- The 30th edition of Husker Harvest Days featured cattle with information from the comprehensive IGENITY profile. Mike Hynek, Goldrush Genetics, Guide Rock, Neb., displayed two Balancer bulls at the show, promoting his herd’s genetics and the use of DNA technology. The comprehensive IGENITY profile includes analyses for economically important traits such as tenderness potential, fat thickness, ribeye area, yield grade, hot carcass weight, quality grade and marbling, as well as a diagnostic test for identifying cattle persistently infected (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea (BVD). This information allows every segment of the production chain to make more confident selection, management and marketing decisions. Hynek plans to use this information to add marketability to his cattle and to make more confident selection and breeding decisions. Hynek says, “With IGENITY, I can learn more about the actual genetic potential each individual using DNA and then combine that information with visual evaluation and EPDs to help avoid some costly mistakes and help the industry produce a more consistent end product. For the beef industry to survive, we have to produce a more consistent, tender product, and DNA technology is one way to help us do that.”
- Burger King pledged to offer healthier fast-food items for children under 12, with plans to sell and market flame-broiled Chicken Tenders and apples cut to resemble thick-cut french fries. Called BK Fresh Apple Fries, the red apples are cut to resemble french fries and are served in the same containers as fries, but they are not fried and are served skinless and cold. The 2.4-ounce serving of Apple Fries will have 35 calories, the company said. A small serving of Burger King french fries has 230 calories and 13 grams of fat, according to Burger King’s Web site. Burger King will use U.S. grown apples that are cut and packaged in a sterile environment and subjected to a pre-wash that contains lemon to keep them from turning brown, said Burger King spokesman Keva Silversmith.
- Soybean rust has been found in South Carolina. Clemson University Plant Pathologist John Mueller says a glitch in the testing sentinel plots also may have given the disease a few days head start. Rust was found on 25 of 25 leaves sampled from maturity Group V soybeans in a sentinel plot just outside of Estill, S.C., which is about 50 miles northwest of Savannah, Ga. These beans were sampled on Sept. 11, and the degree of infection is typical of a very severe outbreak of rust, according to Mueller. The plot had been sampled on a weekly basis up to Aug. 20. Then due to logistical problems the plot was not sampled for two weeks. This 20-day gap obviously was enough for rust to go from being not detectable to severe levels. Based on the severity of rust at the Estill site, Mueller says it is likely other fields were also exposed to rust in this area. Therefore, application of a fungicide containing a triazole is warranted in southeastern South Carolina, including areas normally referred to as the Savannah River Valley plus the areas just south of the Santee river. Mueller stresses that fungicides may not be applied after 50 percent of the soybeans in a field reach growth stage R-6.
- A two-day Certified Crop Advisor program will be conducted at the University of Missouri-Delta Research Center in Portageville, Mo., Nov. 19-20. Separate classes will be taught in Soil Fertility, Pest Management, Soil and Water, and Crop Production with four CEUs pending per course. Classes will begin at 8 a.m. each day. Registration will be $25 per course or $75 for all four. The fee will include lunch. For more details, contact Gene Stevens (573-379-5431, stevensw@missouri.edu) or Anthony Ohmes (573-683-6129, ohmesg@missouri.edu).
Limited Internet Access Today
This is an unusual way to make puffed rice but it works. Somehow they have this little cannon type thing that once it heats up you bang on it and it explodes and the puffed rice pops out into a basket.
This was one of the many interesting little things we got to experience at our reception at the University of Agriculture in Tokyo. It was also sake night but more on that later.
I’m disappointed in the fact that we’re in a city that is supposed to have the world’s best internet access, we’re on a working journalists event and we have no internet access. I’m feeding a machine in the lobby of our hotel some yen coins just to get this post out and check email. Our press room is not open this morning and we won’t be to our next hotel with access until this evening. Someone doesn’t get it.
So until we can get online somewhere . . .
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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John Deere Scholarship Rewards NAMA Student Leadership
NAMA student chapters that excel at offering students the tools they need to develop their leadership and academic skills have a chance to get some fiscal help from John Deere. Outstanding chapters that apply for The John Deere Signature Award could win up to $3,000.
The John Deere Signature Award is designed to create a new level of recognition within the NAMA Student Careers Program that will give heightened exposure to outstanding student chapters who excel in encouraging student opportunities for business knowledge, academic excellence, leadership development and community citizenship.
First place winners will have their school name engraved on the John Deere Signature Award traveling trophy. In addition, cash awards will be presented as follows:
$3,000 to first place
$2,000 to second place
$1,000 to third place
$500 each to 4th place and 5th place
Student chapters will receive points for exciting elements in Student NAMA (Outstanding Student Chapter, Outstanding Advisor, Scholarships, Marketing Competition) and also for other elements as outlined below.
