RFA Ethanol Podcast

Food Journalists Preparing to Meet in Houston

Chuck Zimmerman

Association of Food JournalistsThe Association of Food Journalists is getting ready to hold its annual meeting in Houston on October 15-18. They’ll be overlapping a day with the American Association of Sunday and Features Editors. Anyone know how many journalist associations there are?

The Association of Food Journalists, Inc., is a networking system especially created for journalists who devote most of their working time to planning and writing food copy for news media worldwide.

AFJ’s primary goal is to encourage communication among food journalists. In addition, AFJ tries to increase members’ knowledge of food and to sharpen their writing, design and broadcast skills. The group also strives to foster professional standards among its members and other members of the media.

They’ve got a blog with the most overused name in the world, “Association of Food Journalists’ Food For Thought.” The blog hasn’t been getting fed much lately though since the most recent post is dated, May 14.

Media

Gold Medal Corn Flakes

Chuck Zimmerman

I first saw this on Fox News while working out this afternoon. Apparently 8 Gold Olympics Medals winner Michael Phelps is forgoing the Wheaties box cover for Corn Flakes. Now that’s interesting. He’s also going to be on the cover of Frosted Corn Flakes and that, according to Fox, has “outraged” some nutritionists. If so, there’s not much on the web about it and probably for good reason. My take is that some nutritionists are trying to capitalize on Phelps’ current fame to hype their own agenda. Give me a break.

Anyway, the folks at Kellogg’s are pretty happy:

He’s already taken his place in history alongside the legends, but now Michael Phelps can add one more milestone to the list. After earning eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps has earned a place of honor on the front of specially-marked Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes® cereal boxes.

The gold medal winning Olympic champion from Baltimore, Maryland will be featured on Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal packages that are expected to hit grocery store shelves across the U.S. in mid-September. The boxes will feature images of Phelps during what were some of the most memorable moments of this summer’s Olympic Games.

“As an Official Sponsor of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team and a proud sponsor of Phelps, it is only fitting that Kellogg Company feature this world-class athlete on its iconic boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereals,” said Marta Cyhan, Vice President, Global Promotions, Kellogg Company. “Michael embodies the values behind our Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes™ program. He knows that winning is not just about the glory that comes with gold medals, but about good sportsmanship, working hard and being your best.”

Food

Elaine Shein New Associate Managing Editor for DTN

Chuck Zimmerman

Elaine SheinCongratulations to Elaine Shein for her new position with DTN.

Shein will be responsible for editing DTN feature articles and series as well as providing oversight on special projects. Shein will bring additional depth and leadership to DTN’s leading news and market coverage.

Prior to joining DTN, Shein spent two decades covering agriculture in the United States and Canada. Most recently, she served as the executive editor for the Capital Press Agriculture Weekly in Salem, Ore. She also served as the editor and deputy publisher of The Western Producer. She has covered stories in Europe, South America and Australia, in addition to her work in North America.

In 2008, she served on the board of the Agri-Business Council of Oregon and as president of the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation.

Media

Barry Engle has Local New Holland Roots

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland Barry Engle SearchI just thought I’d share an example of the AgWired search engine magnificence. I did a post late yesterday about Barry Engle being named as the new head of New Holland Ag. A few minutes ago I did a Google key word search for Barry Engle, New Holland and that post is second below a Bloomberg link. My Twitter post is 3rd!

Yes, we can help SEO you. Why/How? Because we link back to you. So anyone finding my posts about you then provide direct links back to you. That’s a big part of what this whole web thing is all about.

BTW. While searching I found out that Barry Engle is a Lancaster, PA native. Now isn’t that interesting. The home of New Holland (same county). Local boy makes good, returns home! I found that on his Ford company bio page.

Before becoming involved in the auto industry, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania native held finance and marketing positions in the consumer packaged goods business having worked for General Mills and later Nabisco brands.

Agribusiness, New Holland

Printing Potato Goodness

Chuck Zimmerman

Potato GoodnessThe U.S. Potato Board has launched a little bit of spud goodness in a national print campaign.

