send news release today

New TV Ads From Renewable Fuels Association

Chuck Zimmerman

RFA Ethanol AdThe Renewable Fuels Association, a ZimmComm client, has some cool new tv ads out.

America’s ethanol industry has a fantastic story to tell. Beginning this week, that story is being told to millions of Americans as the Renewable Fuels Association launches two ads very clearly stating the benefits of today’s domestic renewable fuels industry.

Entitled “Faces” and “Places,” the two 30-second spots feature real Americans from Hereford, Texas who are actively leading America toward a more secure energy future. In “Faces,” local Hereford residents explain why ethanol is critical to America’s energy future. In “Places,” the geographic diversity of America’s ethanol industry is on display as the self-proclaimed “Beef Capital of the World” is also home to two ethanol biorefineries. As the Mayor puts it, Hereford is “the ethanol capital of Texas.”

“America’s ethanol producers are on the leading edge of an energy evolution in this country, but far too often aren’t given the credit they deserve,” said Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen.

Here’s Places:


Places – TV Ad from GoodFuels on Vimeo.

Advertising, Ag Groups, Ethanol, RFA

IA State Grad Receives PCVAD Research Award

Chuck Zimmerman

Brad Leuwerke, DVMThe other winner of the Boehringer Ingelheim PCVAD Research Awards was Brad Leuwerke, DVM. Brad is an Iowa State University graduate. Brad (center) is pictured with Klaas Okkinga, Boehringer Ingelheim (left) and Dr. Edgar Diaz, DVM, technical manager for PCVAD at BIVI (right).

BIVI is providing Brad with a $25,000 cash grant for his research project:

* a study to determine the influence that maternal porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) antibodies have on the interference of circovirus vaccination efficacy in young pigs.

Brad says he’s going to get started on his new project as soon as possible. He was very impressed with the Flex Symposium that was held in advance of the annual Allen D. Leman Swine Conference and says that he’ll be taking home information from the presentations to use in the field. I’ll have more on those presentations coming up soon.

You can listen to my interview with Brad here: bi-flex-08-leuwerke.mp3

Or you can download the interview here: Brad Leuwerke Interview (mp3 file)

Boehringer Ingelheim Flex Symposium Photo Album

Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Research, Swine

Boehringer Ingelheim PCVAD Double Award

Chuck Zimmerman

Tanja Opriessnig, DVM, PhDThere were several PCVAD Research awards presented at the Boehringer Ingelheim Flex Symposium. A double award recipient was Tanja Opriessnig, DVM, PhD, seen here in front of the attendees.

BI is providing $25,000 cash grants to the winners of the PCVAD Research Awards for their projects. Tanja will be working on two different studies as follows:

* a study to determine the prevalence of PCV2 viremia and persistent infection in conventional piglets at birth.
* a study to evaluate the influence of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus viremia on circovirus vaccine efficacy in conventional growing pigs.

Tanja is from Austria (I just got back from there a week ago!) and is currently working as a veterinary pathologist at Iowa State University in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. She says she feels “really good” about the awards and hopes to have her work done within the next year.

You can listen to my interview with Tanja here: bi-flex-08-opriessnig.mp3

Or you can download the interview here: Tanja Opriessnig Interview (mp3 file)

Boehringer Ingelheim Flex Symposium Photo Album

Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Research, Swine

A Sweet Surprise From Corn Refiners

Chuck Zimmerman

I love these new ads about high fructose corn syrup from the Corn Refiners Association. The fact that they have to make them shows what kind of an ignorant consuming public we have that doesn’t want to take responsibility for what or how much it eats. Here’s one of them:

Find more videos like this on AdGabber

You can get a sense of where AdGabber stands on the issue from comments they wrote like this one:

The spots have already generated moody debate on YouTube, but their real targets are housewives, in some ways the most influential force in the fight against high fructose corn syrup — which, sure, may be fine in moderation. The problem is, it’s in just about everything: most snack foods, ready-made baked goods, drinks, ice cream, some condiments, and even bread.

You can get the sweet facts here.

From AdGabber via AdRants.

Advertising, Corn

Farm Progress Re-Designs Websites

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm ProgressFarm Progress has re-designed their websites. They’re calling it a new “internet portal.”

Farm Progress has redesigned its state and regional magazines’ Web sites to provide readers with a more feature-packed and flexible Internet portal. The introduction is more than a redesign and its functionality is not found elsewhere in agricultural media Web sites. The sites have a totally different look, feel and experience.

The internet portal thing makes me have to make a comment. Does that term still make sense in today’s new media world? I think it suggests an all-inclusive environment where the visitor never leaves because the site contains all they need. After a quick look, it does indeed contain a lot of information but . . . I think today’s web savvy farmers and ranchers surf all over the place and go to places that are their favorites for various kinds of information. Let’s take weather for example. How about Weather.com or AccuWeather.com? How about sports (ESPN, Sports Illustrated)? How about market prices (CME Group, MGEX)? What do you think about the portal concept?

