BASF is alerting growers to the emergence of a recently discovered race of dry bean rust in fields in Traill County, N.D.
The Dow Chemical Company announced that Pierre Brondeau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dow Advanced Materials, has decided to retire. He will be succeeded by Jerome Peribere, currently President and Chief Executive Officer.
Perdue AgriBusiness and POET have announced the formation of a new partnership to promote and represent POET’s Dakota Gold BPX premium distillers grains product line in domestic and international feed markets.
BASF is proud to announce its exclusive partnership with the American Soybean Association and Doane Advisory Services to provide the Soybean Rust and Aphids Program (SoyRAP) Web site.
Ice Miller and Crowe Horwath team up to provide a special webinar “New Policy and Tax Directions for Agribusiness”, Thursday, Aug. 20, from noon to 1 p.m. (EDT). Registration is free.
AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by: and
Although I lived in Dallas-Ft. Worth for several years, there is always more to see. I spent the day touring around Ft. Worth as part of the IFAJ conference and visited the Rocky Top Therapy Center (www.rockytoptherapy.org) located in Keller, Texas, the Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth and Superior Livestock Auction, located in the historic Stockyards.
Although the entire day was enjoyable, I was really fascinated with the Rocky Top Therapy Center which uses animals, and specifically equine therapy to help more than 250 emotionally, mentally and physically challenged individuals each week. They use more than 53 horses and 250 volunteers who donated more than 180,000 hours of their time to help these children last year.
We were given a special equine therapy demonstration by several amazing children who all began the program in wheelchairs and now each one of these kids can walk. You can see a video of the therapy here.
Also featured at the ranch is a playground featuring the largest treehouse in the country. For the first time ever, both children and adults have been able to experience the pleasure of sliding down a topsy-turvy slide.
It was a great experience and you can learn more about Rocky Top Therapy Center at www.rockytoptherapy.com. In case you’re interested in donating time or money, they have a fundraiser coming up in October and you can get more information on their website.
To see more photos from the ranch as well as rest of my tour, check out our IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album.
The International Federation of Ag Journalists kicked off the 2009 Congress events with an all American rodeo and some sweet southern cooking at Billy Bob’s Texas in the historical Fort Worth Stockyards. Billy Bob’s is home to the “world’s largest honky tonk,” where international visitors enjoyed a wonderful time of dinner and refreshments. Afterward we moseyed on over to their indoor rodeo arena to see bull riding and more. On the way in to the arena, we were greeted by a genuine Texas longhorn and many of us posed with the (rather smelly) animal. This is me with Jeremy Lutgen of Novus International and Guus Ten Hove from Switzerland posing with the longhorn.
Inside the stadium you were greeted with the overwhelming aroma of livestock, all part of the experience, I guess. This was my first rodeo, as well as a first for most of the visitors to the conference and boy, was it a show! There was music, bull riding, calf roping, funny rodeo clowns, plenty to entertain us all. It was definitely a sight to see with something for everyone.
The night was a great time to mingle and meet people from the conference in a very fun and real American environment. If you ever visit Fort Worth make sure to make a stop at Billy Bob’s!
AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by: and
After the great debate this morning, I had the opportunity, along with Kansas Ag Network reporter Greg Akagi, to spend some time with retired economist Barry Flinchbaugh. We began by asking what the biggest issues are facing the ag community. His response: climate change and healthcare.
“Front and center is renewable fuels and climate change and you can’t separate the two. And the question is global warming a hoax is a stupid question because the political system worldwide has decided that its for real and things are going to happen. The Supreme Court gave the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. So to pretend we can whip this, we being agriculture is ridiculous. We can’t whip this and we need to get inside the tent and help make the decisions.”
Although his comments on how current climate change policy will affect both America and the international communities are insightful, I wanted to know how the cap and trade bill would affect the profitability of farmers in America.
“I think we can come out a net winner but we need to refine the current law to do this.”
