Florida Fresh Tomatoes Available – Again

Chuck Zimmerman

Florida Fresh TomatoesIt looks like the advertising campaign the Florida Tomato Committee ran for field fresh Florida tomatoes was a successful one.

The Produce News says they’re going to do it again.

Thanks in large part to a national television ad campaign, Florida field-grown tomatoes have enjoyed an increase in market share over rival hothouse-grown beefsteak and on-the-vine varieties, Samantha Winters, director of education and marketing for the Florida Tomato Committee, said at the group’s organizational meeting during the 31st annual Joint Florida Tomato Conference held here Sept. 5-10 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Ag Groups, Food

Biomass Tractorcade

Chuck Zimmerman

American Agriculture MovementIt looks like more than just ethanol and biodiesel is being lobbied on Capitol Hill this week. The American Agriculture Movement biomass tractorcade has rolled into town.

A group of patriotic Americans left Missouri’s Knob Noster State Park near Kansas City on Monday September 25th to publicize the potential of bioenergy to replace foreign oil. They traveled on U.S. 50 with antique tractors and cars to Washington DC to raise awareness about the contribution agricultural producers can make to help bring energy security to the American people. The tractorcade reached Cherry Hill Park in Maryland September 30th. Participants will lobby Congresional staffers the week of October 2nd.

If America seizes this opportunity, the future will be brighter for all! Anyone who supports America gaining independence from foreign energy sources can get information from www.arbest.org or joining us on the Washington Mall on 3rd Street by the reflecting Pool on October 5th.

Ag Groups

Slim Jim Snapalope

Chuck Zimmerman

SnapalopeHere’s one animal you can hunt at your local grocery or convenience store. It’s the Snapalope. Brought to you by the Snapalope Hunting Association of America. You’ll find lots of fun and helpful information on their website.

Snapalope are part of the family Snap. Skittish by nature, these herd dwellers stand thirty-one inches tall and graze extensively throughout store habitats across the United States. Distinguishable by their long antlers and slender bodies, snapalope have no known predators aside from man who hunt them for their delicious spicy meat and exquisite yellow and red hide.

Thanks Adrants.

Food

Record Traffic and Feedback

Chuck Zimmerman

This is the last time I’ll bug you about the AgWired Survey. I promise. However, I’ll post some results from it in the near future. I’m going to leave the survey open a couple more days to see if anybody else would like to chime in. Please feel free. It only takes a couple minutes tops.

AgWired Survey

The last question of the survey asks for your feedback on ideas of topics I should cover. Here’s a few of the ones posted: agricultural entrepreneurship, new media companies, agriculture media, ethanol, state fairs.

September was another record month for traffic on AgWired. We had almost 12,000 unique visitors! Wow. That’s exciting. We must be doing something right, eh?

Uncategorized

Army Officer Has a Heart for Farming

Chuck Zimmerman

Ltc. Chris JohnsonHere’s the lastest story from Paul McKellips, US Department of State, Public Affairs GO Team on assignment in Iraq. In this one he talks with Lieutenant Colonel Chris Johnson who works as one of the deputies to the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Diyala province.

I met Chris at 2:30 in the morning in the middle of a pitch-black airfield. A Chinook helicopter crew woke me up and said, “Out.” I walked down a ramp and out onto a cement pad surrounded by sand. The two Chinooks took off. The horizon was completely dark in all directions. I knew I was in the middle of the hornet’s nest, a bad part of Iraq to be in. I was only miles from where terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a June airstrike. I assumed I was close to a base but I couldn’t see it. Suddenly a hand grabbed my shoulder from behind. It was Johnson. He could’ve sent any number of junior soldiers to stay up late and pick me up. But that’s not his style. Johnson takes pride in everything he does. Later that morning, as we were driving in an eight Humvee convoy to the Baqubah Dates Festival, he sat front right looking for IEDs while passionately talking about the progress Iraqi farmers are making. Listen to report here: Listen To MP3 Iraq Farming Report (1 min MP3)

Audio, International

A Blog For Cheese Addicts

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast87 - Cheesaholics AnonymousDo you like cheese? Want to know more about it? Maybe you’re addicted. If so you may need Cheesaholics Anonymous. I found Nadia Muna Gil and her blog through Leon The Milkman.

