ASTA Chairman Presides Over Busy Year

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-annual-15-johnIt’s been a busy year for John Schoenecker of HM Clause as chairman of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).

One priority for the organization has been to develop a communications strategy and Schoenecker says they have moved forward with that plan in the past year developing a new video message that stresses the importance of seeds in our daily lives. “We’re trying to develop messages that will speak to all levels from our customers to our customers’ customers, and ultimately to the end consumer,” he said. “Really everything that we depend on starts with the seed.” Watch the video below or on the ASTA website – it’s a pretty powerful message!

In this interview from the ASTA annual meeting this week, Schoenecker also talks about the issues important to the industry that members took to the Hill in meetings with lawmakers. Interview with ASTA chairman John Schoenecker, HM Clause

2015 ASTA Annual Meeting photos


ASTA, Audio, Video

ASTA CEO Pleased with 2015 #ASTAannual

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-annual-15-andyAmerican Seed Trade Association (ASTA) president and CEO Andy LaVigne is pleased with the turnout of industry members at the 132nd annual meeting in Washington DC this week and with the reception they have received on Capitol Hill.

In his opening session welcome, LaVigne said he was especially thrilled to have Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack address the meeting despite his very busy schedule. “We heard back from his staff that he had a lunch and had to be at the White House and we can’t fit him in,” said LaVigne. “And he said no, I need to talk to these guys…he knew he only had 30 minutes but that’s what it means to him to talk to us.”

LaVigne says Vilsack recognizes the diversity of the seed industry. “We have organic producers, conventional producers and biotech producers, but we’re truly the foundation of agriculture,” he said.

LaVigne was also pleased with the record turnout for the “Storm the Hill” visits. “We had 127 people sign up, we had 129 visits in the House and the Senate,” he said. “That’s roughly a third of our representatives and senators … that’s fantastic!”

In his address to the membership, LaVigne also talked about priorities for the industry and how their communications strategy is moving forward. ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne

2015 ASTA Annual Meeting photos

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Biotech, Seed

Fast Track Back on Track

Cindy Zimmerman

tpaThe U.S. House passed Trade Promotion Authority Thursday by a vote of 218-208 getting fast track back on track and most agricultural organizations are very pleased.

“The House’s bipartisan passage of trade promotion authority legislation brings us a step closer to completing ambitious trade negotiations around the world,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman.

“We must break down trade barriers and give America’s farmers, livestock producers, and businesses greater access to the world’s consumers. We are one step closer to that goal today,” said National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling.

House leaders negotiated passage of TPA by separating out Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which failed to pass last week, and creating a new bill which now must go back to the Senate for approval.

AFBF, NCGA, Trade

ASTA Members Storm the Hill

Cindy Zimmerman

ASTA incoming chair Risa DeMasi with Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley

ASTA incoming chair Risa DeMasi with Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley

Over 120 members of the American Seed Trade Association “stormed the Hill” this week, meeting with their elected officials in Washington DC to talk about important issues for the seed industry.

“It was the most people we’ve had Storm the Hill ever,” said incoming ASTA chair Risa DeMasi of Grassland Oregon. “This is the first time that I’ve gone to the Hill and been able to meet with legislators themselves as opposed to just their staff.”

Among the key issues seed industry members discussed with lawmakers were trade, genetic resources, pollinator health, and labeling for genetically modified foods.

The ASTA annual meeting is held once every three years in Washington DC but next year the meeting will be held in Risa’s home state of Oregon as she takes over the chairmanship of the organization. “First time ever in Oregon and we’ll get to showcase some of the great diversity of agriculture in our state,” she said, more than a little excited about it!

Listen to my interview with Risa here: Interview with ASTA incoming chair Risa DeMasi, Grassland Oregon

2015 ASTA Annual Meeting photos

ASTA, Audio, Biotech, Seed

RIP Former AFBF President Dean Kleckner

Cindy Zimmerman

klecknerJust received word from Iowa Farm Bureau that former American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president Dean Kleckner, 82, passed away June 15 at his home in Minnesota with his wife of 62 years, Natalie, and family members by his side.

