If you’re not “horsey” then you might not have heard about the fact that a couple of horses were cloned recently and seem to be doing very well. They’re the result of a collaborative effort between Viagen, Inc. and Encore Genetics.
“The legendary cutting horse Royal Blue Boon, a registered American Quarter Horse, became the first mare to be commercially cloned when a foal was born to a recipient mare on Royal Vista Southwest farms in Purcell, Okla., on Feb. 19, 2006. The foal was born healthy and continues to thrive on the farm where she was born. She was joined soon after by a clone of the mare Tap O Lena, born at the same farm on March 9, 2006.
You can watch a video of the Royal Blue Boon meeting her clone here: 
Clone Video (13 min wmv) There are a number of additional clones to be born still this year.
Blogging, Blogging on the BIO
It’s all going to be here on AgWired too. I’ll be blogging the BIO, live from Chicago’s McCormick Place starting at the end of this weekend. This is going to be an interesting challenge. They’re claiming a crowd of nearly 20,000 people from all over the world.
The biggest news though is that my coverage is being sponsored by Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications. Just recently we reported that the agency has joined with Worldwide Partners, Inc. I think these folks are really open to new ways of doing things and this sponsorship is ample proof of that. In fact, R&K is going to have the distinction of being the first agency to advertise on AgWired. Is it too early to call it a trend?
I want to say thank you to Steve Rhea and his staff for this opportunity to work with them on this event. You’ll be seeing lots of interesting content here as we work through the coming days.
I’ve got to give you my BIO news release update. I’m up to 60 news releases that have been emailed to me this week so far. Most of them are an announcement about a press conference or interview opportunity. There’s no way a lone blogger can make them all but I’ll be at as many as I can. I look forward to bringing you the best of the BIO.
Have a Steak Sundae
I just had to post this because of the picture. We just sent out a Talking News Release for long time client, the Missouri Beef Industry Council on the steak sundae. It had me fooled when I first looked at it. I was wondering how beef would go with ice cream. But read on:
April is the “Month of the Young Child” and anyone who has children knows how difficult it can be to get them to eat nutritious foods. To make it a little easier, the Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC) offers a fun idea for even the pickiest eaters – the Steak Sundae. According to MBIC marketing director Dawn Thurnau, the treat can be made by alternating layers of mashed potatoes and chunks of steak with warm barbeque sauce or gravy in a sundae dish.
“Then on the top you put your chunks of steak with another little dollop of mashed potatoes and then a cherry tomato on the very top with some green onions. So it looks just like a chocolate sundae, but tastes like an open-face roast beef sandwich,” said Thurnau
Listen to Dawn here: 
Dawn (MP3)
R&K Receives ARF’s Ogilvy
ARF stands for Advertising Research Foundation. And ARF bestows the David Ogilvy Award at it’s annual convention which was just held in New York City. Rhea & Kaiser received the award in the services/retail/media category.
The award, which recognizes the role that insightful research plays in developing marketing and advertising campaigns that deliver superior return on investment, was presented to R&K for the agency’s work on the Evanston Northwestern Healthcare “Why I Chose” campaign. R&K was the only independent advertising agency to be nominated for and to receive this award.
More Rural Broadband Loans Announced
High speed internet access in the countryside just keeps growing and USDA’s rural development assistance program is helping make that happen once again. This time three loans totaling $43.7 million were announced to provide broadband service to an estimated 41,000 rural households and businesses in four states. I would have to believe that some of those folks are farmer wouldn’t you?
The four states are Florida, Georgia, Minnesota and New York. I hope the companies receiving the loans do well.
Food Code 2005
Do you want to know all about:
* Major Food Allergen Knowledge
* New Time and Temperature Controls to Prevent Pathogenic Microorganism
Growth Or Toxin Formation
* New Controls And Operations For Reduced Oxygen Packaging
* Refocused Date-Marking Provisions
* Updated Employee Health Provisions
Then you need the fully updated Food Code 2005 Book from the National Technical Information Service. We don’t want any toxins in our food supply!
