USA RAISED BEEF Because COOL Not Cool

Chuck Zimmerman

CCMP LogoHere’s something new to me. Just got this information on a press conference on the new coalition. I really don’t have any more information than this so we’ll see what comes out of their press conference. If they have any websites for CCMP or the USA RAISED BEEF program I haven’t found any yet. The closest I can find it this.


D E T A I L S : Stakeholder organizations in CCMP have developed a national initiative to promote USA RAISED BEEF. This press
conference will mark the national unveiling of the USA RAISED BEEF logo and publicity campaign. It will underscore the fact that the USDA grade stamp of approval does not guarantee consumers are purchasing USA RAISED BEEF. Retailers participating in the USA RAISED BEEF initiative will be present to discuss how the program is being used in their retail
outlets to educate consumers and enhance demand for USA RAISED BEEF.

USA RAISED BEEFA B O U T C C M P : The Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project (CCMP) is a voluntary producer contribution program
developed by producers to support fair, open and competitive markets; realistic international trade policies; mandatory country of origin labeling and promotion of USA RAISED BEEF.

B A C K G R O U N D : The Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project (CCMP) will launch nationally its USA RAISED BEEF “Ask
For It” campaign on June 28, 2005 at 12:30 p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The event will showcase the new
promotional initiative for domestically grown beef and how the logo is already being displayed in retail stores, livestock auction markets and ranches throughout the Midwest and West.

For More Information:
Chase Carter, OCM Executive Director, 402.817.4443

Carrie Longwood, SDSGA Executive Director, 605.342.0429

John Lockie, MCA Executive Director, 406.628.2230

Chris Abbott, ICON President, 308.282.2826

Danni Beer, R-CALF USA COOL, Committee Chair, 605.524.3383

Ag Groups, Beef

Positive BSE Test

Chuck Zimmerman

USDABy now I’m sure everyone and their brother has heard about the USDA announcement on the BSE test. You can read the full transcript of remarks at the USDA press conference here.

This has certainly generated the need for organizations to respond so we’ll have more after we evaluate the information we receive.

Beef

Florida Gulf Coast Sunset

Chuck Zimmerman

Keeton Beach SunsetThis is why you need a client in Florida when you live in the midwest. After yesterday’s blogging seminar we re-located to an undisclosed west coast of Florida location to spend the night. We got there just in time for the sunset! My picture doesn’t do it justice but at least I thought to take one.

Today’s going to be a “day off” for the most part but then it’ll be time to get back into the action for AgWired.

Uncategorized

NAIS Would Boost Consumer Confidence

Chuck Zimmerman

Global Animal ManagementThe folks at Global Animal Management have done a consumer survey to find out what the move to a national animal id system will mean to confidence in food safety. That’s the topic of their latest talking news release.

CONSUMER POLL: FOOD SAFETY CONFIDENCE WILL IMPROVE
WITH MANDATORY NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

KENILWORTH, N.J. June 24, 2005 – A recent poll shows that consumers will become even more confident in the safety and security of the nation’s meat and poultry supply if a mandatory National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is implemented. Under the national animal ID system, authorities would be able to quickly locate specific animals to prevent the spread of livestock diseases, such as mad cow disease. The consumer survey was sponsored by Global Animal Management Inc., a leading provider of animal and premise identification systems.
The poll of one thousand U.S. consumers was conducted in mid-May. It shows that consumers already have considerable confidence in the nation’s meat and poultry supply with more than thirty-seven percent saying their current meat safety confidence is high and only ten percent rating their confidence as low.

Jim Heinle (Hine-lee), president of Global Animal Management, says that the survey shows that consumer cofidence would increase significantly with the implementation of a national animal identification system. Nearly 55 percent of those polled said their confidence would then be high, and those who said their confidence will remain low declined to less than 4 percent. (Full Release)

For more information contact Julie Lux, (908) 298-4774.

Agribusiness, Audio

Blogging Seminar Demonstration Post

Chuck Zimmerman

Southeast AgNet Blogging SeminarI’m still conducting the Southeast AgNet/Citrus Industry Magazine blogging seminar. See how excited these folks look?

This post is being done to demonstrate “live” how easy it is to post pictures and information to your blog (website).

Media

Learn To Spell Foods With FOODSPELL

Chuck Zimmerman

Association of Food JournalistsI don’t think I qualify for membership but I like food and I like to write. These people make a living at it! They’ve got a great resource too called “FOODSPELL.” It’s a guide to spelling those difficult food words like “Szechuan,” which can be spelled several different way. You can order it from their website. They’ve also got an annual conference coming up in San Francisco in September.

