Tyson Urges FFA to Tell #MyAGStory

Cindy Zimmerman

ffa-14-tyson-storyAt the 87th annual National FFA Convention last week, Tyson Foods was encouraging FFA members to share their stories via social media, using the hashtag #myAGstory.

“So much of the population of America today has no idea what life on the farm is like, they don’t understand how their food’s made,” said Tyson Foods President and CEO Donnie Smith, who was a keynote speaker at the convention. “What we’re here to do is to get these students to take back the story of agriculture and tell it pure and simple like it ought to be.”

ffa-14-tyson-smithSmith says hundreds of FFA members stopped by the Tyson booth at the convention to tell their ag story. “These kids are so prevalent on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and all the new social media outlets … so we want them to do is get on Twitter and tell their ag story.”

He added that Tyson wants to stay connected to with youth through social media. “And we get connected to them, then we all get it … we get their passion, we get their ag stories and we get to help continue to tell those stories over and over and over again.”

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Donnie here: Interview with Donnie Smith, Tyson Foods

87th National FFA Convention Photos

Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, FFA, Poultry, Social Media

2014 Ag Exports Officially Set Record

Cindy Zimmerman

usda-logoThe U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its final total for fiscal year 2014 agricultural exports and they are indeed a new record.

The final tally was a big $152.5 billion, an increase of $11.5 billion or eight percent from last year’s record $141 billion.

“American farmers and ranchers have once again achieved another year of record exports Agricultural exports have climbed 41 percent in value over the past five years,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack of the accomplishment. “U.S. agricultural exports have increased in volume as well as in monetary value, which demonstrates an increasing global appetite for high-quality, American-grown products.”

Vilsack added that the Made in Rural America initiative, led by USDA, will continue to focus on investments in rural businesses, manufacturing, energy, water and other infrastructure development to further expand export opportunities and strengthen the nation’s economy.

Exports, USDA

Election Aftermath Thoughts

Cindy Zimmerman

NCGA-LogoThe National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) may well speak for all of America with its statement following Election Day 2014 – Time to Get to Work!

“Washington may look different come January, but fundamentally, things have not really changed,” said NCGA president Chip Bowling of Maryland. “There is no sign that the gridlock of the past few years will diminish. Like many Americans, corn farmers are frustrated that their voices go unheard and so little gets done. We welcome both new and returning Members of Congress back to Washington, and we urge them to set aside partisan politics and meet their obligation to conduct the nation’s business.”

afbf-logoAmerican Farm Bureau president Bob Stallman had a similar message. “Some will debate the meaning of the vote, but this much is clear to us at the American Farm Bureau Federation: Americans want – our farmers and ranchers need – common-sense governance and a halt to the punishing regulatory overreach that ignores the law and the courts,” said Stallman. “The nation, too, has grown weary of extremists who offer little more than disinformation and misguided ballot initiatives at the state level. Americans want elected leaders who work together to find solutions to move our country forward.”

nfu-smallOne piece of business agricultural interests would like to see the current Congress tackle in the coming lame duck session is tax extenders. National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson says there are tax breaks important to family farmers and ranchers that need to be extended before the end of the year.

“NFU will strongly pursue the extension of expiring tax provisions for small business expensing and renewable energy during the upcoming lame-duck session of congress,” said Johnson. “Family farmers and ranchers rely on these provisions that are critical to managing their business.” Johnson also noted that for well over 100 years, NFU has worked with members on both sides of the aisle and looks forward to continuing this tradition into the 114th Congress.

AFBF, NCGA, politics

Overstock.com Opens Farmers Market Section

Chuck Zimmerman

Overstock FoodOverstock.com has announced a new section within their website – Farmers Market. The company has aggressive plans to grow the new service.

This market of hand-picked products offer customers throughout the U.S. access to home delivery of seasonal, healthy food, grown and produced in their area.

“We’re integrating small farms, community-supported agriculture (CSA), and co-ops into our technology so as to allow consumers in their area to buy and arrange delivery through Overstock,” said Overstock CEO Patrick M. Byrne. “We want to streamline the farm-to-table process to provide everyone access to healthy food, delivered to their doorstep.”
According to Byrne, Overstock is currently able to serve about 20 percent of the U.S. population with farm-fresh food grown near their ZIP code, and intends to provide local delivery access of fresh, locally grown food to 70 percent of the U.S. population by the end of 2014.

Each product featured in the Farmers Market is accompanied by a biography of the farmer or specialty food purveyor who grew it, along with a look into their production processes, in order to give customers a better idea of the food they are purchasing.

Food

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • Farm Journal Media announced the creation of a ten-year, $60,000 scholarship program with the Life Science Communications (LSC) department of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at University of Wisconsin-Madison to promote agricultural journalism as an exciting career path for students.
  • Ms. Linda M. Chimenti, who has served as the Executive Vice President of the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) since February 2013, will be retiring effective May 31, 2015 to pursue other interests and spend more time with family.
  • The National Corn Growers Association Nominating Committee is now accepting applications from members for the 2016 Corn Board.
  • Verdesian Life Sciences, LLC (Verdesian) is creating a new structure for the sales and marketing teams in order to balance current needs while keeping an eye on future possibilities is a familiar practice for most businesses.
Zimfo Bytes

Weed Management for Soybean Sustainability

John Davis

gaesserFarmers can face a series of fights these days, whether it’s fighting regulations, fighting weed resistance or fighting to preserve their land from erosion. During the recent Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum in Germany, Chuck spoke with Ray Gaesser, President of the American Soybean Association, about his presentation on sustainability, weed resistance and cover crops.

