Global Trade & Policy Issues and Biofuels

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Foundation Wally TynerWally Tyner is an energy economist with the Dept. of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. He’s one of the first speakers on the Farm Foundation, Transition To A Bio Economy Conference: Global Trade and Policy Issues. I was able to speak with him before the program kicks off this afternoon here in Washington, DC.

Wally says Farm Foundation decided to host a series of conferences a couple years ago. There are to be five in all and this is the fourth one. You can find out information about them on the Farm Foundation website.

This conference will focus on biofuels from a global perspective with participation from the European Union and Brazil. We’ll hear some contrasting viewpoints since Wally says that the EU has taken a different approach to requiring biofuels than the US. In his presentation he’ll focus on cellulosic or second generation biofuels. The hope is that the conference will incite or promote discussion even though Farm Foundation itself doesn’t take positions. He says they believe they’ve accomplished the objective with the conferences so far.

The next one in the series will focus on extension and it’s role across the country in biofuels production. It will be held in Arkansas in June.

You can listen to my interview with Wally here: ff-global-09-tyner.mp3

You can download the interview with this link (mp3).

You’ll be able to find photos from the conference here:
Transition To A Bio Economy Conference: Global & Trade Issues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Energy, Farm Foundation

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • More than 500 of the nation’s top Texas Longhorn cattle breeders and their prized Texas Longhorns gathered in Fort Worth for the 2009 Texas Longhorn Legacy Sale V. Held in the Grand Ballroom, over 100 Longhorns were auctioned in this annual event that raised over $220,000 for cancer research and youth charities.
  • Syngenta is sponsoring the popular recall training course offered by the United Fresh Research & Education Foundation. The “Training for Recall, Communicating Under Fire” training program will be held May 27-29 in Salinas, Calif. The recall/crisis management course will be held May 27-28 and media training will take place May 28-29. Similar seminars will be held in Florida in October.
  • True Media, Calgary, AB, has hired of Ed Anderson as associate media director.
  • Kamel Beliazi, currently head of Bayer CropScience in Mexico, will be moving north to Calgary to take on new challenges as President and CEO of Bayer CropScience Canada on July 1, 2009.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Sell Internet Access Sponsorships

    Chuck Zimmerman

    National Agri-Marketing AssociationI’m glad to find out that the Brownfield Network will be sponsoring the internet access at my NAMA breakout session on social media and I thank them. Internet access is really becoming such an important part of everyday life and business that I was determined to find a way to have it.

    This brought up an idea that I’m sure isn’t new but I thought I’d throw out there for conversation. If you’re planning a convention or meeting of any kind and sell sponsorships why not create one just to cover the cost of providing internet access? I don’t mean internet access for the media room or for a grouping of computers in a hallway either. I mean, negotiate a deal with your hotel or convention center. Say, “We want wireless access everywhere all the time.” How much would that cost? Why not do it? I don’t care if they’re farmers or not. We all need it today.

    So what do you think? Realistic? New sponsor idea? If you don’t think it’s a good idea, why not?

    Internet, NAMA

    Going Global In DC

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Farm Foundation Transition To A Bioeconomy ConferenceI’m heading east out of a sunny St. Louis in just a few minutes to Washington, DC. I’ll be covering Farm Foundation’s “Transition To A Bioeconomy Conference – Global Trade and Policy Issues.”

    I should have online coverage and Twitterage starting after lunch tomorrow here and on Domestic Fuel. I’ll be posting photos and interviews which all media are welcome to download and use.

    So stay tuned.

    Farm Foundation

    Tractor Chasers A John Deere Website

    Chuck Zimmerman

    John Deere Tractor Chasers WhoisAlert AgWired reader Michael Kopka has pointed out, Tractor Chasers is a John Deere website. As if you hadn’t already figured that out.

    I’ve been off the grid for a couple days but am back in the saddle. I got this notice on my way out of town on Friday so Cindy handled the duties of pointing you to the Tractor Chasers website.

    What do you think of this kind of campaign? You know we’re doing work for John Deere on a completed unrelated project – DriveGreenTractors.com.

    Feel free to comment away.

    John Deere

    Chasing Tractors

    Cindy Zimmerman

    John Deere Tractor ChasersI’ve heard of storm chasers, but this is the first I ever heard of “tractor chasers.”

    Agwired was alerted to these so-called “Tractor Chasers” who are endeavoring to get a glimpse of the new John Deere 8RT Tractor that’s scheduled for release this August. They even have their own website and YouTube videos and everything. Hmmmm….

    Check out the first of two videos so far here – check out the website or YouTube for others:

    John Deere, Tractor, Video

    O&B Staff Members Show Their “AgNess”

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Osborne and Barr AgNess Winner The staff of Osborn and Barr were encouraged to “Show Your AgNess” during a photo competition in honor of National Ag Week.

