Biotech Playing Key Role In Production Of Biofuels

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Foundation Paul WillemsI spoke with Paul Willems, BP Energy Biosciences Institute, one of our speakers at the Farm Foundation Transition To A Bio Economy Conference. I had met him previously at an earlier conference in the series.

Paul says the BP Energy Biosciences Institute was created as a place to apply modern biology to energy problems. He told us that from their perspective, the turbulant times we’re in right now are temporary and that the fundamental trends for the future are unchanged. Those being the supply of oil and gas and the growth and demand for energy products. He says that their CEO likes to say that, “the future has been delayed, it hasn’t been canceled.”

I think he made a good point in my interview with him that we shouldn’t panic. He says there are numerous technology efforts going on in the alternative fuels industry and that it would be a mistake to see that work evaporate because we live in a world of crisis. He urges a steady course toward the future. He also talks about the benefits of biotechnology in developing more efficient alternative fuel production but points out that the industry is still just in its infancy.

You can listen to my interview with Paul here: ff-global-09-willems.mp3

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

You can find photos from the conference here:
Transition To A Bio Economy Conference: Global & Trade Issues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Biotech, Energy, Farm Foundation

NAMA Connection Point Is Virtual

Chuck Zimmerman

The NAMA Virtual Trade Show is up and running. You’ll be able to find ZimmComm New Media close to the entrance in booth #102. That’s where you’ll need to drop off your entry forms for our drawing to win either an HP Mini Netbook computer or Cube II desktop speaker/dock for your iPod or iPhone. We’ll also have some other take aways that will be Sizzling Hot.

ZimmComm at NAMA

Connection Point Hours:
A Refreshment Station will be available in the center of the Trade Show area during all hours of the Connection Point courtesy of Southeast Ag Net/Citrus Industry Magazine.

Wednesday, April 16
6:00-7:30 p.m. – Best of NAMA Celebration Reception courtesy of DTN/The Progressive Farmer

Thursday, April 17
12:30-2:00 p.m.-Trade Show Luncheon courtesy of USDA/NASS
12:30-1:30 p.m.-Student Mentor Luncheon courtesy of Technekes and MoKan NAMA
3:00-4:00 p.m. – Ice Cream courtesy of Hoard’s Dairyman magazine
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Trade Show Closing/ABEF Silent Auction courtesy of NAFB & John Deere

NAMA

Online Media Auction For NAMA’s ABEF

Chuck Zimmerman

National Agri-Marketing AssociationHere’s a way you can provide support for the Agri-Business Educational Foundation (ABEF). It’s the annual online media auction which will run from today through 5pm April 9, 2009.

If you have questions about how it works you can visit the Online Media Auction Procedures.

ZimmComm New Media has submitted a package for you to bid on this year. You can find it with this link.

NAMA

Wind Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Foundation Mark WillersBiofuels like ethanol and biodiesel weren’t the only energy alternatives on the program at the Farm Foundation Transition To A Bio Economy Conference. We also had a presentation on wind energy from Mark Willers, Minwind Energy.

Mark says Minwind Energy was formed by a group of local farmers and businessmen in southwest Minnesota. He’d like people to understand that the electrical grid in the United States needs to be upgraded due to continuing increases in the use of electricity and how that is accomplished and funded is going to be an important issue. He thinks Americans want and need an energy policy that’s focused on efficiency. He says that Congress has extended production tax credits for wind turbines and that’s been helpful.

I thought he made some interesting points about how much news and discussion focuses on liquid fuel like gasoline when the largest energy use in America is from electricity. This is the sector of energy use that wind makes its contribution into.

You can listen to my interview with Mark here: ff-global-09-willers.mp3

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

You can find photos from the conference here:
Transition To A Bio Economy Conference: Global & Trade Issues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Energy, Farm Foundation

Biodiesel Good Fit For Carbon Reduction

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Foundation Joel VelascoThe legislative guru for the National Biodiesel Board is Manning Feraci. He was on the Farm Foundation Transition To A Bio Economy Conference program.

He gave us an update on the current state of the biodiesel industry and the need for stable policies coming out of DC. He says that he sees some real opportunities now as some of the energy bill mandates are being implemented. He says it’s also a good time to get some structural reforms to the biodiesel tax incentive that will make it work better. I asked him about the carbon issue and he says that biodiesel is such an efficient fuel that it makes the product a good fit in helping obtain green house gas emissions reductions.

You can listen to my interview with Manning here: ff-global-09-feraci.mp3

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

You can find photos from the conference here:
Transition To A Bio Economy Conference: Global & Trade Issues Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Biodiesel, Energy, Farm Foundation

Take NAMA Pre-Conference Cause Marketing Survey

Chuck Zimmerman

National Agri-Marketing AssociationHere’s a call to action to help Steve Drake out. He’s doing a breakout session at the NAMA Convention on cause marketing. Like me, he wants some feedback before getting there. So . . .

