I had to post this just because I like saying, “Codex Alimentarius.” Of course saying it and understanding it are two different things. If you really want to understand it then get yourself to Rome for the 30th annual meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. I can think of worse places to be.
Simply stated, the Codex Alimentarius is a collection of standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations. Some of these texts are very general, and some are very specific. Some deal with detailed requirements related to a food or group of foods; others deal with the operation and management of production processes or the operation of government regulatory systems for food safety and consumer protection.
Commission Agenda (pdf)
Downloading My Flickr Photos
I’ve been asked this often enough that I thought I’d post it for you. I’ve got lots of photos in my Flickr sets and sometimes someone wants to use one. Well, I’ve made them all publicly available and recently I started uploading them at the highest setting Flickr will allow. This lets you download a photo at a quality that you can print.
Here’s how to do it. Got to my Flickr set which is this one in this case. Find the photo you want in the set and click on it. That will open it up larger on your screen. To the right of the photo will be some stuff that includes the key words I’ve tagged the picture with. Underneath them is a section called “Additional Information.” I’ve highlighted that in yellow. One of the choices is “See different sizes,” which the arrow is pointing to. When you click on that a new page will open with multiple picture sizes of that picture. Choose the one you want and then right click on it and save it to your computer.
In this case the biggest size will give you a picture that’s 300 pixels/inch, 2048×1371 and 632k which should make a nice print. In any case you can always email me and I can send you a full size original if you want. If you use any of them we always appreciate credit if possible.
On The Tonight Show Set With Jay Leno
I got this photo from Joe Jobe at the National Biodiesel Board while we were in Nashville at the CMA Music Festival and stuck it in a note pad and just found it this afternoon.
This is from when we were on the set with Jay Leno recently before going with him to his garage after the show.
It’s a scan from a print. The Tonight Show photographer will only send photos to one person and we elected Joe to be the photo distributor. Thanks Joe.
Zimfo Bites
- Mycogen Seeds announces the addition of four new hybrids to its sunflower lineup, with several protection options, including downy mildew and CLEARFIELD® resistance. “We are thrilled to offer these new hybrids in 2008, as they fit the needs of nearly all sunflower growers,” says Keith Porter, Marketing Specialist, Mycogen Seeds. “Because of our market versatility, a match can be made for those looking for advantages in the oil, bird food or confection markets.”
- FMC Corporation delivers three dependable methods of pest control for rice growers with a comprehensive portfolio of crop protection products consisting of Command 3ME herbicide, Aim EC herbicide and Mustang Max insecticide. Aim and Command work together to control problem grasses and broadleaf weeds in rice. A combination of Command followed by Aim delivers one of the most complete, effective weed control programs available in rice production today.
- First it was KFC, then New York City restaurants. More recently, Taco Bell, the Wal-Mart deli, Steak n Shake and Hardee’s took a stand. Now, the Indiana State Fair is removing all trans fat-laden cooking oils from its deep-fryers in what is believed to be the first policy of its kind for any fair in the country. “I’m glad this new zero trans fat oil makes the food healthier to eat, but frankly, I switched to this new oil because the food just tastes better,” said John Barto, owner of Barto’s Banquets & Catering, who has been an Indiana State Fair concessionaire for the past 18 years. “It adds to the quality of the food we serve.”
AEM Announces Winners of Student Ag Engineering Awards
Dozens of agricultural engineering students have received awards from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers this year. The awards are meant to honor those students particularly involved in their field.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) honored the latest winners of AEM’s annual Student Engineering and Mechanization Awards during special ceremonies at the recent American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers’ (ASABE) yearly international meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The awards recognize outstanding initiative and accomplishment in ASABE student branch activities. AEM initiated the awards in 1935 as part of its commitment to excellence in agricultural engineering education.
Winners are ASABE student branches which have compiled the most outstanding record of activities during the previous year in areas including membership, meetings, programs and special member activities, including campus and community participation. ASABE helped establish student branches to provide undergraduates interested in agricultural engineering some insight into their chosen profession. Today, student branches are active at most universities offering professional training in engineering related to agricultural, food and biological systems.
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Dupont and Foss Helping Farmers and Ethanol Producers
Here’s more proof that our production of ethanol, especially using corn, is becoming a more and more efficient process. I find it amazing how much work is being done by so many companies that you never hear about in the mainstream media. Companies like Dupont/Pioneer and Foss North America are making some real strides in a very short time period.
DuPont and FOSS North America today announced an agreement that will help farmers and ethanol producers better understand ethanol yield potential of grain corn being delivered to ethanol plants. The agreement, announced during the Fuel Ethanol Workshop, provides FOSS rights to technology developed by DuPont. Under terms of the agreement, DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred is providing to FOSS proprietary Ethanol Yield Potential calibration technology for use in FOSS grain analyzers. The technology provides estimated ethanol yield in terms of gallons per bushel.
“This technology is a big step in helping increase ethanol output per acre,” said Dean Oestreich, vice president and general manager – DuPont and
president – Pioneer. “When used in FOSS instruments, it gives farmers and ethanol producers nearly instant ethanol yield results on each load of grain
brought to an ethanol plant.” The technology allows ethanol producers to use real-time data to manage the grain feeding their ethanol production process. Farmers will be able to take this information and combine it with their on-farm agronomic performance data to tailor the corn hybrids they plant to maximize their ethanol yield on every acre.
