Immigration Key Issue of 2007 Ag Symposium

Laura McNamara

American Agri-WomenA host of women in the agriculture industry will converge on Washington the week of June 10th for the annual American Agri-Women Agricultural Issues Symposium and Fly-in. This year’s symposium will be centered around immigration reform within the realm of agriculture.

Members of the media and all interested parties are invited to attend the 15th Annual Agricultural Issues Symposium on Monday, June 11, 2007, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 2007 AAW Agricultural Issues Symposium is titled, “Hands for the Harvest – Immigration Reform for Agriculture.” Speakers scheduled include: Craig Regelbrugge, Co-Chair, Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform; Jennifer Korm, White House Office of Public Liaison; Karen Williams, on staff with Rep. Adam Putnam, FL. Invited are: Amy Pope on staff of Senator Feinstein and a representative of the League of United Latin American Citizens. This is a complex issue of great importance to agriculture both for production and processing.

The Symposium will be held in Room 107-A of the Jamie Whitten Administration Building at 12th and Independence Avenue from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Members of the public are welcome.

Leaders of American Agri-Women (AAW) from throughout the country will gather in Washington, DC, the week of June 10 for the organization’s annual Washington, DC, Agricultural Issues Symposium and Fly-in. During the week, the group will meet with officials at the US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Energy and the Council on Environmental Quality, and with Members of Congress.

Key issues the group will be working on include endangered species act reform; immigration reform; and promotion of increased production and utilization of renewable fuels.

AAW is the national coalition of farm, ranch and agribusiness women’s organizations, with over 50 state and commodity affiliate organizations.

Ag Groups, Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Farm Policy

Michael Peterson Was The Man in Black Today

Chuck Zimmerman

He’s the star out here at the CMA Music Festival as far as I’m concerned. He’s Michael Peterson and he was looking very relaxed today at the parade that took place only a few hours ago. Michael will be performing at the Riverfront stage on Saturday morning and I think I’ll be backstage for that performance.

Prior to the parade I interviewed Michael and he talks about the type of stars out today and who he thinks the real stars are (they wear blue jackets even in the searing heat).

By the way, in case you’re wondering about using YouTube, consider this. Last year I posted a video of Tanya Tucker competing in the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race and it’s been downloaded almost 13,000 times since then! She’s back this year and I will videotape it.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland, Video

FFA Advisor Jumps in With Both Feet

Chuck Zimmerman

Andy Moore is the ag teacher at Westmoreland High School in Westmoreland, TN. He’s new on the job and coming out to the CMA Music Festival parade today was an introductory activity with the school’s FFA chapter. The chapter members are out here to help work in the New Holland booth in the Chevy Sports Zone area. I’ll have pictures from there tomorrow when things really get started.

Prior to today’s race I interviewed Andy about his job and what his FFA chapter is here to do. He says that not only will the chapter earn some money but he can’t imagine a better venue to do it in.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland, Video

Interview With Gene Hemphill

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland is sponsoring my coverage of CMA Music Festival 2007 and the man who’s in charge of the project is Gene Hemphill. Prior to today’s parade that got things started I interviewed Gene about how and why we’re here again this year.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland, Video

New Holland Boomer Pulls The Load

Chuck Zimmerman

Boomer TractorsDid I mention that we had a New Holland Boomer pulling the float out here at the CMA Music Festival parade?

This is the top of the roll bar from the tractor. Right at the start we almost had a problem since I was standing up on the trailer and wasn’t ready for the sudden movement when we got started. But with a little luck I kept my balance. After that sudden start we had a smooth ride throughout the parade.

It was a hot day in Nashville but there was a big crowd out early for the parade. As you might have heard from the video I posted earlier Michael Peterson has a lot of fans here. They kept shouting out his name and were happy just to get him to wave in their general direction.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland

Michael Peterson – New Holland Parade Video

Chuck Zimmerman

If you want to see what it’s like to be with Michael Peterson in his home town in a parade then you’ve come to the right place. This “float” is being pulled by a New Holland Boomer.


I’ve got plenty more video to come so keep an eye on AgWired.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland

CMA Music Festival Photo Album Started

Chuck Zimmerman

AgribloggerHello from the Michael Peterson/New Holland float in today’s 2007 CMA Music Festival parade. Thanks to Gene Hemphill for the picture.

If you want to see a selection of mine (with a few of Gene’s thrown in) then keep an eye on my CMA Music Festival Photo Album. I’ll be adding to it each day through the event which concludes on Sunday.

I’ve got a few more posts to do yet today but it’s time for dinner now and I’m hungry.

