FarmPolicyFacts.org and 2008 Commodity Classic Website

Chuck Zimmerman

Wexford Irish Cream AleIt’s Friday afternoon in Nashville and time to relax with a very tasty treat. After a full day of CMA Music Festival related activities and a nice run I thought I’d check out the end of the week emails. There are a number of them that come in from Washington, DC. Like the NAWG Newsletter. In it I learned of a new website called FarmPolicyFacts.org. It’s supported by the American Sugar Alliance, Minnesota Corn Growers Associations, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Cotton Council and the USA Rice Federation. I like the fact that it’s got an RSS feed but I’ve got to say that what I think they’re trying to do would work very well in blog format. If you wonder why just give me a call and I’ll explain.

I also found out that the 2008 Commodity Classic website is now public so you’ve got to check that out. It’s never too early to plan ahead. (Didn’t we just have Commodity Classic?) The little corn/soybean/wheat dudes are even animated!

Ag Groups, Commodity Classic, Internet

Joe Jobe Performs on the Dave Nemo XM Radio Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe JobeYou may not know that the CEO of the National Biodiesel Board is a musician with a great voice. I think we need to get Joe Jobe here at the CMA Music Festival up on stage.

Michael Peterson helped talk Joe into a song while they were live on the Dave Nemo Show on XM Radio (Channel 171) this morning. So besides talking about the benefits of biodiesel we got a little benefit entertainment.

Joe is going to be one of the celebrities competing in Sunday’s Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race. Michael does backup on the song: cma-07-xm-jobe.mp3

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, New Holland

Michael Peterson XM Perfomance on Dave Nemo Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael PetersonMichael Peterson not only talked about biodiesel and New Holland and his Celebrity Tractor Race but even played a song as a guest today on the Dave Nemo Show.

Michael talked about how much he’s learned working with New Holland over the last year or so and really put into perspective how important it is to develop our own renewable fuel sources. Based on his comments during the show it’s obvious that he’s really been putting a lot of thought into it. I think his star status will re-skyrocket when his new CD comes out this fall. He’s a great spokesperson for renewable fuels!

Michael PetersonWhile we were in the Dave Nemo home studio Michael got out his guitar and played us a song live. I had a recorder going just in case and so you get to listen to his song right here on AgWired.

Just make sure you tune into Channel 171 on XM for me won’t you?

Michael does a little set up for the song: cma-07-xm-peterson.mp3

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

Audio, New Holland

Live on the Dave Nemo XM Radio Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Dave NemoThis morning I was an observer as Dave Nemo, who has a show on XM Radio, channel 171 (Open Road) had Michael Peterson and Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board on as guests.

Right after they got started I recorded a short video clip so you can see what it’s like being in Dave’s studio. He works from a home studio that many people I know (me included) would envy. It was a really good show and now I’m going to have to listen to channel 171 more often.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland

Gene Autry Centennial

Chuck Zimmerman

Charlotte AutryCharlotte Autry is a cousin of the ever so famous Gene Autry. She’s here at the CMA Music Festival with a booth next to Michael Peterson’s. I got to meet and talk with her about why she’s here.

This is the Centennial celebration of Oklahoma and Gene Autry’s 100th birthday. To commemorate that she’s selling a tribute CD with a number of artists who have recorded one of Gene’s songs.

Charlotte has a singing career of her own and tells us about it in an interview we did just outside the exhibit hall. You can hear what Charlotte’s up to here: cma-07-autry.mp3

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

Audio, New Holland

John Deere Gains Oriental Asset

Laura McNamara

John DeereThe world’s largest manufacturer line of agricultural equipment plans to further broaden its reach. John Deere is expanding its small tractor manufacturing line in southern China. The company plans to acquire the Ningbo Benye Tractor & Automobile Manufacture Co. Ltd., located in Ningbo.

Deere said it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Benye business and is seeking final review of the transaction by government approval authorities in China.

Through the acquisition, Deere will expand the product line offered to Chinese farmers and enhance its worldwide capacity to produce low horsepower tractors. Benye mainly builds tractors in the 20 to 50 horsepower range while Deere currently builds tractors in the 60 to 120 horsepower range at its current China joint venture tractor factory, located in Tianjin.

