Vilsack is Obama’s Pick for Ag Secretary

Cindy Zimmerman

Tom VilsackAccording to media reports out late Tuesday, President-elect Obama will announce former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack as his choice for secretary of agriculture at a press conference scheduled for Wednesday.

Vilsack served two terms as governor of Iowa from from 1998 until 2006 and was a short-lived opponent of Obama’s in the presidential race. He has been with a Des Moines law firm since 2007. The last Secretary of Agriculture from Iowa was Henry Wallace who served under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1941. Wallace was a plant geneticist who founded what is now Pioneer Hi-Bred.

Obama is also expected to announced Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) as his secretary of interior, which opens up that Senate seat for appointment by the governor. Salazar’s brother John, a potato farmer from southern Colorado who currently serves in the US House, is a possible choice.

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WCCA 2009 World Congress of Computers in Ag

Chuck Zimmerman

WCCA 2009 World Congress on Computers in AgricultureThis sounds like an ag geeks dream conference. Might I be going? We’ll see.

This is the 7th World Congress of Computers in Agriculture and Natural Resources. It will be held in Reno, Nevada. from June 22nd through the 24th 2009. The congress will be held at the Grand Sierra Resort concurrently with the ASABE International Conference..

WCCA is a collaborative effort among agricultural information technology associations worldwide. This congress provides a forum for agriculture related professionals to exchange information on applications and developments in the use of Information Technologies. It covers a wide array of topics. These include new applications of well established and understood technologies to innovative and entrepreneurial applications of emerging technologies, in addition to issues related to policy and knowledge dissemination. Contributions from various countries will allow a broadened perspective for all attending.

This congress is sponsored by ASABE. Supporting institutions include AFITA, CIGR, EFITA, FAO, IAALD, and PanAFITA.

Ag Groups

Get Your Dairy “Cowlendar”

Melissa Sandfort

2009_cowlendarANIMART, Inc. has released its annual, uniquely-themed customer appreciation “cowlendar” — “Cows and Kids”. This year, the ANIMART calendar features photos with dairy cattle and adorable kids. These images serve as a reminder of the family connection within the dairy business by displaying colorful photos of customer’s children conducting farm chores from milking cows to feeding animals or showing cattle. And, as a tool for busy producers, each day on the calendar has return and due dates to help with dairy cattle heat detection, management and pregnancy planning. In addition, dairy industry conferences are listed on the calendar keeping producers up-to-date on upcoming 2009 dairy events.

For each of the past eight years, ANIMART has developed a unique theme to feature in their annual calendars and product catalogs. The “Cowtalog” is also available and ready for customers to put to use in making convenient telephone, fax or internet orders for all their animal health needs.

Dairy

The Reindeer Warthog

Chuck Zimmerman

Reindeer WarthogThis may not make Santa real happy but I think he’s kind of cute.

He’s the Reindeer Warthog sent in by Cheryl from Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Chuck, my Christmas greeting isn’t fancy, but it’s heartfelt.

My son shot a warthog in South Africa last year and now I dress it for all of the holidays and whenever the spirit moves.

~ Cheryl

Ag Groups

Novus International Selects AdFarm as Agency of Record

Chuck Zimmerman

AdFarmAdFarm has been selected as global agency of record by Novus International for all integrated marketing communications services. These are two companies we have really enjoyed working with and hope for a successful 2009.

Novus is a leading developer of animal health and nutrition programs for the poultry, pork, beef, dairy, aquaculture, and companion animal industries. With more than 25 locations throughout the world, the company currently provides products and programs for animal health and nutrition in more than 80 countries.

Novus selected AdFarm based on a proposal for long-term global branding strategies. The company had been handling communications activities in-house. The move to an external marketing partner represents the continuing and predicted growth of the company.

The Novus business adds to AdFarm’s growing roster of animal health clients in the United States, including The American Hereford Association, Intervet/Schering-Plough and Hubbard Feeds.

Agencies, Agribusiness

International Year of the Potato

Chuck Zimmerman

International Year of the PotatoI had no idea we’re living in the International Year of the Potato, one of my favorite foods. I largely ignore the FAO these days but just the idea of a year dedicated to the potato kind of caught my attention. So I guess I’ll have to bake a humble tuber tonight to celebrate.

FAO releases on 15 December 2008 a 144-page illustrated book, New light on a hidden treasure, which records the achievements of the International Year of the Potato and underscores its essential message: that the potato is a vital part of the global food system, and will play an ever greater role in strengthening world food security and alleviating poverty.

The review – available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish editions – describes the rationale for IYP, its objectives and implementation. It introduces the Year’s guest-of-honour, Solanum tuberosum, the “humble tuber” that spread from the Andes across six continents and changed the course of world history. The review also provides the most recent FAO statistics on world potato production and consumption, and profiles of 52 major potato producing countries.

The International Year was observed around the globe in scientific conferences, growers’ congresses, festivals, cooking contests, art exhibitions and school projects. The book presents highlights of those events, as well as the winning entries in the IYP Global Photography Contest. The review concludes with viewpoints gathered from some of the world’s leading “potato people” – those whose daily work with the potato has become a passionate way of life – and an overview of prospects for potato development beyond 2008.

Food

Online Demographics Older Than You Think

Chuck Zimmerman

I say this because so often I get comments from people who think it’s “only the young farmers” who are online. I also say this because research says so. In today’s lead article by eMarketer you’ll find some interesting stats such as.

Ageism is out, online. Some 55% of US adult Internet users are over age 40, according to Harris Interactive.

Although Internet penetration within the 40-and-over crowd is lower than among younger demographic groups, boomers and seniors outnumber younger adults in the general population—so that lower Internet penetration still translates into greater numbers of older Internet users, according to comScore Media Metrix.

Although younger Internet users go online for entertainment, older users are more practical in their online usage. Smart marketers will target older Internet users with special offers, uncluttered Websites and ad messages, and lots of product information.

eMarketer’s Predictions for 2009 – eMarketer

Internet

Holiday Greetings

Chuck Zimmerman

Happy Holidays From UF/IFASHere’s the latest holiday card to visit my in-box from AgWired fan, Mark R. McLellan, Dean & Director, Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences — University of Florida, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.

I’m wondering if I should start scanning the smail cards I’m getting too. There have already been some good ones.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

University

AgWired Reaches 6,000 Posts

Chuck Zimmerman

WordPressWe just upgraded AgWired to the latest version of WordPress (2.7 “Coltrane”). Coincidentally this is post number 6,000!

Wow. Who would have thought? Not me I can assure you. When we created this website it was to find out what this blogging thing was all about. We’ve come a long way and can’t say enough thank you’s to all the folks who have believed and supported us.

Post Update: This new version of WP has some very cool features. I just noticed that I’ve authored 5,100 of these posts for example. All together these posts contain 1,313,567 words! And AgWired has been running for 52 months. Has it really been that long?

I’m looking forward to 6,000 more!

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