When asked if we can come out a net winner after adding indirect land use, the answer, “No. Absolutely not. And this whole indirect land use issue is a bogus, emotional issue.”
Yesterday I had the pleasure of touring some of the beautiful state of Texas. My touring adventure took me to southern Fort Worth where we visited Beakley Farms in Waxahachie, Burgundy Beef Boucherie in Grandview, and the Alpha Equine Horse Breeding ranch in Granbury. Due to the weather, some of the tour was toned down but lucked out at the Alpha Equine ranch. Dr. Baker was kind enough to graphically demonstrate the collecting of semen from one of their horses, which was a bit shocking for a city girl like me!
The rain started at Burgundy Beef but were well informed on the all grass feeding of their cows and the complexity of the beef industry. We also sampled some of their meats and cheeses and had to brave the monsoon to make it back to our bus. The last stop on the tour was Beakley Farms, which is a family owned business that features cotton, wheat and sunflowers. We were unfortunately held on the bus for the majority of the time there but got off just long enough to peek at some of the equipment stored in the shed.
The international visitors were very interested in everything we saw, since for many of them it is their first visit to the United States. They had lots of questions for the hosts and were eager to understand the world of American agriculture. Being familiar with American agriculture I still learned a lot and had a wonderful experience learning and meeting new people.
AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by: and
It was the Flinchbaugh-Stenholm show Sunday morning at the first combined session for the IFAJ Congress and the Ag Media Summit. A full house was entertained by the musings and mutterings of “The Great Debate” between former Texas congressman Charlie Stenholm and retired K-State ag economist Barry Flichbaugh.
The crowd had lots of questions for the two after their debate over ag and international trade policy, as did several reporters after the fact. It was interesting to hear the international journalists ask questions about climate change policy and animal rights activism. Our own Joanna Schroeder and Kansas Ag Network reporter Greg Akagi also interviewed them both.
AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by: and
The Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture for Texas greeted international agriculture journalists meeting in Fort Worth and spoke his mind about some trade issues that were not necessarily in agreement with some of the countries represented.
During an interview after his luncheon address, Drew DeBerry told me that he was not surprised with the reaction to some of his comments and the questions posed by the international journalists. “I’m impressed at the interest they have in our domestic policies here in the United States,” he said. “I’m encouraged that means there is an interest around the world in better understanding US domestic policies because we have to understand each others policies if we’re going to have fair trade.”
Drew says he was thrilled to have the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists 2009 Congress held in Texas. “If you’re having a conference in the United States and it has anything to do with agriculture, why not be in the second largest ag state in the nation.”
Drew also talked about the severe drought that much of Texas is experiencing and how it could impact the cattle herd, as well as the implications of the climate change bill being considered by Congress for agricultural producers.
Mike reported on the further development of the IFAJ website and plans for future congresses that may include the first ever congress in South America. “We’re trying to go to as many different countries as possible,” Mike said. IFAJ is adding two new countries this year – Slovenia and Kenya.
He also talked about a history of IFAJ which is being compiled. During an interview with me, Mike related how in the ’60s the United States first became involved with the group, which originally started in Europe over 50 years ago. “It was called the International Union of Agricultural Journalists and when the Americans were approached and they said we will join but we really have a problem with the word ‘union’ so they changed it to ‘federation’ and the Americans became a part of it.”
He also talked about hiring the first IFAJ part time executive secretary Connie Siemes from Holland and what that has done to help free up the officers to do less paperwork and more member work.
AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by: and
With a free day before the real business of the 2009 IFAJ Congress gets going, many of our international visitors are checking out the sights to see around Fort Worth. Some of the “on-demand” local area tours include the National Cutting Horse Association Summer Spectacular, National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, The Modern Art Museum, Kimbell Art Museum – and, of course, SHOPPING!! That’s what most everyone seems to want to do, especially looking for boots and hats.
