Ladies and Gentlemen, Tom Brand

Chuck Zimmerman

Agraria Restaurant DinnerNAFB’ers were treated to a wonderful dinner at Agraria last night. It’s a restaurant owned by the North Dakota Farmers Union.

Our emcee for dinner was Tom Brand, KFEQ, who was formally announced by Ken Root, WHO. The photo was taken with my camera by Leah Guffey, WFMB.

Sponsors include the National Farmers Union and The Fertilizer Institute. This is a unique restaurant which not only serves an excellent meal experience but is focused on purchasing products from farmers.

Agraria Restaurant is owned by and sources the highest quality products from family-farmers across the country. Enjoy our modern American cuisine derived from the families whose passion for farming not only provides the wholesome ingredients presented on our menu, but also embodies the very fabric of the American way of life.

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Two new fungicides from BASF recently received registration from the EPA for use on cereals, providing growers with broad-spectrum activity on rust, head scab and other major cereal diseases. Caramba™ fungicide, the first fungicide registered, provides activity against head scab. The second fungicide registered for use by the EPA is a premix fungicide product containing the active ingredients pyraclostrobin, the same active ingredient in Headline® fungicide, and metconazole.
  • Thomas Gahm joins the growing team of professionals at ABG, a global performance solutions company serving clients in the agriculture, life sciences and food industries. ABG is an Adayana company, and Gahm will also serve as director of communications and investor relations for Adayana. Most recently head of business communications for Syngenta Seeds in Minneapolis, Minn., Gahm brings more than 30 years of marketing communications experience to ABG and Adayana.
  • Kubota Tractor Corporation is tapping into the National Safety Council’s (NSC) annual celebration of National Safety Month in June to bring added attention to tractor and equipment safety. This year marks the 12th anniversary of National Safety Month, which has the theme of “Make a Difference.” The NSC has designated each of the four weeks in June with a specific safety focus: June 2-6: Emergency Preparedness; June 9-13: Reducing Distracted Driving; June 16-20: Poisoning Prevention; and June 23-27: Falls Prevention.
Zimfo Bytes

It’s That Time Again…

Laura McNamara

…that time to find the nation’s worst cook. The American Egg Board is launching its second annual ‘Search for America’s Worst Cook.‘ Can you think of anyone that might qualify?

Does your recipe repertoire consist of microwaveable meals and the phone number for Chinese take-out? Are you prone to flare-ups in the kitchen? Then you might just be America’s Worst Cook. According to the second annual cooking survey from the American Egg Board, 50 percent of Americans reported having a disaster in the kitchen at least several times a year, and 42 percent said they know someone in desperate need of basic cooking skills.

To prove that even the most disastrous cooks can master the art of cooking with eggs, the American Egg Board is launching the second annual “Search for America’s Worst Cook” contest. Entering is easy. Simply visit the website, and in 200 words or less along with a video or photograph(s), tell the American Egg Board why you — or someone you know — are in desperate need of cooking help.

The winner will be featured in an advertisement for the American Egg Board and will win a trip for two to New York City to take cooking classes and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of one of the greatest culinary cities in the world. The contest runs from April 29, 2008 through June 30, 2008.

Ag Groups, Food

Secretary of Ag Schafer Addressing NAFB

Chuck Zimmerman

Sec. of Ag Ed SchaferOkay, this is my last post with Secretary Schafer here at the NAFB Washington Watch. While I was streaming it live, taking stills and recording audio I also shot a video clip so you can see what the room is like when we meet here in the USDA board room.

I know there’s a story about the huge table that we sit around but I just don’t remember it. If you know the source for the table please leave a comment.

You can download and listen to the first 10 minutes of the Secretary’s remarks here: Listen To Secretary SchaferSecretary Schafer’s Remarks (10 min MP3)

Or listen right now with this link:ww-08-schafer-remarks.mp3

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

Audio, NAFB, USDA, Video

Posing With The Secretary

Chuck Zimmerman

Sec. of Ag RoundtableThe board room here at the USDA Admin Building is a great place to have a meeting.

Here’s farm broadcasters participating in the NAFB Washington Watch program. It’s a very intimate setting and besides having a mult box to plug our audio recorders into we get to ask lots of questions. I’m recording our sessions and will be editing out some audio to post later.

One of the highlights of meeting with our Secretary of Agriculture is getting out picture taken with him.

Sec. of Ag with NAFBHere’s the whole NAFB group with Sec. Schafer just a few minutes ago on a break before we went back into session.

This afternoon we’ll be going out to USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. That’s a first for the NAFB Washington Watch and it will be my first time visiting the center.

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

NAFB, USDA

Farm Broadcasters and New Communications Technology

Chuck Zimmerman

Sec. of Ag Schafer and my MacHere’s our Secretary of Agriculture speaking to the NAFB group here at their Washington Watch program a few minutes ago.

You’ll notice the Macbook Pro sitting in front of him. That was streaming his remarks live on AgWired Live TV using the built-in camera and microphone.

Sec. of Ag Schafer and my MacHere’s what it looked like on the Mac screen from my vantage point. You can still watch the event since I also recorded a portion of it.

I’m posting from the Mac while our next group of speakers from USDA is speaking. This group includes FAS, FSA and RMA.

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

NAFB, USDA

Secretary of Ag Schafer on AgWired Live TV

Chuck Zimmerman

I just completed the first test of AgWired Live TV with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer, addressing members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. I didn’t have time to pre-advertise it but I did record his opening remarks which you can watch here. I think you’re going to be seeing more of the future of farm broacasting.

NAFB, USDA, Video

Meeting With The Secretary

Chuck Zimmerman

Vances With Sec. SchaferThe NAFB Washington Watch program is about to start their visit with Secretary of Agriculture Schafer here at the USDA Admin Offices. Here’s the BARN broadcasters Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill with the Secretary.

Actually they’re all filtering in to the board room now so I’ve got to go. More to come.

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

NAFB, USDA

Political Commentary From Jennifer Duffy

Chuck Zimmerman

Jennifer DuffyNAFB members heard from Jennifer Duffy, The Cook Political Report, at dinner this evening. Jennifer says she started covering this year’s election in early 2006 and she’s going to be ready for a 3 month vacation after it’s over.

I spoke to her prior to dinner and learned that her job is to analyze and try to figure out the outcome of various elections. She says the farm audience has played a very important role in various elections on a national level. Here at the NAFB Washington Watch dinner her remarks were mostly about congressional races and the political environment in Washington, DC.

You can listen to my interview with Jennifer here:ww-08-cook.mp3

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

Audio, NAFB

NAFB Issues Forum

Chuck Zimmerman

Ken RootI really don’t think Ken Root, WHO, is kneeling at the altar of wheat here but it is a different way to do an interview. He’s one of the many farm broadcasters here at the NAFB Washington Watch who participated in this afternoon’s Issues Forum session.

Various commodity groups attend with representatives who can talk about issues pertinent to their audience and members. The farm broadcasters get a couple of hours to conduct interviews for their programming.

I wandered around and interviewed about a half a dozen various attendees and asked them why they participate in Washington Watch.

Listen to different commodity group representatives provide the answer here:ww-08-issues-forum.mp3

NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, NAFB