#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

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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:

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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

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Red Hot Marys at #IFAJ2016

Chuck Zimmerman July 14, 2016

Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise during an IFAJ Congress dinner. That happened during the welcome dinner at this year’s event.

Apparently Karneval is a big deal in Germany:

“Karneval” is German MARDI GRAS! Right on the heels of Oktoberfest time, the German Mardi Gras season begins on November 11th and ends with Ash Wednesday, usually in February or March. Our tradition dates back to Germany in Medieval times – particularly in the Rhineland, where many countries existed under harsh rulers.

So we got a view of karneval in Bonn with the Red Hot Marys. You’ll have to watch the video to understand.

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The #IFAJ2016 Learns About Rhineland Farming

Chuck Zimmerman July 14, 2016

The keynote speaker for the welcoming banquet of this year’s IFAJ Congress was Bernhard Conzen, President of the Rhineland Agricultural Association, Chairman of the Board, Rheinischer Landwirtschafts-Verlag GmbH.

Sugar beets are a very important and historical crop in this area and Bernhard talks about it in his remarks which includes a very complete description of the region. I didn’t know that Bonn was settled by Romans under Julius Caesar, and that cultural heritage influences the city to this day. This is also the home of Beethoven. Learn more about the Rhineland region in his speech.

You can listen to his remarks here: Speech of Bernhard Conzen

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

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An #IFAJ2016 Welcome

Chuck Zimmerman July 14, 2016

The 2016 IFAJ Congress officially kicked off with the annual welcome dinner. Greeting us was Gerd Sonnleitner, Honorary President, German Farmers Association UN Goodwill Ambassador, 2014 International Year of Family Farming.

Gerd told us that we would getting some great insight into German agriculture. For the welcome dinner he suggested having some great discussion rather than a focus on politics since that will come later.

You can read a statement from him here.

You can listen to his remarks here: Remarks from Gerd Sonnleitner

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