Kleckner was best known for his decades-long leadership within the Farm Bureau on the local, state and national level beginning at age 26 when he was elected president of the Floyd County Farm Bureau. In 1963, Kleckner became the vice president of Iowa Farm Bureau and in 1975 was elected president of IFBF. In 1986, he was elected president of AFBF and served seven two-year terms.

From 2000 to 2012, Kleckner was the Chairman of Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT), a non-profit advocacy group led by American farmers. Over his decades of leadership, Kleckner also served on many company and organization boards, including: the World Food Prize, the International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council, the National Policy Association, the National Livestock Producers Association, the Meat Export Federation, the College of Agriculture at Iowa State University, Iowans for Tax Relief, and the Health Policy Corporation of Iowa.

A public memorial service for Dean Kleckner will be held at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 8301 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, Iowa, on Tuesday, August 18, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. The public memorial will be immediately followed by a reception and fellowship at the church. The committal, at McLarens Resthaven Chapel in West Des Moines, will be private.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Suite 1000W, Washington, D.C. 20024 or The Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011.

AFBF

Secretary Vilsack Visits #ASTAannual

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-15-vilsackAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stressed the importance of the seed industry to American agriculture and the nation as a whole during an address kicking off the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting on Thursday in Washington DC.

“Clearly the seed industry has been responsible for an extraordinary increase in productivity in American agriculture,” said Vilsack. “But more than that, you are also critically important to the expansion of the local and regional food systems we are creating in this country.” In addition, Vilsack continued, the seed industry is vital to conservation and the increase in biobased products.

Vilsack made a request to ASTA members that they contact their members of Congress and tell them about the importance of funding for agricultural research. “The sad reality is that the current Congress is looking at a budget for USDA that’s $3.3 billion less than it was when I first became secretary,” said Vilsack. “And a good portion of that reduction has come from research.”

Listen to Vilsack’s speech here: Secy Vilsack addresses 2015 ASTA Annual

2015 ASTA Annual Meeting photos

ASTA, Audio, Seed, USDA

Mow, Mow, Mow

Melissa Sandfort

20150613_185206Today Aunt Jeanette writes:

“Mow, mow, mow the grass
Every other day.
‘Cause if you don’t you’ll have to bale
Just like you do the hay!”

I think I have told you before that to keep myself entertained when I am working outside I sometimes make up different lyrics to familiar songs and sing them out loud. Well, today was a singing day! It was also a mowing, trimming and pulling weeds day.

We have been fortunate to have rain in June after a quite dry April and May. In fact, I was terribly worried about my lawn because it was beginning to look like it usually looks the middle of August. June has been a different story. I am writing this on June 13 and since the first of June, we have had a total of 7.47 inches of rain. It has been wonderful!

Now, you might wonder why I didn’t turn my automatic sprinklers on in April and May. Well, I mostly rely on the original sprinkler system – Mother Nature. Also, since our lawn is almost the size of a football field (the result of having three boys that needed room to run and play) putting a sprinkler system in would be quite a task.

So, I will keep mowing, trimming, pulling weeds, enjoying the rain…and singing!

Note – The picture of the clematis has nothing to do with the story, but its beautiful flowers are also the result of generous rainfall. I also thought it was much prettier than a picture of grass. However, the “trellis” is a story for another time.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

AgriClear Launches New Platform for Cattle Buyers/Sellers

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 478AgriClear, an online platform designed to provide U.S. and Canadian cattle buyers and sellers with an efficient, cost-effective transaction and payment service just opened. Jamie Johansen spoke with Nevil Speer, AgriClear, to learn more about this new platform and is featured in this week’s ZimmCast.

AgriClear offers cattle producers a new way to do business with important benefits for both buyers and sellers, including assured payment for cattle delivered at the terms negotiated. By joining the AgriClear community, marketers will now be able to securely list and execute cattle transactions from their computer.

AgriClearNevil Speer serves as the Vice President of U.S. Operations for AgriClear and I spoke with him to learn more about this new opportunity for cattle producers. “We think there are some key value propositions with AgriClear that differentiate us in the marketplace. Primarily, it is a one-on-one type of transaction and negotiation. What happens in that process is you have access to broader markets. We empower buyers and sellers to be ultimately price makers instead of price takers.”