The Food Code contains the latest science-based information on food safety for retail and food service industries. It represents FDA’s best advice for a uniform system for safeguarding public health and ensuring food is unadulterated and honestly presented when offered to the consumer. The Food Code 2005 edition is available as a handy loose-leaf manual from the National Technical Information Service.
Here’s To Beer
Cindy showed me an ad in our local paper for Here’s To Beer. It doesn’t say much other than that we should raise our glasses on April 7th and celebrate.
Why? Why not? Actually it’s to celebrate the fact that President Roosevelt signed emergency legislation on April 7, 1933, prior to prohibition, declaring “let there be beer.” After 13 years of prohibition people were thirsty! If you go to the website you’re going to find out lots of stuff about beer. Like styles of beer, beer quotes, beer facts, and lots more.
So I say, why wait. It’s now April 6. Let’s get this party started.
Nesco Meats has innovative proposal
Since the beginning of the BSE crisis in Canada, there has been lots of talk about new beef slaughter and processing facilities. Although there have been scores of proposals, only a few have proceeded. Nesco Meats of Melfort, SK has maintained a low profile, but has developed what looks like a viable plan.
Farm Commentator and writer Kevin Hursh of Saskatoon says most of the 25 initial shareholders are producers who have investigated technology from a company in New Zealand that allows a slaughter plant to do a number of different species in an efficient and hygienic manner. “The result is a plan for a federally inspected slaughter and processing facility that would do 50,000 to 80,000 animals per year in a single shift,” said Hursh. “While beef will be the mainstay, the plant will also be able to custom slaughter bison, elk and wild boar.”
Nesco Meats has purchased 18 acres of fully serviced industrial land from the city of Melfort. The environmental assessment is nearly complete. A prospectus should be complete in the near future, at which time there will be a share offering. The $15 million capital project would create about 40 direct jobs. After all the failed plans for slaughter and processing facilities, it’s easy to dismiss these sorts of proposals, but Nesco Meats seems to have done its homework and it has an innovative plan
McClure Joins Rhea & Kaiser
That’s a big commute. Chi-town to St. Louie. But Scott McClure is doing it now as management supervisor leading the Bayer CropScience cotton, rice and peanut accounts for Rhea & Kaiser.
McClure brings more than 20 years of agency and publishing experience to the position, including advertising, public relations, event planning and issues management responsibilities. Prior to joining Rhea & Kaiser, he was vice president account services with St. Louis-based communications agency Brighton, where he served as group leader for all agribusiness accounts, including Delta and Pine Land Company, the largest cotton breeder and seed marketer in the United States, and BASF Agricultural Products. McClure also served as vice president, marketing communications, and vice president, agribusiness, with Fleishman-Hillard. His publishing background includes Vance Publishing and Farm Press Publications, as well as editorial responsibilities for several agricultural and turf grass publications.
Bowled Over By BIO
I was pretty psyched up to attend BIO 2006 but it’s not looking good. I need a sponsor and none has been forthcoming. This would be one awesome event to blog. I proposed it to BIO but never even received an acknowledgement of my emailed proposal. However, I am credentialed. It’s not too late if anyone would like to have this huge event properly blogged.
In the last 3 days I’ve received 36 emailed press releases and announcements from I don’t know how many countries. Even our own Missouri Governor is planning on attending. It’s interesting to see the press pitches offered. Like, “We thought you might find it useful . . .” to “You are invited . . .” I really like the sound of the Australian wine tasting for media. Here’s one I got a kick out of, “I see that you’ll be attending the BIO 2006 Annual International Convention in Chicago next week. . .” Ah, you did, did you?
This is certainly information overload. I don’t even have time to read and examine all these announcements. I’m sure they’ll continue. I’ll try to give you an update by Monday even if I’m not there.
If you’re interested you can see the online media site here.