Western Ag Network Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

Western Ag NetworkHere’s a big announcement from some of my favorite people. Way to go Russell, Lane and Evan!

Radio listeners in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming have a new source for the latest agriculture news and markets-the Western Ag Network.

Owned and operated by veteran National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) broadcaster Russell Nemetz, the network’s programs are heard on 47 radio affiliates in 6 states including Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
For nearly 25 years, he was part of the Northern Ag Network’s farm broadcast team; the majority of those years as it’s Ag Director.
In 2019, he had the opportunity to assume operation of and eventually purchase the Evan Slack Network; another well-known Ag Radio Network in the Rocky Mountain West and Northern Plains.

“It’s a tremendous honor to have this opportunity to continue to serve America’s agriculture industry on the airwaves” said Nemetz. “I want to thank Evan Slack for his legendary career as a trusted friend to agriculture and I will be forever thankful to the hall of fame farm broadcaster for this opportunity to carry on his legacy and still have him part of our broadcast team as an honorary member as he enjoys retirement in Arizona.”

NAFB farm broadcaster Lane Nordlund has also joined the Western Ag Network team. Read More

Media

Animal Ag News 8/3

Carrie Muehling

  • Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, released a statement in support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s award of nearly $1 million to the Baylor University Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty to implement the new pilot program designed to encourage Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase and consume milk as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
  • Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is stepping private label discussions into high gear with grocery stores and restaurants to increase dairy product market opportunities. Increasing sales of private label cheese supports dairy farmers by increasing milk volume and growing cheese sales.
  • Driving demand for dairy foods through partnerships is critical for the dairy industry’s future. One dairy checkoff tactic has been working together with food service partners for over a decade. Partnerships with Domino’s, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Taco Bell and KFC are driving innovation and dairy sales. These types of partnerships have grown by 2.2 billion milk pounds and experience an average 3% growth rate each year (three times the average). Learn more at DairyMAX.org.
  • 2020 marks the 80th year of the Sturgis ® Motorcycle Rally™ and South Dakota Beef Industry Council looks to expand beef demand through a continued partnership with the City of Sturgis as the official meat of the Rally™. The venue allows beef to reach nearly a half million consumers from all over the world throughout the ten-day event scheduled for August 7-16, 2020.
  • The Checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program, managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), is now recognized as an industry-leading animal welfare program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reviewed and certified that the BQA program complies with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Animal Welfare Management/General Requirements and Guidance for Organizations in the Food Supply Chain.
  • Merck Animal Health announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of the worldwide rights to VECOXAN® (diclazuril), an oral suspension for the prevention of coccidiosis in calves and lambs, from Elanco Animal Health.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

2020 Ag Media Summit is Going Virtual.

Chuck Zimmerman

2020 Ag Media SummitHere is the official announcement from the Ag Media Summit.

We were looking forward to seeing everyone at AMS 2020 in Kansas City. However, the safety and well-being of our participants is our priority. Based on growing concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our community’s ability to travel to the conference, the Ag Media Summit Steering Committee is now moving AMS 2020 to a fully virtual conference.

As the AMS Steering Committee works to move AMS 2020 completely online, we look forward to offering you the same vibrant programming, impactful networking, and opportunities to connect. In addition to participating in the virtual event, all attendees will have access to on-demand recordings. Stayed tuned for more information regarding registration and support opportunities.

We hope that you will join us for this reimagined event and celebrate our collective resilience and dedication to forging connections. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions at info@agmediasummit.com.

Ag Media Summit, Media

ZimmCast 651 – NCBA Virtual Newsroom and More

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast, featuring weekly interviews with agribusiness industry leaders and all about what’s new, with a focus on agricultural marketing.

In this week’s program you’ll hear from Marvin Kokes, Senior VP of Corporate Relations, NCBA. We talk about this week’s Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting and the virtual ag newsroom we created on AgNewsWire.

From there I share a few more of my conversations with sustaining partners of the National Agri-Marketing Association. You’ll hear from Curt Blades, Senior VP, Agricultural Services, Association of Equipment Manufacturers; Laurie Fleck, President/CEO, FLM/Harvest and Laurel Caes, Public Relations Manager, North America, John Deere. I’ll have more to come in future episodes.

BTW. If you haven’t registered for the Virtual Agri-Marketing Conference you can still do so at NAMA.org.

I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: NCBA Virtual Newsroom and More

Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

AEM, Agencies, Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, FLM Harvest, John Deere, ZimmCast

Industry Ag News 7/31

Carrie Muehling

  • National Corn Growers Association President Kevin Ross joined Iowa and national agriculture leaders for an AgTalks virtual town hall to discuss the future of agriculture, with a focus on trade, supply chains and global competitiveness.
  • The National Corn Growers Association urges any farmers who have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China to follow guidance being provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on how to proceed. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and State departments of agriculture to investigate the situation.
  • Alabama peanut farmers voted to continue the current assessment on peanuts that is collected by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and administered by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA). In a referendum conducted on July 23, 2020, ninety-five percent of those who voted said “yes” to continuing APPA’s programs in education, promotion and research.
  • Despite turbulent economic times, an investment in senior level talent continues to reap benefits for CLUTCH, a hybrid consultancy and agency with a roster of clients across the agriculture and food value chain. Chris Strohmeyer joins the Minneapolis-based firm as Vice President, Operations and Quality, while Erin Heidecker takes on the role of Senior Manager of Client Engagement.
  • Heliae® Agriculture is pleased to announce the promotion of two team members, Karl Wyant to Vice President of Ag Science and Shelley Baugh to Director of Marketing.
Zimfo Bytes

