I knew this wasn’t going to sit well with everyone and I’m sure we’re going to hear a lot more about it. We reported recently on the introduction of a new voluntary beef labeling program. It was officially kicked off today. The first response we’ve seen has been from the American Meat Institute.
NEW LABELING PROGRAM GETS ‘VOLUNTARY’ RIGHT,
BUT ANTI-IMPORTED BEEF MOTIVATIONS ARE STILL WRONG
By AMI President J. Patrick Boyle
“A new effort announced by the Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project (CCMP) aimed at voluntary country-of-origin labeling for beef got two things right: it’s voluntary and the costs of the program are paid for by those who champion it.
This stands in stark contrast to the expensive, mandatory program slated to go into effect in September 2006. That program’s first year implementation costs are estimated $3.9 billion, two-thirds of which will be borne by the red meat industry alone.
However, a close read of the materials released today by CCMP, a project of the Organization for Competitive Markets and the Ranchers-Cattlemen’s Action Legal Fund, should make clear that despite the fact that it is voluntary, the “Not just any beef. USA Raised Beef” campaign is an anti-trade initiative that reflects R-CALF’s ongoing beef with imports.
Under major free trade agreements, beef imported into the U.S. must be produced and inspected according to the same standards as beef produced in U.S. packing plants Only certain plants in other countries are certified as having this equivalence and only those plants may export to the U.S. To suggest that USDA is permitting “cheap” and “unsafe” beef into the U.S. is patently false and misleading to consumers.
For more information contact JANET RILEY, 202/587-4245.
As you may now know, ZimmComm is working in cooperation with the 
Tommorow it’s off to Kansas City for the 
This week the 
Now here’s a deal I haven’t seen before. You know I’m a Sirius subscriber since I’ve written about it before. I’ve been wondering when or how or if the satellite radio people will try to target the most logical immediate customers for their product. It looks like they’ve been doing a little work. Although farmers are just “regular” people who like all that programming wouldn’t it be nice if they offered farm news?
This is what I call a “revolutionary” way to get out and solicit some business. I’m thinking AgWired Bus! Nothing like borrowing a good idea. Of course it would have to have satellite high speed internet access but wouldn’t that be a cool way to blog around the countryside? In fact, I’ve suggested that 
Austin, TX – New American Farm, a farmer-owned production company, announced today that it will launch a 60-city, five-month tour that will cover an estimated 10,000 miles and five states across the Midwest on Thursday, June 23, 2005. 
I waited to post this until I had a copy of the radio spot that this coalition of ag groups for CAFTA is running this week on rural radio stations.
Brian Legried has accepted the position of president for 
Cofina Financial is the recent formation, limited liability company (LLC), with CHS Inc. and Cenex Finance Association. Beginning operations July 1, the company is based at the CHS headquarters in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. 
Agritourism has become a valuable additional way for many farms to make more money. In this week’s ZimmCast I interview Jane Eckert, 
ZimmComm is teaming up with the World Dairy Expo to publish the first ever