#IFAJ2016 Awards Excellence

Cindy Zimmerman July 18, 2016

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists honored the best in print, broadcast, photography, and global food reporting at the 60th annual IFAJ Congress this week in Germany.

Among the awards presented at the Congress was a new one – the IFAJ-FAO Prize for Excellence in Global Food Security Reporting which went to Laura Rance of Canada. Rance’s article, “Africa’s hunger games,” published in the Winnipeg (Canada) Free Press in April 2015, addresses the technical, economic and social issues related to this year’s contest theme, soil degradation.

Rance’s article also won her the IFAJ Star Prize for print journalism. Matthew Cawood of Australia was second in this competition. His story “Simplifying towards complexity” was published in Good Land Project in December 2015.

IFAJ Secretary General Riitta Mustonen presents People’s Choice Award to Chris McCullough of Ireland

The winner of the 2016 IFAJ-DeLaval Star Prize for Photography is Todd Klassy of the United States for the photo, “Braving the Rain” which depicts a rancher on horseback caught in a downpour of rain. The People’s Choice Award was presented to Chris McCullough of Ireland, pictured here with IFAJ Secretary General Riitta Mustonen.

Irish journalists won the majority of prizes in IFAJ Star Prize for broadcasting contest. Peter Varley from Ireland, Damien O’Reilly from Ireland and Prue Adams from Australia were the first prize winners of the contest 2016. Varley won first place in the digital media category with his story “Watch: Mating precision as 500 ewes serviced in Kilkenny”; O’Reilly’s winning radio story was ‘Gay Sheep Farmers’. Adams received first place in the TV category for his program of Q-fever on ABC Landline.

Congrats to all! Chuck got home safe and sound last night and is still sleeping but has lots more photos to upload and stories to share from #IFAJ2016.

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by

IFAJ, Media

#Biobased Success Stories

Joanna Schroeder July 15, 2016

The biobased industry is taking off in leap and bounds and many companies already have great success stories. One such company is Cargill Industrial Specialties’ FR3 transformer fluid produced from soybeans. It was a featured technology during the United Soybean Board’s Biobased Stakeholders Dialogue that took place at USDA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Cargill gave a joint presentation with NASA on how they are using FR3. The products main competitor is petroleum based mineral oil.

To learn more Cindy Zimmerman spoke with David Bingenheimer, global technologies manager for Cargill.

Bingenheimer explained that FR3 is used in electrical transformers and it has many benefits. “The distinctive advantages of FR3 are, number one, environmentally, it has the best environmental footprint; it’s nontoxic, nonharzardous. biodegradable and carbon neutral. It has best in class fire safety capabilities the fire point of mineral oil is 160C and there are mineral fires everyday. The fire point of FR3 is 360C and there has never been a fire in an FR3 filled transformer. And the third is the way the transformer works inside the insulating system. It extends the life of the insulating system and/or used another way it enables additional load from the transformer so it actually improves the performance of the transformer.”

Learn more about FR3 by listening to Cindy’s interview with David Bingenheimer here: Interview with David Bingenheimer, Cargill Industrial Specialties

Another biobased success story? NASA. Shannah Trout works for the Sustainable Recycling and Acquisition Center at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She gave a presentation focused on some of NASA’s secrets to success. Last year the space agency purchased nearly $1 million biobased products. “For that alone I am very proud and that proves how we support all of you,” she said.

Trout said she is very active in USDA’s Biopreferred program and they get out an meet the vendors to learn more about technologies and they also invited them to the space center so they can get a sense of what types of biobased products NASA needs. She noted they buy biobased floor coverings and fuel additives along with a variety of other products that were on display at the Biobased Stakeholder Dialogue.

Learn more about NASA’s secrets to success by listening to Shannah Trout’s presentation here: Shannah Trout, NASA, Biobased Success Stories

USB Biobased Stakeholders’ Dialogue photo album

Audio, Environment, Soybean, USB

#Biobased for the @SeventhGen

Joanna Schroeder July 15, 2016

During the recent 2016 United Soybean Board (USB) Biobased Stakeholders Dialogue that took place in Washington, D.C., Cindy Zimmerman spoke with Martin Wolf with Seventh Generation, founded in 1988. The company produces biobased household cleaning products that are renewable and sustainable. These products are also designed to protect the health of the individuals as well as the environment, said Wolf. Products range from baby diapers to laundry and dish detergents to personal care products.