Congress organizer Diane Johnson has been really busy today getting people to where they want to go, since this is her home turf, and she is doing a fabulous job! Many of the visitors, including those of us from the United States, can find a lot to do and see just on foot around the conference hotel. Downtown Ft. Worth is a very beautiful area with lots of local attractions like the Sid Richardson Museum featuring paintings and art of the Old West and plenty of wonderful restaurants. Diane says we have 700 people total for the IFAJ/AMS combined event, with 130 of them from other countries.
It’s always nice to have a good working press room with internet access at any event where there are journalists at work and the 2009 IFAJ Congress media room, sponsored by BASF, is already being utilized by reporters from all over the world here in Ft. Worth. There are a number of laptops around the room, as well as both wired and wireless access – for free!
As I sit here doing posts, I have been hearing many languages around me. That is why this is such a great event for agricultural journalists here in the United States to be able to interact with their colleagues in other countries. This is the first time in many years the Congress has been held in the United States, and the first time it has ever been held in conjunction with the Ag Media Summit, so it allows more of our IFAJ members to attend.
Also featured at the ranch is a playground featuring the largest treehouse in the country. For the first time ever, both children and adults have been able to experience the pleasure of sliding down a topsy-turvy slide.
The International Federation of Ag Journalists kicked off the 2009 Congress events with an all American rodeo and some sweet southern cooking at 
Inside the stadium you were greeted with the overwhelming aroma of livestock, all part of the experience, I guess. This was my first rodeo, as well as a first for most of the visitors to the conference and boy, was it a show! There was music, bull riding, calf roping, funny rodeo clowns, plenty to entertain us all. It was definitely a sight to see with something for everyone. 
The rain started at Burgundy Beef but were well informed on the all grass feeding of their cows and the complexity of the beef industry. We also sampled some of their meats and cheeses and had to brave the monsoon to make it back to our bus. The last stop on the tour was Beakley Farms, which is a family owned business that features cotton, wheat and sunflowers. We were unfortunately held on the bus for the majority of the time there but got off just long enough to peek at some of the equipment stored in the shed.
It was the Flinchbaugh-Stenholm show Sunday morning at the first combined session for the IFAJ Congress and the Ag Media Summit. A full house was entertained by the musings and mutterings of “The Great Debate” between former Texas congressman Charlie Stenholm and retired K-State ag economist Barry Flichbaugh.
The crowd had lots of questions for the two after their debate over ag and international trade policy, as did several reporters after the fact. It was interesting to hear the international journalists ask questions about climate change policy and animal rights activism. Our own Joanna Schroeder and Kansas Ag Network reporter Greg Akagi also interviewed them both. 
During an interview after his luncheon address, Drew DeBerry told me that he was not surprised with the reaction to some of his comments and the questions posed by the international journalists. “I’m impressed at the interest they have in our domestic policies here in the United States,” he said. “I’m encouraged that means there is an interest around the world in better understanding US domestic policies because we have to understand each others policies if we’re going to have fair trade.”
Mike reported on the further development of the 
With a free day before the real business of the 
Congress organizer Diane Johnson has been really busy today getting people to where they want to go, since this is her home turf, and she is doing a fabulous job! Many of the visitors, including those of us from the United States, can find a lot to do and see just on foot around the conference hotel. Downtown Ft. Worth is a very beautiful area with lots of local attractions like the Sid Richardson Museum featuring paintings and art of the Old West and plenty of wonderful restaurants. Diane says we have 700 people total for the IFAJ/AMS combined event, with 130 of them from other countries. 
It’s always nice to have a good working press room with internet access at any event where there are journalists at work and the 
As I sit here doing posts, I have been hearing many languages around me. That is why this is such a great event for agricultural journalists here in the United States to be able to interact with their colleagues in other countries. This is the first time in many years the Congress has been held in the United States, and the first time it has ever been held in conjunction with the Ag Media Summit, so it allows more of our IFAJ members to attend.