First Ever ZimmComm Team Retreat

Chuck Zimmerman May 4, 2016

The ZimmComm Team got together for the first time in Pensacola Beach, FL. All our editors and the mysterious Robert, the webmaster, are concluding our business sessions which have included website critiques/changes (some still pending), social media strategy, online multimedia content creation and much more. It has been an intense time but also a great time for fellowship with family members too. And yes, that does include some grand babies who are now budding beach bums.

Over the next week or so we’ll be implementing some of our new strategies and changes and it’s all to provide our community with an evermore informative, entertaining and available experience from the pioneers of online ag media.

We also adopted a new zebra, MiniZ. You will have the chance to meet the little guy all along the agriblogging highway throughout the year.

ZimmComm Announcement

NCGA Launches Photo Contest

Lizzy Schultz May 4, 2016

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is calling on photographers to help tell the story of farming field corn in America through photos in the third annual Fields-of-Corn Photo Contest. This contest intends to help capture high-resolution photos of corn growth from seed to harvest, as well as the families that grow it. The contest is officially open, and interested participants may submit multiple entries through the deadline of November 30, 2016.

The photo contest is open to all interested participants, and offers a free opportunity for photographers to share their work while competing for 19 cash prizes. including a grand prize of $500. Entries will be considered for prizes with cash awards for the top three entries in five categories including: Farm Family Lifestyle, Farming Challenges, Growing Field Corn, Scenery/Landscape and the Soil Health Partnership’s new Conservation category. Additional first, second and third prizes will be awarded for the entries with the most “likes.”

For more information on prizes and on these categories, click here.

The contest will be judged by an impartial panel of media and communications professionals, along with SHP staff with conservation expertise. The panel’s decisions are final.

While entries will only be accepted until November 30, 2016, entries may accumulate “likes” until December 31, 2016. Winners will be announced in January of 2017. Register, upload your best farm photos and come back often to submit new entries by clicking here.

Ag Groups, Agronomy, Corn, NCGA

Workshop Explores Changing Dynamics of Ag Finance

Lizzy Schultz May 4, 2016

Farm Foundation, NFP, along with USDA’s Economic Research Service and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, has organized a workshop that intends to explore the implications of the evolving trends regarding non-farmer investor interest in agricultural resources and the use of more diverse business organization tools by farm landowners. The workshop will be held June 6-7, 2016, at the Brown Hotel, Louisville, KY.

“Several years of strong commodity prices, combined with high market demand, fueled investor interest in agricultural resources worldwide,” says Farm Foundation, NFP President Neil Conklin. “Commodity prices have cooled significantly, but interest in farmland investments remains strong.”

The workshop was developed as more investors outside the agricultural sector have begun to buy farmland, including financial services firms and pension and mutual fund companies. Agriculture-only REITS are now part of the farmland market, and other financial developments are also at play in the agricultural finance sector. Farmers seeking to keep their land, invest in capital assets, adapt to changing supply chains, or expand their current operations are turning to a wide array of organizational tools, such as C- and S-corporations.

“It is clear that trends in farmland ownership and tenure patterns are changing,” Conklin says. “This workshop will explore the current interest in farmland, the players driving it, and the implications for farmland ownership and tenure.”

The day-and-a-half long workshop will feature talks by farmer landowners, academic researchers and lenders, including representatives of commercial banks, Farm Credit, insurance companies and the investment community. The program will also work to examine the relationship of ownership and financing to farm policies, including programs targeted to credit, conservation, commodities and crop insurance.

“This workshop is targeted to farmers, landowners, investors and members of the finance, agribusiness and public policy communities. All are key players whose actions are shaping the trends in farmland ownership and agricultural finance which, in turn, has potential implications for the social and political environments in which they operate,” Conklin says.

