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

Faber To Help Hereford Association With New Media

Chuck Zimmerman

Sara FaberThe American Hereford Association has hired Sara Faber to work on new media projects. Oh, and she’ll also have other duties as Marketing and Shows Coordinator.

Faber, originally from Sioux Center, Iowa, graduated in May from Oklahoma State University summa cum laude with a master’s degree in agricultural communications. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public service and administration in agriculture from Iowa State University.

Faber will assist with national Hereford show management, sell banner advertising, work on new media projects and help with communication projects.

Involved in agriculture since birth, Farber grew up on a cow-calf operation where her family raises crossbred, Shorthorn, Simmental and Maine-Anjou cattle. Her family hosts a private treaty club calf sale each fall.

Ag Groups

Tracy Barfield Joins AdFarm

Chuck Zimmerman

Tracy BarfieldThe AdFarm teams continues to grow with the addition of Tracy Barfield.

AdFarm continues to add to its animal health and nutrition ranks by hiring Tracy Barfield to serve in its St. Louis operations as Account Manager. Barfield brings to AdFarm years of experience as a feed and livestock specialist in work with organizations including the United Soybean Board (USB), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Diamond V Technologies.

Most recently, Barfield served as USB Feed Utilization Director with SmithBucklin, the world’s largest association management company. With AdFarm, she will handle the day-to-day management of all account services for Novus International, also based in St. Louis.

“We spent months looking for just the right person who could bring passion, insights and connections in this very specialized field, and Tracy could not be a better fit for AdFarm or our clients,” says Jamie Johnson, Team Lead for AdFarm’s animal agriculture accounts. “Her experience, her acumen and her personality will all be great assets as we continue to build on our animal health expertise.”

Agencies

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The Growth Enhancement Technology Information Team (GET IT) is introducing a marketing program focused on the economic and environmental benefits of conventional beef production. The campaign will provide beef producers with facts about the “eco-friendly and eco-nomical” benefits of conventional beef production.
  • Dr. Gebisa Ejeta of Ethiopia has been named winner of the $250,000 World Food Prize for his monumental contributions in the production of sorghum which have dramatically enhanced the food supply of hundreds of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The National Corn Growers Association Corn Board has elected Bart Schott of Kulm, N.D., to the position of first vice president for the 2010 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
  • According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, fewer than 10 percent, or about 200 students, graduating each year from U.S. veterinary schools are interested in large animal medicine. Pfizer Animal Health launched an Externship Program this spring aimed at veterinary students with a potential interest in large animal medicine.
Zimfo Bytes

Ethanol From Sorghum

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-223 - Sorghum EthanolIn case you didn’t know it, ethanol can be made from sorghum and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program was on location at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop to promote that fact. I met with Tim Lust and Florentino Lopez, USCP, during the trade show yesterday to find out more about what they’re doing in the area of fuel ethanol. You can hear an interview with them in this week’s program using the player at the bottom of the post.

Tim Lust and Florentino LopezMany of you may know Tim as the CEO of the National Sorghum Producers. Florentino is new to USCP as the Marketing Manager. Tim says fuel ethanol represents a huge market for sorghum not only on the grain side but also cellulosic. Florentino says that as a newcomer to the staff, using sorghum for ethanol has been an eye opener. He does see it as a real growth area for the industry. His background is on the “animal” side where he also sees continuing opportunities.

This week’s program ends with some music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s a song titled, “Fuel” by Pablo Perez. 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.

Ag Groups, Audio, Ethanol, sorghum, ZimmCast

Michael Peterson Celebrates 4th Celebrity Tractor Race

Cindy Zimmerman

Darby Ledbetter Michael Peterson Mike AdamsThe 4th annual New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race was another rousing success at the CMA Music Festival. Not only is it a great promotion for New Holland and a fun way for fans to see some of their favorite stars in the tractor seat, it also raises money for the National FFA.

“The tractor is going to be sold at auction this year, as it has been for the last four years, at the National FFA Convention,” Michael said. “Fifty percent of the proceeds go to the charity of the driver’s choice and the other 50 percent goes to support FFA programs.”

Michael is pictured here with this year’s winner for the second year in a row, Darby Ledbetter, who is not only a great tractor driver, but also a singer/songwriter and proud member of the National Guard! Michael is on the right, by the way, Darby on the left – and that guy in the middle is the famous host of AgriTalk, Mike Adams, who was the announcer for the race once again this year.

2009 CMA Music Festival Photo Album

Listen to or download my interview with Michael here:

Audio, New Holland, Tractor

Rocking and Rolling With New Holland/Michael Peterson

Chuck Zimmerman

Chuck Leavell and Joe JobeHere are two biofuels promoters. Chuck Leavell, Rolling Stones (left) and Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. They were race contestants in the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race.

I caught both of them in the tent for a short interview. It was very noisy. They were having a lot of fun. Of course when I interviewed them Chuck had just completed his race. Joe says we had biodiesel in the tank of the New Holland Boomer that was being used for the race. He says, “Hats off to New Holland, Michael Peterson and Chuck Leavell.” Chuck not only supports biodiesel but ethanol as well since he’s a tree farmer and very interested in cellulosic ethanol production.

Here’s Joe doing his competition run:

2009 CMA Music Festival Photo Album

You can listen to my interview with Chuck and Joe here:

Audio, Biodiesel, New Holland, Video

World Pork Expo Wrap Up

Cindy Zimmerman

Despite the challenges facing the hog industry, there were still thousands of producers who attended World Pork Expo earlier this month in Des Moines. Officials estimate attendance was about 14,625, down from 2008, but it was expected due to the impact of the H1N1 virus on international travel.

WendellEven though there were less international visitors at Expo this year, the number of exhibitors was about the same as last year and they were pleased that to find that those pork producers they visited with were interested in products that would help them increase profitability in tough economic times. I talked with Novus International Director of Product Management Wendell Knehans about some of their products, such as dietary anti-oxidants, that help produce healthier animals.

“Take it from a human perspective,” Wendell said. “Most of us know that anti-oxidants like blueberries and green tea are a good way to maintain good health and that applies to animals as well.”

Since it isn’t very practical to feed pigs blueberries and green tea, Wendell says Novus has developed products that offer a combination of anti-oxidants that provide important benefits for producers.

Listen to an interview with Wendell here:

Audio, Novus International, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo