Interview with Tony Kanaan

Chuck Zimmerman

Tony KanaanI don’t know if I’m going to get to interview all of the Indy car drivers this year but I’m getting close. Maybe by the end of this weekend.

One of several drivers at today’s ethanol pump promotion in Romeoville, IL was Tony Kanaan, Team 7-11. He had to be there since we were at a 7-11.

Tony was certainly in demand for autographs and interviews. I was able to get a couple minutes with him. He’s from Brazil and is proud of how significant a role ethanol plays in the fuel industry there and says it’s about time we got on board with it here in the United States too.

Tony KanaanTony believes that the environmental benefits of using ethanol are huge and when it comes to performance in your car, he just shrugs and says to look at how well the Indy cars are running this year on only a 10 percent blend.

We had a lot of young IRL fans out here today too like this little guy getting a high five from Tony.

You can listen to my interview with Tony here: Listen to MP3 Tony Kanaan Interview (2 min MP3)

Audio, Ethanol

7-11 Indy Car Fillup

Chuck Zimmerman

Scott Johnson & Jeff SimmonsToday’s 7-11 Ethanol Pump Promotion had beautiful sunshine and a crowd of people. You can find more on Domestic Fuel but I’ve got some posts for you here too.

Getting things moving this morning at the 7-11 pump promotion was Rahal-Letterman driver Jeff Simmons (front) and 7-11 Manager for Gasoline and Environmental Compliance, Scott Johnson.

They drove in to the pumps in an Indy Car 2-seater.

Before they got in the car I interviewed Scott about 7-11’s involvement with ethanol. He handles the Great Lakes division as well as the northeast and says that they’re thrilled to be using and promoting ethanol. He would love to do promotions like this at many more stores around the country. Scott also says that the company is looking at E85 and studying how or when to start installing E85 pumps.

You can listen to my interview with Scott here: Listen to MP3 Scott Johnson Interview (4 min MP3)

Audio, Ethanol

Moon Over Chicago

Chuck Zimmerman

Morning Moon In ChicagoHello from Chicago (Lisle to be exact). It’s a beautiful morning. The moon was still bright just before sunrise.

The day has started off with an EPIC staff meeting as we get ready to promote ethanol with a pump promotion involving several of the IRL drivers in just a couple hours. Then it will be off to the Chicagoland Speedway to get my media credentials for the weekend’s activities, including the race on Sunday.

I’ll have more pictures and some interviews for you later on today.

Ethanol

PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300

Chuck Zimmerman

PEAK Anitfreeze Indy 300Here’s my next stop. I’m leaving shortly for Chicago and a weekend of activities helping to promote ethanol with the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. It’s a race weekend and the last one of the season for the Indy Racing League. I’ll be following the activities of Jeff Simmons in particular as he competes in the #17 Team Ethanol Car for Rahal-Letterman Racing.

Besides the PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 on Sunday, we’ve got a pump promotion going on tomorrow morning.

IRL IndyCar® Series drivers Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, Jeff Simmons and Jeff Bucknum will be on hand Friday at the 7-Eleven convenience and fuel station in Romeoville, pumping low-priced fuel ($2.20 unleaded) for customers as they promote the use of ethanol in street fuel as well as their 220 mile per hour racing machines. The drivers will be available to speak with the media while they interact and pump fuel for the public.

Ethanol

Eating Farm Raised Fish

Chuck Zimmerman

FishA new report by the FAO says that almost half the fish eaten as food worldwide is raised on a farm rather than being caught in the wild. I think that’s interesting but don’t know why. Anyway. You can read all about it in “The State of World Aquaculture 2006.”

This report was presented at the biennial meeting of the FAO Sub-Committee on Aquaculture (New Delhi, 4-8 September). There’s a lot of other information in there. A lot of it has to do with how aquaculture can help feed people, especially in under-developed nations.

Food

New APS Officers

Chuck Zimmerman

American Phytopathological SocietyThere is a new slate of officers for the American Phytopathological Society. They took over their terms at the end of July.

New APS President Jan E. Leach is a professor and plant pathologist in the Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management Department at Colorado State University. “APS is a thriving association, with a diverse and global membership. We are in an excellent position to build on ongoing initiatives and explore new directions to ensure that APS remains relevant to our membership into the future. Participating in this process will make this an exciting year for me,” Leach said.

Leach succeeded John H. Andrews, University of Wisconsin, who now serves as immediate past president.

Other 2006-2007 officials include: Raymond D. Martyn, Jr., Purdue University, president-elect; James W. Moyer, North Carolina State University, vice president; Danise T. Beadle, Bayer CropScience, secretary; Randall C. Rowe, Ohio State University, treasurer.

For a complete listing of the 2006-2007 APS Council, visit http://www.apsnet.org/directories/council.cfm.

Ag Groups

AgWired Survey Results Coming In

Chuck Zimmerman

SurveyMonkeyI’m going to be reminding you periodically over the next few weeks about The AgWired Survey. I know it just got started but results are already pouring in. For example, most of the categories of types of business you’re in have been checked.

I also love and appreciate the comments. Here’s an example of one, “I am relatively new to the site, however I enjoy lots of agricultural topics: bio-fuels, livestock husbandry, and typical farm life. Although I am employed as a biologist in Florida, I haven’t forgotten my roots in the midwest. Can’t wait to make it back to Missouri.”

Keep it up AgWired fans. Your input will be a big help and you can be sure I’ll share the results with you. We’re breaking new ground together!

Uncategorized

Let’s Not Sit On the Sidelines

Chuck Zimmerman

Harry SiemensOne of my goals in posting to AgWired.Com is to improve relations by helping us better understand each other.

Henry C. Dyck, Consultant and media Specialist in Saskatoon, SA says trade deals within Canada, between provinces is necessary. Often, we do better with the Americans and countries around the world than with people in our back yard. Much of the price crunch facing farmers today comes from the cheaper US dollar; that drop has squeezed the profit right out of farming. I’m still trying to figure out how the powers that be, the economists couldn’t at least in part have forecasted the problems facing Canadians should this ever happen. Happen it did, and with a vengeance. Read More

International

The Corporate Blogging Book

Chuck Zimmerman

The Corporate Blogging BookI have several books in progress right now and just when I start feeling guilty about not getting them finished I console myself with the fact that I’m doing the things that these authors are writing about. Do I read or do I do? I don’t know. I’m sure I’ll get through them all eventually.

Here’s the latest one I got started on. I think this is a good one for you executive types who are afraid, skeptical or think you don’t have time to blog and therefore it’s not a good thing for your company. It’s “The Corporate Blogging Book” by Debbie Weil.

Debbie writes clearly and to the point and it’s an easy read. She tells it like it is. For example, she says that the 3 most important things you need to know before you start blogging are; Companies don’t blog: individuals do; Savvy bloggers read other blogs; and Blogging is not a replacement (for other forms of marketing). Of course she adds explanation to each of these points. You’ll have to get the book to read it all.

The foreword is written by Bob Lutz, Vice Chairman of General Motors (who blogs). I like one point he makes. He says “For some time, it has been my belief that blogging isn’t for everyone. If you’re linguistically challenged or extremely sensitive, don’t blog!” Good point Bob. This isn’t for everyone but . . . Just because you can’t/don’t/won’t doesn’t mean there’s not someone else in your company who can/does/will.

I recommend getting a copy today.

BTW. The others I have in progress are: The Tipping Point and The Long Tail.

Uncategorized

New CME Advertising Campaign

Chuck Zimmerman

Chicago Mercantile Exchange AdvertisementI think the Chicago Mercantile Exchange might get the award for sending out the most news releases in the last year. Maybe not since I don’t really keep track. However, if they don’t send them out how will I know what’s going on at the CME? Here’s some information from the latest about their new advertising campaign.

CME, the world’s largest and most diverse financial exchange, today launched a new global brand advertising campaign. The innovative print campaign, “Smart People, Great Results,” prominently features testimonials from CME’s leading global customers − fund managers, financial advisors and professional traders − showing how CME benchmark futures and options products improve the way markets work and enable them to achieve positive financial results.

The ads will appear in major global financial media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and Barron’s, as well as in top-tier industry publications. Each ad features a leading CME customer such as Sabrina Callin, Executive Vice President, PIMCO; Ken Griffin, CEO, Citadel Investment Group L.L.C.; Brian O’Hearne, Managing Director, Environmental & Commodity Markets, Swiss Re Capital Management and Advisory; Daniel O’Sullivan, Head of FX Trading, Americas, HSBC Bank U.S.A., N.A.; and Matthew Wright, CFA, Assistant Vice President, Director of Investments, Emory University. Read More

Agribusiness