the company conducts some animal research on a small scale.

Don says they brought media in to help us better understand the diversity of products and science basis of the company. He sees future growth in a lot of different species and science based products that will include equine, companion animals and even humans.

Novus International Media Day Photo Album

You can listen to my interview with Don here:

Animal Health, Audio, Novus International

Novus Knows Pigs

Chuck Zimmerman

Felipe NavarroOne of the key targets for Novus International is the swine industry and to talk to us about it was Dr. Felipe Navarro. He started out asking each of us what our definition of “sustainable” is. He got a lot of different definitions. He has found that when talking about the subject it’s important to know how most of his audience defines it.

He says that the company is focusing on how to make producers more efficient. That’s a word you hear a lot here at Novus. Ways they can help a producer become more efficient will help their customers stay in business. Genetic improvements have made huge strides but now it’s very important to make sure they have good nutritional feed. He says they’re utilizing the strong scientific profile they have available in their research facilities to create solutions for their customers.

Novus International Media Day Photo Album

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Navarro here:

Animal Health, Audio, Novus International, Pork, Swine

Online During Novus Media Day

Chuck Zimmerman

AgWired at Novus InternationalThis photo is just to show you how important it is in today’s new media world to have electicity and internet access when you bring the media in for an event of any kind. Today I’ve been attending the Novus International Media Day which will conclude tomorrow.

As you can see, the ZimmComm big boy Macbook Pro is fired up and that’s how I’m able to post photos and interviews so quickly. Yes, I can edit one audio file while listening to the next presentation. Challenging? Yeah. But possible. So next time you plan your media day keep the new media in mind like Novus has done today!

Novus International Media Day Photo Album

Novus International