Advocacy is in Season

Kelly Marshall

Sharing the story of agriculture just got a little easier, thanks to Illinois corn farmer, Justin Durdan.  He spent 2016 filming 360 degree, panoramic, season-long action shots of his family’s corn and soybean farm in Lasalle County, and now the four-video series is ready for sharing on your social media feeds.

You can link to these videos at www.watchusgrow.org/home-grown-corn to help your off-farm friends understand what happens to their food.  The videos feature a Chicago-area radio personality and a self-proclaimed “city girl” who ask questions for Durdan to answer.

“We know consumers have questions about farming,” Durdan says. “The goal with these videos is to answer those questions and let consumers see for themselves what we do on our farm.”

Corn

Letter to Trump Highlights NAFTA Successes

Kelly Marshall

The recent words of Donald Trump concerning the U.S.’s withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) prompted more than 130 food and agriculture industry organizations to send a letter to the President.  Members of the food and agriculture community wanted to highlight the importance of the trade agreement and to urge him to continue to build upon that success.

“With the productivity of U.S. agriculture growing faster than domestic demand, the U.S. food and agriculture industry – and the rural communities that depend on it – relies heavily on export markets to sustain prices and revenues,” the letter states.

Companies and organizations from the American Farm Bureau Federation, to the Wine Institute, including Campbell Soup Company, Cargill, Deere & Co., and nearly every conceivable commodity group have signed the letter.

Read it for yourself here.

Ag Groups, Trade

#NBB17 Spotlight on Washington Session

Cindy Zimmerman

The room was packed for the annual Spotlight on Washington session at the 2017 National Biodiesel Conference last week, which was more popular than ever this year with the advent of a new presidential administration.

Reprising their roles for the session were former Sen. Byron Dorgan and former Cong. Kenny Hulshof, and they were joined by other DC insiders Jim Massie, Timothy Urban, and Tom Hance. All offered their opinions and insights into what to expect from President Trump, generally along the lines of Dorgan’s first comments. “I don’t know,” he said when asked by NBB’s Anne Steckel about the election and where we go from here. “My head’s still kind of exploding.”

Listen to the whole conversation here: #NBB17 Washington Spotlight session

2017 National Biodiesel Conference photo album

Audio, Biodiesel, National Biodiesel Conference, politics

Buds and Pods Part Two

Chuck Zimmerman

Part One in this series focused on buds. Now it’s time to talk pods, as in Apple AirPods ($159.00).

When the @AgriBlogger is on the highway he needs good sound, hands freedom, reliability, good battery life, simple to use. I get that with these. My trial trip was the week of the Potato Expo. I wore my AirPods off and on while flying, in the airport, talking to people in the trade show, making phone calls, listening to music while walking around and in the gym getting some exercise.

So here’s what I know.

Do they fall out? I admit that having these fall out of my ear was my main concern after fit/comfort. So far, I have had one side fall out two times. Once I knocked it out and the second time I did not have it fully inserted into my ear. In both cases, I caught it before it fell on the floor. So, they can fall out but I became much less worried about this. BTW, you can use just one side if you want, just like a single side device like my Jabra Eclipse ($129.99).
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Gadgets

U.S. Soy Meets Demand of Growing Aquaculture Industry

Jamie Johansen

As the fastest growing animal protein, aquaculture is the center of conversations beyond the circle of animal agriculture. And the most common circle these days discussing aquaculture is soybean. The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and Soy Aquaculture Alliance (SAA) joined forces to host the 2017 Aquaculture Educational Opportunity in Panama City, Panama. U.S. soybean growers, researchers and aquaculture experts gathered to take in the latest and visit the Panama Canal to witness the center of global trade and the import role U.S. soy plays in the international economy.

SAA Executive Director, Bridget Owen, has spent her career devoted to the soybean community working at various levels of the supply chain. Now on the receiving end of the protein, Bridget shares the role of SAA and what this growth in aquaculture means to U.S. soybean growers.

“We have incredible resources that allow us to be competitive. Number one is our U.S. soybean growers who produce a very high quality, consistent and cost effective product. U.S. is a fantastic resource for the aquaculture industry in the U.S. and overseas. We also have incredible transportation resources and access through the Panama Canal to overseas markets lets us compete. The ability to move our soy products overseas quickly and in a cost efficient, secure way is important to our customers. There are some many ways U.S. soy delivers to our customers domestically and internationally and our infrastructure is a part of that.”

