Carlos Fraga Joins California Strawberry Commission

Chuck Zimmerman

Carlos FragaThe California Strawberry Commission has a new Manager of Grower Communications and Education. He’s Carlos Fraga.

His primary role is to develop strategy and implement tactical training solutions for food safety, occupational safety, production and organizational leadership.

“Grower communications and education is integral to building and maintaining an industry-leading food safety program,” said Mark Murai, President of the California Strawberry Commission. “Our priority is to further develop and implement strategic and tactical food safety programs that will have a positive impact on the entire industry. We believe that Carlos will add significant expertise to our efforts and the overall team.”

Carlos is a bilingual training professional with more than ten years experience in occupational safety. Prior to accepting his role at the Commission, Carlos was a training and regulatory compliance manager at Constellation Wines, U.S. His educational background includes a B.A., M.A., and a year of international study at the University of Madrid. Carlos is an avid runner and enjoys riding his motorcycle along the beautiful California coast.

Ag Groups

Teaching Ag In New York City

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-224 - Teaching Ag In NYCWe all wonder what kids are being taught about agriculture in schools today. In New York City, one high school has a complete 4 year agricultural education program with a very good percentage of graduates going on to careers in ag. In this week’s program we’ll hear all about it.

Eastern NAMA FFA ScholarshipsThe idea for this week’s program came from an announcement by Eastern NAMA and Gibbs & Soell. They’ve awarded two $500 scholarships to John Bowne High School students, Katherine Vegas and Nigel Calderon. They’re pictured with Eastern NAMA President Catherine Wang, Gibbs & Soell (left). I interviewed Catherine and also Steve Perry, John Bowne High School Assistant Principal who describes the program and the support they receive from the community and faculty.

The grants, sponsored by NAMA and Gibbs & Soell Public Relations, were presented to Vegas and Calderon for their outstanding scholastic achievement and contributions to the FFA program at the school. Making the presentation was Catherine Wang, NAMA Eastern Chapter president and an agribusiness communications professional at Gibbs & Soell.

John Bowne High School, located in Flushing, N.Y., has a specialized agriculture program that is nationally recognized as an outstanding urban agricultural education offering. The school’s agriculture program is the most extensive of its kind in the state.

A graduating senior of the animal science program, Vegas has been an FFA member for her entire four years of high school. She plans to study wildlife management at the State University of New York – Cobleskill. As an agriculture major, Calderon gained broad experience in animal health studies on the Small Animal Care and Exotic Animal teams at John Bowne. He plans a career in zoology or veterinarian medicine.

“Katherine, Nigel and the other John Bowne High School students represent the future of the agriculture industry,” Wang said. “By recognizing the achievements of these hard-working students, we hope that they are encouraged to vigorously pursue their careers in animal health.”

This week’s program ends with some music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s a song titled, “Words and Teachings” by Messian Dread. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

Agencies, Audio, Education, NAMA, ZimmCast

Register For BlogWorld

Chuck Zimmerman

150pxI just registered for this year’s Blogworld & New Media Expo. If you’re planning on attending then now’s the time to get registered since the early cutoff is July 1.

BlogWorld & New Media Expo is the first and only industry-wide trade show, conference and media event dedicated to promoting the dynamic industry of blogging and new media. BlogWorld features dozens of seminars, panel discussions and keynotes from iconic personalities on the leading-edge of online technology and Internet-savvy business. The 2009 BlogWorld & New Media Expo is designed to give participants the strategies, tools and technologies they need to stake their claim in the social media world.

Education, Podcasts, Social Networking

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Voting Open In AFT Favorite Farmers Market Contest

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Vote For Favorite Farmers MarketYou should check to see if your local farmers market is signed up for the American Farmland Trust, “America’s Favorite Farmers Market” contest. Voting is active. AFT is looking for three top vote getters and is using this contest to promote “the connection between fresh local food and the local farms and farmland that supply it.”

    “Farmers markets not only supply the great seasonal foods we love,” says Julia Freedgood, managing director of AFT’s Growing Local initiative, “they give consumers a way to understand where their food is coming from and foster a closer relationship between farmers and communities.”

    Freedgood adds that “Farmers markets also provide public health benefits and economic development opportunities.” The most recent USDA Census of Agriculture reported that nearly $1.2 billion stayed in local communities from direct to consumer sales—up 49 percent since 2002. “There’s no question that farmers market are both popular and a positive part of communities.”

    The other key point Freedgood makes is whether by providing healthy food, renewable energy or environmental services, agriculture is at the heart of solutions to the nation’s most pressing issues. “One of the reasons we want to spread the word about farmers markets through this promotion is also to raise awareness of a fundamental idea—No Farms, No Food®.”

    Farmers markets across the country are still signing up for the contest, and online voting is underway. Consumers can vote to select “America’s Favorite Farmers Markets” at www.farmland.org/vote. At the end of the contest, one large, medium, and small farmers market will be awarded the title and win a shipment of No Farms No Food® tote bags for the winning market managers to distribute to the shoppers that made it happen! Voting remains open until midnight on August 8, and the winners will be announced thereafter.

