Renegade Combine Debuts

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere Machine FinderYou remember the Rock and Roll Buffalo? Well now Machinery Link has the Renegade Combine. Here’s a first look at what they’ve done, working with the Chrome Shop Mafia.

MachineryLink, Inc., the leading provider of combine leasing programs to agricultural producers in North America, today announced a collaboration with the Chrome Shop Mafia for the creation of the world’s first custom-restored antique combine for the 2009 Smarter Harvest Tour.

The unprecedented alliance between MachineryLink and the Chrome Shop Mafia (CSM) will produce a dynamic one-of-a-kind machine, combining a vintage heritage with modernized state-of-the-art technology and communication equipment, and finished with the external appearance package that could only be accomplished by the CSM team.

The 2009 Smarter Harvest Tour will launch at the KNID Agrifest in Enid, Oklahoma. Held January 9 and 10 at the Chisholm Trail Expo Center, Agrifest is the fastest growing agricultural show in Oklahoma. The Tour will make a total of 8 agricultural trade shows in seven states and Western Canada, as well as many regional promotional events.

Agribusiness, Equipment, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • To encourage and support higher education for relatives of FCS Financial members, FCS Financial will again offer up to 35 scholarships valued at $1,000 each. The scholarship deadline is March 1. Apply here.
  • This summer, FMC Corporation and Crop Production Services sponsored the 2008 Bin Buster tour across the Midwest, hosting technical meetings where crop producers could enjoy a free meal, learn about FMC products such as Hero insecticide, and register to win a new 15,000 BTU Charmglow gas grill.
  • Members of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee elected Mathew Meals as the committee’s chairperson for 2009. He will take over as chair in February, at the end of the committee’s leadership conference, and serve one year.
  • Daniel Prough of LaGrange, Ind., earned the grand prize in the Farmer Idea Exchange competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting. Prough won a year’s use of a New Holland TV-145 bidirectional tractor.
    Zimfo Bytes

    MachineFinder Blog

    Chuck Zimmerman

    John Deere Machine FinderWhat’s new in used farm equipment can be found on the redesigned John Deere MachineFinder. They’ve also announced a blog to go along with it. Interesting . . .

    John Deere announces that it has completely overhauled and redesigned its MachineFinder™ website (www.MachineFinder.com) from the ground up to make it easier for used equipment customers to more quickly find the equipment they’re looking for and to improve the user experience.

    The revamped MachineFinder used equipment website features an enhanced search and browsing system, built-in shipping integration, and the ability to save searches. The changes to the website makes it easier than ever for customers to find and review pre-owned agricultural, construction, forestry, commercial, and residential equipment from the company’s network of authorized dealers.

    “MachineFinder not only provides improved user interfaces, but new functionality that will better assist customers in acquiring used equipment from John Deere dealers,” says Michael Gause, division manager of John Deere Remarketing Services. “Our project team’s goal was to design MachineFinder so that our customers could conduct business with John Deere dealers as easily as possible.” Read More

    Agribusiness, Equipment, John Deere

    Farm Podcaster Temptations

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Hey farm podcasters. Have you been wanting a new digital audio recorder? Marantz is offering some temptations. First of all there’s a rebate program for the very popular PMD620 (Cindy and I each have one). If you purchase it between now and March 31st you get a $100 rebate. That’s a deal. I recommend purchasing from BSW.

    Then to tempt you further there’s the new PMD661:

    Introducing your new product on YouTube. What a concept.

    Equipment, Video

    My Twitter Life

    Chuck Zimmerman

    TwitterA new milestone in my Twitter life is just about to be reached. I have 199 followers on Twitter. Who will be #200?

    Will it be you?

    If you’re tweeting let me know what you think about it. Do you like it? Is it useful (personally, professionally)?

    Post Update: Follower 200 is Livable Future, the blog of The Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

    Uncategorized

    USDA Closes Broadband Loan Agreement

    Chuck Zimmerman

    USDALet’s hope we see continued commitment to rural development in the new administration in Washington, DC. The outgoing one has sure done a lot in this area, especially to develop broadband which is providing new opportunities in our rural and farm communities.

    Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced today that Open Range Communications has finalized a $267 million loan agreement with USDA Rural Development to provide broadband service to 518 rural communities in 17 states.

    “The completed agreement brings millions of rural Americans closer to having access to broadband and other cutting-edge communications technologies,” Schafer said. “This kind of high-speed internet connectivity will lead to increased investment and business opportunities in rural communities.”

    The loan closing executes an agreement USDA Rural Development announced on March 25, 2008, when it approved a $267 million loan to Open Range. In addition to the USDA Rural Development loan, Open Range has secured $100 million in financing from One Equity Partners, the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

    Internet, USDA

    Political Policy Dynamics Changing

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Tom EricksonThe topic of the St. Louis Agribusiness Club lunch was “Policy Outlook for Agriculture as the Political Dynamics Begin to Change.” I think the political dynamics have already changed don’t you?

    Giving us his take on this was Thomas J. Erickson, Vice President, Government Affairs, Bunge North America. He says that since the incoming administration seems to have a lot of public support it will be interesting to see how elected leaders and others interact with it. So developing relationships will be a big part of the initial activity we’ll see. He’s also looking to the upcoming USDA Planting Intentions Report to provide an important signal about American agriculture that will be looked at very closely in Washington.

    I wonder when our first interaction with the new administration will be. I sent an email to the transition team last week suggesting that they convert the presidential limo to run on ethanol but haven’t heard anything back on that yet.

    You can listen to my interview with Tom here: slac-erickson.mp3

    Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Policy

    Plant Management Network Teaches You How To Use It

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Plant Management NetworkHere’s a good example of the use of a webinar by the Plant Management Network. It looks like it was put together with Articulate.

    PMN recently hosted a live webcast demonstrating its informational resources and how to use them. Specifically, it showed how agricultural practitioners may use PMN’s various tools in their daily work. The webcast was presented by Howard Brown, current chair of the International Certified Crop Adviser Board, and Phil Bogdan, PMN communications manager. While oriented to consultants, the talk provides a quick backgrounder of use to anyone interested in science-based agricultural management information. The webcast is titled An Online Resource to Support Agricultural Practitioners and has been archived for further viewing, sound required.

    Ag Groups, Internet

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • Pioneer Hi-Bred is releasing 96 new Pioneer brand corn products to growers across North America for the 2009 planting season. This new advancement class includes 39 new genetic platforms providing improved genetic gain across all maturities.
    • The National Biodiesel Board announced Jessica Robinson has been named Senior Communications Specialist to enhance the organization’s communications efforts in promoting the widespread benefits of biodiesel.
    • Brownfield Ag News radio network announces the addition of radio station KQMQ-AM in Independence, Iowa. This addition brings the total number of Midwestern radio stations affiliated with Brownfield Ag News and Waitt Agribusiness to 300.
    • Capital Agricultural Property Services, Inc., has hired Tim Harris, AFM, as a Senior Manager, joining the company’s Lisle, Ill. office.
      Zimfo Bytes

      New Media Work Station

      Chuck Zimmerman

      New Media Work StationHere’s my work station earlier today at the DoubleTree Hotel in St. Louis. Macbook Pro, iPhone, card reader and my camera. Oh, and yes, I was using hotel lobby bandwidth.

      The tools to communicate with are certainly changing. If I didn’t want or need to take real high res photos I could just blog an event with my phone and computer. In fact, I’ve had more than one person ask me if I’m willing to try it.

      Want to sponsor my effort? You pick a meeting that I don’t already have sponsored and I’ll blog it with my iPhone and Mac only. Let me know if you’re willing to try it with me.

      Uncategorized