Nadia started out her career studying finance at MIT and then spent six years on Wall Street before her fascination with cheese pulled her into an entirely new career. She’s back in a finance job but has a cheese & wine event catering business in New York called Waldemar & Nadia. It was with this company that she started blogging about cheese. I think you’ll enjoy the interview and learning how Nadia has incorporated a blog into her marketing strategy for her business.

Listen to this week’s program: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 87 (18 min MP3)

The 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.

Audio, Dairy, ZimmCast

Beef Industry Scholarships

Chuck Zimmerman

National Cattlemen's FoundationAre you looking for a scholarship to help you with a career in the beef industry? Know someone who is? Then let then know about the 2007 Beef Industry Scholarship Program, sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Twenty scholarships of $1,500 each will be awarded to young people pursuing careers in the beef industry. The program welcomes applications from talented and thoughtful students who have demonstrated a commitment to a career in the beef industry, either through classes, internships or life experience. Graduating high school seniors or full-time undergraduate students enrolled at a two-year or four-year college for the 2006-2007 academic school year are encouraged to apply. All entries must be postmarked by October 10, 2006. Read More

Ag Groups

Royal Gala Time

Chuck Zimmerman

Royal Gala FundraiserThe Livestock Publications Council invites you to A Royal Gala, October 20, 2006 ~ 6–10 p.m. It’s going to be held at the American Royal Headquarters, 1701 American Royal Court, Kansas City,MO. You should plan to dress up for a High Class Casino Evening with your friends while raising funds for the development of the new Livestock Publications Heritage Center.

The invitations are in the mail, but go ahead and mark your calendar for the Royal Gala and Casino Party in Kansas City on October 20. This is the continuation of fundraising efforts to create the new Livestock Publications Heritage Center. The new plaques in the Hall of Honor will be unveiled during the Gala which are the formal photos of the winners of LPC’s Hall of Fame and Headliner winners. The announcement of the 2007 winners will also be a part
of the evening.

For more information: Amber Spafford, 816/410-5166, spafforda@osborn-barr.com.

LPC

Farm Aid New Media Show Day

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Aid Board - Paul Natkin/Photo Reserve Inc. 2004It’s Farm Aid show day and you can catch it via webcast. Here’s the board of Farm Aid. From the left there’s John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Dave Matthews and Neil Young.

One of the cool things they’re doing besides webcasting is having the whole thing blogged. Actually this has been going on for a while leading up to today’s event, which already has posts today from backstage. Think of how you could be having this done for your convention, trade show or other type of event. Are you thinking of cool new media ways to reach your audience like Farm Aid is?

Nitty Gritty Dirt BandThey’ve got quite a lineup of entertainment on stage today, including bands like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, shown here. Here’s where you can find the current lineup.

If you want to watch via web there’s a special page which allows you to do so after making a donation or choose to view without doing so.

Farm Shows

Iraq Meat Markets

Chuck Zimmerman

Iraq Meat MarketHere’s the lastest story from Paul McKellips, US Department of State, Public Affairs GO Team on assignment in Iraq. I really appreciate what he’s doing and the look at agriculture in a country like Iraq. This time he visits a meat market.

The shopping experience in Iraq is quite unique. Fruits and vegetables are purchased at farmers markets and roadside stands. Lamb is often purchased directly from the village butcher. Meat and poultry are bought at local meat markets. Listeners may be surprised to learn what one of the preferred meats in Iraq is.

Here’s Paul’s report: Listen To MP3 Iraq Meat Markets (1 min MP3)

Audio, International