NPPC President Elect Arrested at Capitol

Cindy Zimmerman

wpx14-nppc-prez-electThe president-elected of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) was arrested at the U.S. Capitol today with a 9-mm Ruger handgun in his bag.

Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and part of family-owned Prestage Farms of South Carolina, was charged with carrying a pistol without a license. Reports indicate Prestage has a concealed carry permit in South Carolina but the charge carries up to five years in prison in the District of Columbia.

*UPDATE* No comment from NPPC except to say Prestage was not on “official” organization business at the capitol Wednesday. However, a National Hot Dog day lunch was held for Congress Wednesday, sponsored by the American Meat Institute, which is closely affiliated with NPPC. Prestage was wearing a name tag to indicate he was there with some organization, but he has also held leadership positions and is involved in a number of organizations, including the National Turkey Federation, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. Since he is the president-elect of NPPC, it would behoove them to make some kind of statement on his behalf.

NPPC, Pork

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • United Suppliers, a wholesale supplier of crop protection and crop nutrient products, has selected Swanson Russell to develop a brand architecture system for its proprietary and manufactured products.
  • The North American Deer Farmers Association (NADeFA) announces that, in conjunction with the Cervid Livestock Foundation, it is sponsoring research at Kansas State University to develop an all-new testing protocol for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
  • More chickens are crossing the road and on to consumers’ plates, according to new research presented at the National Chicken Council’s Chicken Marketing Seminar in Greensboro, Georgia.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation, together with the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Global Social Enterprise Initiative, announced a new online business training resource for rural entrepreneurs and Farm Bureau members.
Zimfo Bytes

Get Healthy with ZimmComm Basket

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmComm ARC/AMS Auction BasketIf you’re going to the Agricultural Media Summit keep your physical fitness in mind. A public service message from ZimmComm.

Actually, we have donated a ZimmComm basket to the Ag Relations Council/Ag Media Summit Silent Auction. The items can be seen online now. Our basket contains:

Fitbit Flex
Typo Keyboard for iPhone 5/5S (I have used it – in mint condition) – still have your Blackberry but want an iPhone?
3 ZimmComm “Celebrating Ten Golden Years” t-shirts (M, L, XL)
@ZimmComm Tweets Uright candy jar filled with healthy candy
2 ZimmComm eyeglass holders
Golden ZimmComm power bank
Golden ZimmComm mobile stylus
Assorted other ZimmComm goodies

Bid often and bid high. All proceeds benefit youth programs by ARC and AMS.

If you can find me at the AMS All Star Sports Famous Welcome Party on Sunday evening I might have a ZimmComm swag bag item to share. See you there.

AgWired’s coverage of this year’s Ag Media Summit is being sponsored by FMC and New Holland. Thank them, Thank them very much!

Ag Media Summit

Make Plans for Canada’s 21st Outdoor Farm Show

Cindy Zimmerman

cofs Starting September 9, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) returns to Woodstock, Ontario after an extremely successful 20th anniversary last year.

The annual three day event is arguably Canada’s largest and top farm show. Best known for interactive outdoor demonstrations in the field, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) continues its 20-year tradition once again with a full line-up of new technology demonstrations.

In the Livestock Central area, there will be a fully functional dairy barn showcasing Lely and DeLaval robotic milking systems in a side-by-side comparison. In the popular Southwest Demo field, new agricultural equipment of all sorts will be in action, including live demonstrations featuring Corn Stalk Baling, Vermeer Biomass Equipment, Cover Crop Tillage, high speed Tempo Planters and Corn Silage Harvesting.

Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show also offers more than 750 exhibitors across 100 acres – including more than a dozen live commercial crop plots. To learn more about Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show visit www.outdoorfarmshow.com, follow @outdoorfarmshow on Twitter or call 519-822-2890. Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will be held on September 9, 10 and 11, 2014.

Events, Farm Shows

CTIC Tour to the Everglades

Cindy Zimmerman

If you ever wanted to see the Florida Everglades up close and personal, here is your chance!

ctic-evergladesLettuce, sugar cane and owls will be just a few of the crops and creatures seen on this year’s Conservation in Action Tour, hosted by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC).

Early-bird registration is now open for CTIC’s seventh annual tour, which showcases innovative farmers and their conservation agriculture successes. This year’s tour will take place Oct. 14-15 and provide an in-depth look at the unique story of the approximately 700,000-acre Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), which is located south of Lake Okeechobee in Florida.

ctic-fl-tourMore than 250 tour participants will hear from government and industry representatives, researchers and local producers as they take an up-close look at the EAA’s conservation practices. They also will learn about the area’s muck soils, which present distinct opportunities and challenges in conservation, erosion control and nutrient management, as well as get an up-close look at specialized water management systems used in the EAA, such as regulated storm water treatment and sub-surface irrigation.

We’ll be there and hope you will join us for what could be the most interesting Conservation in Action tour yet! The price is right too. Just $75 for CTIC members and $100 for non-members, $25 for producers, media, federal/state employees and students.

Find out more here.

Conservation, CTIC

Finding Old Rural Cemeteries

Chuck Zimmerman

Cemetery at Crystal Pig Hunt ClubNow for something a little different. Cemeteries. We cover all kinds of things here on AgWired.