Each chapter will submit their entries via an excel spreadsheet signed off on by their advisor. Criteria are listed below, but each student chapter can receive an electronic version of the spreadsheet via the national office or via the web site. Log in the information on what your chapter did to meet the criteria, print it out and have your advisor sign it. Mail the spreadsheet to the national office by March 31st. NOTE: You will only be able to fill in the information in the bold face areas. Outstanding Student Chapter, Advisor, etc., will be filled in by the National office and then the information for the marketing competition will be filled in at the Convention in April. The winner of the Award will be announced at the student awards ceremony on Thursday, April 17.
Lunch on the Bus
I not only have a fascination with the production and promotion of food but I like to eat it too. One of the cool things about an IFAJ Congress is you’re assured to try something new.
Here’s lunch on the bus this afternoon. I would detail all the contents of the box but I’m not sure what they all were. I was hungry enough to eat most of it. We had shrimp, rice, beans, cabbage and what I’m sure was some kind of tofu among other items. Notice the fork although we did have chop sticks available to us. The whole thing was gift wrapped making for a very nice presentation.
Not shown is the dessert. I don’t remember what it was called but it was kind of like some white Silly Putty wrapped around some sweet tasting filling and a very large thing that I think our guide said was a sweet bean?
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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IFAJ Officers Take the Stage
The officers of the IFAJ took the stage this afternoon to lead the Annual Meeting. After reading off the delegates roll call it was down to business.
One of the things that was approved was a change recommendation to the IFAJ constitution and rules to make some corrections and update them. These were done with the help of Paul Queck and had been proposed and discussed at past meetings. I’m sure the changes will be published to the membership after the meeting.
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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Ag School Welcome
Here’s Dr. OHSAWA Kanju, President of Tokyo University of Agriculture who welcomed us at the start of our activities here at the school.
I’ve only seen a small part of the school but they have a very nice setup with interpreters, making it easier for all these multi-cultural ag journalists to communicate.
His President’s message from the school’s website says, “Tokyo University of Agriculture offers a unique, integrated approach to agricultural education. Studies in the core areas of Agronomy, Life Science, Environmental Science, and Bio-industry Science serve to advance agriculture and to support agriculture’s related industries.”
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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Tokyo University of Agriculture
After all the city scenes it was nice to pull into the Tokyo University of Agriculture campus and walk through some trees.
This is our group walking in to the main auditorium from the buses. This afternoon we’ve got a program that includes the annual delegates assembly of the IFAJ, multiple simultaneous educational sessions and a press conference with the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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Crosstown Tokyo Traffic
We’ve already seen a lot of this here in Tokyo. In fact, we got almost 2 hours worth on the way to the Tokyo University of Agriculture where our afternoon program is taking place today.
This is one big city and one of the things that really hits you is the buildings of all shapes and sizes that are built almost touching the raised highway.
I’m in a press center they set up here at the school. However, we’re not allowed to connect our computers directly to the internet but have to use the ones they’ve provided us. Where there’s a will there’s a way I always say. I’ve updated the photo album thanks to being able to download and install the Flickr uploader to this computer and transfer my pics on a memory stick.
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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On Tour at ZEN-NOH in Japan
I found a very nice man here in the ZEN-NOH Fresh Produce Marketing, Co. in Tokyo who is letting me use his internet connection to post a quick picture from our first tour.
I tried to load pics to the photo album but I couldn’t get connected so I’ll be adding quite a few later. This is a very large marketing firm for the Japan Agriculture Cooperative which has most of the farmers in the country as members. Cindy just conducted an interview with the head of their fresh produce marketing division.
As you can see we got to sample before leaving. Cindy likes raw vegetables and fruit better than the sushi so she was real happy about that.
One of the things we’re getting plenty of is green tea. This line of bottles shows that they were ready for us. I wish I could say that I drink it but it’s just not my cup of tea. I’ll be interested in the sake samples later.
Right now we’re in a question and answer session in the main meeting room and I’m at the head table looking like I have some other purpose than borrowing a computer that’s connected to their internal network.
IFAJ Congress 2007 Photo Album
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IFAJ Congress in Japan
Hello from Japan. This week’s program is coming to you from Tokyo.
Cindy and I start out with a review of our trips last week to Canada, Germany and Belgium. Then you can hear an interview with International Federation of Agricultural Journalists President, David Markey.
David says that IFAJ is now over 5,000 members strong worldwide. He says we’ve got about 240 registered here at the Congress which is quite a few more than I think they expected.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: 
ZimmCast 137 (30 min MP3)
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zimmcast136-9-18-07.mp3The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes