Air Force Plays Western Michigan for All the Spuds

John Davis

idahopotatobowl1It’s the most wonderful time of the year, as the college football bowl season kicks off this weekend. In what should be a great matchup, the men in blue from the Air Force Academy (9-3) take on Western Michigan (8-4) on Saturday, December 20th in the Famous Idaho® Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho, highlighting America’s potato growers nationwide on ESPN.

“The Famous Idaho® Potato Bowl has become a tradition for the Idaho potato industry. It’s really the only opportunity for growers, shippers, processors and vendor partners to come together and support a nationally recognized sporting event that showcases the potato, one of Idaho’s most important agricultural products,” said Frank Muir, President and CEO, Idaho Potato Commission (IPC). “More people purchase Idaho® potatoes in November and December than any other time of year and this bowl game helps remind millions of consumers to always look for the famous ‘Grown in Idaho®’ seal when buying potatoes.”

Idaho potatoes will be on prominent display throughout the game, with signage throughout the stadium, TV and radio ads, the Famous Idaho® Potato and Idaho® potato logos on the field, and the Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck, “the largest potato on wheels,” parked in the stadium parking lot partaking in all the pre-game festivities.

This should be a good sign for my beloved AF Falcons: the showdown is played on the blue turf in Boise, Idaho.

Agribusiness, Potato

Bayer CropScience Funds FFA Grants

Cindy Zimmerman

bayer-cropscienceBayer CropScience is partnering with the National FFA to inspire interest in agriculture and apiculture professions among America’s youth.

The new grant program will help FFA members develop their unique talents and explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers with a focus on finding solutions that will help honey bees thrive. “I have a real passion for the FFA and I love to support them,” said Dr. Becky Langer, manager of Bayer‘s Bee Care Program. “So, we’re sponsoring $50,000 that can go towards grants – whether individual, chapter, or environmental … these grants will provide funds to develop projects over 2015 and help us arrive at some great solutions for pollinator health.”

Langer provides more details in this interview: Interview with Becky Langer, Bayer CropScience on FFA partnership


2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Audio, Bayer, Bees, FFA

Agriculture May Benefit From Cuba Relations

Cindy Zimmerman

cubaThe White House announcement Wednesday that the United States will begin the process of normalizing relations with Cuba brought positive responses from the agriculture industry.

“Throughout history, agriculture has served as a bridge to foster cooperation, understanding and the exchange of ideas among people,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. “I have no doubt that agriculture will continue to play that powerful role as we expand our relationship with the Cuban people in the coming years.”

Vilsack and a host of agricultural organizations believe the new course expands opportunity for U.S. farmers and ranchers to do business in Cuba. “The president’s opening to Cuba promises to improve trade conditions by making it easier for Cuba to buy U.S. agricultural and food products,” said American Farm Bureau president Bob Stallman. “Improving trade relations between the U.S. and Cuba will expand access to a market of 11 million consumers for U.S. agriculture. That’s good for Cuba and good for America, too.”

“Acknowledging that Cuba is one of our closest neighbors and a potentially valuable trading partner, and allowing the relationships between the two nations and its citizens to renew and blossom is good for both nations,” said National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson.

Central to the initiative is allowing U.S. and Cuban banks to have direct relationships, as opposed to the third-party banking requirements that have made trade difficult.

“The changes to banking are very important because they will significantly reduce red tape and costs associated with doing business with Cuba,” said Betsy Ward, president and CEO of the USA Rice Federation. She adds that USA Rice has long maintained that the “embargo was not on Cuba, as they could source rice and other products from around the world, but rather on the rice growers in the U.S., whose own government cut them out of one of the world’s top markets, just 90 miles from our shores.”

American Soybean Association (ASA) president Wade Cowan says normalizing relations with Cuba creates new opportunities for soybean growers. “Whether it’s the burgeoning Cuban demand for pork, poultry and dairy or that nation’s expanded demand for cooking oils, American soybeans have a significant market opening just off our own shores,” said Cowan.

AFBF, Ag Groups, ASA, Rice, Soybean, Trade, USDA

Register for NAMA Greatness

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA Conference 2015The National Agri-Marketing Association is going to be “Growing Greatness in Kansas City.” It’s that time. Time to register for the 2015 Agri-Marketing Conference.

Agri-marketers know constant challenge and improvement are critical to success. Settling for status quo and good enough just won’t do in this competitive industry. The keynote speakers NAMA has chosen for the 2015 Agri-Marketing Conference embody the idea of continuous improvement and personal growth.

We’re inviting you to challenge yourself… and expand your viewpoints across the entire spectrum of professional development and leadership. Our group of experts will outline the underlying forces shaping the future of business and translate what that means for managing teams and people… show you how to adapt your leadership style to get the most out of your entire organization… and how to deliver excellent results for every responsibility on your plate.

That’s just the beginning. Register now to get more details as the conference unfolds.

You can download a keynote speakers brochure here (pdf).

NAMA

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • In-line with company expansion and a customer-centered focus, Verdesian Life Sciences names Amy Bugg as vice president of communications.
  • The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Rebecca Mettler of Sarcoxie, Missouri, as editorial content coordinator and Megan Slater of Longmont, Colorado as public relations coordinator.
  • American Agri-Women (AAW) presented Orion Samuelson with its VERITAS award at its 39th annual convention, held recently in College Corner, Ohio.
  • United Fresh Produce Association welcomes Jessica Mosley as Director of Education.
Zimfo Bytes

2015 Ag Media Summit Logo

Chuck Zimmerman

Ag Media Summit 2015Looks like a hot time in Arizona next year for the Ag Media Summit.

