World Ag Expo Does Not Disappoint

Chuck Zimmerman

World Ag ExpoHere’s a World Ag Expo update from Gary Schulz.

Wednesday of World Ag Expo in Tulare, California meant a huge crowd. The traditional “mid-day” of the expo did not disappoint as early fog burned off by late morning for a spectacular “California Classic” with a high in the ’60s.

The Budweiser Clydesdales were again on-hand and were a popular feature for young and old alike. World Ag Expo veteran Norlan Sapp, formerly with John Deere and now with Gehl Corporation, indicated that their prime exhibit location on Median Street would hopefully attract the buyer-prospects and the potential dealers necessary to make for a successful show.

One of the “Top 10 New Product” winners, Pure Sense of Emeryville, CA, experienced robust traffic in their exhibit space in Pavilion B as a result of heavy crowds and a comprehensive pre-expo marketing campaign coordinated by the Lockwood Agency of Visalia that included a mailing to current customers encouraging their visit to the booth. According to John Williamson of Pure Sense, the “Irrigation Manager” technology and software enables and empowers the grower to monitor in real-time field conditions in remote locations in order to minimize labor, energy and water use, and to maximize yield and quality of commodity. Studies during the 2007 crop year found that the Pure Sense investment was returned “pre-harvest”, that is, the cost of the technology, installation, and subscription paid for itself in savings of energy, water, and labor, with increased yield and quality “icing on the cake”! This is all “good stuff” for California growers experiencing the challenges of water cutbacks, increased costs for electricity, and an increased minimum wage.

World Ag Expo Chair-woman, Shelly Khal, was under the weather with a flu bug, but continued to do her duties of media interviews, special events, and visibility to the nearly 1,200 orange jacket volunteers.

Congratulations to the management and staff of DairyBusiness Communications for another fine World Ag Expo magazine. It serves as the major promotional tool for the expo and its quality as well as page count has steadily grown since DBC assumed the responsibilities for selling ads, design, production, and distribution under the careful guidance of Stan Bird, ad sales by Jackie Machado, and leadership by corporate leadership like Joel Hastings and John Montandon in the mid-’90s.

Gary Schulz, General Manager of World Ag Expo (1990-2005),
Program Director for the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Incubator,
and Senior Strategist for Gary Schulz Consulting.

Thank you Gary.

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National Championship Tractor Pull

Chuck Zimmerman

Tractor PullAll I can say is that the testosterone level was high in the arena for the 40th National Championship Tractor Pull which got kicked off tonight in Louisville.

I attended last year and tonight things went way smoother. You can find a bunch of photos in my online event photo album.

There’s no way to describe the sound of these tractors as they compete by pulling these sleds. I’ll try to have a video clip of it for you later.

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is sponsored by Precision Pays

National Farm Machinery Show, Tractor

Welcome to the Media Center

Chuck Zimmerman

Ellen AndersonThe media here at the National Farm Machinery Show are thrilled to have an official media room. It’s got the fastest internet access I’ve used in a long time. I sure wish they could all be like this.

When we get here we’re greeted by the lovely Ellen Anderson who’s an Administrative Assistant for the Kentucky State Fair Board that runs the show. All the people I’ve met here have been extremely helpful. Including Dan Smaldone, Media Manager, who handled our credentialing.

It’s about time for some receptions and then the Championship Tractor Pull which kicks off tonight. See you later.

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is sponsored by Precision Pays

National Farm Machinery Show

John Deere Booth Video

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere BoothJohn Deere is sponsoring my coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show so today they get all the love. I’ve done at least 7 interviews so far with more to go. Some of them will be featured on the Precision Pays website as well.

Before it got too difficult to walk through I shot a video clip of their booth for you. I think I really should have had someone walk along with me but they were all busy selling. As you’ll see, there are a lot of people here and Deere not only has a big booth but some big equipment. I really need a wide angle lens on this video camera!

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is sponsored by Precision Pays

John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show, Tractor, Video

Cooperatives Working Together at World Ag Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

CWT BoothOut at the World Ag Expo, Bill Baker is hard at work for Dairyline. Bill has been supplying our World Dairy Diary site with a weekly dairy markets wrapup almost since we started it.

He sent along an interview with Jim Tillison, National Milk Producers Federation, about their Cooperatives Working Together program. Jim’s in the picture second from the left.

Jim says that dairy producers are wondering if CWT has enough money to be effective this year and he says the answer is yes. He says they’re on display at World Ag Expo to get more producers to sign up.

You can listen to Bill’s interview with Jim here: wae-08-tillison.mp3

Audio, Dairy

Ethanol Insurance From John Deere

Chuck Zimmerman

Dennis DaggettBy ethanol insurance I mean that John Deere Risk Protection is now offering a policy to a grower who wants some extra coverage in case he can’t fulfill a delivery contract to an ethanol plant.

Dennis Daggett, Director of Marketing for John Deere Risk Protection, is on the scene here at the National Farm Machinery Show. He’s been involved in crop insurance for over 30 years. He says Deere offers standard policies like multi-peril and crop hail. But this year they’ve introduced a new ethanol policy.

The first thing a farmer needs to do though is have a multi-peril plan in place. Then they can purchase the extra coverage. Sounds like good timing as we hear as farmers continue to work at meeting the needs for both fuel and food. The policy is available for this season in states in the grain belt area of the midwest only. You can find out all you want on their website.

