Philippine Agricultural Journalists Elects New Leaders

Chuck Zimmerman

Philippine Agricultural JournalistsThanks to IFAJ for sharing the fact that the Philippine Agricultural Journalists, Inc. or PAJ recently elected a new set of officers. This followed its recent general assembly, held at the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Auditorium, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

Elected president for the sixth time is Roman Floresca, business editor of The Philippine Star. Other elected officers include Noel Reyes of the Department of Agriculture (DA), vice president for internal affairs; Matilde Maunahan of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, vice president for external affairs; Ma. Ruby Lumongsod of QUEDANCOR, secretary; Charisma Love Gado of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, assistant secretary; Inez Magbual of Best Media Source Corporation, treasurer; Thelma Tolentino of the PCA, auditor; Ray Eñano of Manila Standard Today, press relations officer (PRO) for print media; and Rolando Gonzalo of UNTV and DWIZ, PRO for broadcast media.

Elected directors are Rex Navarro of CGIAR-CCAFS-SEA; Melba Wee, DA-Zamboanga; Corazon Abio, National Food Authority; Francisco de Guzman, Opinyon; Melody Aguiba, Manila Bulletin; Ma. Aileen Garcia, International Rice Research Institute; and Angelina Resurreccion, Business Mirror.

According to PAJ President Floresca, the new leadership will revive such projects as the PAJ Forum and the BINHI Awards for Agricultural Journalism.

International, Media

Utilizing UAV Imagery with SMS Advanced

Melissa Sandfort

Insights WeeklyThe production ag community has envisioned the many benefits of utilizing UAV technology since its inception. With many affordable solutions on the market today, ag professionals have begun offering services, and growers have realized the opportunity of using their own UAVs in their operations. While UAVs have become more affordable, often this technology has required the purchase of additional software programs to stitch, process and analyze captured imagery. While SMS doesn’t currently offer image stitching tools, the software is capable of processing and analyzing the raw NIR imagery.
NIR_Image-700x678

SMS Advanced features an NDVI Analysis tool that allows customers the ability to convert captured NIR imagery into manageable spatial layers. Images captured NDVI-700x695from UAVs, planes and satellites can be converted into mappable NDVI and Crop Vigor values by simply identifying the near-infrared and visible red bands. In addition, the Equation Analysis in SMS Advanced has the ability to reference individual color bands and insert those values into a user-defined formula for creating a custom map. These new maps can then be used for identifying problem areas, generating prescriptions, creating management zones and further data analysis. To learn more and download a free trial version of the SMS Advanced software, please visit agleader.com. (Photo at left is Processed Image using SMS NDVI Analysis.)

Become a fan of Ag Leader on Facebook today, and get the latest precision ag videos on the YouTube channel. For more information about Ag Leader products and services, or to visit the blog site, go to www.agleader.com.

Ag Leader, Agribusiness

New Center Strengthens Bayer Bee Commitment

Cindy Zimmerman

bayer-ianBayer CropScience has a long history of commitment to pollinator health and honey bees in particular and the new North American Bee Care Center builds on that foundation.

“There’s been so much interest in pollinators over the last few years,” says Dr. Ian Kelley, Bayer Bee Health Issues Manager, who says they came up with the idea for the center after realizing how it could bring together stakeholders for education, research and outreach. “It started off quite modest and it’s kind of grown into something that we are really proud of.” Interview with Ian Kelley, Bayer CropScience

bayer-bee-schniedMark Schneid, who works on the turf and ornamental side of the Bayer business, says the center is the culmination of Bayer’s 25 years of bee health work with a desire to make a difference in the future, “so that we have sustainable agriculture, sustainable landscape, and sustainable and healthy pollinator partners.”

Bees are not only a vital part of feeding the world, they also help make it more beautiful by pollinating the flowers and trees in our own backyards. Interview with Mark Schneid, Bayer CropScience


Bayer CropScience Bee Care Center Grand Opening Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, pollinators

New Ethanol Jobs Report

Cindy Zimmerman

A new industry report shows how the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is creating jobs and significant economic impact.

fuels-americaThe Fuels America coalition has released an economic impact study by John Dunham & Associates showing that the industry supports more than 850,000 American jobs and drives $184.5 billion of economic output.

Renewable fuels now represent nearly 10% of America’s fuel supply and have helped reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil to the lowest level in years. The analysis takes into account the entire supply chain for renewable fuels and quantifies the impact to the U.S. economy, including:

• Driving $184.5 billion of economic output
• Supporting 852,056 jobs and $46.2 billion in wages
• Generating $14.5 billion in tax revenue each year

The full analysis is publicly available on the Fuels America website, including localized reports for every state and every congressional district in the country.

Fuels America held a telephone press conference Tuesday introducing the report results featuring comments from Jon Doggett, National Corn Growers Association public policy; Adam Monroe, Novozymes; Larry Ward, POET; and John Dunham, report author.

Listen to or download here: Fuels America new economic report

Audio, Corn, Ethanol

QiPack Powers Your Gadget

Chuck Zimmerman

QiPackI’m all about having extra mobile battery power. I also want it to be as small and portable as possible. That’s why my kit contains a couple mobile chargers, including the Golden ZimmComm mobile charger! Here’s a new one I just learned about. I made a Kickstarter contribution to help them get started.

