Discover Your Inner Chicken

Chuck Zimmerman

Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Awareness AllianceHow does one know if one has an inner chicken? I guess you have to visit the Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Awareness Alliance website, thankachicken.com, to find out.

This is actually a creative use of Soybean Checkoff funds since the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia soybean boards used money from the checkoff’s Animal Ag Initiative to promote the benefits of the poultry industry to the Delmarva region, including the launch of the website. The project was done to thank the local poultry indutry in the Delmarva peninsula for the tax revenue it generates that’s used for schools, roads and libraries.

Ag Groups

NAWG WILOT Group Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

National Association of Wheat GrowersWhy not have a WILOT? The National Association of Wheat Growers does. It’s the Wheat Industry Leaders of Tomorrow program and they’ve got 10 folks participating. Keep these names in mind since some of them may become state and national leaders in the future!

The 10 participants are: James White from Colfax, Washington; Kevin Porter from Pendleton, Oregon; Ian Anderson from Birds Landing, California; Tim Bartram from Enid, Oklahoma; Shawn Sullivan from Wallace, Nebraska; Jay Elkin from Taylor, North Dakota; Aron Torgerson from Ethridge, Montana; Dan Engler from Downs, Kansas; Michael Martin from Forbes, North Dakota; and John Thaemert representing the NAWG Officers. The next WILOT program will be held November 1-6, 2005 in St. Louis and March 4-7, 2006 in Washington, DC.

WILOT is designed for wheat growers who are interested in becoming involved at the state level on committees and boards, but who have not yet been elected to statewide office or served on the NAWG Board of Directors. The program is a project of the NAWG Foundation and sponsored by Monsanto.

Ag Groups

Inductees Into Angus Heritage Foundation

Chuck Zimmerman

American AngusThe American Angus Association will be inducting a number of people into the Angus Heritage Foundation in just a few weeks. I will not be able to attend but I can just guess what they’ll be serving for dinner!!

The American Angus Association Board of Directors has selected three couples and one individual for induction to the Angus Heritage Foundation. Each year, a select group of individuals who have made significant contributions by dedicating their time, knowledge and efforts to the improvement and advancement of the Angus breed are inducted into the Heritage Foundation.

The 2005 inductees include Harvey & Nina Lemmon, Woodbury, Ga.; Bill & Barbara Rishel, North Platte, Neb.; and Vance & Connie Uden, Franklin, Neb. Morris Pipkin, formerly of Republic, Mo., will be inducted posthumously.

A special recognition of the inductees will be held during the American Angus Association’s Angus Awards Banquet, November 14 in Louisville, Ky. Each inductee or their family will receive a framed Angus Heritage Foundation certificate, and their names will be engraved on a permanent Heritage Foundation plaque in the Association headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo.

Uncategorized

Today’s Missouri Farmer Reads Today’s Farmer

Chuck Zimmerman

Today's Farmer MagazineThe people at Today’s Farmer magazine have just completed a new readership study which provides some comparative data to other publications targeting Missouri farmers. The publication is owned by MFA Incorporated. The sample for the survey was compiled by Farm Market ID and the survey was conducted by Ag Media Research.

Over 70 percent of Missouri’s farmers recall receiving Today’s Farmer, published by MFA Incorporated, according to the 2005 Ag Media Research Readership Study. That’s more than Successful Farming, Farm Journal or Missouri Ruralist, according to the study. Ron Claussen, Ag Media Research, says, “The high response number of producers indicates a very high actual readership level for Today’s Farmer magazine.”

Today’s Farmer is an award-winning magazine with over 37,000 subscribers – the largest circulation of any farm magazine in Missouri. What makes Today’s Farmer so attractive to farmers is that it’s written in Missouri about farming in this region. According to magazine editor, Chuck Lay, “It’s very important that our advertisers know that Today’s Farmer magazine subscribers are hand picked by our cooperative managers and they represent the largest and most active producers in our region.”

“76% of those surveyed rate Today’s Farmer parent company, MFA Incorporated, as a progressive company working to meet the needs of our state’s farmers,” according to Nip Neidert, Neidert Associates. “The partnership between MFA and Today’s Farmer takes our sponsors’ products direct from the pages of the magazine to the counter tops of co-ops throughout the region.”

Nip Neidert says to contact him if you want the “rest of the story.”

Agribusiness, Publication

MFA Health Track Has QSA Status

Chuck Zimmerman

MFA HealthTrackMFA Incorporated just got some very important news for cattlemen who want to be able to take quick advantage of the pending opening of new foreign trade markets. To announce it they sent out a Talking News Release. The state of Missouri is ahead of the game in obtaining USDA Quality Systems Assessment and MFA’s Health Track program is now able to offer that status to its customers!

