Talk About Digital Food Fights

Chuck Zimmerman October 16, 2014

The title for this morning’s AgCatalyst keynote sounds daunting, “Exploring Humanity’s Ag Communications History Spanning from Egyptian Emojis to Today’s Digital Food Fight.” How do you pack all that into one session?

Well, Susan Beebe, Manager of Social Media & Online Communities, Tyson Foods, is doing just that. I visited with her earlier to get some take-aways from her presentation.

To start with, Susan says that just in the last year the velocity of food and ag communications has sped up significantly. “The public distrust of big ag and big food is getting enormous.” She says the lack of information and amount of mis-information makes it all more complex. In her presentation she talks about not only the enormity of the problem but how to deal with it, “Those messages we send need to be tailored for today’s audience.” That means short sound bites that are compelling, captivating, relevant and timely. They also need to answer their questions. And maybe most importantly they need to feature real transparency. Sounds like good advice to me!

You can listen to my interview with Susan here: Interview with Susan Beebe

2014 AgCatalyst Photo Album

Coverage of The 2014 AgCatalyst Conference is sponsored by

Agencies, Audio, Food

Everglades Conservation in Action Tour Photos

Cindy Zimmerman October 15, 2014

Baby barn owls with a hearty appetite for rodents that destroy sugarcane were one of the highlights of the CTIC Conservation in Action tour this week in the Everglades Agricultural Area.

We saw sugarcane being planted and harvested with precision, rich black soil, dozens of varieties of lettuce, a concrete post revealing six feet of soil subsidence in 84 years, and some fantastic farmers implementing unbelievably successful best management programs.

It was a long day in one of the country’s most productive agricultural regions but I did get the photos uploaded so you can see some of the sights. I’ve got video, interviews and lots more to share in the coming days.

2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

Conservation, CTIC

The Sales Lion Prowls at AgCatalyst

Chuck Zimmerman October 15, 2014

Marcus Sheridan started out his career as a “pool guy.” But today he has a digital marketing agency, The Sales Lion. This guy has lots of energy which you’ll be able to hear in a snippet of his AgCatalyst presentation below. I also interviewed him to get a few take-aways to share with you.

First, he says “We have to understand that the way people buy has changed dramatically and that we are constantly under-estimating people’s willingness to become comfortable with a buying decision through information.” This means taking the time to learn as much as we can online before engaging with a company. As he puts it, “Marketing has way more influence on the sales process today than sales does on the sales process.” What do you think about that? Agree?

Assuming this is true then content becomes very important. Listen to my interview with Marcus to find out why and how you should be thinking about creating your content.

You can listen to my interview with Marcus here: Interview with Marcus Sheridan

You can listen to a beginning snippet of his remarks here: Marcus Sheridan Presentation

2014 AgCatalyst Photo Album

Coverage of The 2014 AgCatalyst Conference is sponsored by

Agencies, Audio

AgCatalyst Off to the Races

Chuck Zimmerman October 15, 2014

The 2014 AgCatalyst, sponsored by AdFarm, is off to the races. I say that because our opening keynote is from Marcus Sheridan, The Sales Lion. He is a wild animal on the stage talking about how sales and marketing have changed. He’s letting us know what we “must” do about it. I hope to get him to sit down for an interview on a break.

We move into breakout sessions after this keynote and I’ll be sharing what I’m sure is going to be some great content since, “It’s All About the Content.”

If you want to follow these inspired conversations about food and agriculture keep your eye on the hashtag, #AgCatalyst.

Speaking of content, find photos here: 2014 AgCatalyst Photo Album

Coverage of The 2014 AgCatalyst Conference is sponsored by

Agencies

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes October 15, 2014

Julie White is the new Hereford World editor brining a combination of cattle knowledge and journalism experience to her new role.
Farm Journal Media announced it will acquire the remaining outside interests in Commodity Update, the leading mobile media company serving agriculture, in a transaction expected to close by year’s end.
In continuing efforts to remain customer-centric, Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC (Verdesian) is expanding its sales staff.
Nineteen farmer-leaders will be sworn in as directors of the United Soybean Board (USB) in December, after their recent appointments by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Zimfo Bytes

New Holland Agriculture Claims World Record

Jamie Johansen October 15, 2014

New Holland Agriculture has reclaimed the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title, harvesting an impressive 797.656 tonnes (29,308.84 bushels) of wheat in eight hours with the world’s most powerful combine: the 653 hp CR10.90 Elevation.

“We are extremely proud to have recaptured the Guinness World Records title for harvesting almost 30,000 bushels of wheat in eight hours, shattering the previous record by more than 4,409 bushels,” stated Hedley Cooper, Head of Harvesting Product Management. “This record demonstrates the unsurpassed capacity and productivity of the CR10.90 Elevation, especially as the current record of 24,832.87 bushels was broken after just six hours and 36 minutes!”