New Holland

Osborn & Barr Wins a Handful of Firsts

Laura McNamara

Osborn & Barr didn’t do so shabby at its first-ever appearance at the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association communications contest. O&B earned four first-place awards and one merit award for its public relations, creative and event planning work for John Deere Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment.

“Osborn & Barr and our clients realize the importance of high-quality communications and marketing campaigns for the growing rural lifestyle market,” said Dan Kirkpatrick, associate director of public relation, Des Moines. “We’re honored that our campaign to reach rural lifestyle consumers was recognized by TOCA.”
Osborn & Barr earned first-place awards in the categories of:

Ø Writing a Feature Article
Ø Writing a News Release
Ø Overall Media Kits Design and
Ø Special Event (strategy, execution, collateral and overall results).

The “Equipment Ownership 101” series of articles received a merit award in the Special Writing Project category. Awards were presented at the TOCA annual meeting in Savannah, Ga. in May. This year, winners were selected from 440 entries. TOCA, founded in 1990, serves communicators in the “Green Industry” through fostering and rewarding those focused on sharing information that affects that industry.

Osborn & Barr concentrates on relationship-driven branding communications for agriculture, rural lifestyle, government, association and business-to-business markets to maximize the image and profitability of its clients. Its staff of more than 140 professionals provides brand management, strategic planning, event planning, creative services, public relations, media services, digital marketing and channel marketing. The 19-year-old agency has $125 million in capitalized annual billings divided among six United States and Canada offices located in St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, Washington, DC, Guelph and Winnipeg.

Advertising, Ag Groups, Agencies

Farms.com Reduces the Risk

Laura McNamara

Farms.com Risk ManagementRisk is inherent in the farming industry, but Farms.com Risk Management and Midwest Strategic Investments, Inc. says it has the infrastructure to lessen that risk, helping clients spread, transfer and limit risk. The alliance specializes in risk management for hogs, cattle, soybeans and corn among other crops.

Farms.com Risk Management and Midwest Strategic Investments, Inc. (MSI) announce their strategic alliance to provide full service risk management marketing and hedging strategies along with trade executions to protect risk exposure to producers. Farms.com Risk Management works as an adviser to producers, farmers and agribusinesses across North America in the marketing of crops and hogs and during the purchase of feed inputs. Midwest Strategic Investments, Inc. (MSI) is a full service commodity brokerage firm specializing in agricultural risk management and marketing strategies.

“The goal of the alliance is to focus on risk management for hogs, cattle, soybeans, corn and other crops,” says Jim Nemitz, President of MSI. “We provide risk management and one-on-one consultation advice to individual producers, agribusinesses and corporations throughout North America.”

“Our emphasis is on quality and value-added services, with ŒSimple Answers and Smart Solutions,” says Victor Aideyan, Sr. Risk Management Consultant with Farms.com Risk Management. “We are committed to being a major leader in this area. We have built strong alliances with numerous companies to provide our customers with the widest range of services available.”
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Ag Groups, Agencies

Farms and Ranches Offer Low-Cost Rural Get-away

Laura McNamara

Kearney Area Ag Producers Alliance Country AdventuresIf it’s adventure you’re after, the Kearney Area Ag Producers Alliance encourages tourists to explore life on the rural farms and ranches just outside of city limits. KAPPA, a farmer owned agriculture development cooperative, says Country Adventures are low-cost, close-to-home alternatives for travel and excitement.

With gas prices high and school letting out, families are looking for a close-to-home vacation to remember; and many families are finding those experiences just outside their very own city limits. Rural adventures such as farming and ranching activities are gaining in popularity and benefiting both the farm/ranch owner with added income and also the traveling family with an educational and fun-filled get-away.

Farmers and ranchers can now join the growing number of others who are making additional money from agritourism, and without the investment of much time and effort because of the help of KAAPA Country Adventures. The Country Adventures Website is an online marketplace where experiences such as hunting, fishing, horseback riding and farm tours are sold to the buying public.

Often called the “eBay of Agritourism,” Country-Adventures lends itself to those in the agriculture community who have resources that they would allow the public to enjoy and experience. As summer approaches now is the time travelers are searching the internet for these types of adventures.

“We don’t want any farmer or rancher to miss out on this opportunity as people are making their travel plans now,” said Marge Lauer, Project Director of Country-Adventures. “People are looking for, and willing to pay for outdoor and rural experiences. They want to ride your tractor, milk your cow, and look for birds and other wildlife as they hike on your land. All of those things you do everyday is what they would love to do for one day.”
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Ag Groups, Agencies, Agribusiness