The Association of Food Journalists, Inc., is a networking system especially created for journalists who devote most of their working time to planning and writing food copy for news media worldwide.

AFJ’s primary goal is to encourage communication among food journalists. In addition, AFJ tries to increase members’ knowledge of food and to sharpen their writing, design and broadcast skills. The group also strives to foster professional standards among its members and other members of the media.

BEGINNINGS

AFJ was formed in 1974 as the Newspaper Food Editors and Writers Association, Inc. At that time, many food editors voiced a desire for a professional association that addressed the common needs and goals of food journalists. The organization grew quickly.

The group changed its name to the Association of Food Journalists, Inc., in 1994 to better reflect its diverse membership.

Today, AFJ has more than 275 members from the United States and Canada as well as other countries. There are members from most metropolitan and smaller daily newspapers, magazines, broadcast companies and online services in the United States and Canada. In addition, free-lance food writers, cookbook authors and syndicated columnists are also members.

Media

Blog Training In Florida

Chuck Zimmerman

Southeast AgNetTomorrow I’ll be conducting a day long seminar in my home state! Gary Cooper, Southeast AgNet/Citrus Industry Magazine and his staff will be learning about blogging/podcasting/RSS and more. This is going to be fun.

If you’ve been thinking about this whole “blogging” thing I think it’s time to call in a pro-blogger that understands your industry. Hmmm. Who would that be?

The interest in using these communications tools is heating up in the ag world. Keep an eye on AgWired as we continue to develop and help others to do so.

Media

R-Calf USA Team To Central America

Chuck Zimmerman

R-Calf USAThis is going to be a toasty trip. I’d take along some sunscreen! I’m betting they won’t find a steak as good as you’ll find here in the midwest.

R-CALF USA to Send Fact-Finding Team to Central America

(Billings, Mont.) – R-CALF USA International Trade Committee Co-Chairs Dennis McDonald and Brett DeBruycker announced today that a four member fact-finding team will be dispatched to Central America on June 24, 2005, to research and analyze the support for, and impact of, the U.S.-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) amongst Central American nations.

The team is charged with four primary goals: 1) obtain what level of support exists for CAFTA-DR amongst the populace and grassroots producers of Central America; 2) research true production numbers for agricultural products in those nations, with a special emphasis on beef production; 3) discover the actual potential for expansion in beef production; and, 4) gain overall insight into food safety conditions in processing plants.

The fact-finding team will depart for Central America on June 24 and is currently scheduled to visit Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras. Meetings and tours will include meat-processing facilities, ranching operations, cattlemen’s groups, embassy and trade officials, and the team is scheduled to appear at a cattle show in Liberia, Costa Rica. The team will return to the United States on July 2. A national tele-news conference is being scheduled following the conclusion of their trip.

For more information contact Shae Dodson.

Ag Groups, Beef

Neogen VP Appointed To USDA Advisory Committee

Chuck Zimmerman

NeogenI think the biotech companies have some very cool looking logos. Perhaps this company should be called a micro-biotech company.

Neogen’s Madden named USDA advisor

LANSING, Mich., June 21, 2005 – Neogen Corporation’s Vice President of Scientific Affairs Dr. Joseph Madden was among 30 scientific experts recently appointed by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods.

Since 1988, this advisory committee has provided scientific advice on public health issues relative to the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply. The committee also assists in the development of microbiological criteria, and reviews and evaluates epidemiological and risk assessment data as well as methodologies for assessing microbiological hazards.

“The casual observer of media hyperbole might draw the conclusion that our food supply is more at risk than ever before. Quite the opposite is true,” said James Herbert, Neogen’s president. “Thanks to the efforts of many, including this National Advisory Committee, we’ve made great strides in making our food supply the safest it has ever been. Secretary Johanns’ appointments to this committee represent the best thinking on food safety from regulatory, industry, and academia.”

The 30 have been chosen to serve for two-year terms, and represent disciplines related to health and food safety issues. In addition to Neogen, appointees also include food safety experts from McDonald’s Corporation, Wal-Mart, Hershey Foods, and numerous governmental agencies and research institutes.

For more information contact Rod Poland, Director of Corporate Communications, 517/372-9200.

Agribusiness