“Our objective is to distinctly serve those who work the land,” said Robert W. Lane, chairman and chief executive officer of Deere & Company. “The acquisition of Benye will allow us to better serve customers in China with a more complete product line, as well as to provide tractors from China to other locations in the world. This action is an example that John Deere continues to seek opportunities for global growth.”

Deere has provided products and services to the China agricultural market since 1976 and has manufactured equipment in China since 1997, when it entered a joint venture to build combines at a factory at Jiamusi. The Jiamusi operation is now wholly-owned and the company also manufactures tractors at a joint venture, John Deere Tiantuo Co., Ltd.
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Equipment, Farming, John Deere, Tractor

J Lo and Westmoreland FFA Making Biodiesel

Chuck Zimmerman

Josh Lo and Dick RichieI’d like you to meet Joshua Lo (left) and his grandfather, Dick Richie. Josh is a member of the Westmoreland FFA Chapter. Together they’ve helped create a biodiesel business that’s making their chapter money.

Basically they produce biodiesel and sell it locally. Dick says they can’t make it fast enough to satisfy demand. He says the chapter just bought a van out of the proceeds from their business venture. The chapter has one machine right now which Josh says they can make at least 200 gallons of biodiesel a week as long as they can get a steady supply of good grease to make the fuel with.

I interviewed them outside the New Holland booth here at the CMA Music Festival. Josh’s FFA chapter is helping man the booth and will receive a nice check from New Holland for their efforts.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

Ag Groups, Biodiesel, New Holland, Video

It’s Fan Fair in Full Force

Chuck Zimmerman

CMA Music Festival Street SceneThe heat is on here in Nashville at the CMA Music Festival. This is a street scene downtown at about 2nd Ave. and Broadway. Packed with people.

I did a little walk around after spending some time at the New Holland booth which is set up in the Sports Zone. Besides the heat today we had a lot of wind which makes it a little difficult to have much in the way of paperwork at your booth tables.

Cop Writing Ticket on Cop CarOne of the more unique sights here took place yesterday at the end of the parade. Have you ever seen one cop writing a ticket on another cop car?

That’s what we came across. There was a whole line of parked police cars and this guy was writing tickets on all of them. We even asked him if that’s what he was really doing. He said he was. Now that’s some good tax dollars at work. Just think about it a minute.

CMA Music Festival Photo Album

New Holland

PERC’ed Up To Go To Washington

Chuck Zimmerman

PERCI’ve written about the Propane Education & Research Council before but not often. That’s going to change next week as I attend Propane Days, which is sponsored in part by PERC. Propane Days is put on by the National Propane Gas Association to educate policymakers on the benefits of propane. I’ll be there for a couple of days to chronicle and write about PERC’s involvement.

Propane DaysWhile I’m there I’ll be conducting interviews, taking pictures and talking with PERC staff and members about what they do. It’s going to be a learning experience which we’ll do together.

Propane Exceptional EnergySome of the topics I’m sure we’re going to be covering include: propane in agriculture, flame cultivation, crop defoliation, propane in irrigation, pest management and the economics of using propane. We’ll be finding out why they say Propane is Exceptional Energy.

Ag Groups, Propane

Ford Foundation Fund Offers Grants to Colleges and Universities

Laura McNamara

U.S. Poultry and EggApplications for grants from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation are now available. The Foundation’s Poultry Science Education Fund supports student recruitment for poultry and science courses at colleges and universities that do not offer a poultry science degree.

Any institution of higher education in the United States that offers an identifiable poultry science program is eligible to apply for a recruitment grant of up to $7,000.

A committee of poultry science school professionals will evaluate funding requests and make recommendations to the board of directors of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation. The number of proposals accepted each year varies depending on need and how the funds are intended to be used. Institutions may apply for a grant by completing the form available at: http://www.poultryegg.org/StudentOutreach/docs/psef_app.pdf. Please forward nine copies to U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation before Aug. 1.

About the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation
Established in 1994, the U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation funds recruitment and retention efforts at colleges and universities with poultry science departments. The foundation also funds research projects that benefit the poultry and egg industry. Research summaries are posted on the USPOULTRY Web site.

Education