Celebrities Flock to Nashville for the CMA Music Festival

Laura McNamara June 4, 2008

Music, sports and all-around good fun are what draws about 200,000 people to Nashville each June. The 2008 CMA Country Music Festival is kicking off with its CMA Country Music Festival Kick-Off Parade and Block Party today. I arrived in Nashville last night and will begin providing coverage of the festival here on Agwired.com. Chuck will arrive Friday afternoon and take over posting online. I don’t think he wanted to miss the Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race on Sunday. Michael will be challenging fellow recording artists, radio personalities and even a few Tennessee Titans in the New Holland sponsored charity event, beginning Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

But first, Michael will be appearing in the Kick-Off Parade this afternoon.

Most major activities for the CMA Music Festival begin later in the week, but the event’s fourth annual kick-off parade takes place Wednesday (June 4) at 2 p.m. in downtown Nashville. Immediately after the parade, the third annual CMA Music Festival Block Party will be staged at the Sommet Center. Among those participating in the parade are Deborah Allen, Katie Armiger, Erika Jo, Crystal Gayle, the Grascals, Jeff Griffith, Indian Rodeo, Lonestar, Jason Meadows, Mountain Heart, Michael Martin Murphey, One Flew South, the Roys, Keni Thomas, Trent Tomlinson, Rhonda Towns, Kyle Wyley, Chris Young and the cast of CMT’s Trick My Truck. The block party will feature performances by Keith Anderson, Zac Brown, Luke Bryan, Joe Nichols, James Otto, Rissi Palmer, Phil Stacey and Young. The events are sponsored by Chevorolet.

AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:

Ag Groups, New Holland

Kansas City Gas Fire at Magellan Petroleum

Chuck Zimmerman June 3, 2008

I thought I was done tonight but when I got off the elevator here in the Marriott Hotel and looked out the window I saw this fire which is apparently at the Magellan Petroleum factory.

I’m a long way away but it’s impressive. I’m now watching on local tv and they’ve been saying that it’s a couple million gallons of gas that’s going to burn. Wow. Apparently lightning started it with the huge storm that hit here and is still in the area.

I of course popped out my video camera too to get this clip:

Video

A Missouri Corn Growers Roundtable at CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman June 3, 2008

Some of the people attending the CUTC are (l-r) Gary Wheeler and Gary Clark, both with Missouri Corn Growers and Jamey Cline, BBI International. They’re all Missouri boys. In fact, MO Corn Growers is one of the sponsors here at the conference.

I got them all to talk with me a little about the event with their impressions and observations. Some of the things that they mentioned included getting good information, especially on the supply side of things and also with distillers grains as well as new enzyme technology. They all agree that this is a very timely conference for the industry since we’re seeing a lot of change and ideas presented here will help us prepare for the changes of the future.

Here’s my interview with these three amigos: cutc-08-mo-corn.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Gary, Gary and Jamey Interview (3 minutes)

CUTC Photo Album

Audio, Corn, CUTC

NCGA Leadership Talks About CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman June 3, 2008

I wanted to interview Rick Tolman (l), CEO of the NCGA and Richard Glass (r), VP of Research and Business Development for NCGA together but it didn’t happen that way but we still have a Rick and Rick post anyway. In the picture they’re enjoying one of the presentations taking place at the CUTC.

When I spoke to Rick Tolman he said that he’s always rejuvenated by the ideas, enthusiasm and energy expressed here. He says the exciting story is the productivity in corn production. Like me he also doesn’t see a food vs. fuel issue but one of food and fuel because the corn production pie is growing. But even beyond fuel we’re hearing about other types of new products being made from corn. For example, he says the NCGA offices are being carpeted with a product made from corn.

Here’s my interview with Rick Tolman: cutc-08-rick-tolman.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Rick Tolman Interview (5 minutes)

When I spoke to Richard Glass he said that he’s really impressed with this conference. He says there are people here representing 11 countries counting the United States and that we have 35 speakers in 10 sessions. He says this is perfect timing to have the conference because of all the things going on with ethanol and the push to relieve our dependence on petrochemicals.

Here’s my interview with Richard Glass: cutc-08-richard-glass.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Richard Glass Interview (4 minutes)

CUTC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, CUTC, NCGA

Businessman Perspective on CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman June 3, 2008

Some of you may be old enough to remember hearing Sano Shimoda, President, BioScience Securities, (standing in center of picture) speak to a NAMA Issues Forum in Washington, DC a number of years ago. I’d link you to it but we didn’t have websites to post on back then. I remember him talking about the exciting future of biotechnology and I think we’ve seen a lot of what he spoke about happen.