Please take his Cause Marketing Survey for the 2009 Agri-Marketing Conference Presentation.

He will appreciate it. And thank you to everyone who has taken my pre-conference survey.

NAMA

Talking Social Media in DC

Chuck Zimmerman

USGC SessionHere’s my happy group of social media students at the U. S. Grains Council office in Washington, DC.

Pictured are Marri Carrow, USGC, Melissa George Kessler, NAWG, Mike Deering, USGC and Steve Mercer, U. S. Wheat Associates.

We’ve been talking RSS, blogs, podcasts, Twitter, Facebook and more all morning. Like many ag groups today, these are looking at ways to incorporate social media into their communications and outreach efforts.

I’ll be heading back to ZimmComm World Headquarters shortly and still have some interviews to post from the Farm Foundation conference I attended earlier this week. So, I’ll try to get caught up with that in between if possible. It’s been a great trip to DC and I’ll be back here for the NAFB Washington Watch in just a couple weeks.

Ag Groups

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Even amid the ups and downs of corn production in 2008, Halex GT corn herbicide from Syngenta delivered impressive weed control results versus glyphosate –in 2008 trials it controlled 98 percent of lambsquarters, 98 percent of velvetleaf, 97 percent of common ragweed, 99 percent of waterhemp and 97 percent of Palmer amaranth.
  • Tom LeBeau has been selected as the new Certified Hereford Beef LLC chief operating officer.
  • New Holland Agriculture has appointed GT Group as its new distributor in Georgia. The contract hand-over ceremony between GT Group and New Holland Agriculture will take place during a two-day event from March 26 to 27 in Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital.
  • Nitamin Steady Delivery plant nutrition technology was tested in soil and foliar applications. Soil-applied Nitamin Nfusion fertilizer shows a 29 bu/A yield increase and better N efficiency. Nitamin 30L fertilizer in foliar applications increased yields by up to 28 bu/A in a Missouri study.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Vilsack’s Busy Day

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Tuesday was a busy day for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

    He started the day by attending the National Agriculture Statistics Service lock up briefing prior to the prospective plantings report release first thing in the morning.

    Tom VilsackThen, he testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture about the Administration’s plans to bring reform to USDA and discussed how the President’s budget will revitalize rural America. During his testimony, the secretary used the opportunity to make three announcements of actions being taken to help producers struggling with the recent downturn in commodity prices.

    Vilsack announced that: 1) USDA will begin making Milk Income Loss Contract payments (MILC) to dairy producers; 2) USDA will be spending $117 million to make bonus purchases of walnuts, pork, turkey, and lamb; and 3) USDA is extending the sign-up deadline for the new ACRE program to August 14.

    Then, yesterday afternoon, Vilsack held a telephone press conference with reporters where he answered questions on a number of topics. After that, not sure what he did – but it definitely was a full day. Agriculture secretary is no job for slackers!

    Listen to Vilsack’s opening statement here: vilsack-announcements.mp3

    USDA

    Stoller USA offers Yield Boosting Technology

    Joanna Schroeder

    stoller-usa4While attending this year’s Commodity Classic, I had a chance to talk with Ed Shoup of Shoup Brothers Farms, who has both a hog operation and grows corn in Orville, Ohio, to chat about some of the ways he is increasing yields. He is pictured here on the left in the Stoller booth with Dan Denman of Cortland, OH and Steve Wiser of Carlton, PA. Ed was kind enough to let me in on a few of his secrets. His first line of defense isBio-Forge®, an antioxidant offered by Stoller USA. In a nutshell, Bio-Forge balances hormones in the plants to optimize growth and allow them to better handle stressful situations such as drought, floods or freezes – ultimately helping to increase yields.

    “Bio-Forge has been very beneficial. When we use it with products such as Headline or Quilt we’ve seen an excellent response. It has given us more of a boost,” explained Shoup. “The product helps our ears fill out better and the corn is less resistant to insect problems, and when we have a healthier plant, it helps us get through some of the stress.”

    Another positive trait is that Bio-Forge helps topical applications work better. When Shoup uses Bio-Forge with strobies (strobilurin fungicides), he sees a return on investment through better yields. “The yield boost we get is what we really like. The icing on the cake is when we can reduce our molds and know that we have higher quality feed going into our hogs,” said Shoup.

    His second secret is Stoller USA’s  PowerPlus™, which is a great product for him, especially with the rising costs of Nitrogen.  He explained that when he applied the nitrogen with PowerPlus it made the nitrogen work better. The plant better utilizes the nitrogen and he saw better uptake on components like potash and phosphorous. This was a double win for him because the addition of this product helped him reduce his nitrogen costs.

    Listen to my interview with Ed here: cc-09-joanna-stollerusa.mp3

    Commodity Classic