This is about cemetery plots that members of the Crystal Pig Hunt Club found on the hunting lease property. In a small section of trees that were not clear cut during a logging operation before we leased the property lie a couple of family cemetery plots. During a fairly recent storm an oak tree fell across the plots smashing the fences and toppling over a couple of the grave stones. On our last work days we cut up the tree and did some clean up work on the area. More needs to be done. There were tall weeds that I treated with some weed killer right before I left. We view it as a community service project since their are undoubtedly relatives of these people buried here that might come to pay their respects sometime.

In fact, using Google I looked up Annabella Tucker Graybill, one of the names on a head stone. Find a Grave came up with information from an entry made just last year. It looks like this is the Moye Cemetery. The family names on the second of two fenced grave areas are all Moyes. One example is Emma Hobbs Moye.

Annabella’s spouse is Dr. Tully Graybill. Here’s some information from his Sandersville Newspaper clipping in 1883: “Capt. Co.A (The Irish Guards) 28th Georgia Infantry. Promoted to Major Sept 10, 1861, Taken POW on May 3,1862 at Seven Pines, exchanged. Wounded in Action Sept 1, 1862 at Antietam.Promoted to Colonel Nov. 3,1862.”

I shot a video clip of the cemetery before heading back to ZimmComm World Headquarters that shows the condition of the cemetery. I wonder how many of these exist out in the woods where they may not even be remembered or cared for any more. Have you found any on your property?


You can find more photos from the cemetery here: CPHC Cemetery Photos

Hunting, Video

Busy Week in DC for Corn Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

2014-corn-congressMembers of the National Corn Growers Association had a busy week in the nation’s capital last week – hearing from and meeting with administration officials and lawmakers, saying goodbye to retiring industry leaders, and inspiring new young leaders.

One of the highlights was an update from EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe on the proposed Waters of the United States rule. “NCGA is taking the position that yes, we are opposed to the interpretive rule and yes, we think the rule itself needs to be changed immensely, but we want to work with EPA and see if we can’t put our stamp on that to make it better for farmers and still work for the environment,” NCGA president Martin Barbre said in an interview yesterday.

barbre-shimkusNCGA members also heard from a number of farm state lawmakers and spent some time on the Hill talking with their representatives about important issues and Barbre presented NCGA’s 2014 President’s Award to Representative John Shimkus (R-IL).

The week in DC also included updates from NCGA action teams and committees on a variety of topics, such as ethanol, biotechnology, government regulation and trade. Delegates also re-elected four board members and elected one new one last week. Re-elected were Bob Bowman of Iowa, Lynn Chrisp of Nebraska, Kevin Skunes of North Dakota and Paul Taylor of Illinois and new to the board is Jim Zimmerman of Wisconsin.

There were quite a few good-byes said to corn industry members who are retiring this year, including Don Hutchens of the Nebraska Corn Board, Marsha Stanton of Monsanto, and Don Borgman with John Deere – as well as NCGA CEO Rick Tolman, who received a special tribute.

Finally, last week graduated the inaugural class of the NCGA DuPont New Leaders Program, which Barbre says included some enthusiastic new young people for the future of the industry.

Listen to my interview with Martin here: Interview with NCGA president Martin Barbre

Check out pictures from the event in the NCGA Flickr photo album.

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, NCGA

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • Exmark announced a joint promotion with leading animal nutrition company, Hubbard Feeds Inc., the companies are teaming up to give away three top-of-the-line Exmark zero-turn mowers away in the Hubbard Life ‘This is the Life’ Sweepstakes.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has declared August 3 through 9, 2014, “National Farmers Market Week“.
  • Biotechnology Industry Organization announced the Livestock Biotech Summit will be held September 16-18, 2014, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
  • The American Royal Association has announced that Neal Patterson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of KC-based Cerner Corp., will be the featured speaker at this year’s Business & Scholarship Luncheon to be held September 10 in Kemper Arena.
Zimfo Bytes

New Holland Officially Unveils New CR Series Combines

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland CR Series CombineThis morning New Holland is holding a press conference in Berlin, Germany via Twitter primarily using the #NHharvest2014 hashtag. It is mostly about the new CR Series combines topped by the CR 10.90. Presenting is Carlo Lambro Brand, President. Here are a few of the tweets so far:

Award-winning Cursor 16 engine developed by #FPTIndustrial that powers the new CR 10.90 #NHharvest2014

We also extended our offering with the launch of the highest capacity combine in the world #NEWCR #NHharvest2014

#NEWCR range: enter a new harvesting dimension- up to 15% more productivity in small grains #NHharvest2014 http://goo.gl/P7BnJY

We gave the CR combines more horsepower than any other combine available on the market today #NHharvest2014 pic.twitter.com/0Nug5S41VU

Learn more by clicking on the hashtag link above.


Agribusiness, Equipment, Harvest, New Holland

Southern Peanut Growers Meet this Week

Cindy Zimmerman

spgcIt’s time once again for the Southern Peanut Growers to head to Panama City Beach.

The 16th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference will be held July 24-26 at the gorgeous Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Florida.

The three-day event provides farmers an opportunity to learn more about the industry and important issues while also enjoying a relaxing time at the beach. This will be the seventh year that we have covered this event for the peanut growers on the SPGC Conference Blog and we are greatly looking forward to being there. Besides the fun events, there will be plenty of work being done with outstanding sessions on markets, research, production and farm policy.

This conference is great because it’s such a family affair where friends reconnect every year. It’s also great because they have fantastic sponsors, like John Deere, Syngenta, BASF, Bayer CropScience, and Ag Leader, just to name a few. Once again this year, Ag Technologies/Trimble Agriculture are sponsoring the blog, as they have since the beginning.

Ag Groups, Events, Peanuts