Register Now for NCGA’s Land Use Conference

Joanna Schroeder

20090501-corn-fieldThe first ever Land Use Conference is fast approaching and you don’t want to miss it. Hosted by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), the conference will be in St. Louis on August 25-26th. This is perfect for those people in agriculture who are interested to learn how indirect land use policy will affect their businesses. In addition, academics and people in the biofuels industry should attend.

I had the opportunity to chat with Darrin Ihnen, who will be the NCGA president on October 1, 2009, about why there is such a need for this conference.

“The goal is to take a closer look at land use science, the models involved in individual emission factors and we’re going to have quite a distinguished panel of speakers and academics there. These will represent each of the models that EPA used to measure the carbon footprint,” said Ihnen. “So our goal is to get some good sound science to see what the carbon footprint is, and what the upcoming legislation could have on the effect on farmers across the country.”

Once the conference has concluded, NCGA will take the recommendations to the EPA and other groups to consider when creating policy.

If you haven’t registered already, it’s not too late.  You can register online at NCGA’s website. The cost is $250 per person.

You can listen to my interview with Darrin here:

Audio, Corn, NCGA

Swine Seminar Synopsis

Cindy Zimmerman

Boehringer IngelheimWe have had a couple of comments asking if the Boehringer Ingelheim Swine Health Seminar presentations will be available for those who were not able to attend, and the answer is yes.

Ned Arthur (pictured here at work) with Truffle Media Networks was at the event taking photos and video and doing interviews, all of which will be posted along with the power points on SwineCast this Wednesday.

Boehringer IngelheimNed interviewed BIVI’s Stephan Lange, who was the moderator for the seminar, about the event on Friday. Stephan gave a short synopsis of the presenters’ major take-home points and what he hoped the producers got out of the event. “We put together a really nice program,” said Stephan. “The essence of it was to take a look at where the swine industry, even in dire times, can find efficiencies, even when profitability is low.”

Again, check out SwineCast for complete presentations on Wednesday.

BIVI swine health seminar photo album

Listen to or download Ned’s interview with Stephan here:

Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pork, Swine

USDA Goes On a Rural Tour

Chuck Zimmerman

USDA Rural TourUSDA has kicked off their Rural Tour: Renewing America’s Promise. They’ve not only got a website but are doing the whole social media thing.

The Rural Tour is crisscrossing the country to listen to residents in small towns and get their thoughts on revitalizing our nation. Together, we can strengthen rural communities. We need your ideas to get the job done. Join us at events or participate here. Let’s start renewing America’s promise.

USDA Rural TourBesides their website you can find the Rural Tour on:

Twitter
Facebook
Flickr
YouTube
Rural Tour Blog

Post Update: Here’s a photo from today’s tour stop in Hamlet, NC featuring Secretaries Arne Duncan and Tom Vilsack discussing rural education. Via their Twitpic account.

Social Networking, USGC

NAFB Plambeck Award Deadline

Chuck Zimmerman

NAFB Plambeck AwardIt’s time once again for the NAFB Plambeck Award.

The National Association of Farm Broadcasting invites you to submit your entry for the Plambeck Award for Creative Excellence. Named in honor of NAFB Past President and Hall of Fame member Herb Plambeck, this award gives recognition for the best single and series radio commercial(s) that air on NAFB stations and networks. It is the goal of NAFB to promote and recognize those commercials that are designed to inform, influence and motivate the target audience and effectively achieve the communication’s objective.

Submissions will be judged by a panel of producers and agency representatives and are due to NAFB before September 23. More details, including criteria, and application can be found by clicking here (pdf).

NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Barry Flinchbaugh, professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, has been elected Chair of the Board of Trustees of Farm Foundation.
  • The new H5400 Series crop mergers from New Holland merge swaths to efficiently match windrow width and density with forage harvester or baler capacity. The three new models are offered in 9-foot and 12-foot pickup widths, and require only a 70-hp tractor to operate.
  • Osage Bio Energy announced the overall grand prize winner of the 2009 Barley Bin Builder Yield Contest during the Virginia Ag Expo. Robert (Bobby) Hutchison of Hutchison Brothers Farms in Cordova, MD, won the grand prize, a brand new GM Flex Fuel pickup truck, with a yield of 130 bushels per acre.
  • Some 41 state education officials and agriculture teachers from 11 states came to the headquarters of Pioneer Hi-Bred Aug. 9-13 to attend the first National Agriscience Integration Institute (NAII) designed to promote and enhance opportunities for inquiry-based science in environmental and agricultural education system programs, student attainment of science content standards and national agriculture content standards.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Food Expo Dives Into Obama’s Agenda

    Amanda Nolz

    The American Meat Institute posting a press release of this upcoming event that will give food producers a better idea of the Obama administration agenda. Check it out, and let me know if you attend!

    Fox News Anchor Bret Baier will offer insights on what to expect from the Obama Administration and Congress at the Washington Insider Breakfast during Worldwide Food Expo 2009, to be held October 28-31, 2009, at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

    As one of Fox News Channel’s top Washington anchors, Baier has colorful anecdotes about traveling with and covering the President of the United States. With humor and insight, Baier will share exclusive, behind-the-scenes stories about trips on Air Force One, the inner-workings of the West Wing and what it’s really like to be a part of the White House press corps.

