Farmers Matter to NCGA

Chuck Zimmerman

Farmers MatterFarmers matter to everyone since we do have to eat. NCGA has come up with a creative way to say “thanks.” It’s the Farmers Matter website and video contest. If you’ve got a creative video way to thank farmers then enter.

As the nation’s corn farmers harvest the largest crop in history, the National Corn Growers Association and its state affiliates have launched a new Web site and video contest to thank them for their efforts.

The Web site, www.farmersmatter.org, was created to thank farmers and help educate consumers about growers’ dedication for producing the safest, most abundant food and feed supply on Earth, while also supplying the demands for cleaner-burning, renewable ethanol. The site highlights interesting facts about farming, offers an interactive timeline, videos, downloadable badges for placement on blogs or social networking sites, and a video contest designed to thank farmers for their efforts. Prizes totaling $2,500 will be awarded to a first and second place winner.

“Earlier this year the media was full of stories about a pending corn shortage and the impact higher corn prices were having on the consumer’s pocketbook. In the midst of the largest corn harvest in history, we wanted to take a moment to thank our nation’s corn growers for stepping up to meet demands for both our food and feed needs, as well as helping our nation become more energy independent,” says Ron Litterer, NCGA president.

Consumers, farmers and those in agribusiness are encouraged to visit the site, participate in the video contest, comment in the corn commentary discussion forum and use the Forward to a Friend icon to share the site and fun facts about agriculture with friends and family.

The new website is set up to work interactively with NCGA’s Corn Commentary (a project of ZimmComm New Media).

Ag Groups, Corn

AFT Farmcast Video

Chuck Zimmerman

AFT Farmcast VideoIn case you didn’t know it, American Farmland Trust is putting up some video content on its website called AFT Farmcast Video.

The latest episode is called, “Cooking Up Local.”

You can learn what it means to cook with locally grown, organic ingredients for Airlie’s Executive Chef Jeff Whitte.

Ag Groups, Video

Farm Journal Forum

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Journal ForumFarm Journal has announced the 2007 Farm Journal Forum. The 11th annual program will take place in Washington, DC at the Renaissance Hotel on 9th St. The event is dedicated to founder Sonja Hillgren.

You can find the schedule for the forum here. The theme for the event is “Agriculture’s New Era: How Energy, Trade, and a Farm Bill Shape the Future.” Confirmed speakers include:

Bruce Knight, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
Sen. Pat Roberts
Clayton Yeutter, Former Secretary of Agriculture
Former Rep. Larry Combest
Terry Barr, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Gus Shumacher, Jr., former USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture
Gary Blumenthal, World Perspectives
Randy Russell, Lesher & Russell
Brett Begemann, Monsanto Executive Vice President, Global Commercial
John Gordley, Gordley Associates
Tom Buis, National Farmer’s Union
Jon Doggett, National Corn Growers Association
Bill Roenigk, National Chicken Council
Gregg Doud, National Cattlemen’s Association

Register here.

Publication

Butter is Better

Chuck Zimmerman

In fact, looking at the current crop of presidential wannabees I’d rather vote for butter. I think this is a hilarious video and thought you’d enjoy it. I fully agree with the guy in this video by Sweet Tea Films. Butter goes good on a lot of things.

Thanks to Bob McCarty for pointing it out.

Food, Video

South Dakota Sunbird

Chuck Zimmerman

Sunbird PheasantWhile I was in South Dakota the past several days I shot some pheasants in more ways than one. Like this one which I took with a Nikon.

It was my first experience with pheasant hunting and it was unbelievable. I was with a great group of experienced guys for one thing. And there were a lot of birds. It was really nice to have a couple days off and for the first time that I can remember I didn’t check email for over 2 days in a row. I survived so I guess it can be done.

If you’d like to see more of the action feel free to visit my photo album of the South Dakota pheasant hunting experience.

Uncategorized

Qualisoy Touts Incentive to Plant Alternative Oilseeds in Farm Bill

Laura McNamara

QualisoyFarmers who plant alternative oilseeds are slated to get some support from the government, well, in the Senate version of the 2007 Farm Bill at least. The version of the bill passed by the U.S. Senate yesterday includes the Commodity Quality Incentive Program, or CQIP.

CQIP, introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), is a provision providing special support to farmers who choose to plant alternative oilseeds. Many experts believe that CQIP will aid in getting healthy oils to food manufacturers in a timelier manner, resulting in healthier food choices for consumers.

According to QUALISOY(TM) — a soybean industry initiative charged with introducing improved soybean traits to the marketplace — ramping up production of new oilseeds can take three years or more and is a costly and risky business for farmers. QUALISOY developed the CQIP concept as the soy industry attempted to provide soy-based trans fat solutions, but found it challenging to convince farmers to grow new varieties.

“For the first few years, new oilseed varieties may not yield comparably to existing oilseed varieties. So the farmer, who is paid on the amount of soybeans per acre, cannot run the risk of growing the healthier oilseed. Quite simply, he cannot ‘bet the farm’ on growing these new seeds,” said John Becherer, QUALISOY CEO.

CQIP protects the farmer from undue risk and encourages trial of these new oilseeds by providing payments directly to farmers who grow the new varieties. The payments expire after four years, the usual time required for production to achieve commercially viable levels.

Qualisoy points out how the need for alternative oilseeds continues to rise as the food industry reformulates products to cater to consumers increasingly aware of the overall health profile of the foods they’re purchasing.

