Thankful For Blessings

Chuck Zimmerman

Russell GravesI think one of my favorite things to do is take pictures. If I could choose only do one thing for a living it would be photography. Hopefully y’all are finding that ZimmComm photography has improved over time (and it’s not just because of upgraded gear).

This is why I love what Russell Graves is doing. I know I’ve pointed you to him before but I just noticed he’s now making ag photos available for purchase on his website. Like this one for example.

He’s also a pretty good writer and in his most recent newsletter he writes about things he’s thankful for. They struck a nerve with me since I share them. He just says them better than I would though. Like:

* The opportunity to live everyday of my life in America.

You’ll see people in the news prognosticate that America’s best days are behind her and there are worse times ahead but I choose not to believe any of the doom-and-gloom scenarios. Instead, I am optimistic and believe in the spirit and ingenuity of our culture and its people and have faith that our best days are still ahead of us.

I look back at every year of my life and realize that the things I’ve been able to do and the people I have met have all blessed me. Looking forward, I don’t see those blessing diminishing. Instead, I am confident that the blessings will continue to blossom.

Right on Russell! It’s going to be a great 2009.

Uncategorized

Monsanto Creates Farm Weather and News

Chuck Zimmerman

Monsanto is making a bold move with a unique partnership with the Weather Channel. Nothing like taking two of the things most important to farmers and making it easily available to them in an online and social networking environment!

Monsanto and Weather Channel

The Weather Channel Interactive, in partnership with agricultural products leader Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON), announced a new section on weather.com® dedicated to weather and farming at www.weather.com/farming. Within the Agriculture News & Forecast, the main feature is the Farmers Forecast, which includes up-to-date weather information that matters most to the agricultural community, such as severe weather alerts affecting crops and detailed data about precipitation, wind and soil moisture.

The new Farmers Forecast adds farming-related alerts in addition to the severe weather alerts already available through the weather.com site. These will alert consumers to warnings with freeze, frost, high wind or hail indicators for each forecasted day. With precipitation being critical for the farming community, not only does the page include the percent of precipitation, but it also includes an actual projection of the amount of rain that is expected.

Weather.com/farming will offer several components to help farmers make decisions before and throughout the season. From the same page, users can easily change locations to keep up with multiple farms or compare sites. Among the information included on the new section:
· Soil moisture information
· Detailed wind data
· Sunrise and sunset times
· UV index

The section is also a one-stop resource for the latest agriculture news. Users can stay up to date with articles related to the industry while checking out the next day’s forecast. Users can easily bookmark any page within the new section, such as the Farmers Forecast, to return to this practical resource and connect it to social networking sites such as Facebook, Digg and others.

Along with the new section within the weather.com site, Monsanto will also run an online campaign throughout 2009 featuring many of its brands such as Deltapine, DEKALB, Asgrow, Yieldgard, Roundup Ready and Roundup PowerMax.

Post Update: If you’re an iPhone owner make sure that when you use your browser that you select the “Classic Weather Channel” link instead of the mobile version. This isn’t available in the mobile version yet.

Social Networking, Weather

Animal Research Minute

Chuck Zimmerman

FBR Animal Welfare MinuteI’m sure many AgWired fans will remember Paul McKellips. He’s moved from the “good news in Iraq” to working on an issue of major importance to anyone involved in animal agriculture.

Perhaps a few of you may remember me from my days at FSA in Washington and then my agriculture broadcasts from Iraq in 2006 and 2007. I’m now the executive vice president at the Foundation for Biomedical Research here in Washington.

With the passage of Prop 2 in California it has become evident that the massive power of the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) and organizations like PETA will continue to have an enormous impact on animals, both those used in animal agriculture as well as biomedical research. We conducted another national poll last month with Zogby International (1,204 adults) and discovered that the public opinion needle is moving away from the humane use of animals.

Educating the public on how animal research improves animal agriculture, human health and animal health is, perhaps, now our best approach to countering aggressive animal rights messaging.

To accomplish this Paul has started the FBR Animal Research Minute. In this program he will take “the top headlines from animal research labs across the world and delivers honest success stories, unfolding hope and words of promise.” If you’ve got a podcast or farm broadcast or place to post it on your website I’m sure he would really appreciate it.

You can listen to the latest episode of the Animal Welfare Minute here: animal-research-minute-090.mp3

Animal Health, Audio

In the Same Boat…Sort of

Amanda Nolz

Well, I’m not in the same boat as Chuck, enjoying the nice weather of a Florida cruise, but I am feeling the lethargy and dread of getting back to work once again, like so many of you.

