Chuck is out hunting with no internet access, I am on location covering the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit and two groups decide to have dueling telephone press conferences. What’s a blogger to do?
What I did was put my cell phone on speaker and record it on to my mini Marantz. Worked out pretty well too – not all broadcast quality, but if I had to, I would use it.
Listen here – a couple of sound bites from each conference: dueling-conferences.mp3
The first press conference, held by a group called “Food Before Fuel” which includes food companies and livestock organizations, called for a repeal of “subsidies for ethanol in light of its harmful effects on the environment, consumers and numerous industries.”
The second group – newly-formed Growth Energy – struck back two hours later. . “The federal government has an important role in supporting programs that promote the common good,” said Dave Vander Griend, President & CEO of ICM, Inc. and board member of Growth Energy. “Whether by funding anti-poverty programs like food stamps or championing renewable energy that will jumpstart our green economy and create jobs, we believe that it is good public policy to make smart investments for our nation’s future.”
Back at the summit today. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer will be here this morning.
I know posting has been light but sometimes the agriblogger has to take a few days off. I’ll be back on the grid by Wednesday evening and ZimmComm will have some exciting news by the end of the week.
The NAFB Foundation auction to support scholarships has been an annual event since back in the days when I was on the Foundation board – long time ago!
Last night’s auction included the usual top shelf items, such as a NASCAR Kansas City race package donated by Pioneer, the New Holland Boomer Pink Pedal tractor, NAFB collectible tractors, and several framed prints, including a limited edition Terry Redlin donated by Ron Claussen that was the evening’s top selling item.
We are very pleased to report that our good friend Lindsay Hill of AdVance, ABN and Buckeye Ag Radio Network has been elected as vice president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. She is pictured here with her very proud husband and partner Andy Vance shortly after the election took place. 
I think we need a couple days to get all of the Trade Talking done that we’d like to do! Cindy and I did a lot of interviews today and we’ll be using them in the coming weeks.
This evening we honored a real friend and mentor of many of us in agricultural communications, Jim Evans. He’s seen here with the Cindy’s (l-r Cindy Zimmerman, Cyndi Young, Jim, Cindy Cunningham).
With the NAMA Trends in Agriculture conference over I’ve made the permanent move to the Westin for the NAFB meeting. After a joint meeting with NAMA, the first session for NAFB was titled, “Staking Value, Lifting Tides.” Mike Adams, AgriTalk presided over the session which featured some of our good friends.