RFA Ethanol Podcast

Campbell Joins U.S. Wheat

Melissa Sandfort

shawn_campbell2U.S. Wheat Associates welcomed Shawn Campbell as the new Assistant Director, West Coast Office, Portland, OR, July 6, 2009.

USW’s West Coast Office staff maintains a liaison with the grain export trade and constituent state wheat commissions, hosts visiting foreign trade delegations, leads the USW crop quality improvement efforts, and serves the needs of USW offices around the world.

While at the University of Idaho, Campbell received undergraduate degrees in agribusiness and agricultural systems management and a master’s degree in agricultural economics. He also participated in the University of Idaho’s College of Agriculture Tour of Taiwan in 2007 and interned for Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company in Puunene, HI. His professional experience working as an agricultural economist for a cattle feedlot in Alberta, Canada, and growing up on a ranch in Condon, OR, also speak to Campbell’s knowledge of the many stages of agriculture that he will apply in his new position.

Wheat

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Cooperatives Working Together has now finished the farm audits of its seventh herd retirement round since the program was started in 2003, removing 101,040 cows that produced almost two billion pounds of milk.
  • Hoosier Ag Today has announced a new service to deliver time sensitive information wirelessly: current weather, market, and farm news to any web-enabled wireless device.
  • This year, Hay & Forage Grower will be partnering with the National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance to publish the “Fall Dormancy & Pest Resistance Ratings for Alfalfa Varieties 2010 Edition” in the November 2009 issue of Hay & Forage Grower.
  • LibertyLink soybeans are now available through more than 100 seed companies, providing growers expanded maturity range of 0.5 to 5.9 and enhanced agronomic performance packages.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Remembering Jack Eberspacher

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Jack EberspacherI was very saddened to learn of the passing away of Jack Eberspacher, Ag Retailers Association. Cindy and I knew Jack first when he led what is now the National Sorghum Producers. We’ve had the opportunity to interview him and share good times and fellowship many times and he will be sorely missed. Here’s a statement by ARA:

    Jack Eberspacher, president and chief executive officer of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), died peacefully in his sleep on July 5, 2009 at the Inova Cameron Glen Care Center in Reston, Virginia. Eberspacher was out on indefinite medical leave from ARA after a diagnosis of cancer in late April of this year.

    “ARA and the industry lost a dynamic leader and true visionary,” said ARA Chairman Ken Manning of Wilbur-Ellis Company. “Jack worked tirelessly to build this organization into the strong voice for agricultural retailers and distributors we have today in the nation’s Capitol. He always stressed the importance of ARA listening to its members and providing value to those members. Due to his efforts, we have an experienced and very capable team at ARA who are committed to seeing Jack’s and the Board of Director’s vision for the organization fulfilled. ARA has a solid foundation in place that will only get stronger through the active involvement of its members and the industry.”

    Here’s a statement (pdf) from NSP:

    “Jack was our colleague and dear friend,” said Tim Lust, NSP CEO. “His leadership carried this organization both through rough patches and tremendous growth. He cast a remarkable vision for NSP and never let the organization stray from its farmer members and the basics.”

    Friends of Jack Eberspacher have set up an educational trust for his children. Please make checks payable to the “Sam and Maggie Eberspacher Educational Trust.” Memorials may be mailed to: 

    Bank of America, N.A.
c/o Carolyn F. Grant-Suite
 8300 Greensboro Drive
 Suite 500 
McLean, VA  22102

    A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, at 2:30 p.m., at the Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Virginia. A reception will be held at the church immediately following the service. The church is located at 124 Park Street, NE. Click here for driving directions and parking locations near the church. Those wishing to attend the memorial service can obtain more information about travel and lodging here.

    Ag Groups, sorghum

    Oscar Mayer Passes Away

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Oscar Meyer Hot DogsLet’s move from hamburgers to hot dogs. These tasty staples of the American diet owe a lot to the guys at Oscar Meyer.

    Well, past Chairman Oscar Mayer has passed away at the age of 95. That’s right. Shows what a good hot dog will do for you. He was the third person of that name in the family to work for the company.

    Food

    Ice Cream Burger

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Ice Cream BurgerTurnabout is fair play, as they say. Some of you may remember the Steak Sundae post here on Agwired about three years ago that generated lots of comments from anti-meat eaters who thought it was disgusting.

    So, how about this? Ice Cream Hamburger Treats, a recipe from Blue Bunny. These are “cool” – in more ways than one.

    The burger is chocolate ice cream, the grill marks are licorice sticks, the ketchup is red gel frosting, the mustard is yellow food coloring in marshmallow cream, the pickles are sliced green gum drops, and the bun is a dessert sponge cup with sesame seeds on top.

