Bambi’s Dad In AgriFinance

Chuck Zimmerman

The Hartford I’ll be honest with you and say that what most attracted me to this story is the large rack on the the stag in the logo. I want to see one of those opening day this deer season! In fact, 2 years ago I at least saw a deer that looked like The Hartford stag. So I know he’s out there.

Now the well-know insurance and financial services company (195 years and going strong) is getting into agrifinance.

Hartford Investment Management Company, the investment management subsidiary of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., announced it has added an agricultural finance team located in Fresno, California. David Dunlap joined Hartford Investment Management in late July to lead the Fresno-based team of agricultural finance professionals with more than 90 years of combined experience in agricultural lending. “The AgriFinance Group, a leader in this specialty lending arena, capitalizes on its significant experience and industry knowledge to provide more complicated loan structures to finance permanent planting developments,” said Hartford Investment Management President David Znamierowski. The four-member team of agricultural finance professionals includes Dunlap, along with Mark Peterson, Ann Bridges and Karen Micheli.

Agribusiness

CNH Reorganizes

Chuck Zimmerman

CNHI’m not real sure how this announcement is a departure from what the company has already been doing. I remember when CaseIH came under the New Holland umbrella and CNH was announced. We joked about seeing purple tractors (red + blue) but instead the brands have remained separate and marketed separately. They’ve even retained separate staffs to do this. So I’m not clear from today’s announcement how this is actually different but I guess we’ll see. I guess that when you see words like “underperforming” and new leadership it at least means that the HR department has been busy.

CNH Global today announced it will reorganize its operations into 4 distinct global brand structures: CaseIH and New Holland agriculture and Case and New Holland construction equipment.

“This represents an aggressive transformation agenda to invigorate our brands, whose heritages and loyal dealer networks are our most powerful asset. We’re convinced that organizing the company around the brands is a strong first step to increase shareholder return,” said CNH President and CEO Harold Boyanovsky. “CNH has been underperforming the industry and the challenge for CNH, as with all Fiat Group companies, is to achieve competitive excellence over the next two years. Realizing our growth plans requires a resolute focus for each of our brands to satisfy even more the differentiated needs of brand dealers and customers.

Four presidents with full profit and loss accountability for their global brands are appointed. Heading the agricultural business are Mario Ferla, CaseIH and Marco Mazzu, New Holland. Heading the construction equipment business are Jim McCullough, Case and Franco Fenoglio, New Holland.

The previous functions of global presidents responsible for the agricultural and construction equipment business are eliminated. Roland Sunden, Ag president since January 2004, has left the company.

Agribusiness

Charter For Cereal Seeds

Chuck Zimmerman

Charter FungicideGood news for cereal eaters and growers. BASF just received registration on it’s Charter Fungicide.

Cereal Seed Treatment Controls Key Seed and Soil-Borne Diseases
With the registration of Charter™ fungicide, cereal growers in the United States have access to a new, leading-edge seed treatment technology that promotes healthier, higher yielding wheat and barley. Charter provides control of key diseases including fusarium in wheat and true loose smut in barley.

Agribusiness

Pour Me Another Mr. Bartender

Chuck Zimmerman

Revolutionary Beer CoastersThis is too good not to post. Of course beer is made out of commercially produced agricultural commodities so this is a very AgWired related story.

The folks at Engadget found this story so they get the credit. Anyway, it’s a story on NewScientist.com about two thirsty researchers in Germany who have developed an intelligent beer coaster that automatically alerts your bartender when your beer is empty. Now that’s good science and good for barley and hops growers!

Uncategorized

Keep Up With Expo On World Dairy Diary

Chuck Zimmerman

World Dairy DiaryWhat kind of public relations people would we be if we didn’t do a talking news release about our own project eh? So of course we sent one out on World Dairy Diary, our very own farm show blog and the “Official blog of World Dairy Expo.” I’ll be posting here on AgWired from Expo next week but you can already see and hear plenty on World Dairy Diary!

“World Dairy Diary” will be keeping Expo attendees and non-attendees alike informed about the activities at the event October 4-8 in Madison, WI. The official blog of the World Dairy Expo at wdexpo.org is being sponsored by No-Bull Enterprises, Holstein Association USA, and the Qualisoy initiative.

“Look for commentary, pictures, audio and much more on World Dairy Diary before, during and after the Expo,” said blog manager Chuck Zimmerman of ZimmComm, Marketing and Communications. “I’ll be there for the entire event, covering all aspects of the expo.” Full Release

Audio, Farm Shows, World Dairy Expo

Chef Chili Challenge In Mid-MO

Chuck Zimmerman

Missouri Beef Industry CouncilWhen it was time to get the word out this week about a Missouri Beef Industry Council-sponsored Chili Cookoff to benefit a regional food bank the obvious thing to do was send out a Talking News Release!

(Columbia, MO) Callling all chili chefs! The Central Missouri Food Bank will benefit from a Chef’s Chili Challenge to be held October 6, 2005 from 5:00-8:00 pm at the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia, Missouri. Enter your favorite chili recipe to win while helping this great charity. Full Release

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef

Checkoff Dollars Targeting Consumers This Week

Chuck Zimmerman

MBIC Report PodcastThis week’s MBIC report from the Missouri Beef Industy Council is all about how the organization is involved in a number of events this week, including “Shape Up Missouri,” the “Working Women’s Holiday Show” and the “Regional Cardiovascular Health Conference.” MBIC’s director of consumer information, Alane Lidolph tells us all about them in this week’s report.

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

Johanns Web Portal Announcement

Chuck Zimmerman

USDA Fruit & Vegetable NewsI know I just posted an announcement about this new USDA Market News Portal but I thought you might want to hear the announcement from Sec. Johanns himself, courtesy of Southeast AgNet.

You can hear the announcement here: Download MP3 File (1MB MP3 File)

Audio, USDA

Another NAFB Audio Invite

Chuck Zimmerman

Michelle RookI certainly think the NAFB emailed audio invites are a great idea and one of the most creative things the organization has done recently. So . . . here’s the latest one. I wonder if there’s any more planned? One from Sec. Johanns? Michelle Rook (WNAX) is currently the NAFB president-elect and she says he’s confirmed to be the keynote speaker.

You can listen to Michelle’s invite here: Download MP3 File

The NAFB Convention
November 9-11, 2005
Kansas City, Missouri
Westin Crown Center

Logon to www.nafb.com to register and reserve your room. Or you may call 816-431-4032 to request a registration form. Be sure to register before October 7th when rates increase!

Audio, NAFB

Fungicides In Good Hands At Dow

Chuck Zimmerman

Janice SmithI’ll say it again. Send me pictures (and audio and video) and it certainly increases the likelihood of being used on AgWired!!

That’s what Dow AgroSciences did to announce their new marketing specialist, Janice Smith. Welcome Janice!

Janice Smith has been named marketing specialist for fungicides in the U.S. Agriculture business of Dow AgroSciences. Smith will manage the company’s broad portfolio of disease control products, including Dithane®, Enable®, Gavel®, Indar®, Laredo®, Nova®, PropiMax®, Quintec® and Rally® fungicides.

Agribusiness