Sunbelt Ag Expo Honors Florida Dairy Farmer

Chuck Zimmerman October 18, 2005

Out here in the midwest we hear a lot about shows like Farm Progress but what about the Southeast? Well this week it’s the Sunbelt Ag Expo. I have many fond memories of covering this show in year’s past. Some that maybe just need to be forgotten too.

Thanks to Randall Weisman, Southeast AgNet, I have a little Sunbelt Ag Expo update to offer you about today’s activities.

The 28th annual Sunbelt Agricultural Exhibition kicked off Tuesday in Moultrie, Georgia with a variety of announcements being made. The Lancaster/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern farmer of the Year was one of those, as this year’s recipient was Okeechobee, Florida dairy farmer, Louis “Red” Larson. U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns attended the Expo, as held one of his Farm Bill Forums, where he was able to hear from farmers across the region give their thoughts about the 2007 farm bill. But before the forum began, Johanns during a press conference, announced he had appointed Teresa Lasseter as adminstrator of the Farm Service Agency. Johanns also announced the FSA Tomorrow plan has been put on hold for the time being, as more research needs to take place. North America’s Premier Farm Show, the Sunbelt Ag Expo runs through Thursday.

Once upon a time Cindy and I lived and worked in Florida and we got to know the Larsons, especially Red’s son Woody. They are great people and we congratulate Red Larson on his award!

Farm Shows

New MCGA President Outlines Priorities

Chuck Zimmerman October 18, 2005

CornTalk, a weekly program for the Missouri Corn Growers Association, features an interview with the newly elected president of the organization, Terry Hilgedick. Terry outlines the priorities for the organization this year, including the Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard, which will see significant action in the upcoming legislative session. Terry also talks about the corn harvest, comparing it to last year and as he puts it, “What a difference a year makes.”

You can listen to this week’s CornTalk here:

CornTalk is a weekly AgWired podcast which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar.

Ag Groups, Corn, Podcasts

Avoid Fuzzy Pumpkins

Chuck Zimmerman October 18, 2005

One way to bring attention to your organization is to apply what you do to what people are interested in. For example, the American Phytopathological Society has these tips for picking a healthy pumpkin and also provides some very technical information about what causes, um, unhealthiness.

Visually check for moldy areas or soft spots on the fruit (remember to check the bottom).
Check the stem; healthy stems are green in color. A good stem will support the weight of the fruit.
Most pumpkin varieties are a bright orange when mature. A yellow pumpkin may not be completely mature.
If possible, keep your pumpkin in a dry, shady place and try to prevent it from freezing. This should increase the ‘porch life’ of your pumpkin.
Once pumpkins are carved, the process of decay will become more rapid. To help insure that a Jack-o-Lantern lasts through Halloween, don’t carve it until a few days before the event.

Now for some of the technical stuff.

. . . Another disease that affects pumpkins is Phytophthora blight. This disease is usually found in regions that have experienced heavy rainfall. Pumpkins with Phytophthora blight will have areas of white mold that appears fuzzy. Another disease, bacterial fruit spot, will cause scabby lesions to appear on the fruit.

I for one wouldn’t want white fuzzy spots on my pumpkin if you know what I mean. That’s why we have organizations like this to protect us!!

Ag Groups

Spamalot In South Korea

Chuck Zimmerman October 17, 2005

I don’t know if you’ve ever tasted Spam but the United States isn’t the only country that consumes a lot of it. According to a story in the Seattle Times, South Korea is the largest market outside the United States with sales of $136 million. What’s even more interesting is that it’s often bought as a gift.

I can just see it here at my house. I’d come home and say to Cindy, “Hi Dear, I got you a can of Spam.” Actually, that might work the other way around. I like it fried with a couple of eggs and some grits for breakfast!

Just in case you do want to do some Spam shopping they have an online store and you have to get the latest recipes, join the fan club and you can also learn what they think of the use of the word “spam” when it comes to unsolicited junk email. You might also want to check out the website for the upcoming Monty Python movie, “Spamalot.”

Agribusiness

A-Mazing Family Fun At Geisler Farms

Chuck Zimmerman October 17, 2005

This is a-mazing. And a really cool corn maze. Darrell Geisler is not only a corn grower but now he’s into agritourism. The eight-acre maze provides a rural adventure for visitors. “As our area becomes more urban, we wanted to provide a place for our neighbors to experience the farm and understand agriculture’s impact on our local economy since we are just 14 miles northeast of Des Moines,” Geisler said. “Plus, the corn maze has made it easier for my daughter and son-in-law to get involved in the family business. My daughter designed the corn maze, which maps out a scarecrow, barn, field and sponsor logos, including NK® Brand Seeds.” I guess we know what brand he plants!

The Geislers even have a Geisler Family Farm website you can visit to get directions to the maze.

Agribusiness, Farming

What’s Going On At ZimmComm

Chuck Zimmerman October 17, 2005

You can learn more about what’s going on at ZimmComm on this week’s ZimmCast. Cindy and I do a little review of what’s happening and hope it’ll generate some ideas for you. For example we talk about our blog projects and some of the grower harvest interview work we’ve been doing for our clients.

You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast here:

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also now find the ZimmCast on CoolCast Radio.

