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

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Talia Goes

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  • 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.
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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

Livestock Publications Council Vision

Chuck Zimmerman

Livestock Publications Council VisionHere’s a reminder about next week’s Livestock Publication Council “Vision – An Industry Celebration.” You can find information in the latest LPC newsletter about it. Contact Diane Johnson at the LPC office to make your reservation.

The event will take place November 11, 2014 at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

LPC will honor their Headliner and Hall of Fame winners at a fine dinner and celebrate the announcement of the 2015 honorees. A panel of experts will also explore the importance of animal welfare issues in today’s world of agriculture and look into critical issues ranging from social concerns to economics and marketing.

Panelists will include:

Dr. Hans Coetzee – Professor of Vet Clinical Pharmacology, Iowa State University
Debbie Lyons-Blythe – Rancher, wife & mom
Steve Meyer – President of Paragon Economics
Moderator, Mike Adams – Host of syndicated radio show AgriTalk

LPC, Media

Catch Green Fever with John Deere

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere Green FeverIt’s that time of the year when people are getting their flu shots. If you haven’t had your shot yet and wind up with a fever I hope it’s a Green Fever.

As John Deere kicks off its annual Green Fever sales event to start its 2015 product marketing year, the company is launching a new $35,000 Green Fever Giveaway program, which includes a $25,000 landscape makeover. Also during Green Fever sales event, customers can get major discounts and financing incentives on select models of equipment purchased from November 1, 2014, to February 2, 2015.

As part of the Green Fever Giveaway, John Deere is offering a grand prize package of a $25,000 landscape makeover and choice of either a John Deere Gator, ZTrak Mower, 1 Family Tractor or Signature Series Lawn Tractor (total approximate retail value up to $36,748, depending on selected equipment).

The Green Fever Giveaway Sweepstakes runs from Nov. 3, 2014, to Feb. 27, 2015 and is open to U.S. residents only. Enter using the form at www.JohnDeere.com/GreenFever. Participants will receive coupons for free John Deere merchandise, redeemable at their local dealership, when they enter the giveaway.

Agribusiness, John Deere, Tractor

Digital Storytelling from Deere

Chuck Zimmerman

Than HartsockDuring the Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum, Than Hartsock, John Deere, did some digital storytelling. In fact, his presentation was titled, “Digitalization – next level of corn and soybean cropping.”

Than talked about how John Deere is developing new tools to deal with ways for farmers to make more money from their crop. This includes all the things we lump under the category of precision agriculture. He used a lot of agnerd language like open data transfer. He says most of the large equipment the company ships now, like combines, come with wifi included. They are leveraging consumer hardware like smartphones and tablets that are making technology adoption easier. Speaking of easier, during his question and answer period one of the questions dealt with how easy this technology is for older farmers to adopt.

By the way, I’m leaving tomorrow for Kansas City and the 2014 Develop with Deere conference and will be sharing more specifics about new John Deere solutions from there!

Listen to Than’s remarks here: Than Hartsock Presentation

2014 Bayer CropScience Corn & Soybean Future Forum Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, John Deere, Precision Agriculture