I mentioned before how there was tremendous flooding in Switzerland just a week or so ago. Outside our hotel here at the IFAJ Congress they’re still pumping water out of the basement. This has been going on since we arrived without stop. The hotel is on the edge of Lake Thun and became a temporary island during the worst of it.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
On the second day of the IFAJ Congress it was time to get to work, beginning with general sessions at the Schadausaal. The focus of the Congress is “The New Role of Agriculture.” Speakers included: Manfred Boetsch, Director of the Swiss Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Luzius Wasaescha, Ambassador, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Hansjoerg Walter, President of the Swiss Farmer’s Union and Walter Huber, CEO of Emmi.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
I mentioned singing in a previous post and that’s what we did at supper. The first song was a German song – Mir Senne heis lustig.
Leading the effort was one of the Congress organizers, Marcus Rediger.
Since I had my recorder you have the dubious pleasure of being able to hear our song here: 
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Honored at last night’s dinner was Rolf Haeberli, Switzerland, who is one of the founders of IFAJ. In fact, Rolf, who’s a young 85 years old, says they got this organization started in Paris in 1956. I didn’t want to tell him that I wasn’t even born yet! Way to go Rolf.
Rolf is here with his wife and enjoying every minute of it.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Giving us a hearty welcome before dinner was the IFAJ Congress planning committee chairman, Hans Mueller. He did a great job in at least 2 languages as I recall. In fact, that’s something that really strikes you at an international conference like this. The diversity of language. There are almost 300 people here from over 30 countries! I think I heard that we have new members attending from Nepal even. This is an excellent opportunity to meet with and talk to ag journalists from other countries. I’m sure we’re making contacts that will last a lifetime.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Before dinner opening day we heard from Elisabeth Zolch-Balmer, Minister of the Department of Economic Affairs and a member of the government of the Canton of Berne. Elisabeth talked about how the government is working to save and restore small Swiss farms through the use of payments. She said they’ve had a real decline in the number of these small farms but that it has stabilized. The farms are actually important to more than just the agricultural industry. They’re very important to tourism as well.
I interviewed Elisabeth while the alpine horns were playing in the background. You can listen to the interview here:
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Besides the alpine horns we were treated to authentic Swiss yodeling. I didn’t get the name of our yodeler but you can of course listen to her. We did some singing at dinner later and probably should have invited her to join us. As you’ll hear our singing left a lot to be desired.
Listen to the yodeling here:
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
I’ve seen these horns before but usually on display. Here at the dinner site we were able to see/hear them in action. These two played them very well.
If you’d like to hear what the alpine horns sound like you can listen here:
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
The IFAJ main hotel is the Seepark, where I’m staying. I couldn’t get internet access to work in my room but there was an extra DSL cable in the press room. Here you can see two people hard at work. On the left is Diane Johnson, executive director of the Livestock Publications Council and Mariann Back Nielsen, consultant with 2vejs kommunikation.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Swiss hospitality! After our city reception in Thun, we went up the mountainside a little ways to Gasthof Weyersbuhl, a beautiful little house/farm located in Uebeschi, for another reception and dinner. We started out with some refreshments which were different fruit juices but not what we in America would call fruit punch. I really don’t know what they were but they were good.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