    Baier is host of FOX News’ Special Report w/Bret Baier, a daily program for political news, and is a former chief White House and national security correspondent. Baier’s extensive reporting experience has brought him through the halls of the Pentagon, the war fields of Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the campaign trails of elections past and present. Fresh, current and straightforward, his breadth of journalistic experience gives him the ability to offer in-depth insights and perspectives on the inner workings of government.

    The Washington Insider Breakfast will be held Friday, Oct. 30 from 8-9 a.m. at McCormick Place and is part of the AMI International Meat, Poultry and Seafood Industry Convention and Exposition. Tickets for this event are $150 per person and available here.

    Farm Policy, Feed, Food

    Check Out the Corn and Soybean Activities at Dakota Fest

    Amanda Nolz

    DakotafestA full slate of activities are planned to promote agriculture and South Dakota’s farmers at DakotaFest in Mitchell, Aug. 18-20. In addition to listening to Senator Thune and Representative Herseth-Sandlin in a panel, and taking in the beef booth, I plan to hit the following stops this week. I’m geared up for a fun time at DakotaFest to celebrate agriculture. If you’re in Mitchell, S.D. this week, be sure to look me up!

    Tuesday, Aug 18, from 11 am to 1 pm, the South Dakota Corn Growers (SDCGA) and South Dakota Corn Utilization Council (SDCUC) will host the free Sweet Corn Feed at the SD Corn tent (Lot 118)

    Wednesday, Aug 19, from noon until 4pm, the South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (SDSRPC) and the South Dakota Soybean Association (SDSA) are sponsoring the Annual Soy Biodiesel Ice Cream Social. Stop by the Biodiesel Tent (Lot 845) for free SDSU ice cream, live music by Dan Mahar, soy cookies and doughnuts, free samples of soy products and several chances to win soy biodiesel.

    Wednesday, Aug. 19, is SDCGA Membership Appreciation Day at DakotaFest. Members should stop by the SD Corn tent to sign up for a members-only prize drawing.

    Thursday, Aug. 20, is Ethanol Day at the SD Corn tent.

    Corn

    #oink to Support America’s Pork Producers

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Twitterverse is oinking this morning as thousands of tweets are being posted with the #oink hashtag to show support for American pork producers who have been hurt by the incorrect labeling of H1N1 virus. Of course you’ve got your typical wackos using the opportunity to promote their vegan agenda or some website they want to promote that has nothing to do with the topic.

    It’s still early in the day but I’ve seen #oink trending as high as 3rd or 4th on Twitter. That’s a sign that there’s a lot of activity and interest. If you’re interested to see what people are saying then follow along.

    #oink on Twitter

    Pork

    Precision Ag for Swine Production

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Boehringer IngelheimLivestock producers could take a cue from their crop brethren and adopt some precision technology to be more efficient.

    That advice comes from ag economist and swine industry specialist Dennis DiPietre, who spoke at the Boehringer Ingelheim swine health seminar in North Carolina on Friday. “It’s a really interesting road map what has been going on with precision agriculture techniques,” Dennis says. “Farmer who have adopted this technology can see variations in their field easily and adjust the production process while it is still in progress.”

    “In livestock production, we don’t have the technology today to really get a good look at the variation happening within growing livestock,” he continues. However, he believes the key to profitability for the livestock industry is measuring and controlling variance, “to be able to reduce the variability of the outcome of the animal.”

    BIVI swine health seminar photo album

    Listen to or download an interview with Dennis here:

    Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pork, Swine

    Kid’s Cattle Blog

    Amanda Nolz

    And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Malachi 4:2

    I discovered upon one of the cutest blogs ever the other day, and I knew I had to share it with AgWired readers. It’s called the Kid’s Cattle Blog, and it’s hosted by the farm wife who shares the tales, good and bad, ugly and pretty, from her family’s cattle operation. Whether it’s stacking bales, pulling baby calves or show cattle, she shares the beef production story in a very fun way. Here is an excerpt from her latest blog post. Check it out!

    IMG_1188-1Many people who have baled hay as a kid and are now working in town or the city have a romanticized memory of how fun it was. We were even told by a friend that every red-blooded American boy should bale hay once in their lives. (This may solve the entitlement problem we have in the U.S. even among grain farmers.) These fond memories likely stem from the nature of bucking bales. It’s hot, sweaty, sticky, itchy, dirty, heavy work. Yet it is simple, basic, and pure work. Nothing technical about it unless the baler breaks down. Plus you work as a team and everybody has a job. There is always someone new who has yet to learn how to use a hook. They get the usual hazing. Everyone has a baling hay story.

    But there are less cattle farms lately. Fewer farm kids know how to buck bales. It is harder to find kids who want to do the work. So large round bales and large square bales have replaced the small ones, since only one person is needed to run a tractor to mow,rake, bale, and stack. We still put up straw and hay bales for our cows. The kids complain about “it’s hot”,”I’m tired”, “Slow down, Dad”. One day they will talk about when they were young baling hay. And tell their kids how good they got it.

    Education