Introducing the 2015 logo for Ag Media Summit in Scottsdale. Plan to join us as we blaze our trails to Arizona! July 25-29, 2015 – Hyatt Gainey Ranch. Congratulations to designer, Sherry Peterson, EDJE Technologies for her creativity and the winner of our logo competition.

The Agricultural Media Summit is the largest gathering of crop and livestock publications professionals in the U.S. It’s brought to you by three organizations — the Livestock Publications Council (LPC), the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) and the ABM Agri Council.

The AMS mission establishes four specific elements:

To provide professional development and educations opportunities for all of our members.
To provide networking opportunities for members of AAEA, LPC and ABM and other organizations in the ag industry.
To promote, support and enhance the the viability of ag media as an effective and efficient communications medium.
To showcase the ag media industry through seminars and trade shows.

Ag Media Summit

12 Days of Christmas Sale for Collegiate Congress

Chuck Zimmerman

2015 National Collegiate CongressThere is a 12 Days of Christmas Sale going on courtesy of the AgChat Foundation. This is for the January National Collegiate Congress. Maybe this would be a great gift for the budding agvocate in your life! Here are some details:

The National Collegiate Congress is a social media and agvocacy training workshop scheduled for January 17, 2015 at Dow AgroSciences’ headquarters in Indianapolis, with an optional day of touring at Fair Oaks Farms on January 18 [FAQ].

The agenda includes sessions on what blogging means today, balancing social and professionalism, and connecting with commodity groups. In addition, there is a panel discussion with non-agriculture students majoring in nutrition, social work, and hospitality sharing their perspective on what they see and hear about agriculture.

Collegiate Congress 12 DaysA State of Agvocacy Address will be given in two parts: Taylor Truckey sharing the collegiate level point of view & Mark Gale will follow with a State of Agvocacy Address on post college.

January 18th is the optional trip to Fair Oaks Farms to learn how they are using farm adventure entertainment to engage people as they stop by for refreshments and stay to learn more about farming through dairy cows and pigs.

How can you help? Share with your friends on Twitter or Facebook what the National Collegiate Congress is about and where to register.

The 12 Days of Christmas promotion is going on December 12 through 24, where people who register get 12% off the January 17 ticket price and $15 off the AgChat National Conference in the Fall of 2015.

Education

Tax Extenders Package Passed

Cindy Zimmerman

senateFollowing the recent action by the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate on Tuesday evening passed the package of tax incentives for 2014 that will expire once again in just two weeks.

Noting the short term nature of the legislation, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden said, “With this tax bill, the Congress is turning in its tax homework 11 months late…The legislation accomplishes nothing for 2015.”

But farmers and ranchers are happy about it for now since the package includes items such as section 179 expensing and bonus depreciation important for buying farm equipment. “Today’s passage of the tax extenders bill is a welcome relief to farmers as we close our books on 2014,” said American Soybean Association president Wade Cowan of Texas.

Cowan notes that the package also includes language from the House’s Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act with a provision to increase the barge fuel fee by nine cents a gallon to fund needed waterways infrastructure projects. The fee, which is supported by those in the waterways industry, dedicates funds to new waterways infrastructure construction and major rehabilitation of the inland waterways system through the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.

The bill now goes to the president who is expected to sign it.

Soybean

GROWMARK Essay Contest to Teach Ag, Writing Skills

John Davis

growmarklogoAgribusiness GROWMARK is once again sponsoring its annual essay contest with the goals of helping young people develop their writing skills, learning about current issues affecting agriculture, and understanding the unique role of cooperatives. In its 22nd year, the theme for the 2015 GROWMARK Essay Contest is: “Exploring Careers in Agriculture,” and it’s open to all high school FFA members in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

This year, students are asked to choose a career in agriculture, find someone currently working in that career, and conduct an interview. Students then will write their essays about that career and the details of their interview.

Essays should be approximately 500 words, typed and double-spaced. The postmarked entry deadline for Iowa FFA members is February 13. The postmarked entry deadline for Illinois and Wisconsin FFA members is March 13. Additional program details have been sent to agriculture teachers and are online at www.growmark.com (click on Our Commitments/Youth & Young Farmers/Essay Contest).

“Agriculture is a thriving industry in America, and there are a wide variety of career paths young people could pursue,” said Karen Jones, GROWMARK cooperative affairs and communications specialist. “By conducting a personal interview with someone already involved in a field of interest, students will learn more details about career opportunities and begin to form a professional network.”

Each state’s winner will get a $500 award and the winner’s FFA chapter will receive a $300 award. Four runners-up per state each win $125 awards.

Agribusiness, GROWMARK

BASF Highlights Compostable Polymers at CSS

Leah Guffey

asta-css-14-basf-ruthBASF has a biodegradable solution for plastics with ecovio® and ecoflex® technology.

Ruth Watts, product marketing manager for BASF’s Biopolymers Group in North America, was at last week’s ASTA CSS & Seed Expo demonstrating the use of this type of packaging for agricultural applications. “This (ecovio) is new technology by BASF,” Watts explained, adding that ecoflex was the very first polymer presented to the market in 1998. “They then involved the compounding of polylactic acids, which is now branded as ecovio.”

One application for ecovio is a mulch product. “It’s formulated so that when the farmer’s at the end of the harvest season, they get the functionality of weed control and moisture enhancement, and instead of having to worry about pulling it up, we encourage them to till it under the soil,” said Watts. “Then it will break down and become biomass, CO2, and water.”

Listen to Ruth talk more about uses for these compostable polymers in this interview – and see them on display at the BASF Commodity Classic exhibit in 2015: Ruth Watts, BASF


2014 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo photo album

Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by
Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by the American Seed Trade Association and Coverage of CSS 2014 and Seed Expo brought to you by BASF Ag Products
ASTA, Audio, BASF