The workshop is free and open to all interested parties. Registration is requested, and can be completed online here

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Farm Credit, Farm Foundation, USDA

USDA Unveils New Urban Agriculture Toolkit

Lizzy Schultz May 3, 2016

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently unveiled the USDA Urban Agriculture Toolkit, a new resource created by USDA’s Know Your Farmer team that intends to help entrepreneurs and community leaders use urban agriculture to successfully create jobs and increase access to healthy food in their communities. The announcement was made during the opening of a new school community garden at Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore after the idea for the Toolkit was originally conceived at a USDA Urban Agriculture roundtable held nearby in Baltimore last spring.

“Urban agriculture helps strengthen the health and social fabric of communities while creating economic opportunities for farmers and neighborhoods,” Vilsack said. “USDA’s Urban Agriculture Toolkit compiles guidance from our Know Your Farmer team and many private partners into one comprehensive resource to help small-scale producers manage all aspects of their business. From protecting soil health to marketing to schools and grocery store chains, USDA has tools to meet the needs of this new breed of innovative urban farmer and small business owner.”

Industry estimates show that local food sales in the U.S. totaled at least $12 billion in 2014, up from $5 billion in 2008. Experts anticipate that value to hit $20 billion by 2019. The numbers are also showing that urban agriculture opportunities are helping to drive job growth in agriculture, increase entrepreneurship, and expand food access and choice.

USDA’s Toolkit is an electronic document that focuses on some of the most pressing challenges confronting urban producers. Users have access to more than 70 helpful resources regarding land access, soil quality, water resources, capital and financing, infrastructure, market development, production strategies, applying for federal, state or private foundation grants, technical assistance and financing opportunities.

University extension service partners in Chicago and Indianapolis helped develop cost estimates for starting urban farms, and the toolkit includes information on best practices and check lists for start-ups and early-stage producers planning outdoor or indoor operations.

Ag Groups, Farming, Food, USDA

Ag Foundations Reach Students at USA Science Festival

Lizzy Schultz May 3, 2016

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (AFBFA) and Pennsylvania Friends of Agriculture Foundation were able to provide important information about where food comes from to approximately 9,000 students and families through their booth at this year’s USA Science & Engineering Festival. The festival, held every two years, is the nation’s largest STEM education event of its kind, with total attendance of 365,000.

“Creatively bringing the farm to students and teachers at outreach events like the USA Science & Engineering Festival is critically important as we work to rebuild the bonds of trust between American consumers and the people who proudly grow their food, fiber and energy,” said AFBF President and AFBFA Chairman Zippy Duvall.

Booth visitors participated in several hands-on activities, including building DNA molecules from edible ingredients, playing online games related to agriculture, and taking on the role of animal nutritionist to complete mathematical challenges. A scavenger hunt and special “make & take” activity allowed students to further discover the importance of agriculture in their lives.

Two children’s book authors who previously participated in AFBFA’s 2016 On the Farm Author Experience funded by the Beef Checkoff were also present at the event. Lela Nargi, author of The Honeybee Man, and Lizzy Rockwell, author of Plants Feed Me and Good Enough to Eat, engaged with students and encouraged them to write their own stories about why agriculture is important.

“Bringing the basics of agriculture to the public is important,” said AFBFA Executive Director Julie Tesch. “Agriculture is the perfect context for the application of STEM concepts. We are especially grateful to our donors. Thanks to their support, we were able to exhibit at the festival and reach thousands of students and families with information about agriculture and food.”

AFBF, Ag Groups, Beef Checkoff, Education

Culvers To Fund Trips to FFA Convention

Lizzy Schultz May 2, 2016

Culver’s has recently announced that they will be hosting the Second Annual FFA Essay Contest to give FFA members across the United States the opportunity to win money toward a trip for their chapter to the 2016 National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, October 19-22. The four-day event gives more than 60,000 students the chance to grow their chapters, their friendships and their own potential through professional development and educational opportunities.

