#PorkLuv Share-a-Thon

Chuck Zimmerman

#PorkLuvDo you have pork love? If so, share it. How? By using the #PorkLUV hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It can be good for your state since the Pork Checkoff is running a contest to feed hungry people.

Pork fans who share their #PorkLUV will be helping their state compete for a food bank donation of 30,000 meals of fresh pork. The state that shares the most #PorkLUV from February 14 to March 7 will receive the pork, divided amongst food banks throughout the state. In addition to supporting the cause, everyone who shares a little #PorkLUV will receive a $1-off fresh pork coupon. 1

“#PorkLUV is all about giving our fans a chance to declare their passion and share it among friends and family – all in the name of a great cause,” said Randy Brown, vice chair of the Pork Checkoff Domestic Marketing committee and a farmer from Nevada, Ohio.

Share the #PorkLUV

Sharing your #PorkLUV is as easy as visiting PorkBeinspired.com/PorkLUV or the Pork Be inspired Facebook page. Once there, simply:

· Click “Share your #PorkLUV”
· Select your favorite pork cut
· “Share” the love to add your #PorkLUV to the interactive map

Ag Groups, Food, Pork

Get Maxx Authority from FMC

Chuck Zimmerman

FMC AuthorityIt’s almost time for some serious planting to get underway across the country. That means it is also time for farmers to start thinking about how they’re going to handle weed control, especially in light of concerns over weed resistance.

FMC has a new option this season to think about. It’s their Authority Maxx product that received EPA registration last fall. At the National Farm Machinery Show to talk about this addition to the Authority line of products was Nick Hustedde, Technical Service Representative. He says the product offers soybean growers a very flexible product with a dual mode of action.

A dual-action herbicide, Authority Maxx is a pre-mix of two herbicides with different modes of action, providing burndown activity and residual control of many glyphosate and ALS-resistant small-seeded broadleaves. As with other Authority products, Authority Maxx can be applied as part of fall burndown, or in the spring to prevent yield-robbing weed competition.

You can listen to my interview with Nick here: Interview with Nick Hustedde

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, FMC, National Farm Machinery Show, weed management

Most Think Farm Economy Better than Overall

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How does farm economy compare to general U.S.?”

Results varied, but the majority say they feel the U.S. farm economy is better then the general economy. As we move further into 2014 it will be interesting to see how small herd numbers and the drought in California affect people’s outlook.

Our poll results:

  • WAY better – 20%
  • Somewhat better – 52%
  • The same – 7%
  • Worse – 7%
  • Much worse – 0%
  • No idea – 14%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “If available, would you put E15 or E85 in your vehicle?”

Chuck and Cindy just got home from the 2014 National Ethanol Conference in Orlando, FL. The event touched on the state of the ethanol industry, the impact of the RFS on the industry, breaking down the blend wall, the global ethanol industry, perspective from the oil industry and auto manufacturers, and much more. More and more vehicles are becoming equipped with E15 and E85 capabilities, but many still haven’t committed to using this alternative fuel or simply don’t have access to it. Would you use E15 or E85 in your car or truck?

ZimmPoll

Through the Eyes of a Child

Melissa Sandfort

My beautiful pictureHave you ever crouched down on the floor and been eye-level with a 19-month old? Did you take a look at the world around you to understand how intimidating it may seem? How TALL the counter is (especially if there’s a candy bar just within arm’s reach), and how far away things seem?

I’m reminded of this when I’m in the car, too. It’s a magical day when your infant grows into a forward-facing car seat and the world around them changes and they’re no longer seeing things in reverse. But I’m also careful when I say, “Look out the window at that cow!” My daughter cranes her neck to see and hope that she’s able to take in the beauty I can see out of my own window.

For his birthday, I got my son a Lego digital camera. He has taken pictures of French fries, friends, his sister, my parents’ dog, and his favorite for some reason, our red couch. He’s a photographer in training! Last night when he wanted to take pictures of his cousins and found the camera was full, we plugged in the USB to pull a few off and free up some space. As I was deleting blurry ones (and ones of me in my workout gear!), I came across this picture. After harvest, he must have taken his camera in the car and I didn’t notice. For a $30 camera in the hands of a 5-year-old, I thought this was quite the scenic image!

I don’t know if he had to hold the camera up in the air because his booster seat sits too low, but from his perspective, this was a picture worth taking. And I think it’s a picture worth writing about.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Championship Tractor Pull Brings in Best in Business

Chuck Zimmerman

nfms-14-mike-wilhiteMike Wilhite was a contestant in the recent Championship Tractor Pull during the 2014 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, KY. He drives Blue Blazes and visited with Chuck prior to the event.

Mike worked for Ford for 30 years. The the tradition didn’t start with him, his dad also worked for the company along with his two brothers. So, naturally they were drawn to New Holland’s blue. Mike is considered a local, living just 32 miles from Louisville.

“Outdoors we run a 300 foot track. In this indoor track we are confined to 240 feet. It’s an experience. You better have everything right. Your weight and gear selections right. There is a lot to it.”

A blockade of sand sits at the end of the short track incase any tractors have a little too much gas in them. Mike shared that they buried their tractor the first year they competed in the event.

