Well we’re in the Pioneer Carver Center now and lunch is almost over. I interviewed Pioneer, Sales & Marketing/Public Relations Manager, Jerry Harrington before things got going. He gives us an overview of the Science of Solutions media event.
You can listen to my interview with Jerry here: 
Jerry Harrington Interview (2:38 MP3 File)
Here’s Jerry watching the first presentation with Bill Kuhn.
It’s almost time for the Pioneer, “Science of Solutions” event to kick off in Johnston, IA. I’ll be heading over there shortly.
We’ve got an afternoon full of presentations starting with Bill Kuhn, Pioneer Research Director. He’ll be updating us on the Pioneer research pipeline. Later this afternoon we’ll take a virtual tour of the Pioneer Hawaii Research Station. Then we’ll hear about the whole issue of managing worldwide biotech regulatory acceptance. I’ll be recording the presentations and conducting interviews and hope to have some of it availabe during the afternoon.
There doomsayers and there are realists. A report in a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan newspaper caught my attention. In my opinion, it adds to the farming confusion – But at the same time, it lays it on the line.
Family grain and oilseed farms can no longer turn a profit, and society is at a crossroads where it must choose whether to subsidize them or let them fade away, a University of Saskatchewan professor says. Agricultural economics professor Hartley Furtan says an analysis of Statistics Canada data from 2003 shows government subsidies and income earned outside farm gates kept family farms. With similar incomes in 2004 and 2005, and a bleak outlook for 2006, it’s time for society to make a choice.
“If the sector is not important enough to warrant more financial support, let the market process take its course and we will have fewer farm families with less grain and oilseed production,” writes Furtan. “If it is the families we care about, we need to consider new policies such as guaranteed annual income for farmers.”
Canada’s new Ag Minister Chuck Strahl begged about 2,000 farmers in an Ottawa, Ontario rally for more time to solve the income crisis plaguing the country’s agriculture sector. Some heckled; others even turned their back on him.
Obviously, unfair to the minister, it shows how deep the hurt is on the farm. In fact, in Ontario, 70 percent of farmers don’t get their primary income from the farm
While driving south from Red Wing and a little north of Rochester, MN, I passed an elk farm just before it got dark. Very pretty picture. Snow covered hillside and lots of these animals. They were a long way off so I pulled over on a very busy 4-lane and put my camera on a small tripod on top of my car to snap a couple pics.
Of course it was about 29 degrees, windy and 18 wheelers blowing past and rocking the car so this was not an easy thing to do. This was the best of about 10 shots I took before common sense took over and I got back into the car (warm) and back on the highway.
Today reminded me of my days in affiliate relations for the radio network business. Lots of windshield time. Leaving Minneapolis and driving to Red Wing, MN. Stopping in New Trier at Dan’s Bar & Grill for a hamburger on the way. Then driving on to Johnston, IA to spend the night prior to the Pioneer event the next 2 days.
I went to RedWing to visit with Tim McKim, The Idea Outpost. Good name for an agency and in a very interesting location. You should visit Tim sometime. We discussed AgNewsWire.AgWired.com and incorporating new media strategies into a marketing campaign for both ag and non-ag clients.
Here’s a special ZimmCast for you from Broadhead+Co. After a meeting with Dean Broadhead and his staff I interviewed him about his agency and why he’s positioning it as “focused on the business and life of rural America.” The agency is almost 5 years old now. Dean also talks about strategies he believes work to reach rural America and the agricultural audience. He still believes advertising is important and is very open to new media options.
You can listen to this special ZimmCast here: 
(13:21 MP3 File)
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 or subscribe in iTunes.
In attending the Canadian Association of Ag Retailers Icebreaker Reception in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan recently, I got the feeling there’s optimism in the air.
Several people told me it’s not near as negative as some make it out to be. One person in the hotel elevator told me farmers are the eternal optimists – they’ll make it happen.
Yes, that is all fine and good. However, while also being an optimist, I’m also a realist and recognize when farmers get ready to head to the fields, their attitudes change. This year, it all depends how the banker views their finances.
One farmer at Morris, MB told me a few banks are telling some farmers – thanks but no thanks. You’re in fine shape, but two years of poor crops and no inventory, and low commodity prices are make it difficult to pencil out a profit, we don’t need your business. Case closed.
How many of those cases are there, I’m not sure, probably not very many. For a group that’s shrinking in numbers, and for the most part those few are most likely the younger set, two or three is too many. Yes, another bank may look at their case, and may indeed finance their operating loan, but in some cases, no one will. What happens to that farmer and to his land? Someone will farm it, but the mix gets smaller.
For those who are left, who have the finances, and who look for the small niches and little positives, the excitement level rises because ingenuity, new crop prospects, a support industry ready to lend that helping hand, it’s a brand new year. It’s simply, “time to get at her,” as they say . . .
Let me introduce you to Harry Siemens because you’ll be seeing his writing here on AgWired on a regular basis. We’re in a global farm economy right? So why not have some Canadian perspective? This is going to be fun. I’m just getting to know Harry and you and I will get to know him better together. Harry lives in Winkler, Manitoba. That’s not too far from the U. S. border. Harry “gets” this blogging thing and I’m really excited to have him become a part of the AgWired world.
Harry’s bio says he, “has spent over 33 years in farm communications as a broadcaster and journalist, farm advocacy speaker and corporate trainer to agribusiness. People listen to what Siemens Says and respect his deep knowledge and love of the farm.
Harry delivers opinionated educational and motivational commentary on relevant agricultural issues with a rare, common sense, honest and opinionated advocacy that gets heard, gets attention and gets results in an industry that is so often affected by issues beyond its control.
When Harry speaks and writes, he covers the main farm issues of the day and puts them in perspective for the listener. He sets the record straight with his inspiration and informed opinions that are original, spiced with humor, and candid.”
That sounds like the kind of guest blogger we want on AgWired. We’re just getting started so I’ll be posting his articles for a few days until I get time to set him up for posting on his own. I hope you like this new feature and would love to know your comments.
Andy Vance at Buckeye Ag Radio Network has been providing me with some great stories for World Dairy Diary. This one had a broader audience and includes his interview so I thought I’d post it here too.
At the recent Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY, Andy interviewed Brent Raines from Krone North America. They talked about new forage epuipment and the Krone big baler shown here.
You can listent to Andy’s interview with Brent here: Brent Raines Interview (6:29 MP3 Fle)
Driving to Minneapolis from Holts Summit, MO makes for one long day, especially if your email account goes on the fritz half way up and your Palm Treo turns into a “plain” mobile phone. It’s fixed now for any of you who had problems getting through to me this afternoon.
So, I’m here and surfing around and found a story titled, “Lots of Bull Promised at 10th Annual Belgian Blue Sale.” That caught my eye. It’s the American Belgian Blue Breeders Association sale coming up April 1, 2006, at 1:00 P.M, at the Heely Livestock Market, Inc., Hwy. 32 and U in El Dorado Springs, Mo. The deadline for Nominations is March 5, 2006.
2006 marks the 10th Annual BBB Sale, but it is the first since all US BB breeders have united under one association, the American Belgian Blue Breeders Association, Inc. (ABBB). This translates into a greater number of breeders participating.
Here’s the part I like: “On March 31st at 7:00PM all are welcome to enjoy a Belgian Blue Beef and Catfish buffet and take part in a Benefit Auction for the ABBB.”