    Check out the recipe on BlueBunny.com for a fun summer treat that kids will love!

    Dairy, Food

    You Should Choose Ethanol

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Choose EthanolThe Renewable Fuels Association has launched a new online destination for ethanol information called Choose Ethanol.

    The new website features a section dedicated exclusively to E85, plus a news center and quick facts, as well as links to follow RFA on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

    The site also invites visitors to sign up to “stay informed, share your stories and become a part of the discussion about clean, renewable fuel in the United States.”

    The website address is www.chooseethanol.com.

    Ethanol, Internet, RFA

    Army in Afghanistan Helping Plant Seeds of Hope

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Army in AfghanistanWherever we can find a positive story about our military in action we should let others know. You’re sure not going to find it on mainstream media. This one is from the Army’s own website. This has also been done in Iraq and other countries. I think it’s good to point out how important agriculture is to a country and why we should be doing everything we can in this country to protect and build our own ag base. The loonies are sure trying to hurt it all they can though which is why I think they’re so un-patriotic. So let’s celebrate our fighting men and women who are helping another country build their ag base!

    At war in a country that has been devastated by centuries of fighting, the U.S. military is committed to helping Afghanistan attain a functional level of prosperity and self-sustainability through improved agricultural methods.

    Teams of National Guardsmen from Missouri and 11 other farm-belt states are deploying to Afghanistan on year-long tours to assist in this effort. The Guardsmen bring with them more specialized skills than those of the usual advisory panels that typically helm projects such as these. This mission calls for military members with expertise in farming, raising livestock and cultivating natural resources.

    The U.S. military recognized the necessity of such teams in late 2007 when reconstruction teams realized people in rural areas needed something more pressing than a new school or road. Across Afghanistan, these teams have been inundated with requests for help with farming and other agricultural endeavors.

    The Nangarhar Province Agri-Business Development Team has focused on facilitating sustainable projects that aid the Afghan people in a manner that results in greater impact and more long-term benefits.

    “We have a wide-range of programs geared at helping the Afghan people gain better farming practices and that often means providing basic systems such as wells and karizes to irrigate the crops,” said Maj. Denise Wilkinson, ADT executive officer who is deployed from the Missouri Joint Force Headquarters. “We have projects with large budgets, but we have found that it’s the small projects at little cost that have the biggest impact on the people who need our help the most.”

    Farming, International

    Farm Foundation Sponsors Water Resources Forum

    John Davis

    farmfoundationforum3The latest Farm Foundation Forum will be held next Tuesday, July 14, 2009 from 9-11 am at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, in Washington D.C. The topic this time will be the competition for water resources:

    Presenters include: Erik Peterson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; Dan Keppen of the Family Farm Alliance; Karl Wirkus of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; and Noel Gollehon of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Environmental Working Group has also been invited to participate.

    Just like the other great forums that Farm Foundation has sponsored, this one will bring together lots of folks from divergent points of view with plenty of discussion to come up with real solutions for the issues facing American agriculture. If you can participate in this free forum, you need to get your RSVP into Linda Singer (e-mail her at linda@farmfoundation.org) by close of business on Thursday, July 9. And even if you can’t be there in person, the folks at Farm Foundation will have audio from the event at this Web site.

    Farm Foundation

    Social Media and Illinois Ag Leadership Program

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Illinois Ag Leadership ProgramToday the current class of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program will be having a Media Relations Seminar in Chicago. Yours truly was supposed to be presenting a session on “Social Media From The Ag Perspective” but pneumonia canceled that. However, good friend and social media man Andy Vance, ABN, is on the scene for me. So to help him out we’d love it if you would post your twitter thoughts and comments on this topic to the #IALP hashtag.

    The Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program (IALP) is an extensive business education and training program for agricultural producers and employees of agri-businesses. Through a series of in-state and travel seminars, participants interact with a myriad number of business, organization, elected, and educational leaders.

    Post Update: Thanks again to Andy Vance for conducting today’s social media session. He covered a lot more than just Twitter but there were still over 90 tweets posted to #IALP during his session. Thank you to all who participated.

    Ag Groups, Social Networking

    Cheese and Burger Society

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Casanova BurgerThis is The Casanova Burger. It’s just one of many cheeseburgers you’ll find at the Cheese and Burger Society.

    The Casanova will have your taste buds at “Hello.” Fully stuffed with more flavor than it knows what to do with, this robust cheeseburger can satisfy the hungriest of bellies and the most discerning of palates. If you’re craving a little burger and cheese romance, it’s time you spent some quality time with The Casanova.

    This is a great promotional website for cheese burgers brought to you by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. You can become a fan on Facebook.

    Via @samvance.

    Beef, Food