Now that Missouri’s Quality Systems Assessment (QSA) program has been accepted by the USDA, MFA Health Track calves can comply with the new federal designation, which means they will have the go-ahead for the toughest export markets. Specifically, post-BSE negotiations with trading partners like Japan have made QSA a necessary bargaining tool.

MFA Health Track manager Mike John says the pending opening of the Japanese market has already created a demand for QSA certified cattle because it takes about 180 days to finish those animals. “The feed yards are willing to start filling the pipeline so they’ll have product when the market does open. So it will bring more buyers to Missouri because of the large number of feeder cattle that we have.” Full Release

Agribusiness, Audio, Beef

Farm Bill & World Trade On CornTalk

Chuck Zimmerman

CornTalk podcastCornTalk, a weekly program for the Missouri Corn Growers Association, features an interview with CEO, Gary Marshall. Gary talks about two big issues that have a direct impact on Missouri corn growers, the new farm bill and pending world trade talks. Gary discusses the status of both of these topics and explains how MCGA is working to protect its members as these issues move forward.

You can listen to this week’s CornTalk here: Download MP3 File

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

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Podcasts

The Beef Checkoff Promotes Healthy Beef Cookbook

Chuck Zimmerman

MBIC Report PodcastSt. Louis was the location for the unveiling of the new “Healthy Beef Cookbook” at the annual meeting of the American Dietetics Association. This week’s MBIC report from the Missouri Beef Industy Council is with consumer information director Alane Lidolf, who talks about the new cookbook, how it was developed and how it benefits the beef industry.

You can listen to this week’s MBIC Report here: Download MP3 File

The MBIC Report is an AgWired podcast which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar or on the newly designed MBIC website.

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Podcasts

Over 1,000 Articles Now On AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman

I knew another milestone was fast approaching for AgWired but I didn’t catch it until I went past it. This post is number 1,002! When I got started I thought that I’d be lucky to post something every once in a while. Little did I know. I guess it’s called being bitten by the blog bug. Whatever it is, there is no shortage of information or topics.

That’s why I’m looking for writers, like Keith Good who started today. I hope you like his article on farm policy. He’ll be a regular. If you’ve got a blog and think you want to give it a try I’m willing to discuss it. I know there’s a lot of good writers out there but I need someone who’s committed (or maybe should be).

Over time I hope you’ll find that AgWired will become a valuable resource for keeping up on “what’s new in the world of agribusiness.”

Uncategorized

George W. Has A Christmas Tree

Chuck Zimmerman

2005 White House Christmas TreeIt may not look a lot like Christmas yet but George W. has a tree for the White House. The National Christmas Tree Association helped get it picked out. This is a nice looking tree.

A beautiful 18 ½ foot tall Fraser Fir tree from North Carolina will be the Official White House Christmas Tree this season. The Blue Room Christmas Tree will be officially presented to First Lady Laura Bush by Earl, Betsy and Buddy Deal of Smokey Holler Tree Farm in Laurel Springs, N.C. The Deals earned this honor by winning the National Christmas Tree Association’s (NCTA) national Christmas Tree contest and becoming Grand Champions.

The Blue Room Christmas Tree was handpicked by White House Chief Usher Gary Walters and Grounds Foreman Mike Lawn on October 20. The tree will be cut in late November and sent to Washington, D.C. The White House staff also selected two beautiful Real Christmas Trees for the White House Oval Office and the Bush family’s private residence.

Ag Groups

Historic World Ag Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

World Ag ExpoThey claim it’s still number one after 39 years and the name is certainly fitting. World Ag Expo just wants you to know a little of the history. I’m hoping to find out all about it myself next year and “blog it.” If you’re interested in being the exclusive sponsor of AgWired coverage of the show just contact me now for the cost.

In 1968, 157 agribusiness exhibitors got together to produce a local ag event in the rural town of Tulare, Calif. They called it the California Field and Row Crop Equipment Show, never dreaming what would become of their little show. Now, 39 years later – and under the more fitting name of World Ag Expo – it is the unqualified largest farm equipment and technology show on the globe.

As it heads toward its Feb. 14 –16, 2006 show dates, World Ag Expo today boasts more than 2,100 sold exhibit spaces on 2.5 million square feet of showgrounds, with visitors and exhibitors coming from every corner of the earth. World Ag Expo has an international reputation as “the place to see it all!”

The 39th annual World Ag Expo, under the leadership of Erin Ferguson, is scheduled for Feb. 14 – 16, 2006. For more information call 800-999-9186 or 559-688-1751 or keep current at www.farmshow.org.

Farm Shows