Internet, Publication

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • More than 500 growers and retailers were at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, on Sept. 3 to learn about innovations in agriculture. The day’s theme was “Race to Innovation.” After a lunch break, growers and retailers participated in informational sessions that reviewed the current agribusiness landscape, as well as specific innovations in the Bayer CropScience pipeline.
  • WATT Poultry announces the release of the 2008-09 Executive Guide to World Poultry Trends. The comprehensive guide, updated each year, takes current economic trends into account for predicting poultry companies’ challenges over the next year, including oil prices, cost of feed and industrial demand.
  • Cantaloupe grower Steve Sumner, Georgia, Attributes Improved Yield and Quality
    to StollerUSA’s Flower Power. A cursory count in one field indicated a harvest of 13,500 to 14,000 premium quality melons per acre. Sumner estimates a 15-20% yield increase over last year’s crop and attributes much of that to Flower Power.
  • Asoyia Inc. will receive a $300,000 grant from the USDA. Iowa City-based Asoyia was one of 144 recipients in 37 states to receive USDA Rural Development assistance under the Value-Added Producer Grant program.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Flex Symposium Full

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Boehringer Ingelheim Flex SymposiumThe Boehringer Ingelheim Flex Symposium is underway in St. Paul, MN.

    We’ve got several presentations taking place right now and I’ve already interviewed all of them. I’ll probably be posting them by Monday since I’ll be traveling home on Sunday.

    We had to bring in more chairs because the attendance at this year’s Symposium is larger than expected. Now isn’t that what you want?

    Of course there is a photo album and you can find it here: Boehringer Ingelheim Flex Symposium Photo Album

    Boehringer Ingelheim

    Austrian Hog Farming

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Austrian Vulcano hog farmBring a wafer-thin slice of Vulcano to your mouth and savour the magnificent aroma of the dry-cured ham before allowing the full taste to develop on your tongue. That’s the translated version of the sales pitch for Vulcano Ham company in Austria.

    This was our last stop before leaving Austria for Slovenia on the 2008 IFAJ Congress trip and it was an interesting one. In the photo you see Bettina Habel, the wife of one of the three main proprietors of Vulcano, mingling with the herd at the farm, including big Leo (who is the “mascot” of the operation and not for consumption!)

    Vulcano hog farm ownerVulcano specializes in air-cured hams that are sold for a premium only to high-end consumer markets. The regional trademarked product is manufactured from hoof to ham in the same location.

    I was happy to be able to put a brochure from one of our sponsors, Novus International, in Bettina’s hands, as well as give one to their veterinarian who was our local guide and interpreter for the visit. They did seem interested in the animal health and feed products Novus offers for hog producers – and I pointed out that their website is also available in several languages, including German!

    IFAJ Congress 2008 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2008 is sponsored by: Pioneer-HiBred and Novus International

    IFAJ, Novus International, Pioneer, Pork

    Sound of MOOsic

    Cindy Zimmerman

    One of the highlights of the 2008 IFAJ Congress in Austria was the visit to a traditional mountain farm. All of the participants in that tour just raved about the pastoral scenery on such a perfect day they expected to see Julie Andrews dance up over the hillside singing the “Sound of Music.”

    Austrian CowsUnfortunately, Chuck and I did not get to go on that tour, as it was sold out immediately. There were three different tour options for the trip, which is really kind of a shame – everyone would have enjoyed getting to see this.

    These pictures were provided by one of our Canadian friends, Lilian Schaer of Agri-Food Project Services Ltd. She and Kelly Daynard with the Ontario Farm Animal Council both went on that tour and wrote about it on the blog, Food and Farming Canada.

    Lilian wrote:     Much of Austria is covered in pastoral mountainside fields – beautifully scenic but largely unsuited for agriculture.

    But in the mountainous northern regions of the Austrian province of Styria, some entrepreneurial farmers are not only making a living by farming on the alpine pastures, they’re also revitalizing rural communities and keeping ancient traditions alive.

    Austrian CowsIn Kelly’s post, she began: High up in the mountains, the scenery fulfilled every stereotype I’ve ever had about this country. Cow bells could be heard in the distance. A babbling brook twisted alongside the roadway. Every home was a flower-laden chalet and, to the eye’s delight was mountain after mountain after mountain. I could have stayed there forever.

    What made it even more unusual was that we were touring an average mountain beef farm. I’ve been to a lot of impressive beef farms in Ontario but none have the view of these, to be sure.

    Be sure to check out the rest of their blog posts to read their impressions about the trip. Thanks for sharing the photos, my friends!

    IFAJ Congress 2008 Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2008 is sponsored by: Pioneer-HiBred and Novus International

    Beef, IFAJ, Novus International, Pioneer

    Boehringer Ingelheim Flex Symposium

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Boehringer Ingelheim Flex SymposiumThis afternoon Boehringer Ingelheim will be holding a “Flex Symposium.” I’ll be attending to conduct some interviews and take pictures.

    Our program includes:

    PCVAD Scientific Overview – Dr. Edgar Diaz

    Pig Performance with Ingelvac MycoFLEX® vs. Two-dose Vaccines – Dr. John Kolb

    Impact of PCV2 Vaccination on Subclinical PCVAD Cases in Canada, France and U.S. – Dr. Emest Sanford

    Qualifying Animal Responses to Various Immunization Protocols – Dr. Keith Bretey

    Behind the Scenes – Research and Development of Ingelvac® CircoFLEX-MycoFLEX™ – Dr. Petra Maass

    Announcement and Presentation of the 2008 PCVAD Research Awards

    Boehringer Ingelheim