#Plant16 Already on a Roll

Cindy Zimmerman

Tweet from Dalton Shepherd of Rushville, IL

Tweet from Dalton Shepherd of Rushville, IL

The #Plant16 hash tag has been burning up Twitter in the past week as corn planting jumped up to 13% compared to the five year average of eight percent.

According to USDA, planting progress is now ahead of average by 37 percentage points in Missouri, which at 58% planted nearly a quarter of its crop last week. Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota are all up by ten or more percentage points compared to normal at this time of year. “The weather was nearly ideal in much of the state last week and planting got underway in earnest with 13 percent of the state’s anticipated corn acres now in the ground,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said. “This is a very busy time on the farm and it is important farmers and those traveling through rural areas stay alert and keep safety in mind.”

Illinois is running slightly behind schedule with 12 percent planted compared to 14 percent average and Indiana farmers got little done last week with only one percent in the ground now compared to seven percent average.

Corn, Planting, Uncategorized, USDA

#NAMA16 @Brownfield Beach Bash

Cindy Zimmerman

nama16-bfldIt was a perfect night for a Brownfield Beach Bash last week in Kansas City at the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) convention.

Brownfield Ag News carried on its annual tradition of the Thursday night part at NAMA and this year the venue was the Shark Bar in the Power and Light district. Guests sported flowered leis and carried tropical drinks with those cute little umbrellas while kicking around beach balls and enjoying the company of old and new friends.

We were happy to once again be able to document the party goings this year and we thank Brownfield for also being one of our NAMA coverage sponsors. Enjoy the photos!

NAMA16 Brownfield Beach Bash photos

2016 NAMA Photo Album

Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News and Nufarm
Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News for America Coverage of Potato Expo is sponsored by Nufarm
NAMA

Who is NAMA? We are NAMA!

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA LogoDuring the Agri-Marketing Conference the National Agri-Marketing Association premiered a new video to help promote the NAMA brand. Who is NAMA? We are NAMA. That’s the clear message you’ll get when you watch it.

This video is part of the effort undertaken by the board and executive committee to come up with ideas for helping promote and encouragement membership in NAMA. I’ll have more information on that from an interview I conducted with new NAMA President, Matt Coniglio.

In the meantime watch and share the video please.


2016 NAMA Photo Album

Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News and Nufarm
Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News for America      Coverage of Potato Expo is sponsored by Nufarm
Ag Groups, NAMA, Video

AgriBank Insights Wins National Award

Kelly Marshall

AgriBankLast week the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) recognized some of the best work in agri-makerting.  AgriBank was among those recognized with a first place in the company publications category.

The Farm Credit Bank was highlighted for AgriBank Insights.  You can find these reports on the AgriThought page of AgriBank.com. They offer information important to producers, including feature reporting, research, and in-depth analysis designed to keep producers on top of the issues.

Recent AgriBank Insights include:
Wacky Weather: What do El Niño and La Niña Mean for Crop Production?
Slower Growth for Farmland Values
Mission-Driven: Supporting Rural Communities and Agriculture

AgriBank covers a 15 state area and collaborates with 17 Farm Credit Associations throughout the heartland.  This experience gives the organization expertise in dealing with issues that affect farmers, ranchers agribusiness and rural homeowners.

2016 NAMA Photo Album

Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News and Nufarm
Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News for America      Coverage of Potato Expo is sponsored by Nufarm
Agribusiness, Farm Credit, NAMA

Congratulations to Farm Bureau Photo Contest Winners

Kelly Marshall

PhotoThe American Farm Bureau Federation has selected twelve photographs as winners of the 2015 Farm Bureau Photo Contest.   Ten Farm Bureau members and staff chose winners in each of four categories; Consumer Outreach, Family Farm, Farm Labor, and Technology.  The winning photos reflect farm and ranch life and their efforts to reach consumers.