    Ag Groups, Food

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Pioneer Hi-Bred had significant sales volume growth of its Pioneer brand corn, soybean and canola seed this spring.
    • Nokia announced the commercial launch of its pioneering Nokia Life Tools service in India. Designed specifically for the emerging markets, Nokia Life Tools is a range of Agriculture, Education and Entertainment services sharply addressing the information gaps of target consumers.
    • Brownfield Ag News has launched a redesign of its Web site. With a cleaner, more user-friendly design, the site features a new layout with drop down menus, Twitter and blog feeds and feature sections.
    • Innovative Livestock Services, Inc. selected Osborn & Barr to be its marketing and communications partner.
    Zimfo Bytes

    iPhone 3G S Is The Social Media Tool

    Chuck Zimmerman

    iPhone 3G SToday is the day that many of you will be getting your new iPhone. Mine’s on order and should be here next week. If you’ve been putting the idea of purchasing one off, then today is the day to move it up in the priority list. Today the game changing tool just took another leap forward with the introduction of the iPhone 3G S.

    Now why would I bring this up here? I’m not getting paid by Apple. It’s because this phone is really a mini computer with a phone built into it. With all the apps available to it you can record high quality audio interviews, shoot photos and post to your Twitter account, shoot/edit video and post to your YouTube account, post onto your blog, manage your Facebook profile and just about anything else you can imagine using a device you put in your pocket or carry on your hip. You can see a list of features here.

    It’s the new media communications tool of tomorrow that’s here today. And that folks, makes it one of the best tools you can have if you want to effectively use the social media platforms today for your business. Are you convinced? Are you completely confused?

    Equipment

    PETA Targeting South Dakota 4-H and FFA Members

    Amanda Nolz

    judging_2 Here in good ole South Dakota, the reach of HSUS and PETA seems so far away. As the agenda of these organizations continues to blaze a trail across the nation, South Dakota remains unscathed in the political warfare that is the animal rights vs. animal welfare debate. Because these groups stand for complete animal liberation, it’s certainly no surprise to hear that PETA is now targeting South Dakota 4-H and FFA members in their livestock projects.

    PETA fired off a letter to Jerome Hertel, manager of the South Dakota State Fair, urging him to ensure that all animal exhibitors who are invited to the fair will be in full compliance with the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). In the letter, PETA points out that its offices are inundated every year with complaints that exhibitors at fairs and festivals across the country have abused animals or endangered the public. PETA explains that although animal exhibitors are required to be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a license is no guarantee that exhibitors will provide adequate animal care or follow public safety measures. The group also points out that many exhibitors fail to comply with the minimal federal standards established in the AWA.

    While I firmly believe in ridding the industry of bad apples, I don’t believe that young people should be “inspected” prior to showing their livestock projects that they work all year on. Leave the kids out of it. What do you think about PETA’s latest campaign? To read the required guidelines, link PETA’s press release.

    Animal Health

    Water Street Solutions New Website

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Water Street SolutionsWater Street Solutions new website is up and running. My old boss, Kim Lang, has done a really good job using blog software to build and manage this. Okay, she’s not “old” but she was my boss once upon a time.

    I was alerted to the new site by an update on her Facebook profile btw. Are you seeing how this social media stuff works yet? Because this would be a good example to point to. I’m just saying.

    So the company is using a blog, Kim posts on different topics and uses the category mechanism to create separate pages that can be linked to from top of the website nav links. I like it. You don’t see categories used that way very often.

    So, what do you think? Like it? I think it’s very clean looking, easy to navigate, will be search engine friendly and easy for Kim to update.

    Water Street Solutions helps farmers with profitability, using a business model that you won’t find anywhere else. We combine experts in the areas of financial analysis, crop insurance and commodity marketing — and get them working together on a plan tailored for your farming business.

    Agribusiness

    Nufarm Making Move in Seed Treatment

    Cindy Zimmerman

    NufarmNufarm Americas Inc. is making a major push into the growing seed treatment market, introducing several new products this year to give it a full portfolio of brands to protect seeds and young crops from insects, stress and disease.

    “We see great opportunities in seed treatment,” says Tim Stoehr, director of sales for Nufarm seed treatment. “With our global reach, and over 20 years experience in seed treatment, we can bring the American seed industry proven products with outstanding formulations, and do it at a good value.”

    Nufarm just introduced Senator™, its first U.S. seed treatment brand, last year. By the end of 2009, Stoehr says they expect to have 15 products available for use. “We have been able to leverage our worldwide expertise, along with our U.S.-based team of researchers, to bring a wide range of products to market very quickly, including a range of nutritional seed treatments that are compatible with insecticide and fungicide seed treatment products,” he said.

    Read more here.

    Seed