Marketing Policy Session Wraps up NCBA Summer Meeting

Cindy Zimmerman

A capacity crowd of cattle producers worked for more than six hours Wednesday to agree on a policy that would help resolve concerns about live cattle marketing issues and lead the industry to more robust price discovery.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Live Cattle Marketing Committee considered several proposals, each aimed at encouraging greater volumes of cash cattle trade. After intense debate, the committee and the NCBA Board of Directors unanimously passed a policy that supports voluntary efforts to improve cash fed cattle trade during the next 90 days with the potential for mandates in the future if robust regional cash trade numbers are not reached by the industry.

Over 400 cattle producers turned out in person for the NCBA Summer Meeting this week in Denver, and this issue was one of the reasons the organization went ahead with a live event with virtual options.

Ethan Lane, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs, discusses the final policy resolution on voluntary efforts to improve cash fed cattle trade.
Interview with Ethan Lane, NCBA (6:38)

The policy passed by the Live Cattle Marketing Committee and approved by a vote of the NCBA Board of Directors can be viewed here.

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Livestock, Markets

Fed Cattle Exchange Acquired by Central Stockyards

Cindy Zimmerman

Post updated with Central Stockyards CEO interview

The Fed Cattle Exchange weekly fed cattle online auction has been acquired by Central Stockyards, LLC.

Since 2016 the Fed Cattle Exchange has provided the cattle industry with weekly, cost-effective cattle auctions that provide a platform for price discovery through competitive bidding. The prices determined in the weekly auctions benefit the entire cattle industry and livestock futures markets by providing a transparent baseline price for weekly negotiated live cattle markets.

“The Fed Cattle Exchange is a vital tool to the cattle industry because it provides transparent price discovery,” said Forrest Roberts, President and CEO of Central Stockyards, LLC. “Our vision is that we can make the Fed Cattle Exchange even more valuable to customers and the entire cattle industry by using technical innovations to adapt to immediate industry needs.”

Financial terms of the agreement which became effective July 24 were not disclosed.

*Post Update*
Learn more about the acquisition and plans for the future from Central Stockyards CEO Forrest Roberts
Interview with Forrest Roberts, Central Stockyards

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Beef, Livestock, Markets

NCBA and PLC Celebrate Environmental Policy Updates

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) recently celebrated landmark improvements to environmental policy through finalization of the Trump Administration’s rulemaking on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The updates make the process more efficient, while also laying the groundwork for healthy and resilient open spaces and pastureland.

Public Lands Council Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover and NCBA Chief Environmental Counsel Scott Yager both discussed the positive changes at the NCBA Summer Business Meeting this week in Denver.

Interview with Kaitlynn Glover, PLC Executive Director (7:29)

Interview with Scott Yager, NCBA (13:22)

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Environment, Livestock, NCBA

USDA Undersecretary Updates NCBA on Grasslands Management

Cindy Zimmerman

James Hubbard, USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment, attended the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) summer meeting this week to provide an update on Forest Service management of grasslands.

The Forest Service manages 3.8 million acres of National Grasslands across 12 Western States. They are managed sustainably with the help of some 6200 permitted ranching families, who pride themselves as conservationists, ensuring that these lands will remain productive for generations to come.

“The Secretary’s expectation is that we provide the best customer service,” said Hubbard in an interview from the meeting. “So that means listening to our permittees and how we might address their concerns.”

Hubbard says the Memorandum signed in June directs the Forest Service to increase the productivity of forests and grasslands, including a focus on grazing as an important management tool.

Listen to an interview with Hubbard here:
Interview with Jim Hubbard, USDA Undersecretary (9:13)

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Environment, NCBA

Precision Ag News 7/29

Carrie Muehling

  • GROWMARK, Inc. announced Lora Wright will be joining the Board of Directors in a new at large position. Wright brings more than 20 years of animal agricultural industry and technology experience to her new role.
  • The Soil Health Institute is virtually offering Soil Health: The Foundation for Regenerative Agriculture, July 30 and July 31, 2020. If you haven’t registered and would like to join, please register here. Registration is required to participate.
  • The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced that the AgTech NEXT Summit will be held virtually, replacing the event previously scheduled to be held November 10 – 12. Recognizing the robust agenda, and not wanting to create “conference fatigue” with a two-day program, event organizers have shifted the conference to a series of seven – 60 minute live, online sessions. Virtual AgTech NEXT conference sessions will be held from 12 – 1 PM CDT on Tuesdays, beginning September 22 with a keynote by Dr. Pat Brown, founder and CEO of Impossible Foods through November 10, with a break on November 3, election day. Click here to register.
  • The July issue of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers – Iowa Chapter newsletter includes an article titled “Precision Ag Tech Boosts Land Values for Users” submitted by Dan Manternach, President — Perfect Fit Presentations LLC.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture