Task Force to Make Case for Investment in Nutrition

John Davis February 27, 2015

A task force made up of policy, business, civil society and scientific leaders will make the case for investing in nutrition and lay out opportunities for those working in agriculture and food to make healthy foods more widely available and affordable. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs announced the convening of the group ahead of the Global Food Security Symposium 2015 on April 16 in Washington, D.C.

The study is global in scope but will focus on low- and middle-income countries, where rates of stunting and malnourishment are highest and incidences of diet-related chronic disease are growing most rapidly.

“Virtually every country in the world is dealing with health issues that are linked to nutrition,” said Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder, president of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. “As we consider how to feed a more populated and affluent world sustainably, it is essential that the food produced be nutritious.”

The task force is cochaired by Dan Glickman, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas, and Douglas Bereuter, former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nebraska and president emeritus of the Asia Foundation. It is led by Catherine Bertini, distinguished fellow, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Generous support for the study is provided by Abbott at the lead level and National Dairy Council at the supporting level and by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Stuart Family Foundation. A full list of task force members is below.

“People’s diets largely determine their health,” said Dan Glickman. “In spite of this, making nutritious foods more available and affordable is rarely seen as a tool to prevent diet-related chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. This has to change.”

Ahead of the Washington symposium, the council has launched a blog series to explore themes around the role of the food system in nutrition and health. Check out the “Global Food for Thought” blog here.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Nutrition

Propane Power Pays at #Classic15

Cindy Zimmerman February 26, 2015

If you are a farmer at Commodity Classic this week and you might be in the market for propane-powered equipment, you definitely should stop by the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) booth at the trade show and get incentivized.

When I visited with PERC opening day, I met Tom Uhlman of Nebraska who took advantage of the propane incentive program when he was in the market for a new irrigation motor. “We were looking at replacing some 30 year old diesel irrigation motors and our local dealer recommended looking at propane,” he said. “It worked out really well as we got a tremendous amount of money back for the motors we bought.”

Visiting Husker Harvest Days in Nebraska last year, Tom happened to stop by the PERC booth and entered a contest to win a trip to Commodity Classic and won. “This is the first time I’ve ever been,” Tom said. “It’s been very interesting.”

Tom says he has found the propane motors to be quiet, clean, efficient and economical. “The propane price has been real stable the last year and they’re forecasting it to be lower,” he said. “I already bought my propane for next summer’s irrigation at below a dollar a gallon, so it makes good economic sense.”

What really makes good economic sense is to stop by booth 2126 and get up to $6,000 towards equipment purchases through the Propane Farm Incentive Program – that’s $1000 more than the normal incentive, just for Commodity Classic attendees!

Listen to my interview with Tom here: Interview with Tom Uhlman, Nebraska farmer and propane user

2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by Propane Education and Research Council

Audio, Commodity Classic, PERC, Propane

FARMLAND at Walmart March 3

Cindy Zimmerman February 26, 2015

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) was pleased to announced at the 2015 Commodity Classic this week that the feature-length documentary FARMLAND will be available on DVD beginning Tuesday, March 3rd, at Walmart and Walmart.com.

“It’s been available on iTunes and other ways to download or stream it but now you can physically own and have your own DVD,” said USFRA board member Lisa Lunz of Nebraska during the Classic trade show on Thursday.

Lisa says the film, which was supported by USFRA to help educate the public about farming and ranching, is proving to be a great investment for the agriculture industry. “It’s a tool to start a conversation,” she said. “As producers we need to have those conversations.”

Plans are to get the film into the classroom through the “I am FARMLAND” effort. “They’re developing a curriculum, a 44 minute version, so we can tell the story about producers in schools,” said Lisa. She encourages individual producers who would like to help make that happen to go to www.IamFARMLAND.com and make a donation.

Listen to my interview with Lisa here: Interview with Lisa Lunz, USFRA board member

2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Audio, Commodity Classic, USFRA

Phoenix Welcomes 2015 Commodity Classic

Taylor Truckey February 26, 2015

A record number of farmers and exhibitors from all over the country have descended on Phoenix for the 20th Commodity Classic – the annual event for corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum producers.

The massive trade show at the event is the largest ever with 355 booths – a record by a large margin according to the Commodity Classic officials. Attendance has already broken the record on the first day with 7759 registered so far and more are expected.

“The Commodity Classic Trade Show is always a popular event, and this year is no exception with a sold out event that offers attendees a chance to see the most cutting edge technology while interacting with industry leaders,” said National Corn Growers Association Joint Venture Committee 2015 Co-Chair Bart Schott. “Those searching for new ideas and a better picture of what is now and soon will be available to farmers will find the most extensive, comprehensive offering to date while exhibitors reach a larger audience than ever.”

Commodity Classic runs through Saturday night.

2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Ag Groups, Commodity Classic, NCGA, sorghum, Soybean, Wheat

BASF Awards SOY, Corn and Wheat Scholarships

Cindy Zimmerman February 26, 2015

BASF Crop Protection made 10 students pursuing agricultural degrees very happy today with the presentation of scholarships at the 2015 Commodity Classic, in partnership with the American Soybean Association (ASA), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the National Wheat Foundation (NWF).