The record was set on August 15, 2014 at H.R. Bourn and Sons Farm in Grange de Lings, near Wragby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The field was sown with Santiago wheat in the autumn of 2013 before it was chosen in May 2014 for the record-breaking attempt, which meant that it represented real-world growing conditions.

The record-breaking day’s harvesting, which started at 11:17 a.m., was characterized by changing weather conditions, with the ambient temperature ranging from 64-70°F and light showers occurring from 5:30 p.m. onwards. The CR10.90’s average throughput was 3,663 bushels/hour and peaked at 4,960 bushels/hour in a crop yielding an average of 148.1 bushels/acre and an average moisture content of 16.2%. The record was achieved using a mere 124.6 bushels/gallon of grain harvested with the straw chopper engaged throughout the day.

Agribusiness, Equipment, Harvest, New Holland, Wheat

Bio S.I. Tech’s SD 25 Aids Drought Stricken Farm Land

Joanna Schroeder October 15, 2014

While the Midwest is rife with rain, other areas of the country including California and the southwest have been drought stricken for several years. When this occurs, the farmland needs extra help with naturally occurring microbes. Some areas use pile and burn tactics to improve soil health but not only does this strategy not restore the soil with carbon and microboal life, this is not an option for dry lands.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 30-35 percent of U.S. farmers are facing moderate to extreme drought conditions and a cold winter is anticipated. This becomes a good time for farmers to improve microbial activity – microbes are busy during winter months – as microbial activity increases soil temperature between 2-4 degrees when organic matter is available for digestion.

To see a further improvement on microbial digestion, Bio S.I. Technology recommends the use of SD 25 Field Stubble Digester, a product that capitalizes on soil microbes to digest plant debris left behind after harvest. This product aids the soil’s ability to hold nutrients and improve water efficiency. According to Bio S.I. Technology, without a proper mixture of microbes in the soil, organic matter can’t be totally broken down and the soil becomes clogged with two much undigested organic matter that ties up nutrients.

“SD 25 works beyond the growing seasons to prepare fields for future planting by releasing the nutrients tied up in leftover debris,” explained Bio S.I. founder and CEO Wayne Tucker. “Plant debris can be a real problem for the next planting season for some growers. SD 25 helps farmers re-use nutrients they have already paid for plus the benefits of adding carbon (humus) to help retain water and nutrients in their fields,”

The company literature states SD 25 is an all-natural microbial formula that is safe for organic use. Unlike other stubble digesters, SD 25 is free of preservatives, which makes it safe for use in any setting. After harvest and before the ground freezes, growers should apply the initial application. SD 25 can be used successfully in till and no-till regimens, although it is important to beat the first freeze because microbial activity and decomposition are significantly slowed by cold temperatures. Growers will notice debris is significantly decomposed within 60-75 days.

Agribusiness, Soil

Why Not Add Beets to Your Cow Ration

Jamie Johansen October 15, 2014

For the first time, Feed Beets took advantage of the World Dairy Expo and shared with producers the opportunities with adding beets into their cattle rations. Lisa Butzer, marketing manager for Feed Beets, explained the nutritional elements to feeding beets and it’s benefits to beef and dairy operations.

“What we are finding through nutritional surveys and testing is that as dairy producers add it to their rations they can decrease or eliminate their need for molasses or other sugar sources. They may also be able to decrease their corn intake. It’s a nice alternative to adding some starch in and slow release sugars.”

Lisa explained since the source of starch is a sugar it floats in the rumen and release in a slow 18-hour period. There is no sugar spike that you may see from other sources. The high dry-matter beet hybrid can be planted with a corn planter and has a five to six month grow time. Other perks to beets is it is a non-maturing crop and can be grown in all 50 states. Lisa said some areas of the country will leave the crop in the ground for 12-14 months or until needed for consumption.

Listen to my complete interview with Lisa here: Interview with Lisa Butzer, Feed Beets

Find all photos from the event here: 2014 World Dairy Expo Photo Album.

Coverage of World Dairy Expo is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Beef, Dairy, Nutrition

Florida Farm Bureau Welcomes Conservation Tour

Cindy Zimmerman October 15, 2014

The president of the Florida Farm Bureau welcomed participants on the 2014 CTIC Conservation in Action tour to the Sunshine State Tuesday night as they prepared to visit the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) today.

john Hoblick spent some time telling the group, many of whom are from the Midwest, about the EAA and the efforts Florida farmers have undertaken to preserve the state’s valuable water and wildlife resources, while at the same time being one of the most diverse and productive agricultural areas in the country.

I talked with John about the state’s agricultural conservation successes, as well as policy issue and challenges facing Florida. Interview with John Hoblick, Florida Farm Bureau President

2014 CTIC Conservation in Action Tour Photo Album

Audio, Conservation, CTIC

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