The latest edition of ZimmNews has been delivered to in-boxes everywhere.
In case you didn’t get it or just want to look at it online then you can find it here: November ZimmNews
Some highlights include:
I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading.
The soon to be outgoing President of the NAAA is Bob Bailey, Bailey Flying Services. In this picture he’s being investigated by some blue men at the Association’s live auction last night.
Bob is obviously a big supporter of the NAAA since he’s volunteering his time to serve as the President. I asked him what the organization means to his business. He says that like other members who responded to a survey, the representation they get in Washington, DC is very important. NAAA helps educate lawmakers and regulators and that has a direct impact on business. As the organization President this year he’s had to make several trips to DC to visit with leaders in EPA and on the Hill. Bob’s also very optimistic about the future for his business.
Listen to my interview with Bob here: basf-naaa-08-bailey.mp3
You can also download the interview here: Bob Bailey Interview (mp3)
AgWired coverage of the 2008 National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention
is sponsored by: 
.
I’ve been learning a lot here at the NAAA Convention. For example, I didn’t realize how big a role precision agriculture is playing in aerial application. I guess it makes sense though. If you can use gps and variable rate on the ground then why not from the air?
One of the people who explained some of this to me was David Eby, AgSync, pictured on the left of Denise and Ryan Eby in their trade show booth. David says that they realized the need for aerial application companies to have a software solution for managing data, especially when they’ve got multiple planes in the air. So they developed AgSync, which is a web based solution for this problem. We’re sure seeing a growth in web based programming aren’t we? Even in ag!
David says they’ve been working closely with BASF on the development of this program. I’ve been hearing a lot of applicators here talking about BASF’s Headline fungicide and I asked him what that has meant for the business. He says “it has changed our world in aerial application.”
Listen to my interview with David here: basf-naaa-08-eby.mp3
You can also download the interview here: David Eby Interview (mp3)
AgWired coverage of the 2008 National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention
is sponsored by: .
Dr. Jeff Zimmerman (great last name) was one of the presenters at the BI Foundations Seminar. He got some good-natured ribbing for his topic which was on using oral fluid samples to assess PRRS exposure in pigs.
Actually, he discussed how the techniques for doing this can apply to a project on area and regional control of PRRS. He says they’ve been testing methods of easily collecting these samples and that the data from them can be used for more than just PRRS assessment.
You can listen to my interview with Dr. Zimmerman here: bi-foundations-08-zimmerman.mp3
Have you ever heard of PADRAP? It’s not some new kind of music. It’s actually the Production Animal Disease Risk Assessment Program. It’s a web-based version of the PRRS Risk Assessment for the Breeding Herd. At the BI Foundations Seminar Dr. Derald Holtkamp spoke about using PADRAP to asses the risk of exposure in area and regional control projects for PRRS.
Derald says that the information compiled in PADRAP allows for the establishment of a baseline for risk and to evaluate that risk over time. He says that right now they’re working on several regional projects and he hopes to see that grow to more regions in the future.
You can listen to my interview with Dr. Holtkamp here: bi-foundations-08-holtkamp.mp3
All is not rosy in the soybean world as evidenced by a release sent out this morning by the American Soybean Association.
“Serious ethical, legal, and financial allegations have been raised about how farmer checkoff funds and program activities are being conducted,” said ASA President John Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, Iowa. “These significant allegations have caused ASA to ask the Inspector General to conduct an investigation and audit so that the basis of the allegations can be impartially investigated to find the truth.”
Allegations include the improper and wasteful expenditure of both checkoff and federal funds; potential evasion of mandated salary and administrative spending caps by USB; conflicts of interests at USB; use of checkoff funds for prohibited purposes by USB; and wasteful and excessive spending by USB. There are additional allegations concerning improper USB oversight and tolerance of actions that have taken place at the USSEC, an entity created by USB and ASA in October 2005. These allegations include improper conduct by a USSEC employee at USSEC functions; the firing of whistleblowers; improper employee relationships; contracting violations; management malfeasance and the inability of ASA Directors serving on USSEC Board to obtain an independent and objective investigation of the allegations.
Full Release
Post Update: I just received the following response to this from USB:
The allegations made by the American Soybean Association against the United Soybean Board (USB) regarding mismanagement of farmer checkoff dollars are categorically untrue.
Today, U.S. soybean farmers enjoy record demand both here and abroad for their soybeans, through the fiscally responsible efforts of the farmers who serve voluntarily on USB. If the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) deems it necessary, USB welcomes a USDA Office of Inspector General audit of any and all of its operations, contractor operations and projects.
We would encourage all U.S. soybean farmers to learn more about how USB and the soybean checkoff program operate by visiting www.unitedsoybean.org, the only official website of USB and the soybean checkoff program.
Aerial applicators learned about some new BASF products here at the NAAA Convention. They’ve been very happy to hear about them because Headline fungicide has really meant a lot to their business in the last 2 years.
Dr. Amber Shirley, (pictured on right) made a technical presentation on TwinLine and Caramba before taking her turn in the booth today.
BASF presented technical information and aerial applicator experiences for TwinLine™ and Caramba™ fungicides at the National Agricultural Aviation Association’s (NAAA) annual conference today. Both fungicides received EPA registrations for cereals this year.
“TwinLine and Caramba strengthen the BASF wheat fungicide portfolio by providing broad-spectrum activity on rust, head scab and other major cereal diseases,” said Amber Shirley, Ph.D., senior technical service specialist
with BASF.
Listen to an interview with Amber here: basf-naaa-08-shirley.mp3
You can also download the interview here: Dr. Amber Shirley Interview (mp3)
AgWired coverage of the 2008 National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention
is sponsored by: .
The NAAA Convention Trade Show opened today and I spent some time taking pictures in the BASF booth. It’s just part of what you get when you sponsor AgWired coverage of an event like this – your very own photographer and multimedia content creator. This show was busy all day until the evening reception and auction started. You can get a sense of what the activity is like in this video interview I did with Dr. Gary Fellows, BASF. He speaks about the ways that BASF has been involved in supporting the NAAA over the years and the new products they’re introducing to aerial applicators.
You can also download the audio from the interview I did with Dr. Fellows here: Dr. Gary Fellows Interview (mp3)
AgWired coverage of the 2008 National Agricultural Aviators Association Convention
is sponsored by: .
Dr. Peter Davies is from Australia and he participated in a BI Foundations Seminar presentation on software utilities for assessing, monitoring and managing PRRS within a region. He focused on geographic systems and mapping. He sees real application for mapping the virus with some current software options that are web based. This makes it a lot easier to use than having to install complex software on a computer.
As I heard a lot during this seminar, Davies says that producers will need to adjust to the idea of sharing information in order to make these new technologies meaningful.
You can listen to my interview with Dr. Davies here: bi-foundations-08-davies.mp3
