ZimmCast 636 – Social Influencing and Greeley Hat Works

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast. In this week’s program I talk about the whole concept of being an industry influencer on social media before sharing an interview with Trent Johnson, Owner, Greeley Hat Works. I met Trent in the NCBA Trade Show and learned a lot about hats. In the photo he’s doing a custom fitting for a customer in his booth.

Trent Johnson, Greeley Hat WorksThere is a difference between western and cowboy hats and Trent explains why. He talks about the value of custom fitting a hat and how to take care of them. He also shares some stories of his experiences over the years making hats for movies and even for the military. He even took my measurements for a hat that might just work for this agriblogging photographer that has a big old flash on top of his camera!

That’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 636 - Social Influencing and Greeley Hat Works
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Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, ZimmCast

New NCBA President Follows His Mother’s Footsteps

Cindy Zimmerman

Fifth-generation Florida rancher Marty Smith was elected president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) at the annual Cattle Industry Convention last week, following in the footsteps of his mother Jo Ann Smith, who served as president of the organization in 1985. The Smith family is pictured here with Jo Ann on Marty’s left.

“It’s a tremendous honor to lead the oldest and largest national organization representing America’s cattle producers,” Smith said. “We have a great product with a great story, and I’m looking forward to helping tell that story without apology during the year ahead as President of NCBA.”

Smith operates Smith Brothers-Wacahoota, a cow-calf operation in Central Florida that has been in continuous operation since 1852. It retains ownership through feedlots in Texas, Kansas and Iowa.

Smith graduated from the University of Georgia with a BSA in Agricultural Economics and Animal Science. While at UGA, he was on the livestock judging team and served as president of Ag Hill Council. He was also active in Alpha Gamma Rho and AGHON, the highest honor a UGA student of agriculture, forestry, veterinary medicine or engineering can attain. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Law and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1984.

CIC2020 Interview with Marty Smith, NCBA President-Elect 8:40

Jo Ann Smith was the first woman president for the NCBA and was the founding chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, as it was called at the time. In this interview, she reminisces about the early days of the beef checkoff and considers the future of the industry.

CIC2020 Interview with Jo Ann Smith, Former NCBA President 3:02

Multi-media content from the convention can be found here:
2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Virtual Newsroom

Audio, Beef, Beef Checkoff, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

Bayer Makes Innovation and Pipeline Announcements

Cindy Zimmerman

Bayer made a couple of major pipeline and innovation advancements for the Crop Science Division on Thursday.

A new herbicide molecule, “the first new post-emergence mode of action for broad acre weed control in 30 years.”
Bayer announced a molecule in Phase 2 of early development which has demonstrated effective control of key resistant grasses in early research. The work demonstrates progress toward Bayer’s long-term commitment to investing approximately 5 billion euros in additional methods to combat weeds over the next decade. Discovery of this molecule is being complemented by a discovery-phase program to identify and develop a corresponding biotechnology trait to convey herbicide tolerance and initial approaches are under evaluation.

Short stature corn development advancing, will provide environmental sustainability benefits.
Shorter stature will also help improve standability, including better green snap and stalk lodging tolerance, helping reduce crop loss from challenging environmental conditions such as high winds from extreme weather. Bayer announced that both the breeding and biotechnology approaches to create short stature corn are advancing to Phase 3 and also unveiled a third pathway to short stature corn, a Discovery Phase project that has achieved proof of concept through gene editing.

XtendFlex® soybeans is advancing to launch phase this spring in the U.S., pending regulatory approvals.
This product builds on the foundation of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans and adds tolerance to another herbicide, glufosinate. Beyond XtendFlex®, Bayer advanced both fourth- and fifth-generation soy herbicide tolerant traits, leading the industry with tolerances to six herbicide classes expected to be launched by 2030.

Read more from Bayer.