The FFA Essay Contest is part of Culver’s Thank You Farmers Program, which recognizes how vital agriculture is to Culver’s success by providing financial support to young people who want to make a career in agriculture. The contest invites current FFA members to submit an essay for the chance to be one of the chapters that Culver’s helps send to the convention. The top three essay writers will receive prizes of $7,500, $2,500 and $2,500, respectively, to help fund their chapters’ trips.

“Not only is this contest a way to show our support for FFA, but it’s also a great opportunity for Culver’s to hear firsthand from members about so many important agricultural topics,” shared David Stidham, vice president of marketing at Culver’s.

Essays should consist of 1,000 words or less, and contestants are asked to write about their perspective on ways that modern technology is impacting the agricultural industry and the ag careers they are most interested in. The essay contest ends June 3, 2016, at 5 p.m. CDT, and the winners of the contest will be notified in late June. Essays can be submitted online here

Learn more about Culver’s efforts to support the next generation of America’s farmers by visiting here

Ag Groups, Education, FFA, Technology

AFBF Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge Has Opened

Lizzy Schultz May 2, 2016

Online applications for the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) third Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge will open May 1, coinciding with the beginning of National Small Business Week.

The competition, in which entrepreneurs will compete for a prize of $145,000 in startup funds,
provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations that benefit rural regions of the United States. It is the first national rural business competition that focuses exclusively on innovative entrepreneurs working on food and agriculture businesses.

Qualifying business models include farms or ranches, value-added food processing, food hubs, community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs), farm-to-table restaurants, farmers’ markets, wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries. Businesses can also support food and agriculture such as crop scouting, agritourism, ag advertising agencies and ag technology companies.

“Owners of all types of businesses across the food and agriculture supply chain are encouraged to enter the competition,” said Dr. Lisa Benson, AFBF’s director of rural development. “Through the challenge, we’ll provide 10 rural entrepreneurs with access to funding to take their businesses to the next level.”

Applicants may submit for-profit business ideas related to food and agriculture online starting May 1 using this online form

Applications include a business plan, video pitch and photo, and must be submitted online by June 30. Judges will review the applications and provide feedback to the participants. The top 10 teams will be announced in October. The top six teams will each win $10,000 in startup funds.

The final four teams will compete in a live competition at AFBF’s 98th Annual Convention in Phoenix on Jan. 8. The judges choice for the winning team will receive the Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year award and $30,000. The People’s Choice award winner will receive $25,000, the first and second runner-up teams will each be awarded $15,000.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award and the People’s Choice award will be awarded to two different teams. The team that wins the Entrepreneur of the Year award will not be eligible for the People’s Choice Award. The competition timeline, detailed eligibility guidelines and profiles of the 2015 and 2016 finalist teams are available online here

AFBF, Ag Day, Agribusiness

NMPF Welcomes New Hires and Reorganizes Staff

Jamie Johansen May 2, 2016

CIn an effort to further advance the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) strategic agenda, Emily Meredith, formerly NMPF’s vice president of animal care, has been promoted to chief of staff. NMPF also welcomes two staff to the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) animal care program team.

As chief of staff, Meredith will take on new responsibilities for strategic planning, organizational oversight and management of staff activities. Meredith will manage the Office of the CEO, working for president and CEO Jim Mulhern and in tandem with NMPF’s senior leadership.

“Emily has done a great job for the entire dairy industry with her skillful management of the FARM Program, building producer, processor and customer support, and effectively telling the story of the great job America’s dairy farmers are doing on animal care,” Mulhern said. “Those skills will now be applied more broadly across the Federation’s activities. Emily’s focus and attention to detail will benefit our members and staff as we move forward,” he said.

Meredith had served as NMPF’s vice president of animal care, and manager of the FARM Program, since 2014. She will continue to oversee the FARM Program, with the support of two new staff members who will assume day-to-day management of the program and report to Meredith in her new role.

The new hires include Emily Yeiser Stepp as FARM Program manager, and Beverly Hampton as FARM coordinator.