One of the things that the Wolf did during the Biobased Stakeholders Dialogue was help review the Purdue students soy pods for a laundry detergent. Wolf said his interest was peaked because laundry pods are the fastest growing segment in laundry due to their convenience. However, right now they are made with a petroleum based polymer film. “And because we only want to use biobased ingredients, although we do it, we don’t like to do it. So seeing a soybased alternative is extremely exciting to us and we would like to see this technology developed rapidly so we can use it commercially soon.”

Zimmerman asked Wolf how specifically Seventh Generation uses biobased products in their efforts. He answered, “We have a philosophy of sustainability for our products. We believe that materials should come from the earth and be returned to the earth so they can again become available as materials we use. So we make cleaning materials out of biobased materials. For example, they take plant oils and convert them into an ingredient. That ingredient then biodegrades so it can become a nutrient to grow plant oils, which we can they harvest and use again.”

Learn more about Seventh Generation’s bio-based philosophy and products here: Interview with Martin Wolf, Seventh Generation

USB Biobased Stakeholders’ Dialogue photo album

Audio, Environment, Soybean, USB

#IFAJ2016 Elects New Leadership

Cindy Zimmerman July 15, 2016

IFAJ officers – Past president Markus Rediger, President Owen Roberts, Vice president Lena Johansson, Secretary-General Steve Werblow, Treasurer Adrian Bell

Congratulations to our good friend Owen Roberts who is the first Canadian to serve as president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ). Roberts takes over for Markus Rediger of Switzerland who stepped down after completing four very successful years at the helm of IFAJ.

Roberts is joined by Lena Johansson from Sweden who replaces him as Vice president, and Steve Werblow from the United States as Secretary General, all for two year mandates. Adrian Bell from the United Kingdom continues in his mandate as Treasurer.

“Professional and leadership development of journalists and communicators specializing in agriculture is an essential component in ensuring the communication of information to contribute to an increase in sustainable food production,” said Roberts, who is Director for Research Communications at the University of Guelph. “I look forward to continuing the work to make IFAJ a truly global organization that will support agricultural journalists and communicators, and their country associations, in their efforts to defend freedom of the press and ensure a level of professional development equal to the task of providing sufficient food to a very hungry world.”

Expect Chuck will have an interview with Owen before the end of the Congress.

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by

IFAJ

AgCareers.com & Ag Future of America to Partner

Joanna Schroeder July 15, 2016

A new partnership has been formed between AgCareers.com and Agriculture Future of America (AFA) to continue encouraging college students to pursue careers in agriculture. Through this partnership, AFA industry partners can post their internships free of charge through the AgCareers.com site while AFA will encourage students to seek job opportunities through AgCareers.com. The goal of initiative is to ramp up marketing efforts that promote industry jobs and internships for college students.

“This partnership will enhance the student search for internships and first full-time positions,” said Mark Stewart, AFA president. “Internships are a vital step in the career development process. Through this partnership we look forward to continuing to provide resources to students to help them find and make the most of their internships. We want our students to know AgCareers.com is their go-to resources for job searches, and we want our partners to have a site to utilize if needed.”

Eric Spell, president of AgCareers.com, added, “AgCareers.com is excited to strengthen our relationship with AFA. The experiences and opportunities they provide to young people within our industry develops top talent, and we’re proud to be their preferred resource for discovering and connecting with career opportunities. This career success partnership is an integral component of our vision to feed the world with talent.”

AFA partner companies will also have an exclusive opportunity to engage with selected AFA delegates from across the country in the first AFA/AgCareers.com Virtual Opportunity Fair. This opportunity will be held on Sept. 13, 2016. For more information about how your organization can be involved with the virtual fair, please contact Stewart.

AgCareers, Agribusiness

Bayer Spotlights Sustainability at #IFAJ2016

Cindy Zimmerman July 15, 2016

While the rest of the world is talking about Bayer’s bid to buy Monsanto, many representatives of the company are busy in Germany helping international journalists learn more about them and their sustainability efforts.

Dr. Helmut Schramm, Managing Director for Bayer CropScience Deutschland, was on a panel talking about sustainability at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Congress in Bonn.