Agribusiness, Farm Policy, Farming, Soybean

Ag in the Kitchen Inspires New Gaming Software

Laura McNamara

Hell's KitchenWe’ve seen video games based off movies and books and movies based off video games. But, how about video games derived from T.V. shows? Better yet, how about cooking shows? Ludia Inc. is teaming up with Granada America Digital Media to offer a gaming version of the “Hell’s Kitchen” television series.

The multi-year, worldwide exclusive agreement with Granada will see Ludia bring “Hell’s Kitchen” games across all major platforms including PC, console and mobile.

“The show has millions of viewers, and the game will bring the fun of the kitchen boot camp experience from the TVs to the PCs and consoles of this rapidly growing audience,” Ludia founder and CEO Alex Thabet explained.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is prominently featured throughout the game, blazing up the kitchen with his trademark intensity. “His likeness will taste and comment on the culinary creations of players, as well as judge their overall performance. The game will also feature a recipe book with several of Gordon Ramsay’s favorite food concoctions for players to print, try out and share.

The game is slated to coincide with the upcoming fourth season of “Hell’s Kitchen” in the USA in 2008.

Advertising, Food, Technology

Zimfo Bites

Melissa Sandfort

  • Syngenta Crop Protection and Pioneer Hi-Bred announced an agreement to promote glyphosate-based Touchdown® herbicides, Quilt® fungicide, and Pioneer® brand corn hybrids and soybean varieties for the 2008 growing season. The program applies to Touchdown Total and Touchdown HiTech non-selective herbicides, as well as Quilt fungicide for corn. All three Syngenta products are eligible for financing through the TruChoice® Opportunity Program from Pioneer. In addition, growers planting Pioneer seed products and using these Syngenta products will be eligible for financial incentives. Growers using Quilt fungicide and either Touchdown Total or Touchdown HiTech on their Pioneer corn acres are eligible for a Corn Offer on these products. Pioneer soybean customers using either Touchdown product can receive a Soybean Protection Offer in case of replant or crop loss due to weather.
  • The European Commission announced it has granted full food, feed, processing and import approval of grain corn and derived products containing the HERCULEX® RW Rootworm Protection trait, as well as the stack of HERCULEX I Insect Protection and Roundup Ready® Corn 2 (RR2), into the European Union (EU). HERCULEX® Insect Protection was developed through a research collaboration between Dow AgroSciences LLC and Pioneer Hi-Bred. HERCULEX® I Insect Protection provides the broadest above-ground, in-plant insect protection available today against pests like European and southwestern corn borer, western bean cutworm, black cutworm and fall armyworm.
  • Hereford enthusiasm and numbers continued to climb at the Keystone International Livestock Exposition (KILE) in Harrisburg, Pa., as exhibitors competed for top honors at the first National Hereford Show of the season. A record-breaking 202 head of Herefords were showcased on Oct. 5, up 33 head from last year and 66 from 2005. Mark Ebling, Cleburne, Texas, judged the event. Four L Hereford Farm, Atwood, Tenn., dominated the bull show taking home grand and reserve honors. View complete results of the KILE National Hereford Show here.
  • The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association has formed The Poultry & Egg Institute, a new initiative within the association that will focus its efforts on developing and implementing industry-specific education and training programs to help companies identify and reduce poultry industry property loss and enhance employee safety and retention. With industry input, the department also will identify and maintain informational resources that address key industry issues.
    Uncategorized

    Deadline Approaching for Agribusiness Forum Early Bird Rate

    Laura McNamara

    2007 Agribusiness ForumJust a reminder about the upcoming 2007 NAMA Agribusiness Forum: early registration deadlines and the hotel cut-off date is just days away. Early birds have until October 29th to get a discounted registration rate.

    The early registration deadline and hotel cut-off date for the 2007 Agribusiness Forum is one week away on Monday, October 29. After October 29, registration rates will increase and any hotel reservations made after October 29 are subject to higher rates and potential unavailability.

    Ag Groups, Agribusiness, NAMA

    Farm Bill Disappoints National Corn Growers

    Laura McNamara

    National Corn Growers AssocitationThe Senate Agriculture Committee has passed its version of the 2007 Farm Bill, but the National Corn Growers Association was hoping the bill would include more literature outlining improved risk management tools.

    The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased the Senate Agriculture Committee included a revenue option in the 2007 farm bill, but is disappointed by the committee’s action to strip a key component of the optional revenue-based countercyclical program, the integration with federal crop insurance. It is a missed opportunity to provide a better risk management tool in the new farm bill, said NCGA President Ron Litterer.

    Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) included a state triggered revenue countercyclical program – called the Average Crop Revenue (ACR) program – in the package he presented to the committee this week. Included in that package was a requirement to integrate crop insurance with the revenue program.

    An amendment accepted by the committee on a voice vote stripped the crop insurance integration from the revenue package. Corn growers support an optional revenue program starting in 2010.

    Litterer—on Capitol Hill for the markup—sees the progression of events as a first step in a revenue option to improve the farm bill package. “While we are pleased a revenue package is in the final bill reported out of committee, NCGA is deeply disappointed with this setback,” he said. “The amendment makes the revenue proposal a much less attractive option to growers.”

    NCGA has received assurances from Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) that they will work toward a revenue package that is a viable option for corn producers.

    The bill is expected to be on the Senate floor the week of Nov. 5.

    Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Corn, Farm Policy, Farming