Although my college vacation is still effectively on until next Wednesday, writing deadlines are creeping up, job interviews need to be prepared for and it’s time to get ready for one last semester of college classes. I’ll admit that sitting in front of the laptop all day again is one of those things I have been dreading. However, knowing everyone is in the same boat makes it a little bit easier.

And, 2009 is off to an insanely busy start! I will be speaking and traveling to a variety of locations in the next few weeks. Hopefully our paths will cross along the way, and you will introduce yourself to me at one point or another. I’ll keep you posted on every road trip and plane ride. I can’t wait to meet all of the AgWired readers! Until then, it’s back to the grindstone, everybody!

Uncategorized

The Lighthouse of a New Day

Chuck Zimmerman

Lighthouse and BoatWelcome back to work everyone. I’m almost there. Sort of. Kind of.

Actually I’ll be back to it full time on Wednesday. This morning I got a chance to got offshore trolling for dolphins (Mahi-Mahi) near Pompano Beach, FL. This lighthouse was really lit up by this morning’s sun. It was a beautiful morning on the water.

I see from the tweets, updates, posts, emails, etc. that most of you are suffering through a full day in the office. I was thinking about you as we cruised along. Mmm Hmm. Sure I was.

Uncategorized

A Culture of Meat in Print

Chuck Zimmerman

MeatPaperThis sounds like a magazine I would enjoy. Just the name conjures up savory images – Meatpaper.

Meatpaper is a print magazine of art and ideas about meat. We like metaphors more than marinating tips. We are your journal of meat culture.

At once divisive and universal, delicious and disturbing, funny and dead-serious, meat polarizes us unlike any other food; it’s the Hillary Clinton of the freezer aisle.

Us, we’re ambidextrous here at Meatpaper — no agenda except to gnaw on the ideas, artistic excursions and bone-deep emotions the subject inspires. We invite you to dig in with us.

You might want to join them at the Acme Chophouse January 11 for a meet and greet about their latest issue.

Thanks to Meatingplace where you can read an interview with one of the founders, Sasha Wizansky.

Food, Media

Worksaver Debut at Farm Machinery Show

Melissa Sandfort

Worksaver, Inc. will be exhibiting their new Worksaver Snow Blades at the National Farm Machinery Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center, Booth No. 3013 from Feb. 11-14, 2009.

The new snow blades for skid steers (SBS Series) and tractor loaders (SBFL Series) remove snow from driveways, parking lots or other large areas. The snow blades are able to angle left or right for easier use and feature a 90” width and 3/8” x 6” cutting edge of 1044 steel.

Farm Machinery, Farm Shows

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • AgriMarketing magazine’s annual Marketing Services Guide is now available to viewed on-line. To view, click here.
  • American Vanguard Corporation announced that Trevor Thorley has been named as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of its principal operating subsidiary, AMVAC Chemical Corporation, effective immediately.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has announced Forrest L. Roberts will be its next chief executive officer. Roberts, 42, will start January 20, 2009.
  • Charles F. Conner has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.
  • AGCO announced that effective Jan. 1, 2009, Lucinda Smith has been appointed Senior Vice President, Human Resources.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Whos Talkin About You?

    Chuck Zimmerman

    WhosTalkinWe’re coming off the slowest two weeks in ag news of the year (do you agree?). I’ve just got a feeling that things will pick up a lot starting next week. In the meantime you might want to spend a few minutes finding out who’s talking about you or your products online. You know I strongly advocate “joining the conversation.” Check out WhosTalkin.com and see why you might want to join in. They’re going to talk about you even if you don’t!

    WhosTalkin.com is a social media search tool that allows users to search for conversations surrounding the topics that they care about most. Whether it be your favorite sport, favorite food, celebrity, or your company’s brand name; Whostalkin.com can help you join in on the conversations that you care about most.

    Our goal is to deliver the most relevant and current conversations happening in the world of social media.

    Internet

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • American Agri-Women provides two scholarships for farm, ranch or agribusiness women or their daughters, to pursue accredited courses in ag leadership, communications, rural sociology, medicine, or any other courses directly related to agriculture. Each scholarship is for $500, to be used for tuition. Applications for each are due by June 1 of each year.
    • Lessiter Publications, Inc., is pleased to announce that Michael Ellis has joined the company as Associate Publisher of Rural Lifestyle Dealer magazine.
    • Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has named Douglas L. Faulkner Acting Under Secretary for Rural Development, following the Dec. 1 resignation of Thomas C. Dorr. Faulkner was appointed Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development in June 2006.
    • King Pharmaceuticals Inc. will pave the way for its purchase of Alpharma Inc. by selling Alpharma’s painkiller Kadian to the drug’s maker, Actavis Group, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
    Zimfo Bytes