“For us, sustainability is really the core of our business,” said Schramm, explaining that they see sustainability in three areas – economy, ecology, and social acceptance. “Sustainability will only work if economics are working. If this is not given, the other two will not develop.”

Schramm acknowledges that sustainability is a complex subject but it should be based on sound science.

Listen to Chuck’s interview from IFAJ here: Interview with Dr. Helmut Schramm, Bayer

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Watch Dr. Schramm’s IFAJ welcome here:

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, IFAJ, Sustainability, Video

Bayer Increases Monsanto Offer

Cindy Zimmerman July 15, 2016

Bayer has increased its all-cash offer to acquire Monsanto to USD 125 per share after additional information received in private discussions.

Over the past several weeks Bayer has engaged in private talks with Monsanto. Following receipt of additional information Bayer has raised its all-cash offer to Monsanto shareholders from USD 122 to USD 125 per share verbally on July 1 and in an updated proposal submitted to Monsanto on July 9. In addition, it has comprehensively addressed Monsanto’s questions concerning financing and regulatory matters and is prepared to make certain commitments to regulators, if required, to complete the proposed acquisition of Monsanto.

According to a corporate press release, Bayer “remains confident” in its ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals in a timely manner given complementary geographic and product portfolios.

“We are convinced that this transaction is the best opportunity available to provide Monsanto shareholders with highly attractive, immediate and certain value. Bayer is fully committed to pursuing this transaction,” said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. Bayer believes that its offer fully captures the intrinsic value of Monsanto, and shares the synergy benefits that the combination would create. The revised offer represents a premium of 40 percent over Monsanto’s closing share price on May 9, 2016.

Agribusiness, Bayer

President Expected to Sign #GMO Disclosure Bill

Cindy Zimmerman July 14, 2016

The U.S. House today approved the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard by a vote of 309 to 117. The legislation, which preempts individual state laws to require labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients, was passed by the Senate last week and is expected to be signed by President Obama.

“I have said this is the most important food and agriculture policy debate of the last 20 years,” said Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts (R-KS), who crafted the bill with Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “I am confident we have put forward a comprehensive solution that considers all aspects of our food production and delivery system while keeping the consumer top of mind.”

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) President & CEO Andrew LaVigne praised “all the Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate who put politics aside and came together to do what’s right for American families and farmers… Thanks to this bill, products produced through this method will not be unfairly stigmatized with mandatory on-pack labels.”

“(W)e now begin the work of putting in place a uniform, national labeling system that will provide balanced, accurate information to consumers,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall. “This legislation helps to continue those benefits by avoiding the confusion of differing and potentially misleading labeling standards from state to state.”

Over 1,000 food and agricultural organizations supported passed of the bill, including the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and American Feed Industry Association.

AFBF, ASTA, Biotech, Food

Zimfo Bytes

Lizzy Schultz July 14, 2016

RFD-TV has launched LandLeader, a new real estate show that travels the country to showcase exclusive rural properties, stories from landowners, and the lives they live.
CNH Industrial has he launched a totally redesigned version of their corporate website, as well as Newsroom, a brand new, one-stop media portal for the press.
The National Cotton Council has announced the twelve Mid-South cotton producers receiving the opportunity to see cotton operations throughout North and South Carolina on July 18-21 as part of the National Cotton Council’s 2016 Producer Information Exchange (PIE) program.

Zimfo Bytes

Outgoing IFAJ President Marcus Rediger

Chuck Zimmerman July 14, 2016

Today we will have an election of new officers for the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. Marcus Rediger, LID.CH, has been serving as President for the last four years. Prior to that he served for eight years in other positions including Vice President. A lot of things have taken place in the development of IFAJ. We talked about that in an interview following yesterday’s Executive business meeting.

Marcus is happy to have some good successors in the leadership of IFAJ. He’s happy to have been a part of the effort to open up IFAJ, especially to journalists in countries that don’t have freedom of the press. This makes them part of the IFAJ network for support and resources. Another big development during the time Marcus was in leadership includes building the financial base for IFAJ including working with sponsoring companies to the benefit of both.

During the Executive meeting discussion included items like future elections, organization funding, how to organize future congress’s, getting input from members and more.

You can listen to my interview with Marcus here: Interview with Marcus Rediger

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by

Audio, IFAJ, International

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