Listen to my complete interview with Bridget here: Bridget Owen, Soy Aquaculture Alliance

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 USSEC Aquaculture Educational Opportunity Photos

Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Aquaculture, Audio, Exports, Nutrition, Soybean, USSEC

Best of NAMA Winners From Region V

Chuck Zimmerman

The regional awards in the Best of NAMA competition are being announced this month. The National Agri-Marketing Association chapters: Carolinas/Virginia, Midsouth, Florida and Southeastern had events.

Out of the 214 entries submitted in this region, attendees at each event learned who would be eligible to compete in the National Best of NAMA Competition.

Download a list of the winners and tell them congratulations.

NAMA

PR Webinar with CommonGround’s Missy Morgan

Kelly Marshall

If you’re looking for solutions in the PR department, perhaps this is your answer. Missy Morgan of Osborn & Barr is presenting a webinar on the success of the 7-year PR Evolution of the GommonGround organization, brought to you by the Agricultural Relations Council.

“Have you ever scratched your head in wonder when a PR program thrives despite overwhelming obstacles?” asks Morgan “Often shifting strategies, leadership and budgets can render an otherwise relevant program dead in the water. CommonGround is thriving at year seven, and I’m excited to share with you how it keeps on growing.”

The webinar will be held on February 2, 2017 from 12:30-1:30 EST.  Tickets for the event are available via Eventbright.

Uncategorized

ZimmCast with CNH Industrial

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 534This week I get to talk precision ag with the new Industry Relations Manager, Precision Solutions and Telematics for CNH Industrial, Dan Danford. Dan already has travel scheduled for the new job that will take him to South America and Europe as well as around the USA.

In his role with CNH Industrial Dan will be getting involved with organizations like the Agricultural Data Coalition and AgGateway. Part of his job is to work with groups like these that are trying to create commonality of data and develop an industry approach that makes thing clearer for all customers. He will also be working with third party developers and others what want to work with CNH through their equipment and systems.

Learn more about Dan in his new role and what CNH is doing in this space in this week’s program: ZimmCast with Dan Danford, CNH Industrial

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

The ZimmCast

sponsored by
The ZimmCast podcast is sponsored by GROWMARK
Locally owned, globally strong.
Agribusiness, Audio, Case IH, New Holland, Precision Agriculture, ZimmCast

Ag Reacts to Trump Withdrawal from TPP

Cindy Zimmerman

The detailed description touting the benefits of the Trans Pacific Partnership is now gone from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) website as President Trump signed an executive order today withdrawing from the trade deal.

“With this decision, it is critical that the new administration begin work immediately to do all it can to develop new markets for U.S. agricultural goods and to protect and advance U.S. agricultural interests in the critical Asia-Pacific region,” said American Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall, who also stressed the need to protect the North American Free Trade Agreement. “Any renegotiation of NAFTA must recognize the gains achieved by American agriculture and assure that U.S. ag trade with Canada and Mexico remains strong.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president Tracy Brunner expressed concerns about how this might impact U.S. producers. “We’re especially concerned that the Administration is taking these actions without any meaningful alternatives in place that would compensate for the tremendous loss that cattle producers will face without TPP or NAFTA,” said Brunner. “Sparking a trade war with Canada, Mexico, and Asia will only lead to higher prices for American-produced beef in those markets and put our American producers at a much steeper competitive disadvantage.”

The National Farmers Union (NFU), which has staunchly opposed TPP, applauded the action. “The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a continuance of our nation’s deeply flawed trade agenda, and we’re pleased that the Trump Administration has decided to formally withdraw the U.S. from the pact to prioritize a fair trade agenda,” said NFU president Roger Johnson.

President Trump signed the executive order as one of his first official actions in the Oval Office.

AFBF, NCBA, Trade

MO Lt. Gov Praises Perdue as U.S. Sec of Ag

Jamie Johansen

Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson has commended President Trump on his selection of former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In a statement, Lieutenant Governor Parson praised Governor Perdue’s accomplishments in both the governmental and private sectors. “Governor Perdue and I share a common past being raised on family farms, serving our country in the military, and running our own small businesses. We believe in doing what’s right for the people even when it isn’t easy, and I know he will do an excellent job leading the Department of Agriculture and standing up for his fellow farmers,” said Lieutenant Governor Parson.

The Lieutenant Governor also expressed his enthusiasm for the future of agriculture nationwide. “Being a third generation active farmer, agriculture is near and dear to my heart,” said Parson. “I’m excited for the new direction in Washington, D.C., and look forward to working hand in hand with Governor Perdue and agriculture leaders to eliminate burdensome regulations and drive agriculture forward not only in Missouri, but our entire nation,” said Parson.

politics, USDA