For the past four years, Emily Yeiser Stepp served as the dairy initiatives manager for the Center for Dairy Excellence in Harrisburg, Penn. Most recently, she served as the dairy and beef extension coordinator at the University of Maryland.

Yeiser Stepp, of Annapolis, Md., got her start in the dairy industry through the 4-H dairy leasing program. She received a degree in animal science from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s in dairy science from Virginia Tech. Her research was focused on how mastitis and metabolic diseases affect dairy cow behavior.

Beverly Hampton also comes from an agriculture background, as she grew up on her family’s farm and helped run her parent’s agritourism business. She attended North Carolina State University, where she served as a North Carolina State FFA Officer and a National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador. She graduated with a degree in poultry science.

While in school, Hampton worked as the communications intern for the Animal Agriculture Alliance. For the past year, Hampton has provided industry technical assistance for U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

“We are very excited to welcome Emily and Beverly to NMPF and the FARM Program,” said Mulhern. “Their individual experience, expertise and enthusiasm will help ensure that the FARM Program continues to address the needs of farmers, and the entire dairy supply chain.”

Ag Groups, Dairy

Passing of Sen. Conrad Burns

Cindy Zimmerman April 29, 2016

Sad to hear the news that legendary farm broadcaster and U.S. Senator Conrad Burns has passed away at the age of 81. Conrad founded the Northern Ag Network and was inducted into the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2011.

Burns was born in Northwest Missouri, attended the University of Missouri, served in the US Marine Corps, and eventually joined the Polled Hereford World magazine in Billings, Montana. This work in the livestock business eventually led him to become a cattle auctioneer and as the first manager of the Northern International Livestock Expo. He also began reporting on agriculture news, started a radio show and worked as a farm reporter on television. In 1975, Conrad founded the Northern Ag Network and continually grew the network with additional stations and programming. He served 2 years as a Yellowstone County Commissioner before being elected to the US Senate in 1988. He served 3 terms as US Senator and was a champion for legislation effecting broadcast, agriculture and energy policy.

The Northern Ag Network expressed its deepest condolences to the entire Burns family. “It is through his vision that the Northern Ag Network got it start and has been the Powerful Voice of the West for the last 40 years.”

Read the Northern Ag Net story on the late, great Conrad Burns and watch his NAFB Hall of Fame video. You can also listen to his comments from the 2011 NAFB awards banquet.

Media, NAFB

I AM USFRA – Poultry and Egg Industry

Cindy Zimmerman April 29, 2016

Perhaps more than much of agriculture, the poultry industry has been the target of animal rights advocates and others who have tried to damage the image of their products in the eyes of consumers. That’s why the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association (USPOULTRY) was one of the founding organizations for the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), to join with others in agriculture in a dialogue about food production.

“The poultry industry is committed to producing a wholesome, safe, sustainable supply of poultry to consumers that’s healthy and tastes good,” says Monty Henderson, former chairman of USPOULTRY who now represents the industry on the board of USFRA. “With all the noise out there today, USFRA is carrying that message to consumers for us.”

Henderson says one of the USFRA initiatives that he believes has been most effective in getting agriculture’s message to consumers is the Faces of Farming and Ranching. “USFRA goes out and selects four or five young farmers that represent conventional agriculture and are in different geographic locations across the country,” said Henderson. “Those young farmers are very involved in social media and they attend a lot of Food Dialogues and represent the farmers producing our food.”

Henderson has been in the poultry business for many years, starting as a broiler service manager with Tyson Foods and later with Campbell Soup Company. He served as president of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation and in 1994 joined George’s, Inc., as president and CEO where he retired in 2010. In addition to serving as a past chairman for U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, Henderson has served on the Board of Directors for the National Chicken Council and as a director of the American Egg Board. “I think USFRA represents all segments of farming,” he says. “That’s one of the reasons that we are so active in it.”

Listen to my interview with Monty here: Interview with Monty Henderson, USFRA board member for poultry

Audio, Poultry, USFRA

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