Cindy is attending the Fuel Ethanol Workshop in St. Louis and may have more to add on this later. You can find her posts from there using this link. Post Update: Here’s the audio from the Pioneer/FOSS press conference announcement here: pioneer-foss-media.mp3
Ethanol Powering IndyCars and Choppers
After spending another week on the road at the world’s largest tailgate party of corn growers, the Iowa Corn Indy 250 you get a ZimmCast about ethanol.
This week’s program starts out with an EPIC update from executive director, Tom Slunecka which we did in the media center at Iowa Speedway. Then you can hear what the Indycars sound like when they blow by you at 180 mph. I recorded that while I was shooting through the cutout in the outside track perimeter fence. What you’ll hear is from the cars only a couple of feet away on the other side of the barrier. Since they’re running on 100% ethanol I think they’ve totally answered any questions there are about the fuel’s performance value.
Next up you can listen to the introduction of the first ever chopper built to run on E85. This is a collaborative effort by Iowa Farm Bureau and Orange County Choppers. One of the OCC dudes did a ceremonial lap on it prior to the race.
The program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network and a band called moisture fuel. The song is “Collide.” I think it’s appropriate since we’re talking fuel and there were a lot of collisions at the race on Sunday. Be ready to rock.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: 
ZimmCast 125 (20 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:
zimmcast125-6-26-07.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.
Get Juicy Gossip on Meat
Beef, poultry, pork… pick your pleasure. The American Meat Institute is launching a new Web Site to demonstrate how the meat industry responds to consumers and constumers.
The American Meat Institute (AMI) today launched www.TheMarketWorks.org, a new web site showcasing how U.S. meat and poultry industry structure and practices are a response to signals from customers and make the U.S. meat and poultry supply the envy of the world. The site details the Institute’s opposition to legislative efforts to ban meat companies’ ability to own or contract for livestock.
According to the site, a number of bills have been introduced in Congress that would force divestiture of livestock by meat companies who own part or all of their livestock supplies; prohibit marketing agreements between packers and processors; require that a certain percent of livestock be acquired on the spot market; and create a ‘special’ duplicative prosecutor at USDA to look even more closely at these issues. Some groups and lawmakers are arguing for a “competition title” in the pending 2007 Farm Bill that would package these bills together.
“Legislative efforts to place restrictions on the marketing of livestock and meat will dismantle the progress that has created the most abundant and affordable meat supply anywhere in the world,” said AMI President J. Patrick Boyle. “Congress needs to let the market work as it has so successfully for so long. We are launching this new web site to help educate lawmakers, producers, consumers and the media about the potential damaging effect of these misguided legislative efforts.”
Included in the new site are 35 studies done over the last two decades that have concluded that the meat industry is dynamic and competitive and that both packers and producers benefit from their ability to enter into contracts.
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CNH Amasses Awards
CNH, an Illinois-based agriculture and construction equipment manufacturer has racked up a total of seven awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. It appears CNH excels at engineering innovative designs for its products.
CNH (NYSE: CNH) this week won seven awards — more than any other manufacturer — from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) for the most innovative product designs to enter the market in 2006. The educational and scientific organization also singled out the company for a special award, having one product included in the Top 10 innovations from all previous winners since the program began.
CNH took AE50 honors, which were sponsored by ASABE’s Resource magazine, for the following:
— AFS Cotton Yield Monitor (Racine, Wis.) from Case IH, a unique Controller Area Network-based optical sensor, provides precise, real-time cotton flow information on a continuous basis while harvesting.
— Module Express 625 Cotton Harvester (Racine, Wis.) from Case IH, a cotton picker that combines three field operations into one, greatly reducing cotton harvesting cost through use of an innovative on-board packing system.
— Smart Sieve™ Grain Cleaning System (Zedelgem, Belgium), from New Holland, a patented self-leveling system that allows New Holland CS and CSX combines to separate high volumes of grain with minimum grain loss and maximum cleaning efficiency on side slopes of up to 25 percent, depending on the crop.
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Ham It Up… With The Cow That Loves Chicken
It’s a fun way to get a wad of cash… well, a Savings Bond for $1,000 to be exact. Chick-fil-A wants to get consumers involved in it’s “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign, so the food chain is hosting an online photo contest. When you spot that clever little cow urging you to opt for the chicken, start clicking those shutters.
It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, which is why Chick-fil-A(R) is encouraging its younger fans to do the talking for them by participating in its “Show us the Cow” contest. The online contest, announced today in partnership with Spot What!(TM) children’s books, invites youngsters to have their parents upload pictures that include the Chick-fil-A “Eat Mor Chikin(R)” Cow at various spots around the world. Once the pictures are uploaded to http://www.showusthecow.com/, the public can vote for their favorite photo.
From June 25 through Sept. 30, children age 10 and younger are encouraged to work together with an adult to take and submit photos featuring the “Eat Mor Chikin” Cows in a creative way — whether it’s in front of the Statue of Liberty or at a family picnic. The cows can be costumed, stuffed or even a paper cut-out, as long as they’re included in the photo. The Web site will provide details about uploading photos for the contest.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a United States Series EE Savings Bond with a maturity value of $1,000, a catered party for their classroom, free Chick-fil-A Kid’s Meals for a year and a digital camera, among other gifts. Additional prizes will be awarded to the contestants of the 40 photos that receive the most votes, as well as to the top 10 finalists as selected by the judges.
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