“Investing in the future is how the agricultural industry can sustain success,” said Neil Bentley, Director of Marketing, U.S. Crop, BASF. “As BASF celebrates its 150th anniversary, we are pleased to provide scholarships to bright, agriculture-passionate individuals to invest in that future and assure the sustainability of the industry in the years to come.” Interview with Neil Bentley, BASF

The winners are:

The 2015-2016 ASA Secure Optimal Yield $5000 (SOY) Scholarship – Maria Kuhns of Mason, Illinois – Interview with 2015 SOY Scholarship winner
National Corn Growers Association Scholarships
Caleb Brannon of Puryear, Tennessee
Deja Jackson of St. Helena Island, South Carolina
Amber Pickard of Hastings, Michigan
Faith Wendte of Urbana, Illinois
Elizabeth Wittenbach of Belding, Michigan
Interview with 2015 Corn Scholarship winners and NCGA representative

National Wheat Foundation Jerry Minore Memorial Scholarships
JD Rosman of Creston, Washington
Matthew Stubbs of LaCrosse, Washington
Maya Wahl of Lind, Washington
Faith Wendte of Urbana, Illinois – double award winner!
Interview with 2015 Wheat Scholarship winners and Wheat Foundation rep

2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

2015 BASF Science Behind Photos

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Corn, Education, Soybean, Wheat

New Holland 3-A-Day iPad Giveaway

Chuck Zimmerman February 26, 2015

Hey tablet fans. New Holland is doing a great incentive program at their show booths, including here at the 2015 Commodity Classic. It’s the New Holland 3-A-Day iPad Giveaway.

Using the Golden ZimmComm Microphone I spoke with Rebecca Gunderson, New Holland, about the promotion and other incentives being offered if you stop and visit with the company. She says it’s an easy entry process at a kiosk in the exhibit. Tune in to hear more about why you should visit our sponsor while you’re in Phoenix.

Listen to interview here: Interview with Rebecca Gunderson

You will find all the ZimmComm team photos from Classic here: 2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Uncategorized

Ag Issues Forum Celebrates Ten Years

Chuck Zimmerman February 26, 2015

It is a week of anniversaries here in Phoenix, AZ. ZimmComm New Media is still celebrating the 10th year of its founding, Commodity Classic is celebrating 20 years and Bayer CropScience is celebrating ten years of its pre-Classic Ag Issues Forum.
I talked with Beth Roden, Bayer CropScience, about how the Forum has evolved over the last decade and as you might guess, new communication technology has played a big role. This event brings in a large group of ag media representatives and they are now using new channels like Twitter to distribute information instantly. The hashtag for this year’s event is #AIF2015. Check it out to see what was tweeted!

Learn more about the Ag Issues Forum in this week’s program: Ag Issues Forum 10th Anniversary

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

The ZimmCast

sponsored by

Locally owned, globally strong.

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, ZimmCast

Hold Onto Your Hat!

Melissa Sandfort February 26, 2015

I’ve done a lot of traveling in my day, but never spent much time in Chicago – “The Windy City” – other than a quick layover in O’Hare. I have, however, spent many, many years in Nebraska. When I moved back home after living in Denver for two years, I recall thinking, “I don’t remember Nebraska being this windy!” But I guess it is:

For the purpose of identifying the states offering the best wind power resources, the Department of Energy has analyzed which have the strongest and lightest winds. The windiest weather tends to occur in the Plains, while the least windy weather occurs in the Southeast.

The top 5 windiest states are: Nebraska (1), Kansas (2), South Dakota (3), North Dakota (4), and Iowa (5). (From the Washington Post.)

So it wasn’t only in my head. Nebraska tops the list of windiest states, beating Kansas (which was a surprise to me). Hold onto your hats!

When I was visiting my grandparents this past weekend, ironically enough, grandma showed me this beautiful hat pin holder. Ladies would weave one of these slender pins through their hair and hat in hopes of keeping their hat on their head on windy Nebraska days.

People say about the cold in Nebraska: You’ve lived there for years…you should be used to it! Maybe they say the same about the wind. Chalk it up to a lot of bad hair days.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

USDA Gives $14 Million for Rural Economic Growth

John Davis February 26, 2015

Rural economies are getting a $14 million boost from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This news release from the agency says the grants through USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are aimed at increasing prosperity in rural America through research, education, and extension programs focused on promoting rural community development, economic growth, and sustainability.

“Nearly 60 million Americans live in rural areas, and their value and impact through the agriculture industry can be felt both domestically and internationally,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. “To help these communities remain prosperous and viable, we need to support discovery of new ways that promote economic viability among producers, small businesses, and communities in rural America.”

Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are the backbone and economic lifeblood for Americans everywhere, providing food, feed, fiber, fuels, and open spaces. However, rural areas and communities face many hardships. High poverty rates, slow recovery from economic recession, and low average income per household are all challenges to having a successful and viable community. Funding from NIFA is expected to assist communities and regions in creating self-sustaining, long-term economic development through research and strategic planning.

The list of awardees is available here.

Agribusiness, USDA

BASF Survey Says Farmers Concerned About Risk

Cindy Zimmerman February 25, 2015

No doubt farming is a risky business or everyone would do it, but this year more than ever farmers are concerned about managing financial risk and worried about potential commodity price fluctuations.

According to a survey of over 200 farmers, BASF Crop Protection found that farmers are very or extremely concerned about managing financial risk in the coming season, and a full 90% say they are concerned about commodity price fluctuation. In addition, BASF Vice President for US Crop Protection Scott Kay said they found farmers would feel better if they had someone to share that risk. “60% of them said they would like to partner with a chemical manufacturer to help me make better decisions moving forward,” said Kay. In addition, 55% said risk sharing with a crop protection company would “give them peace of mind.”

Kay invites farmers to visit with BASF during Commodity Classic this week to find out how they can work together. Interview with Scott Kay, BASF

Stay tuned to find out what’s new from this 150 year old company!

2015 BASF Science Behind Photos

Audio, BASF

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