Dairy in the Food Dialogue

Chuck Zimmerman

USFRA Connie TiptonThe CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, Connie Tipton (pictured on right), took part in the USFRA Food Dialogues in Chicago. The topic was Integrity in Food Marketing and as with other panelists I asked her what this means to her personally. Connie says, “You know every company has to figure out how to position their product but to me it’s basically safe, quality food with truthful labeling.”

She says the dairy industry is now exporting about 15 percent of their products and is doing well with the exception of the fluid milk component. More and more new products are coming out to satisfy just about every desire of the consuming public.

Interview with Connie Tipton

USFRA Food Dialogues Chicago Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Dairy, Food, USFRA

Soy Biobased About Customer Focus

Cindy Zimmerman

usb-bio-motter-hardinThe United Soybean Board is focused on the customers who use soy products – whether feed or food, fuel or new products – and that is what the USB Biobased Products Stakeholders’ Dialogue in Washington DC this week is all about.

“Everything’s about the customer,” said USB director John Motter of Ohio, who is chairman of the checkoff group’s Customer Focus Action Team. “My fellow farmers, the elevator, the end user, the people that make those products happen in between – they’re all our customers … we’re drilling down in to what are their needs and how do we serve those needs.”

As a soybean farmer, Motter is so excited to grow a crop that is so versatile. “The sky seems to be the limit,” he said. He’s pictured here with USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden checking out some of the companies at the soy biobased dialogue. Products on display included cosmetics, cleaning supplies and lubricants, artificial turf, textiles, and forest products.

Interview with USB Director John Motter


2014 USB Soy Biobased Dialogue Photo Album

Audio, Soybean, USB

Farm Tour Increases Agritourism in South Carolina

Jamie Johansen

Screen Shot 2014-06-18 at 7.18.32 AMOn June 21-21 four counties in South Carolina will host the 2014 Catawba Regional Ag + Art Tour. It’s the largest free farm tour in the nation with 48 sites along the tour. It’s a self-guided tour of farms featuring local artisans at each stop, and it’s the only farm tour in South Carolina that features artisans.

“Participants on the tour will have the opportunity to see first-hand where their food comes from, watch artisans in action, purchase their works, dance to the melodies of bluegrass and folksongs, and learn about the life of farming, as well as the history of some of the local homesteads,” says Ben Boyles, event coordinator.

To begin the tours, participants are asked to choose several sites to visit in the counties by using the online site map. Once at the first farm site, they will get a travel passport to log each stop along the tour. At the end of the tour, participants must turn in the passport in order to be entered into a drawing to win prizes from the farmers and artisans along the tour.

During visits to farms, guests will meet some unique farmers and artisans in the Catawba Region. Some unique agritourism experiences will include meeting a renowned author and peach farmer who operates one of the oldest African American farms in the region.

For more information about the 2014 Ag + Art Tour, please contact Ben Boyles, Ag + Art Tour chair at 803-981-3021 or visit http://www.agandarttour.com. You may also contact the Rock Hill/York County Convention & Visitors Bureau for general information about the tour at 888-702-1320.

Ag Groups

Past and Present USDA Deputies at USB Event

Cindy Zimmerman

usb-bio-deputiesThe current and former Deputy Secretaries of Agriculture were together on Tuesday in Washington DC at the United Soybean Board Biobased Products Stakeholders Dialogue. It is being held at George Washington University where Kathleen Merrigan now serves as Director of Sustainability and she was pleased to host her successor Krysta Harden as keynote speaker at the event.

Both Harden and Merrigan are ardent supporters of increasing the development and use of biobased products and Merrigan was pleased to be able to welcome everyone to GW. “It’s a great place to be around issues of sustainability,” said Merrigan. “We hold sustainability near and dear to our hearts as one of the nine core values of the university.” Kathleen Merrigan welcomes USB Biobased Dialogue to GW University

Harden says it has been difficult to fill the shoes of Merrigan, who just stepped down as USDA deputy secretary about a year ago. “She did a great job opening up the agenda and the dialogue for us,” said Harden. “It’s been fun to build on her legacy.”

One of Harden’s primary jobs right now is implementing the new farm bill and she is pleased with how it is going so far. “The secretary asked me to lead the process,” she said. “He said do it quickly, folks have been waiting a long time, but also do it right.” She is pleased that the new farm bill includes several initiatives for biobased products and expands the categories to including more products.
Interview with Deputy Ag Secretary Krysta Harden


2014 USB Soy Biobased Dialogue Photo Album

Audio, Soybean, USB, USDA

ASTA Distinguished Service Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

Two individuals were honored for their distinguished service to the seed industry at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting last week.

asta-14-blalockJune Blalock retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in April of this year, after having served as the technology licensing program coordinator in the ARS Office of Technology Transfer for more than years. Her responsibilities included managing all aspects of USDA’s intellectual property licensing program and developing and implementing USDA’s licensing policies and practices.