Audio, Podcasts, ZimmCast

Fresh Ideas For You Desktop Publishers

Chuck Zimmerman October 16, 2005

In case you need some “fresh” ideas there’s a workshop just for you. The Livestock Publications Council is conducing their Fresh Ideas Workshop on October 26, Kansas City, MO. Here’s the details:

Sessions:
INTEGRATING WITH INDESIGN: Helpful tips and techniques on integrating Illustrator and Photoshop with InDesign. Followed by a question & answer session. So, come prepared with all of your quaries!

WEB SITE INSPIRATIONS: This session will provide examples of inspirational web sites for use in everyday layouts. Bring along web sites that have been an inspiration to you!

INTERACTIVE BREAK-OUT SESSIONS:
• Internships in Ag Journalism: How it works in the livestock industry. Panel discussion
• Designing and writing for electronic media
• The Ins-and-Outs of Freelance Designing

LOCATION:
Radisson Kansas City Airport, 11825 NW Plaza Circle, Kansas City, MO 64153
Call (816) 464-2423 for reservations, Hotel $89/night.

ACT NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT AT THE DTP SEMINAR!
Registration fee – $60 for any member of the Livestock Publications Council, American Ag Editors Association or Ag Communicator of Tomorrow. $75 registration fee for all others. Registration includes a light breakfast and lunch.

TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT: (785) 273-5115, TAMMY@KLA.ORG, PLEASE BE PREPARED TO PAY AT THE DOOR. NO-SHOWS WILL BE BILLED.

LPC

No More “Go Baby Go” For Thoroughbred Racing

Chuck Zimmerman October 16, 2005

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is going to have a new advertising campaign tag line for the first time since 1998 when they started with “Go Baby Go.” They estimate that about $5 million will be spent in “media value,” including national and regional NTRA and member racetrack media buys.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) will roll out a new advertising campaign featuring the new tag line, “Who Do You Like Today?” in 2006, the organization announced at its annual meeting and marketing summit in Lexington, KY.

The campaign will include five new television spots featuring celebrities, trainers, jockeys and everyday racing fans asking or answering the common race track query, “Who do you like today?” Among the entertainment, sports and business industry celebrities featured in the ads are Kid Rock, Dennis Hopper, Matthew Fox, Jerry O’Connell, Michael Imperiole, Wayne Gretzky, Rick Pitino and Sir Richard Branson, plus many others. All are longtime horse racing fans who volunteered their time.

“This new campaign celebrates the community of horse players while inviting new people to join that community,” said D.G. Van Clief, Jr., Commissioner of the NTRA. “We’re very excited about the direction the campaign is taking and look forward to rolling it out as part of a fully integrated marketing platform next year.”

The ad campaign, which will feature TV, print and Internet, was created and developed by Conover Tuttle Pace (CTP), an integrated advertising and communications firm headquartered outside of Boston. It was shot at such venerable race tracks as Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, Saratoga and Del Mar, with additional shooting scheduled at other tracks in 2006.

Ag Groups

Listen To The New FAO Goodwill Ambassadors

Chuck Zimmerman October 16, 2005

Today is World Food Day and although there are celebrations around the world, the official program took place in Rome according to the following schedule. You can also listen to some short sound bites from the newly appointed ambassadors of FAO using links after the schedule below.

Assembly of guests in the Green Room
The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations opens the ceremony
Screening of a video feature on the World Food Day/TeleFood theme, “Agriculture and Intercultural Dialogue”
Address by the Director-General
Address by His Excellency Giovanni Alemanno Minister of Agricultural and Forestry Policies of the Italian Republic
The Director-General awards the World Food Day Year 2005 medals to the three first prizewinners of the World Food Day poster competition organized by the United Nations Women’s Guild
The Director-General introduces the newly appointed FAO Ambassadors
Brief interventions by newly-appointed FAO Ambassadors
Musical Presentation
The Director-General closes the ceremony

New Ambassadors:

1. Beatrice Faumuina has been appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. She has been New Zealand’s top ranking track and field athlete for a number of years, won 10 national titles between 1993 and 2005, and is Ambassador for Oceania of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). This is what she declared as she accepted her new title from FAO Director-General, Mr. Jacques Diouf.

2. Ronan Keating is newly nominated FAO Goodwill Ambassador. With over seventeenth million album sales, the Irish pop singer admits that he has been given much; but, as he was receiving his new title from FAO Director-General, Jacques Diouf, in a special ceremony in Rome, Ronan Keating said it is his duty to give back and make a difference.

3. The third new ambassador is Paraguay’s First Lady, Ms Penayo de Duarte. She is a strong supporter of FAO’s campaigns against hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity in Latin America. She believes that “hunger is one of the most violent forms of aggression against human rights”. In her country, she has played an active role in various social, health and human development programmes in favour of women, vulnerable people and street children in Asunción and other parts of Paraguay, with particular attention to families living in extreme poverty. No audio currently available.

Audio

Tune In To The Swinecast

Chuck Zimmerman October 15, 2005

It’s described as “Regular updates and entertainment on and about the pork industry.” It’s Swinecast. I didn’t even know about this until posting the ZimmCast into Yahoo Podcasts today.

The swinecaster is Ned Arthur who many may know was a farm broadcaster once upon a time just like me. Wait a minute. We’re still producing ag programming. We’re sending it out in a “broad” fashion. What does that sound like. Sounds like farm broadcasting to me. We’re just using the internet!

The coolest thing is that the Swinecast is sponsored by Elanco. I wonder if they believe farmers have digital audio players, computers and broadband? I kind of think so, don’t you?

Audio, Podcasts

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