I ran into him at lunch today and talked with him about the CUTC we’re both attending. He says the key here is biofuels and I would agree that there’s a lot of focus on that technology. He says the future of agriculture is using technology to enhance value of the major crops and ethanol and biodiesel are taking center stage.

When I asked him what he advises his clients right now he replied that they face a challenge of committing capital resources to business development while being uncertain about how sustainable and economical ethanol will be and if we’ll continue to see high prices for oil. As he says, he’s just a business guy listening to some seriously technical presentations but he says you have to be impressed with the people here from all over the world working to meet the challenges the industry is facing.

Here’s my interview with Sano Shimoda: cutc-08-sano-shimoda.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Sano Shimoda Interview (3 minutes)

CUTC Photo Album

Audio, Corn, CUTC

AgriTalk Again

Chuck Zimmerman June 3, 2008

I really hate to do this to you but here’s AgriTalk again. I know, they need their own category, blog, etc. Mike, Mike and John were live from the CUTC today and I’ll see them again this weekend in Nashville for the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race.

I’ve got some more items to post but this has been a day of doing audio interviews, video recording of session presenters as well as still photography. There hasn’t been any posting time but I do have the photo album updated.

Tomorrow I’ll be traveling on to the annual meeting of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council where I’m presenting in back-to-back sessions in the afternoon. So after the reception here tonight I’ll get caught up online and see you from there.

CUTC Photo Album

Corn, CUTC, Media

Corntini

Chuck Zimmerman June 2, 2008

I don’t know if this is actually called a Corntini but it’s a martini with corn in it.

All I know is that you “drink the best and burn the rest.”

Someone’s going to have to help me out with the ingredients because the server I spoke with didn’t know. These were being served at the opening reception to the CUTC appropriately enough.

I’ve got a bunch of photos to share but they’ll have to wait until I get internet access that allows me to upload them. I’ll add a link here later.

CUTC Photo Album

Corn, CUTC

Rural Development Secretary Keynote at CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman June 2, 2008

I really enjoyed getting to talk with our USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, Tom Dorr, this evening. He was our keynote speaker at the CUTC.

He told corn growers and all the attendees that they’re doing a great job. He also said that there are challenges ahead like the recent Grocers Association attack on ethanol. He says that’s making it difficult to get the facts out to the media.

He points out that we’ve been through substantive increases in demand before like back in the early ’70’s with the Russian grain robbery that led to fears about escalating food prices. He said that no good deed goes unpunished and that we’ve had the good side of the cycle and now we’re going to have to suffer through the other side. He says it’s difficult to fight a well financed opponent that’s less inclined to deal with facts as opposed to dealing with emotion.

Here’s my interview with Sec. Dorr: cutc-08-dorr.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Sec. Tom Dorr Interview (4 minutes)

Here’s Sec. Dorr’s Keynote Address: cutc-08-dorr-keynote.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Sec. Dorr Keynote (24 minutes)

CUTC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, CUTC, Ethanol, New Holland, USDA

An NCGA Welcome to CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman June 2, 2008

The CUTC is officially underway now that our keynote session and reception is over. It’s a very quiet media room as yours truly is the only one here. At least the internet access is sort of working. It won’t let me upload to Flickr but I guess that’ll have to wait until later.

Post Update: Here’s some photos: CUTC Photo Album

First up on the program was NCGA First Vice President, Bob Dickey. He welcomed everyone and introduced the keynote speaker, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, Tom Dorr. I spoke to him before things got going. He says there’s a contingent of foreign visitors here and although he doesn’t have attendance figures yet he’s hoping for a good crowd. I asked him how things were going with corn planting after seeing that we’re finally nearing completion and he said that he’s hoping for a normal amount of heat units during the next couple months. I can understand that with all the rain we’ve been having in the midwest.

I also recorded his welcoming remarks and am posting them for you here too.

Here’s my interview with Bob: cutc-08-dickey.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Bob Dickey Interview (2 minutes)

Here’s Bob’s welcoming remarks: cutc-08-dickey-welcome.mp3

You can use this link to download the audio file: Bob Dickey Welcome Remarks (3 minutes)

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, CUTC, NCGA

Welcome to CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman June 2, 2008

The fun and games are about to begin here at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference. The event is being held at the Marriott in downtown Kansas City and I just got in and connected in the media room.

In less than an hour we’ll kick things off with a Keynote Speech by USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Tom Dorr. He’ll be introduced by NCGA First Vice President Bob Dickey. Afterward we’ll all head across the street for the opening reception.

I’m going to be recording the opening session to post later this evening. So, until then . . .

Corn, NCGA

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