Liam Condon, member of the Bayer Board of Management and president of the Crop Science Division, and Bob Reiter, head of R&D for the Crop Science Division, held a press conference regarding the announcements.
Bayer press call with Liam Condon and Bob Reiter 43:18

Audio, Bayer

USDA’s McKinney Optimistic About Ethanol Exports

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney says he will leave “no stone unturned” in his quest to increase U.S. agricultural exports, including ethanol.

McKinney spoke to the Renewable Fuels Association National Ethanol Conference Wednesday about the markets where he sees the most potential for ethanol, including China, Mexico, Brazil, and India.

Listen to his remarks:
RFANEC USDA Undersecretary Ted McKinney 23:13

2020 National Ethanol Conference photo album

Audio, Ethanol, Exports, National Ethanol Conference, RFA, Trade, USDA

Precision Ag Bytes 2/12

Carrie Muehling

  • The Soil Health Partnership is pleased to introduce Dr. Carrie Roever as the new Data Manager.
  • New Holland announced the launch of the TH7.42 Elite large-frame telehandler, manufactured for agricultural operations and marking the first in a new series of telehandlers from the global equipment leader.
  • The National Association of Conservation Districts, in partnership with the NACD Auxiliary, announced the winners of the 2019 Photo Contest and 2019 Poster Contest during the 74th NACD Annual Meeting Inspirational Session.
  • Building on nearly 100 years of power and legacy and with millions of Farmall series tractors sold, Case IH is adding three new models to its Farmall family of tractors: Farmall utility 95A, 105A and 115A.
  • For today’s corn and soybean customers who require planter-applied fertilizer, a split-row configuration and narrow transport, John Deere introduces the new 1745 MaxEmerge™ 5 Planter.
  • John Deere has also introduced ExactRate™, a factory-installed option that precisely monitors and controls the application of liquid fertilizer during planting.
  • John Deere has also expanded its lineup of air-seeding equipment to include its new C650 Air Cart to help small grains producers and custom farmers seed more acres per day in less time. The C650 Air Cart can be ordered in either tow-behind or tow-between configurations.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Ethanol Industry Ready to Focus Forward

Chuck Zimmerman

Still riding the high of hearing from former President George W. Bush, Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper addressed attendees of the 25th annual National Ethanol Conference in Houston today with his annual State of the Industry remarks.

“2019 marked just the third time in the last three decades where output fell from the preceding year,” Cooper said. “Previous decreases in annual output—in 1996 and 2012—were both tied to historic droughts, short crops, and record high corn prices. The drop in ethanol output this time was caused by a disaster of an entirely different sort: policy uncertainty, bureaucratic meddling, and aggravating marketplace barriers.”

In the face of demand-destroying regulatory barriers and political uncertainty, Cooper highlighted how the ethanol industry continued to serve as a vital source of good-paying jobs and economic activity in hard-hit rural communities in 2019, citing key statistics from RFA’s annual study on the economic contributions of the ethanol industry. Released on Monday, the study measures the industry’s sizable economic footprint.

Cooper also touted the removal of regulatory barriers that had banned the sale of E15 during summer months and the marketplace’s enthusiastic response as a win attributable to the industry’s tenacity and ability to “focus forward.” He went on to point out that 2020 is already off to a good start with US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruling in favor of RFA in a decision that could ensure the EPA is finally held accountable for their abusive practices in issuing small refinery waivers.

Read Cooper’s remarks here, listen to them below.
RFANEC RFA CEO Geoff Cooper remarks 32:00

You can watch the video of Geoff’s remarks from our Facebook Live video here:


2020 National Ethanol Conference photo album

Ag Groups, Audio, Biofuels, Energy, Ethanol

43rd President Visits National Ethanol Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association was honored to welcome George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, to the 25th Annual National Ethanol Conference today in Houston.

By championing an all-of-the-above approach to domestic energy production while in office, President Bush put the United States on a course toward greater energy security and made an indelible mark on agriculture and the renewable fuels industry.