    Osborne and Barr AgNess Winner O&B serves as the agency of record for several agricultural clients, including the United Soybean Board and the Propane Education and Research Council, so it was a good way to help the staff get back to their ag roots and recognize the importance of the industry.

    The winners are pictured here. Steve Washburn won for this pic of him visiting some fine feathered friends at a layer operation owned by his wife’s family in Texas. The other photo represents public relations account representative Andrea Mollet showing her first heifer at the Bond County Fair in Illinois. Even though it’s not real clear that it is actually her, we believe her. Remember, the goal was not top-notch photography here – judging was based on overall “AgNess” – a new word for the agribusiness world!

    Agencies, USB

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Bayer CropScience has been granted registration of Wolverine herbicide, a superior and convenient postemergence solution for broadleaf and grass control in wheat and barley, by the EPA.
    • Syngenta Seed Care announced that the first seed treatment insecticide for small-seeded vegetables has been approved by the EPA for use on cucurbits. This convenient new tool delivers targeted protection against early-season sucking and chewing insects and will be available as a component of the FarMore Technology platform.
    • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed how the USDA is preparing to assist regions affected by flooding. USDA is prepared to provide personnel and resources to help save lives and support recovery operations in areas devastated by flooding, including: Food Assistance, Food Safety, Housing Assistance, Community Assistance, Farmer and Rancher Assistance and Rescue Assistance.
    • Monsanto Company announced a $10 million grant to establish Monsanto’s Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program, which will help identify and support young scientists interested in improving research and production in rice and wheat.
      Zimfo Bytes

      Support for AG CONNECT is Growing

      Cindy Zimmerman

      Support is growing for the new global agriculture trade show set to debut January 2010 in Orlando. AG CONNECT Expo 2010 made several announcements this week about support for the show.

      Ag Connect ExpoFor starters, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) will co-locate its annual Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference (AETC) with the new international agriculture exhibition. It will also conduct its annual AE50 “innovation” awards program at AG CONNECT and spotlight the AE50 winning products at the show.

      The North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) joins a growing list of industry groups that have endorsed and will participate in the show. NAEDA will also serve as a major organizer of the AG CONNECT Expo “Preview Day” that will allow dealers and their customers to interact with key decision makers from manufacturers in attendance. That will be held on January 12, the day before the show officially gets underway. In addition, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association announced their support of the show this week.

      AEMLast, but definitely not least, AG CONNECT Expo 2010 has been selected to be part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program, which will help to recruit international attendees and encourage connections with exhibitors who sell to the global marketplace. This is a huge deal for the international show, according Charlie O’Brien, vice president of agricultural services with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) which owns and operates AG CONNECT Expo. “With the involvement of IBP, attendees and exhibitors at AG CONNECT Expo will benefit from potential trade leads and matchmaking opportunities, international insights into key ag issues, as well as the opportunity to learn different business practices in the context of a global agriculture trade show,” said O’Brien.

      AG CONNECT Expo 2010 will be held January 13-15 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Registration officially starts June 1, but exhibit space sales are already up for grabs. Find out more here.

      AEM, Equipment, Farm Shows, International

      What Farm Policy Is Looking Like

      Chuck Zimmerman

      ZimmCast-213 - Farm PolicySince the new staff at USDA is finally filling out and we’ve now had a couple months of a new administration in Washington, DC I thought it might be a good time to learn about what’s going with farm policy these days. So I went to the expert, Keith Good, Farm Policy.

      Keith and I chatted via Skype today and I’ll warn you that we just didn’t have a good connection or time to do it all over so the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Keith sounds way better than I do. But then that would be the case no matter what.

      It sounds like the budget is high on the list of items that’s being worked on right now and there is certainly action taking place in both the House and Senate on the administration’s proposal. Agriculture spending is under review and the administration’s proposal on it is very controversial because of items like phasing out direct payments over 3 years to producers with income over $500,000. Sounds like farm lobbyists have their work cut out for them.

      Keith also talks about Cap & Trade, the effort I think is potentially devastating to businesses, farmers included. As he points out, there’s disagreement over whether we even have a climate problem so why we need to talk about taxing businesses without scientific agreement on this issue is beyond me. But it’s a good example of the non-ag type legislative issues that agriculture has to be very aware of and involved in to have its voice heard.

      Keith brought up a point about the image agriculture has inside the beltway and via news coverage nationally and the need for an ongoing attempt to foster a positive, informed public about farming. I sure think we need it and we included in our discussion how new media mechanisms, like the ones driving our business, can assist in this effort.

      You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 213 (19 min MP3)

      Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:Interview with Keith Good - ZimmCast 213

      The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

      Audio, Farm Policy, ZimmCast