You can hear Dennis talk about the new product here: nfms-08-daggett.mp3

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is sponsored by Precision Pays

Audio, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show

World Ag Expo Underway

Chuck Zimmerman

World Ag ExpoWhile the National Farm Machinery Show is taking place there’s also another major show going on in California, World Ag Expo. On the scene is my friend Gary Schulz.

The 41st edition of the World Ag Expo experienced sunny weather in the 60s, large crowds and a record exhibitor count as the show grounds grew to an estimated 2.5 million square feet. The new attendee registration system and the 8 a.m. starting time (earlier from the traditional 9 a.m. start) created the largest share of comments among the exhibitors that I spoke with at the Central California NAMA reception, hosted by Alta Genetics. In attendance at the reception of note were Gary Vorpahl of Hoard’s, Bob Moracewski, Joel Hastings of Holstein World, Sandy Creighton of California Farmer, Megan Pierce of Agribusiness Publications, Dennis Duncan of Ag Alert, and about 70 others.

Primary ag issues creating a buzz at the expo included water supply cutbacks, new water quality and air quality regs, including a “NO on the 2/9” rule that would severly regulate diesel trucks used in California based on their manufactured date. Steve Kost of the Far West Equipment Dealers Association, Manuel Cunha of Nisei Farmers League and Roger Isom of the Cotton Ginners Association are lead proponents of modifying the proposed regulations.

World Ag Expo continues to impress with its large turnout of international attendees and the service provided by the many orange jacket volunteers. They are everywhere and are doing a great job!

Gary Schulz, former General Manager of World Ag Expo
Currently Program Director of the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Incubator
and
Senior Strategist for Gary Schulz Consulting

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A Snowy Start To Farm Machinery Show

Chuck Zimmerman

National Farm Machinery ShowThe National Farm Machinery Show is off to a bright white start here in Louisville. They said it was over but they were wrong. I’ve spoken with some exhibitors inside who have apparently been here a while and they didn’t even know it was snowing hard outside.

Hopefully it’s just a short flurry and then we’ll be done. It’s making a mess out of the outside though.

Here inside it’s nice and warm. This is the show that’s entirely indoors and climate controlled, one of the nice things about it.

National Farm Machinery ShowThe wireless access here in the media room is working great and we’re place in an ideal location in the South Hall.

Eager to provide America’s farmers with all the resources they need to sustain any agricultural business, more than 800 exhibitors will showcase a complete selection of farming basics and technological advancements at the 43rd National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) in Louisville. As a result, approximately 300,000 people are expected to travel from across the country and around the globe to attend the event, recognized as the nation’s largest indoor farm show, when it returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) this February 13-16.

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is sponsored by Precision Pays

John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • American Farmland Trust (AFT) President Ralph Grossi announced that he would be retiring later this year, when a successor is on board. A national search is underway to recruit the next President of AFT. Grossi has served as president for 23 years; he and his wife, Judy, will be returning to their California ranch.
  • Wheat grower Don Schieber of Ponca City, Okla., was elected Secretary-Treasurer of U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) at the USW Winter Board Meeting in Washington, D.C., Monday, Feb. 4, 2008. Vice Chairman Michael Edgar, Yuma, Ariz., was elected Chairman of the Board. Secretary-Treasurer, Janice Mattson, Chester, Mont., was elected Vice Chairman, while Chairman Ron Suppes, Dighton, Kan. will move to Past Chairman and USW Budget Committee Chair. New USW officers officially begin their one-year terms at the organization’s Summer Board Meeting, to be held July 26 to 28, 2008, in Kansas City, Mo.
  • Algae researchers and producers can come together to exchange ideas concerning the latest developments in Algae production and the products made from Algae. The Association provides an open exchange forum for the publishing of technical papers and the announcement of the results of research into the latest Algae related technologies. The Association also supports discussion and development of new markets that take advantage of the tremendous potential of Algae, not only as a source of renewable energy, but also in the exploration and development of other markets for algae products, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fertilizers. For more information contact:info@biofuelcapital.com or 936.321.1125.
Zimfo Bytes

Nasty Drive to Louisville

Chuck Zimmerman

South Indiana DriveYuck. The drive to Louisville this afternoon got bad once I got into southern Indiana. I think I drove through everything – freezing drizzle, freezing rain, rain, snow, sleet, etc. Off and on, off and on. I passed or was passed by a number of farm trucks so I know I’m not the only one who traveled I-64 today. (Yes I was listening to my iPod).

Reminds me of last year, especially the last 50 miles.

I didn’t see too many cars off the road until then. I came around a curve and a guy had just spun out off the right side of the highway. Then after I passed him I saw a pickup behind me spin out and roll over twice. I called that one in to 911 and while I was talking to them I passed a bad one on the highway going the other way about 2 miles down the road with multiple emergency vehicles already on the scene.

Here in Louisville it’s kind of a light freezing rain right now.

South Indiana DriveIt’s interesting what a flash will do from your camera when it’s snowing.

I’ve already had a voice mail from one person who’s had their flight in here canceled tonight. I wonder how many will be affected. Last year I had to spend the night in a hotel part way and get here late on opening day morning for the show.

I can’t tell you how happy I am to get in tonight! Be careful out there.

National Farm Machinery Show