Presenting the award, outgoing ASTA chairman Craig Newman highlighted Blalock’s work in the negotiations on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and her service on the Plant Variety Protection Advisory Committee, which he called “an invaluable asset to the seed industry.”

asta-14-falconerRick Falconer, managing director of Rijk Zwaan USA, was honored for his leadership in several agricultural organizations. Zwaan served as past president for the California Seed Association and past chairman of ASTA’s Organic Seed Committee, Permanent Seed Research Fund and Vegetable and Flower Seed Division, and he also currently serves as acting chair. Falconer is a board member of the American Seed Research Foundation and the First-the Seed Foundation.

ASTA Annual Meeting Photo Album

ASTA, Seed, USDA

High Standards Required for Food Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

USFRA Clarke CaywoodRecent Food Dialogues panelist Clarke Caywood (left), Professor, Integrated Marketing Communications Dept., Northwestern University, has some interesting perspectives when it comes to the topic of “Integrity in Food Marketing.

I visited with Clarke prior to the start of last week’s program and asked him what that subject means to him. He says it has a lot of legal as well as social meaning and that “law is a minimum and ethics or integrity are a much higher standard.” He says integrity is food marketing is one of the most important areas to have it since food is a product we consume. Can’t disagree with that! Listen in on our conversation to hear more of Clarke’s thoughts on this subject.

Interview with Clarke Caywood

USFRA Food Dialogues Chicago Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, Marketing, USFRA

Next NAMA Webinar

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA WebinarsThis one is titled, “Why You Don’t Work in Agriculture Anymore.” It will be held on June 26, 2pm eastern, for 1 hours. Cost is $50. Register here.

Today, consumer perceptions about everything from animal welfare and antibiotics to GMOs and government regulations can have a substantial impact on farming operations of all kinds and sizes. If agricultural marketers hope to shift how consumers see things, it will first require a shift in our own thinking.

“Why you don’t work in agriculture anymore,” showcases the very latest consumer research from Sullivan Higdon & Sink’s influential FoodThink studies and delves into real-world examples that will both inform and inspire agricultural marketers.

Presented by Ali Mahaffy, SVP, Brand Management, and Samantha Scantlebury, Brand Strategist, of Sullivan Higdon & Sink.
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Secretary Vilsack Talks T-TIP in Europe

Cindy Zimmerman

vilsack-usdaAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is in Brussels today starting a week-long trip to Europe to meet with European agricultural and trade officials and other industry stakeholders. In addition to Brussels, Vilsack will visit with officials in Luxembourg, Paris, and Dublin.

While overseas, Vilsack will discuss the expansion of agricultural trade, the importance of agriculture’s role in the U.S.-European Union (EU) Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP), and the benefits the trade agreement will have to both the American and European economies.

During a brief conference call with reporters this morning, the secretary said he had just concluded a working lunch with 28 agricultural ministers and representatives from the EU. “It was important for me to express to all the members states my belief that we have much in common in terms of agriculture,” said Vilsack. “Our farmers are faced with the same concerns and opportunities as European farmers are.”

Regarding T-TIP, Vilsack says agriculture must be a significant part of the negotiations. “I was very candid with my colleagues that absent a real strong commitment to agriculture in this trade agreement, it will be very difficult for Congress to get the votes necessary to pass T-TIP,” he said.

Listen to or download Vilsack’s call here: Vilsack press call from Brussels

Audio, International, Trade, USDA

BASF Panel on Future of Food and Agriculture

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-14-panelThe Future of Food and Agriculture was the focus of a panel at the BASF Ag Media Summit last week in North Carolina, moderated by one and only Max Armstrong.

Members of the panel included (left to right):
Brazilian farmer Aurelio Pavinato, celebrity chef Cat Cora, North Carolina producer Bo Stone, Futurist.com founder Dr. Glen Heimstra, and University of California professor Dr. Julie Guthman.

The conversation included much discussion about the challenges facing agriculture, perceptions of consumers, and organic agriculture. I recorded the first part of the panel, which you can listen to here: BASF Panel segment

basf-bo-stoneYou might recognize this face as Bo Stone is one of USFRA’s Faces of Farming. Bo, his wife Missy, and his parents own P&S Farms in North Carolina, a very diversified operation that includes cattle, hogs, row crops, strawberries and sweet corn.

Bo has really enjoyed his time traveling around the country talking with consumers on behalf of USFRA and he appreciated being a part of the BASF Ag Media Summit. Listen to my interview with him here: Interview with Bo Stone, North Carolina producer

Not only did Iron Chef Cat Cora participate on the panel, she also treated us to a taste of her culinary expertise. Watch the video below and learn how to make her yummy Watermelon Gazpacho. Watch and learn below.

2014 BASF Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Food, USFRA, Video