Today, entrepreneurs Michael Goyack and Lance Wu have launched QiPack, a mobile inductive charger that eliminates the need for charging cables and wires, on Kickstarter. Early adopters now have the opportunity to pre-order QiPack and help Goyack and Wu bring the product to market, starting at $45.

Qi, pronounced “chee,” is the Wireless Power Consortium’s (WPC) standard for wireless, or inductive, charging which allows mobile users to power up a variety of mobile electronics by simply placing a device on top of a wireless charging plate, no cords necessary. Inductive charging is nothing new, but what QiPack has to offer will certainly change charging on the go forever.

Qi enabled devices, like Google’s Nexus, don’t require anything more than the QiPack and the mobile device to charge the device’s battery. Non-Qi enabled devices, like Apple’s iPhone or Samsung’s Galaxy, fall into one of two categories; those that need a coil receiver—placed behind the phone’s back cover, over the battery—and those that need a case that has a receiver built in.
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Gadgets

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • GROWMARK is pleased to announce the spring 2014 Exploring Agriculture intern class.
  • DuPont Pioneer and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program announced a collaboration to advance genetic tools and opportunities for grain sorghum, which was planted on just over 8 million acres in the United States in 2013.
  • Zinpro Corporation, the leader in trace mineral nutrition, recently realigned its U.S. sales team to form a single sales region.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new report on scientific breakthroughs discovered by USDA researchers that led to new patents and inventions with the potential for commercial application and potential economic growth.
Zimfo Bytes

Have You Started Planting Yet?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What’s your favorite use for Easter eggs?”

Deviled eggs is a clear winner in last week’s ZimmPoll. Personally, it is my favorite way to eat boiled eggs too. This Easter I was reminded of my husband’s family tradition of egg tapping. Each person takes a dyed boiled egg and taps the pointed end of their egg with that of another person. The last person left with an egg that is still in tact is the winner. When there is a couple dozen kids running around, this keeps them occupied for awhile. The catch is if you want to play you had better like hard boiled eggs, because when you loose you must eat it.

Our poll results:

  • egg salad – 16%
  • deviled eggs – 37%
  • unpeeled & plain -21%
  • special recipes – 5%
  • not a boiled egg fan – 8%
  • only use plastic – 5%
  • for hunts – 8%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Is corn planting underway in your area?”

Farmers across the country are busy in the fields. For some, planting is well underway. For others Mother Nature hasn’t quite cooperated. Let us know where you are in your corn planting.

ZimmPoll

ZimmComm Team Looking for Summer Intern

Jamie Johansen

zimmcomZimmComm New Media is now taking applications for a summer intern. Students in the agricultural communications field interested in attending and learning how to “agri-blog” some of the most important industry events held every year should apply.

The opportunities will include all-expense paid trips to one or more industry events where students will assist in the compiling of photos, audio, video and posting of activities on pertinent websites. Interns will learn and develop communication tools, techniques and technology to gather and distribute information through various social media channels. Per-diem and college credits may also be available.

YES! I’m interested in learning how to do some agri-blogging. Apply Below.
[gravityform id=”1″ name=”ZimmComm Internship” description=”false”]

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Education, ZimmComm Announcement

Novozymes Adds New US R&D BioAg Center

Joanna Schroeder

Novozymes has announced the company will build a new research and development center located near the Research Triangle in Park in Cary, North Carolina dedicated to bioagriculture business. The company will invest nearly $36 million over the next three years and create 100 new research and development jobs.

“The world needs sustainable agricultural solutions now more than ever before. By boosting our research and development of environmentally-friendly microbial technology, we will help farmers meet this demand sooner rather than later,” said Thomas Videbaek, Executive Vice Novozymes LogoPresident of Business Development. “The new R&D center in North Carolina is a concrete step to help speed our technology to market from a state with a long history of agricultural innovation.”

Scientists at the new site in North Carolina will research and develop beneficial microorganisms found in the soil. The resulting technology will focus on improved crop yield, fertility and pest control for growers around the world. The company says the significant expansion of R&D resources will enable Novozymes’ scientists to pursue more and better biological solutions for the ever-changing challenges facing global agriculture.

“Novozymes and North Carolina have been good partners since we opened the doors to our North American headquarters here in 1979,” said Adam Monroe, President, Americas. “We look forward to opening our new facility in a state that has worked hand in hand with us over the years to help our business thrive.”

AgCareers, Agribusiness, Soil

Bayer Bee Care Center for Canada Too

Cindy Zimmerman

bayer-bee-murrayThe new Bayer Bee Care Center opened last week in North Carolina is for all of North America, and that includes Canada where Murray Belyk is manager of scientific affairs for Bayer CropScience.

“We share a lot of similarities with our U.S. colleagues,” says Murray. “We have similar crops, similar pests, similar tools – the concerns of beekeepers as well as growers are the same.”

Murray says the new North America Bee Care Center exceeds his expectations. “I think it’s a terrific combination of a meeting facility, research facility, and educational facility.”

Listen to my interview with Murray here: Interview with Murray Belyk, Bayer CropScience


Bayer CropScience Bee Care Center Grand Opening Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, pollinators