Commodity Classic Gets New Mobile App

John Davis December 15, 2014

Attendees of the upcoming Commodity Classic will have an easier time planning their schedules during the event. The mobile app, which can be downloaded from a variety of operating systems’ app stores, will give attendees fresh information on sponsors, trade show floor events, locations for sessions and exhibits, and other up-to-the-minute information on the nation’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show, Feb. 26-28 in Phoenix, Arizona.

“We expect to break a number of records in Phoenix in terms of both attendees and exhibitors as Commodity Classic returns to its roots,” said soybean farmer Sam Butler of Alabama, Commodity Classic Co-Chair. “With the new Commodity Classic app, attendees can easily keep track of the tremendous line-up of educational sessions, outstanding speakers and a huge trade show. And this year, we’ll be adding a number of special events and activities related to the celebration of the 20th Commodity Classic.”

For a complete listing of the 2015 educational sessions, conference information, and to register online, visit www.CommodityClassic.com. Money-saving early registration ends Jan. 15. “With the new app, people planning to attend Commodity Classic can begin creating their schedule right now—months in advance of getting to Phoenix,” Butler added.

Commodity Classic brings together the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers.

Ag Groups, Apps, ASA, Commodity Classic, Corn, NAWG, NCGA, sorghum, Soybean

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes December 12, 2014

The North American Meat Association (NAMA) and Executive Director Philip H. Kimball announced that he has stepped down after eight years of service to the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMP) and NAMA.
Archer Daniels Midland Company announced that it has selected Erlanger, Kentucky, as the site for its new information technology and support center.
The Livestock Exporters Association (LEA) will hold the fourth annual Livestock Exporting 4.0 seminar on Monday, February 16, at the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in St. Louis, Missouri, in conjunction with the United States Livestock Genetics Export (USLGE) annual meeting.
Trimble announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted an exemption that will allow the company to conduct commercial operation of its Trimble® UX5 Aerial Imaging Solution in the U.S.

Zimfo Bytes

Follow Your Management Rules to Tackle PRRS

Jamie Johansen December 12, 2014

With over 20 years of research into PRRS, Dr. PH Rathjen with Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI), is no stranger to the virus. As one of the speakers at the BIVI sponsored session at the North American PRRS Symposium he shared his experiences dealing with PRRS from his home in Denmark and how utilizing both Area Regional Control (ARC) and vaccines can work together to combat the virus.

“All the participants need to come together and agree on the goals. I think if you are not in line with all you won’t succeed. Both the communication between vets and farmers has to be good. Everyone has to help each other.”

One key phrase Dr. Rathjen said he wanted everyone to remember was the importance of sticking to your management rules. “We can see that if we fail it’s not do to the program. The program was perfect. It comes down to the basic rules in the management. If you don’t follow the rules on optimum flow or other management rules, it will be the small things on a single farm that can put the project at risk.”

Dr. Rathjen continues to share insights into their PRRS project in Denmark along with results and challenges looking back one year later in my complete interview with him. Interview with Dr. PH Rathjen, Boehringer Ingelheim

Find all the photos from the event here: 2014 BIVI PRRS Seminar Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

UF Prof is Biotech Advocate

Cindy Zimmerman December 12, 2014

Hearing food and health “celebrities” spread misinformation about agriculture really annoys plant molecular and cellular biology professor Dr. Kevin Folta, who spoke at the CSS 2014 and Seed Expo this week in Chicago.

Folta, who has a blog where he calls himself “a scientist in a scientifically illiterate nation at a time when we need science the most,” took the Food Babe to task on social media after she made an appearance on his home turf at the University of Florida. “She misinformed our students, said stuff that was just not true, she made chemistry and safe food additives look bad,” he said. “It was a promotion for her and really an unfortunate one because I really believe her heart’s in the right place but she gave our students bad information – and not on my watch.”

Folta was prepared to challenge her at the forum where she spoke, but since she did not take questions as expected, he did a blog post to refute her and he stresses the importance of food being a social debate. “Dr. Oz has an audience of five million people every day, I have an audience of a dozen,” he said. “We have to amplify our message by getting more of us involved.”

Interview with Kevin Folta, University of Florida professor

2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by BASF Ag Products

ASTA, Audio, Biotech

BASF on Importance of Coatings and Inoculants

Cindy Zimmerman December 11, 2014

Coatings and inoculants are where it’s at in the seed industry these days and BASF Ag Products is in the forefront of this important technology for agriculture.

“When we speak of inoculants, we’re talking about rhizobia-based products,” said BASF US Crop Seed Enhancement manager Steve Bergschneider during an interview at the ASTA CSS 2014 and Seed Expo in Chicago. “We have selectively chosen strains that we ferment and build into our inoculation products that allow us to use them in North Dakota, or the Southeast, or Ohio, Nebraska… a variety of conditions that allow them to effectively infect plants and form a high level of nodules for that plant.”

In the BASF coatings portfolio, Bergschneider says their Flo Rite® Plantability Polymers are the biggest. “We have some versions for corn and soybeans,” he said. “Our Flo Rite brand allows the farmer to plant very accurate seed drops – no skips, no doubles – to allow him to have a good planting day when he’s ready to go.”

Find out more in this interview: Interview with Steve Bergschneider, BASF
2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

ASTA, Audio, BASF, Seed

EPA Approves Bayer CropScience’s ILeVO® for SDS

Leah Guffey December 11, 2014

Bayer CropScience announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved its application for the registration of ILeVO®, the only seed treatment that protects the root system against infections caused by the Sudden Death Syndrome fungus and has activity against dangerous nematodes in the seed zone.

Business to business strategy manager of seed growth, John Carlson says, “This is a big deal not only for Bayer but for soybean growers across the midwest. We are about ready to give them an option that they have been looking for for about forty years.”

Soybean growers across the country are constantly looking for ways to protect their crops from the fungus that causes Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and nematodes, specifically the Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) – two of the top five soybean yield robbing pests. In 2014 environmental conditions were such that growers experienced higher than normal pressure from SDS. Until now, there was no seed treatment available to protect soybean plants against both SDS and nematodes.

You can hear my interview with John Carlson here: Interview with John Carlson, Bayer Crop Science

2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

ASTA, Audio, Bayer, Soybean

Media Training for ASTA Members

Leah Guffey December 11, 2014

American Farm Bureau Federation director of media and advocacy training Johnna Miller conducted a workshop for members of the American Seed Trade Association during CSS 2014 on how to effectively communicate with the media.

Johnna says farmers and ranchers have a great story to tell, but it’s not always easy for them to do. She hopes attendees walk away from the session realizing that doing a good interview and getting the right information out is doable, it just sometimes takes a little work. “If we don’t go out and talk about it, the general public doesn’t know that these great things are happening,” she says. “Sometimes we have to promote our own stories to make sure the word gets out.”

You can hear my interview with Johnna here: Interview with Johnna Miller, AFBF

2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

AFBF, ASTA, Audio, Media, Seed

ASTA Chairs Pleased with CSS 2014

Cindy Zimmerman December 11, 2014

The chairman and first vice chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) are pleased with this year’s turnout at CSS 2014 and Seed Expo and with the direction of the organization.

ASTA chair John Schoenecker with HM. Clause of California says the program is exceptionally good this year. “Everything from bee health to cover crops, the international treaty for plant genetic resources, improving consistency, and much more,” he said.

Schoenecker is very excited about the new consumer research announced this week and the planned communications outreach. “Our membership and board decided to commit significant resources over the next three years to better understand and help educate the consumer about the impact of seed on their life,” he said. Interview with ASTA chair John Schoenecker, HM. Clause

As the first vice chair, Risa DeMasi of Grassland Oregon will be taking over as ASTA chairman next summer, so implementing the communications outreach to consumers will fall under her leadership. “I’m excited about it,” said Risa. “We have a great story to tell because if you think about it, everything around you comes from a seed.”

Risa is also pleased with the attendance at the CSS-Seed Expo this year and a larger media presence with a new media room sponsored by BASF. Interview with ASTA 1st vice chair Risa DeMasi, Grassland Oregon

2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

ASTA, Audio, BASF, Seed

Wrapping up Ag Retailers Association Convention

Chuck Zimmerman December 11, 2014

Daren Coppock, President/CEO, Agricultural Retailers Association, gave us a preview of last week’s convention and now you can hear his review. I told him I look at these interviews as the bookends for my coverage! Although I might still have a couple more stories to share.

Daren says, “We’re really pleased and the basis for that opinion is the feedback I’ve gotten from members that have been here.” The last number he had heard at the time of our interview was 798 in attendance which is a record for the convention. Daren commented again on how important the networking opportunities are for ARA members and that’s why they build the program to include as much of that time as possible. Daren says the staff has a very busy winter season that includes a January board meeting and more. No rest for the weary I guess.

Listen to my interview with Daren here: Interview with Daren Coppock, ARA President/CEO

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

Ag Groups, ARA, Audio

USDA Chief Economist to Retire

Cindy Zimmerman December 11, 2014

The chief economist with USDA is retiring at the end of the year after 30 years of federal service.

“No one has a higher level of credibility on issues impacting the agricultural economy than Dr. Glauber,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. “Farm country and, truly, the country as a whole have been extraordinarily well served by Joe throughout his 30 years of federal service. I will miss Joe’s expertise and wise counsel, and wish him well as he begins the next phase of his distinguished career.”

From 1992 to 2007, Dr. Glauber served as Deputy Chief Economist at the USDA. In 2007 he was named the Special Doha Agricultural Envoy at the office of the U.S. Trade Representative and continues to serve as chief agricultural negotiator in the Doha talks. He was appointed chief economist of USDA in 2008 by former Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer following the retirement of Dr. Keith Collins.

Current USDA Deputy Chief Economist Dr. Robert Johansson has been named Acting Chief Economist. Johansson has served as USDA’s Deputy Chief Economist since 2012 and holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota. Johansson will assume the duties of Chief Economist beginning January 1, 2015.

USDA

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