Mike and his pulling team competed in about 18 hooks over the course of the season. They traveled as far as Wisconsin, down into Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama. He also expressed how great the fans were at pulls and how committed they were to the competitions.

“We’ve been messing with tractors all our lives. We always had hot rod cars and stuff like that. When my brother and I first started we bought a tractor out of New York, I guess that would have been about 20 years ago. And it has evolved into this here.”

You could tell that all the pullers were great friends and shared a family type atmosphere. But when they get to the track, it’s all business.

You can listen to the interview with Mike here: Interview with Mike Wilhite

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, NFMS, Tractor, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

Alltech Feed Survey Reports Slight Increase

Talia Goes

logo-alltechResults from the 2014 Global Feed Tonnage Survey released by Alltech revealed a one percent increase in feed production, with global feed tonnage reporting in at 963 million metric tons, up from 954 million metric tons last year. Alltech assessed the compound feed production of 130 countries in Dec. 2013 through information obtained in partnership with local feed associations and Alltech’s sales team, who visit more than 28,000 feed mills annually.

Among the 130 countries assessed in Alltech’s survey, China was once again the number one country producing feed at 189 million metric tons and an estimated 9,500 feed mills. The United States and Brazil ranked second and third respectively, with the U.S. producing 169 million metric tons from 5,236 feed mills and Brazil generating 67 million metric tons from 1,237 feed mills. There was an observed decline in the number of feed mills in China, likely driven by government policy, which favors a smaller number of larger feedmills to facilitate traceability and improvements in quality, and the continued demand by urban consumers for further processed proteins from larger farms.

In terms of percent growth in comparison to the Dec. 2012 figures, Africa was reaffirmed as the fastest growing region. Countries such as South Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mauritius and Namibia all experienced production increases, boosting Africa’s combined tonnage seven percent to just short of 31 million metric tons in 2013. Asia, of the six regions surveyed, is once again the leading overall region in terms of production of animal feed, with 348 million metric tons or more than one-third of global feed, but did not grow in 2013. The Middle East is estimated to have the largest feed mills by average tons per year. Globally, feedmills produced an average of 34,000 metric tons.

When analyzed by species:

  • Poultry: 46 percent share of global production at 444 million tons.
  • Pig feed: increased by 11 percent, moving to 243 million metric tons globally.
  • The ruminant feed market: decreased in tonnage demand between late 2012 and December 2013.
  • Equine feed: tonnage increased 14 percent to 12.4 million metric tons.
  • Aquaculture: 17 percent increase in 2013 to 34.4 million metric tons.
  • Pet food: tonnage increased just slightly from 20.5 to 20.7 million tons.

The Survey found that the total value of the feed industry exceeds $500 billion, higher than the previous estimate of $350 billion. This has been fueled by high feed prices but also the more accurate information collected by this survey. With an expected fall in feed prices in 2014, this value of the feed industry will likely not be as high in 2014.

Agribusiness, Alltech, Feed

Led Zep 2 Rocks the Ethanol Industry

Chuck Zimmerman

Led Zep 2I never got to see Led Zeppelin live but last night I found out what it would have been like when Led Zeppelin 2 performed for the National Ethanol Conference. This band is fantastic. You can see what I mean in the video below (Dazed and Confused).

Playing Jimmy Page on stage is Paul Kamp, founding partner of Leifmark and heads the commercialization efforts for Inbicon Biomass Refinery technology. In other words, he’s directly involved in the ethanol industry. After his performance I got to talk with him about his dual role career.

You can listen to my interview with Paul here: Interview with Paul Kamp

There are lots of photos from last night’s event in our photo album:

2014 National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Biofuels, Ethanol, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

A Tradition of Healthy Competition at NFMS

Chuck Zimmerman

nfms-14-butch-kriegerDuring this year’s National Farm Machinery Show crowds gathered from across the country to watch the Championship Tractor Pull. The best tractors from across the United States competed in the coveted 2014 event and Chuck chatted with one of the announcers Butch Krieger.

“This is my 35th year here in Louisville. It just gets better every year. The competition is great and the tractor pull committee does a great job deciding who is going to come here. I don’t think if I had even an opportunity that I could put it together as well as they do.”

Butch is pictured on right with another announcer, Dave Bennett. Butch goes on to explain how this pull is held inside with a huge smoke machine that captures all the exhaust that the tractors produce. Freedom Hall is also equipped with heavy exhaust fans throughout the large arena.

Syngenta has served as a huge sponsor for the event for years and drivers were present during the show to sign autographs at their booth. Butch shared he understands it’s hard to get tickets to the Saturday night pull, but says that throughout the week tickets are available to see some of the best tractors from across the nation compete.

You can listen to the interview with Butch here: Interview with Butch Krieger

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Ag Groups, Audio, Farm Shows, NFMS, Tractor

New Holland Compact Tractors

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland Boomer 37The New Holland Boomer Tractors may look small next to their big brothers but they are not a toy. These machines can handle a lot of work from hauling dirt and mulch to removing snow. They also have all the implements available you could possibly need.

At the National Farm Machinery Show I walked around with New Holland’s Dan Valen as he describes the machines on display including the new Boomer 37 model. Watch and learn.

National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Equipment, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland, Tractor