The Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the Wisconsin Beef Council were exhibiting at World Dairy Expo. Lucinda Williams is a dairy producer and Vice Chair of the Beef Board.
She says they were there to remind dairy producers that they’re also beef producers. I got there just in time to sample some of their flat iron steaks they were serving. In fact, I’m making one for supper tonight!
You can listen to my interview with Lucinda as part of our Milking Parlor Podcast: milking-parlor-34.mp3
I kind of thought I’d see more of this on the way back to Missouri from Wisconsin but I saw very little harvesting going on even though the weather was beautiful.
Of course there is still a lot of green corn out there, especially in Iowa. Most of what I saw was soybean harvesting.
Today I’m organizing and editing the photos and interviews I did at World Dairy Expo. It takes a while to edit 22 audio interviews!
After a morning of interviews and photos I’m hitting the road back to ZimmComm World Headquarters.
I’ll leave you with this one of a hard working farm broadcaster, the Farm Babe herself, Pam Jahnke, Wisconsin Farm Report. Once again Pam invited farm broadcasters to her home and made us feel welcome as her husband, Buck, grilled brats and burgers. We had a good time although I had to leave before the serious story telling got started.
I’ve got lots of good interviews which I’ll be using primarily on World Dairy Diary, so if you’re interested keep an eye over there for a lot more information.
Seeing this picture sent in by Dan Danford, AdFarm, makes me wish I was able to attend the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation meeting. This picture was actually taken prior to the CFWF meeting.
Dan was kind though to send me a couple of pictures and let me know what’s going on with our brethren in the great white north.
The AdFarm PR group spent the last few days here at Vancouver Island in intensive training at the beautiful Tigh-Na-Mara (pronounced Tee-Na-Mara) resort. I’ve attached a picture from the sunrise a few days ago.
Last night we arrived up island at the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Conference in Comox. Unfortunately, we’re expecting rain during our farm tours today.
Hopefully, I’ll have some decent photos of the local agriculture scene to share (if I can keep my camera dry).
Thanks.
Dan
No Dan. Thanks to you!
Yes, I know, it’s AgriTalk again. No nice studio or even comfy table here at World Dairy Expo.
This time host, Mike Adams, just had a couple of chairs out in the hall outside the media room. However, he was able to pull off another good show with guests like Joe Bavido, Dairy Management, Inc.
So, there you go. AgriTalk, on-location in Madison, WI.
Members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters posed for a photo at World Dairy Expo. This is in the room sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for their 2008 Talk Session.
Basically, WMMB invites in a number of people who are available for interviews. I got several which will be featured in our Milking Parlor Podcast on World Dairy Diary later today. We used this opportunity for the photo since so many of these folks were working there already.
At last year’s World Dairy Expo we heard about the announcement of the National Dairy Animal Well-Being Initiative. This morning they released the official principles and guidelines. The facilitator for the Initiative is Charlie Arnot. He described the process that got us to this point and says that now it’s time for the Initiative to move to the next step. He used a chart that he calls the “Continuous Improvement Cycle” to show each of them. Next in the cycle after today for example is “Apply Principles & Guidelines to on-farm well-being programs.”
The National Dairy Animal Well-Being Initiative is a producer-led Coalition that includes members from every sector of the dairy industry. On October 2, 2008 at World Dairy Expo, the Coalition introduced the broad Principles and Guidelines — a uniform umbrella of assurance that the industry is meeting its ethical obligation for dairy animal well-being. Our goal is to protect consumer trust and confidence in the dairy industry by demonstrating dairy producers’ commitment to animal well-being.
Also on the program today was Pennsylvania dairy producer Logan Bower. He talked about how they’re already beginning to use the Initiative’s principles and guidelines in their state. Here’s an example of some talking points provided to producers by the Initiative.
Dairy Producer Talking Points
Developed by the National Dairy Checkoff
* As a dairy farmer, caring for my animals is my No. 1 priority so that I can provide the public with safe and wholesome dairy products. I work hard every day ensuring the comfort and safety of my animals and providing them a nutritious diet.
* Farmers in my community oppose/are outraged by the inhumane treatment of animals, whether on or off the farm. Farmers support government investigations into any allegations of animal abuse, including those that occur at meat processing facilities.
* Dairy farmers support government regulations that prohibit non-ambulatory, or “downer,” cattle from entering the food supply.
You can listen to the presentation with Charlie and Logan here: wdx-08-well-being.mp3
Where do farm broadcasters go in Madison, WI after the World Dairy Expo is over for the day?
Essen Haus. Where the boot is not allowed to touch the table. If you haven’t been to Essen Haus and don’t know what that means then you’ll have to ask one of these people.
All farm broadcasters are invited to the media room at 11:30 this morning for a photo that we can put in e-Chats.
This is a World Dairy Expo edition of “Guess Whose Boot.” Not boots, but boot.
It works like this. Guess by making a comment and the first person who gets it right will get an AgWired t-shirt.
So, guess away. It’s an easy one.