This year’s winners are:

Consumer Outreach: Lindsey Triplett of Conway, Arkansas, first place; Laurie Link, of Meadville, Missouri, second place; Charlene Chappell of Brevard, North Carolina, third place.
Farm Family: Laurie Link of Meadville, Missouri, first place; Lauren Heinrich of Canyon, Texas, second place; Krystal Doolittle of Williams, Iowa, third place.
Farm Labor: Kellie Neufeld of Exeter, California, first place; Larry Blain of Spanish Fork, Utah, second place; Velvet Roberts of Spearsville, Louisiana, third place.
Technology: Lauren Heinrich of Canyon, Texas, first place; Katherine Plessner of Verona, North Dakota, second place; Lynn Bolin of Clarksville, Iowa, third place.

Naufeld won Best in Show.  Heinrich was awarded first-runner up and Bolin took second runner-up.

Winners will be honored at the Annual Convention next January in Phoenix, Arizona.  Winning photographs may also be used in future publications and promotions by AFBF.

You can see the winning photographs here.

AFBF, Ag Groups, Photography

2016 NAMA Agribusiness Leader of the Year

Chuck Zimmerman

Dwight ArmstrongThe National Agri-Marketing Association bestowed its highest honor on W. Dwight Armstrong, Ph.D, during the Agri-Marketing Conference. Dwight is the CEO of the National FFA Organization.

During his remarks Dwight said, “You know, when you get this type of recognition, it’s not about you, it’s about the people you surround yourself with.” He said that as he thought about what it means to be involved in agricultural marketing today, two things came to mind.

First, for young people, he says they must fully understand the vision and the mission for the organization they work for, the products and services they offer, their customers and also their suppliers. In addition to all that you need to keep in mind the ultimate customer, the consumer. The second thing an agrimarketer today needs to demonstrate is that they are global while still being able to relate locally.

You can listen to his remarks here: Remarks from W. Dwight Armstrong, Agribusiness Leader of the Year

The NAMA Agribusiness Leader of the Year recognizes outstanding leadership in private, public or academic service and is conferred each year to a senior agribusiness executive who not only exemplifies excellence in agribusiness but has made significant contributions to the industry.

2016 NAMA Photo Album

Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News and Nufarm
Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News for America      Coverage of Potato Expo is sponsored by Nufarm
Ag Groups, Audio, FFA, NAMA

Fanger Awarded Agri-Marketer of the Year

Jamie Johansen

26444115675_45a18ccc7d_zDan Fanger was awarded the 2016 National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Marketer of the Year earlier this year and during the “From the Ground Up” Agri-Marketing Conference he was presented with his award.

Fanger, who is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Unverferth Manufacturing, Co., Inc., has earned this honor for his outstanding accomplishment in agri-marketing. The award has been promoting excellence in the industry for more than 50 years and this year’s presentation will be held at the 2016 Agri-Marketing Conference on April 14 in Kansas City, Missouri. The award is sponsored by Agri Marketing magazine.

Beginning in 1965 as the first full-time sales person for Unverferth Manufacturing Company, Fanger learned early how to build upon the company founders’ successes by listening not only to what customers say, but to dig deeper to determine what they really mean. The knowledge he gained has sparked the innovation of new products and initiated numerous product enhancements that made them more valuable to farmers and increased dealer-customer profitability.

With Fanger’s appointment in 1991 as Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Unverferth continued to develop new products. Throughout the ‘90s, he focused on expanding the hiring and training of a direct-sales force across North America.

Fanger’s innovative marketing and managerial abilities have helped the company prosper in both up and down markets. Innovations, such as a dedicated dealer program, have helped the company gain market share and maintain a competitive edge. Raising the level of partnerships with vendors has further positioned the company as a leader in implement manufacturing and technology.