He said ASA focuses on policy and regulatory issues, not just in the United States, but around the world. His group aims that the policies set forth by governments are at best helping agriculture and at worst, are not hurting producers.

Ray’s talk also focused on sustainability, especially when it comes to weed management practices.

“Some of the earlier discussions we had were really about weed management and protecting the technologies we have,” he said. “We as farmers really need to be proactive and make sure to protect the technologies we have, because not having those weed management technologies is devastating.”

Another focus area for ASA is using cover crops for soil conservation. Ray said cover crops add to the other conservation tools – no till practices, terracing, etc. – at farmers’ disposal. He said not only do cover crops give an extra layer of protection when the unforeseen weather event, such as a six-inch rainfall overnight, hit, but they also do a lot for the overall soil health.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Ray here: Interview with Ray Gaesser, President of the American Soybean Association

2014 Bayer CropScience Corn & Soybean Future Forum Photos

Agribusiness, ASA, Audio, Bayer, Environment

New Holland is “Forever Blue” for FFA

Taylor Truckey

ffa-14-new-hollandSporting the same colors as the National FFA gives New Holland a special kinship with the youth organization and the company is proud to be “Forever Blue.”

FFA is not only important to the future of agriculture and the company, it has special significance for New Holland Marketing Director Mark Hooper who stepped up this year to serve on the FFA Sponsors Board. “I grew up in FFA and I’m really a proud supporter,” said Hooper. “The sponsors board is an organization that looks at ways to raise funds for all of the FFA programs that support the development of youth leadership.”

ffa-14-hooper-stageHooper received the Chairman’s Eagle Award this year from the board for his work. “What I did was try to work within my existing realm of influence and relationships in the industry, making sure that people understood my passion for FFA,” Hooper said of how he helped bring on new sponsorships.

Hooper says he is where he is today because of FFA and he’s happy to be able to give back now and help other young people who are where he once was as a state officer in Maryland many years ago.

Listen to my interview with Mark here:Interview with Mark Hooper, New Holland

87th National FFA Conventions Photo

Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, FFA, New Holland

FMC Scouts for Talent at FFA

Cindy Zimmerman

ffa-14-fmc-boothIf you want to find talented young people, FFA is the place to be.

That’s the main reason FMC Corporation set up a sound booth at the National FFA Convention for the second year in a row to give the blue jackets an easy way to enter the Stand & Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest. This is the third year that FMC has sponsored this contest for youth in agriculture and Paul Redhage with FMC gets more excited about it every year.

redhage“I have the honor now here in a couple of weeks to present a $10,000 check to the (2014) grand prize winner who is Lindsay Webber of Colfax, Washington,” said Paul, pictured here next to a picture of Lindsay on display at FFA. “So, we’re investing in the youth of agriculture, we’re investing in new products, new initiatives,” Paul added. “As agriculture grows, we want to help it grow and grow with it.”

This year, FMC also offered a recording opportunity for young people who have talents other than singing, asking them to record their thoughts about what investing in farming’s future means to them. “They don’t have to sing, they just go in and (talk) from their heart,” said Paul.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Paul here: Interview with Paul Redhage, FMC Corporation

87th National FFA Conventions Photo

Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, FFA, FMC

Diverse World of Farming Needs Diverse Solutions

John Davis

kiptomFarmers face a diverse world of challenges today, and that requires a diverse toolkit of solutions. During the recent Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum in Frankfurt, Germany, attendees of the event came from all over the world – from war-torn regions, such as Ukraine, to over-regulated areas of Western Europe, each bringing their own issues.

“So the solution for everybody is going to be different. We just wanted to stretch their minds, let them understand the technologies that are available to us as farmers today,” Kip Tom with Tom Farms LLC told Chuck during an interview. During his presentation, “Successful Farm Management in a Future Digitalized Farming World,” he said he noticed a lot of looks upon the audience members’ faces that indicated some doubt they could make the technological leaps necessary. “I think a lot of them with the innovation and drive that they have to focus on solutions, they will get there.”

Kip went on to say that having good connectivity in rural areas – how well farmers on their tractors can communicate with traders in office buildings hundreds of miles away, as well as within their own operations – will be a big factor in how well producers all over the globe are able to use the precision agriculture tools available. He added that it comes down to education. “We’ve got to have a workforce that understands how to use these tools if we’re going to get good information from it.”

He concluded saying that all farmers are charged with taking care of the resources the earth gives them to make sure the next generation of producers can continue to feed the world.

“We may think we own the land, but in the end, we’re all tenants,” Kip said

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Kip here: Interview with Kip Tom with Tom Farms LLC

2014 Bayer CropScience Corn & Soybean Future Forum Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Precision Agriculture

Forum Looks at Future of Corn Farming

John Davis

bayer-zylstraWhat does the future hold for corn farmers? That was a question addressed at the Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum in Frankfurt, Germany last week, and some farmers gave their views.

Among them was Iowa Corn Growers chairman Roger Zylstra, who farms in Jasper County, who talked about the opportunities and challenges of sustainable corn production. “There are significant challenges right now in corn production because of the rapid drop in prices we’ve seen,” he said. “But I think there are tremendous opportunities in the world.”

The Bayer forum featured farmers from all over the world and Zylstra noted that farmers in different countries do their best when they “get along as neighbors and trading partners.” Interview with Iowa farmer Roger Zylstra

Audio, Bayer, Corn, Farming, Sustainability, Technology