The U.S. Potato Board launched a national print advertising campaign today as part of its continued effort to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits of potatoes. “Peel Back the Truth” inquisitively tackles potato nutrition myths and quickly reveals, with the swoop of a potato peeler, the healthy truth inside a fresh potato.

The new campaign is a continuation of the U.S. Potato Board’s (USPB) consumer nutrition education campaign that began in 2004 when low-carb diets were at their peak. Fad diets come and go but the nutritious potato stands tall.

Advertising, Ag Groups

Farm Progress Show Headlines

Chuck Zimmerman

2008 Farm Progress ShowHow many of you are getting ready for Farm Progress Show? The media is geting an early look right now. I can’t make it but am hoping someone will send me an interesting photo to post. I’m looking at my in box of Farm Progress invites and releases. It’s growing fast!

Here’s some of the headlines:

  • 130 million acres of RTK coverage–and growing! What does it mean for agriculture? What changes are happening now? This is your opportunity to find out. And eat a tasty breakfast.
  • Monsanto Company “Discovery Tour” and Other Events
  • Fertilizer prices are up, but so are commodity prices. Bottom line: Efficient use of fertilizer still pays.
  • News from Bayer CropScience: RFD-TV Goes Live at the Farm Progress Show
  • Sustainability Roundtable & Technology Pipeline Discovery Tour
  • Channeel Bio Media Day – Aug. 27
  • Valent experts available at Farm Progress
  • Get Up Close and Technical With the Experts From Pioneer Hi-Bred at Farm Progress Show
  • Bunge Farmetrics to Exhibit at Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa
  • Loos Tales FoodLink Chuck Wagon to forge trail to the 2008 Farm Progress Show
  • New Multi-Million Dollar World Class Facility Ready for Farm Progress Show
  • 2008 Farm Progress Show Media Preview Day
  • NCGA officers at Farm Progress Show
  • Farm Incident Survivor Shares Her Story at Farm Progress Show

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Following the introduction of its new, redesigned Class VIII Model 9895 combine in 2007, Massey Ferguson is unveiling its all-new, redesigned Class VI and VII combines for 2009. Closely modeled after the 9895 Class VIII machine, the MF 9695 and MF 9795 continue Massey Ferguson’s goal of bringing record levels of harvesting efficiency to the North American farmer and custom harvester. Visit the Web site for more product details.
  • Dow AgroSciences is making substantial progress with field tests leading to the launch of new trait technologies in the company’s research and development pipeline. Multilocation testing is under way on SmartStax, the industry’s first-ever eight-gene trait combination in corn, as well as on Dow AgroSciences Herbicide Tolerance traits for corn and soybeans.
  • Dow AgroSciences has selected the brand name INSTINCT nitrogen stabilizer for its new product designed for use with urea ammonium nitrate and manure applications. An encapsulated product, INSTINCT will stabilize nitrogen in the soil to make it less susceptible to loss due to denitrification and leaching, offering growers a tool for growing healthy corn and supporting environmentally sound practices. The product label is currently under review by the EPA.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Elanco Purchases Posilac From Monsanto

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ElancoHere’s an interesting announcement. Elanco has signed an agreement to buy the worldwide rights to Posilac from Monsanto. The deal includes the product’s supporting operations. I hope they have good luck with it. There sure are a lot of activists against it. I don’t think they’ve got any scientific basis for their fears but sometimes perception is reality. I sure don’t mind the product and think it’s perfectly safe.

    “Global dairy demand is increasing, outstripping supply, and consumers are seeing rapidly rising prices,” said Jeff Simmons, president, Elanco. “With the purchase of Posilac, Elanco can enhance its overall product portfolio and work together with the industry to provide dairy farmers more options and give consumers affordable choices. Critically, we remain focused on the health and care of the cow in working with farmers to increase global milk supply.

    “With our rich history and experience in the dairy industry, Elanco is the ideal steward of this vital technology,” Simmons said. “Elanco remains committed to using science to address the growing need for safe, affordable food, and to choices for consumers, retailers and producers.”

    Elanco has exclusively sold sometribove outside of the United States for a decade. Posilac has been safely used for more than 14 years. Read More

    Agribusiness, Animal Health, Dairy, Elanco