You can listen to his remarks here: Remarks from Dan Fanger, Agri-Marketer of the Year

2016 NAMA Photo Album

Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News and Nufarm
Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News for America      Coverage of Potato Expo is sponsored by Nufarm
Ag Groups, Audio, Marketing, NAMA

Vilsack Joins Forum on Rural Poverty

Kelly Marshall

farmfoundationlogo3Poverty affects families and communities in rural areas in a disproportional way.  On Monday, April 18 the Farm Foundation Forum is hosting a discussion on the role of public policy in the fight against poverty.  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will open the discussion and be joined by Bill Bynum, CEO of Hope Enterprise Corporation/Hope Credit Union of Jackson, Mississippi and Jason Henderson, Director of Extension at Purdue University.

The Forum is schedule from 9 am to 11 am EDT in the Holeman Lounge of the National Press Club in Washington D.C.  A live audiocast will also be available for free, thanks to Farm Credit’s sponsorship.

“Rural poverty is a complex, multi-dimensional problem for which there are no simple answers. Decades of change in the structure of rural economies, accompanied by demographic changes, have raised the economic prospects in some areas while others have been left behind. Rural poverty, which is so at odds with our sometimes idyllic vision of small town and rural life, makes us uncomfortable and tempts us to ignore the issue. That is not the answer,” says Farm Foundation President Neil Conklin. “With this Forum, Farm Foundation seeks to bring many voices into a constructive conversation of how we attack the cancer that is poverty in rural America.”

Conklin adds, “Since its founding in 1933, Farm Foundation has focused on economic and public policy issues critical to the future of agriculture and rural America. This Forum continues that tradition, examining the strengths and weaknesses of public policies in combating poverty in rural America.”

There is no charge for this event, but you are requested to register here to attend in person at the National Press Club and here to be part of the live audiocast.

Ag Groups, Farm Foundation

CommonGround Recognized at NAMA

Kelly Marshall

CommonGroundThe National Agri-Marketing Association recognized the advocacy group, CommonGround during their National Awards Ceremony. The group won first place in the Social Tactic category, as well as Best of Show- Digital and the first-ever NAMA Grand Champion award for their video, “Ask a Farmer.” Their newly redesigned website also won first place in the Website Directed to Consumers category.

CommonGround is a group of volunteer farm women who reach out to women with questions about how their food is raised. They are funded through a joint program of the National Corn Growers Association and the United Soybean Board and state affiliates. Their goal is for families to enjoy food without fear. Currently the team has 172 volunteers from many states and agricultural backgrounds. They host an activity somewhere int eh country almost every other day.

The program focuses on nine areas of interest to consumers including: farm ownership; GMOs; food safety; antibiotics and animal health; hormones in meat and milk; organic and local foods; food prices; and sustainability, which was added as a topic just this year.

Watch and share “Ask a Farmer” yourself.


2016 NAMA Photo Album

Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News and Nufarm
Coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by Brownfield Ag News for America      Coverage of Potato Expo is sponsored by Nufarm
Ag Groups, Agribusiness, NAMA

Farmers Face Financial Pressure, AFBF Tells Congress

Kelly Marshall

afbfThe continued commodity price slump is hurting American farmers and Zippy Duvall is trying to make sure Congress understand just what that means to agriculture.  The American Farm Bureau Federation President (AFBF) explained to the Agriculture Subcommittee that, while all farmers and ranchers will be affected, new and young farmers will struggle most as they work to build equity, write rent checks, and make equipment payments.

“The bottom line is that farmers and ranchers are being forced to tighten their belts and pay much closer attention to their financial situation,” Duvall told the House Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. “They will be in greater need of safety net and risk management programs than has been the case for some time—for some, since they started farming.”

Duvall’s list of factors included: cotton prices, the drop in milk prices, net farm income dropping from $123 billion in 2013 to $56 billion in 2015, and a long-term projection from the USDA of continued low new farm incomes over the next decade.

More than complaining about the bad new, however, Duvall explained to lawmakers how they can help the situation.  Approval of TPP topped the list, followed by stopping the Waters of the U.S. rule.  Reversing spill prevention and control requirements made the list, along with establishing a nation-wide labeling standard.

You can read his testimony here.

AFBF, Ag Groups