RFA Senior Strategic Advisor Bob Dinneen was thrilled to be able to hear from the former president who signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005, creating the original Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In December 2007, he signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which extended and greatly expanded the RFS. Between these two signature events, in April 2006, President Bush spoke to RFA members in Washington, D.C., where he addressed the importance of energy independence and security.

We have no photos or audio from the president’s appearance as no media were permitted to attend, but Dinneen shared his impressions and reflections in this interview.

RFA Senior Strategic Advisor Bob Dinneen reflects on 25th NEC and 15th RFS anniversary
RFANEC Interview with Bob Dinneen, RFA Senior Strategic Advisor 11:46

2020 National Ethanol Conference photo album

Audio, Ethanol, RFA

Animal Ag Bites 2/10

Carrie Muehling

  • Registration is now open with early bird savings available for the 2020 Chicken Marketing Summit. This annual executive conference, hosted by WATT Global Media, is scheduled for July 19-21, 2020 at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in Fernandina Beach, Florida.
  • Noble Research Institute, LLC and GrowSafe Systems Ltd. have entered into a new research agreement that aims to improve efficiency in cattle production and aid ranchers in making management decisions.
  • Elanco Animal Health Inc. announced a four-year collaborative research agreement with Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation with a goal to collaborate and train talent as they seek solutions to some of the greatest challenges in animal health.
  • Three new video resources were added to the Pork Information Gateway (PIG) to aid producers who focus on raising pigs using alternative methods of production. Two videos focus on biosecurity and one on sourcing feed.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

    Cattle Industry Welcomes EPA Adminstrator Wheeler

    Cindy Zimmerman

    EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler got a warm welcome when he addressed the Board of Directors meeting for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Friday and was able to proudly list repeal of the 2015 “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) in the accomplishments his agency has made for farmers and ranchers.

    “If you didn’t spontaneously applaud at that one I was going to reinstate it,” Wheeler joked to the applause. NCBA CEO Colin Woodall tweeted, “Would you have ever imagined an EPA Administrator getting a standing ovation from a room full of cattle producers? Happened at our board meeting as @EPAAWheeler talked about wins such as the repeal and replacement of WOTUS.”

    Wheeler says the new Navigable Waters Protection Rule “strikes the proper balance between Washington and the states in managing land and water resources while protecting our nation’s navigable waters” and his hope is that now farmers and ranchers can “refocus on their livelihoods instead of meeting with consultants and lawyers.”

    Listen to Wheeler’s remarks and press gaggle from the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.
    CIC2020 Remarks from Andrew Wheeler, EPA 20:06

    CIC2020 Press with Andrew Wheeler, EPA 5:42

    Multi-media content from the convention can be found here:
    2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Virtual Newsroom

    AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, EPA, NCBA

    The Countdown Begins: 100 Days to ONE

    Cindy Zimmerman

    ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE) returns to Lexington, Kentucky May 17–19 for its 36th year. ONE draws on Alltech’s global reach and business scope to assemble thought-leaders from the agriculture, business, health and wellness, and brewing and distilling sectors.

    “Science, technology and human ingenuity converge at ONE,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “The topics up for discussion reflect the extraordinary opportunity our industry has to adopt new ideas for producing enough safe, nutritious food for all while preserving our planet.”

    Alltech’s flagship conference is attended annually by more than 3,000 people representing 70 countries. Keynote speaker announcements are coming soon, and this year’s mainstage line-up promises to be as dynamic as ever. With universal themes of innovation, inclusion and inspiration, ONE invites everyday heroes from various industries to unleash the power of infinite ideas.

    At the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio this week, Alltech has been showcasing its Planet of Plenty initiative and encouraging attendees to write their sustainability ideas on leaves that will then be displayed at ONE.

    Dr. Lyons talks about ONE, sustainability, China, and more in this interview.
    CIC2020 Interview with Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech 10:53

    AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Livestock, Meat