Nevil stressed that it is not an auction format. No one is under any time pressure when making purchases. He also added that registration is simple and there is no membership fee.

AgriClear operations will benefit from the financial support and clearing expertise of NGX, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group that offers trading and clearing services for natural gas, crude oil and electricity contracts.

Other benefits include a lower cost structure, an expanded market with a broader network of verified members, and financial certainty for transactions, with NGX acting as administrator of AgriClear’s back-office payment and settlement services.

Listen to Jamie’s conversation with Nevil in this week’s program: AgriClear Platform

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

The ZimmCast

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Agribusiness, Audio, Livestock, ZimmCast

RFD-TV Ready to Host Presidential Candidates

Chuck Zimmerman

Rural Town HallPresidential candidates are getting a great opportunity to talk to the rural community. It’s also a great opportunity for the country to see them in a different than normal setting answering questions they may not be asked otherwise. It’s RFD-TV and a series of programs called “RURAL TOWN HALL.” The series is being produced in conjunction with Mediacom Connections Channel.

Issues important to rural Americans, farmers, ranchers, and senior citizens will be the sole focus in a new series of live, one-hour, primetime programs featuring presidential candidates leading up to the caucuses in Iowa, and New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. Each program will offer individual candidates the opportunity to share their vision for rural America, while answering questions submitted by rural associations, organizations, and commodity groups. Veteran farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson will serve as host.

RURAL TOWN HALL will premiere in July and air on Monday evenings at 8pm ET (7pm CT), and Thursday evenings at 10pm ET (9pm CT). The program will be delivered to almost 50 million homes through RFD-TV’s distribution on cable and satellite. In addition, RURAL RADIO on SiriusXM Channel 80 will simulcast each town hall to SiriusXM’s 27+ million subscribers. Rural Town Hall production will originate from a variety of locations in the State of Iowa or the RFD-TV studios on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. A complete schedule of each candidate’s appearance to follow.
“Rural America’s impact on national elections is undeniable. This is a tremendous opportunity for each candidate to address issues largely ignored by urban media, yet are so important to many of the citizens voting in these primaries,” stated Patrick Gottsch, Founder & President of Rural Media Group. “From day one Rural Media Group’s goal has been to reconnect city with country. We believe that this nation is at its best when urban and rural America understand each other’s issues and perspectives, in order to work together resulting in a solution acceptable to all.”


Media, Video

Faith & Ag Event in Italy to Discuss Modern Ag Challenges

John Davis

nfu_logo2U.S. agricultural leaders will join world leaders in Milan, Italy, to talk about how faith traditions can inform solutions to modern agricultural challenges. The National Farmers Union will send several of is leaders to the June 27-28 Faith, Agriculture, Food and the Environment symposium, including Doug Peterson, the president of Farmers Union Enterprises and the Minnesota Farmers Union, who will be a featured speaker at the event that focuses on Pope Francis’ eco-encyclical and how it relates to contemporary challenges in agriculture and food production.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to examine the crossroads of faith, food production and the environment and to look for better ways to ensure nutrition for the world’s people while managing our environmental footprint,” said Peterson.

The symposium events will be held at Civil Society Pavilion Cascina Triulza at EXPO 2015, which is taking place in Milan this summer. Peterson will speak at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 27.

He will be joined at the event by the presidents of three other states’ farmers unions (Darin Von Ruden [Wisconsin], Mark Watne [North Dakota], Alan Merrill [Montana]), as well as Jim Ennis, the executive director of Catholic Rural Life.

“This symposium comes on the heels of the publication of Pope Francis’s encyclical on the environment, and will be one of the first opportunities for farm leaders, theologians and academic experts from around the world to gather and discuss how to apply the key themes of the letter to agriculture,” said Ennis.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, the president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and a key architect of the pope’s encyclical, will begin the event by providing a faith-based perspective—rooted in Francis’ teaching—on the moral dimensions of farming.

Ag Groups, Ag Leader, International