Spring into Agri-Marketing Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

flower-postI’m really hoping spring has finally sprung here in Florida. You might know that the origin of the state’s name is the Spanish Pascua Florida, meaning “feast of flowers” (Easter). Certainly is starting to look that way around here.

And since we’re in the sunshine and warming up, I’ve got to plug the 2014 Agri-Marketing Conference which is just around the corner (next week!). We’re going to have fun, fellowship, professional development, awards, student competition, tour, golf and more. Come early and stay late. Let’s make this a conference to remember.

Conference Twitter hashtag is #NAMA14.

NAMA

Registration for IFAJ 2014 Now Open

Chuck Zimmerman

2014 IFAJ CongressIt’s that time. Time to register for the 2014 IFAJ Congress, “Innovations From a Small Island.” Cindy and I are looking for sponsor support for this year’s event. If you’re interested please contact me.

Yep, that’s right – we’ve tested the system far and wide. Registration is quick and simple, with payment made by a secure online transaction.

“Our supplier of payment solutions is one of just 600 companies in the world to attain PCI Level 1 Compliance, which is the highest level of online data and payment protection,” explains Congress chairman Adrian Bell.

“There’s been extensive testing of the registration and payment systems amongst the Congress committee and more widely within the British Guild, ironing out any bugs and problems before go-live on Monday.”

Don’t miss the early-bird rate!

It’s the British Guild’s 70th anniversary this year, so we’ve put in place a special anniversary early-bird offer: the first 70 to register will save £70 on their (full delegate, single rate) registration fee. There are 220 places available in total, including those involved in Master Class and the Young Leaders.

Learn all about this year’s Congress in the online publication, Innovations:

IFAJ, Media

Conversation with Sen. Mike Johanns

Cindy Zimmerman

ace14-dc-johannsDuring the American Coalition for Ethanol Biofuels Beltway March last week, I was fortunate to be able to tag along on a few Congressional office visits – and pushy enough to get a few interviews with some lawmakers!

One of those was Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) who will be retiring this year after serving for more than 30 years in public office – starting at mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, then governor of the state, Secretary of Agriculture, and finally the U.S. Senate since 2009.

I asked Sen. Johanns about ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the problem farmer face with over regulation, and what his vision is for the future of agriculture. Interview with Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE)
2014 ACE Biofuels Beltway March photo album

Coverage is sponsored in part by Patriot Renewable Fuels

ACE, Audio, Biofuels, Ethanol

Happy 10th Anniversary to Agri-Pulse

Cindy Zimmerman

al-sara-10Just like us, our friends at Agri-Pulse started their company in 2004, so we are celebrating our tenth anniversary together!

Also like us, Agri-Pulse is run by a husband and wife from a home office in a nice vacation spot, so we have a place to wind down when not on the road – which is more often than not! Where we rely on freelancers, however, Agri-Pulse has expanded over ten years to include a staff of ten that keep the business running from Washington DC to world headquarters at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

ZimmCast 433In this week’s ZimmCast, we talk to Agri-Pulse president Sara Wyant and her husband and right hand man Allan Johnson. We did this interview last week, just after the kick off of National Agriculture Day, which they passionately support.

Check out the photos from their portion of National Ag Day here:
Agri-Pulse Ag Day Photo Album

You can listen to this week’s program here. ZimmCast with Agri-Pulse

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

Ag Day, Agri-Pulse, Audio, Media, ZimmCast

Little Ethanol Lobbyist

Cindy Zimmerman

ace14-dc-ethan1Wearing a tie and sporting a “Don’t Mess with the RFS” button, 10-year-old Ethan Fagen was the youngest of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Biofuels Beltway marchers last week on Capitol Hill.

Ethan came along with his grandfather, Ron Fagen of Fagen, Inc., and he was right in the trenches with him handing out materials and talking about the benefits of ethanol, like how good it is for the environment compared to fossil fuels. “Think in 200 years if you run ethanol there will be cleaner air for the next generation,” said Ethan, who is part of that next generation.

ace14-dc-fagensSitting in the front as the ACE Fly-in participants heard from government officials, Ethan caught the attention of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who thought it was “pretty cool” he was there for the event.

In my interview with Ethan, he told me that he would like to be a farmer someday and grow corn and have cattle. It’s interesting that if you add two letters to Ethan’s name, it becomes ethanol. Interview with Ethan Fagen, ACE Fly-in Participant


2014 ACE Biofuels Beltway March photo album

Coverage is sponsored in part by Patriot Renewable Fuels

Audio, Ethanol

Typo Keyboard for iPhone 5/S – AgNerds Rejoice

Chuck Zimmerman

Typo Keyboard for iPhone 5My agnerd order has been placed for a Typo Keyboard for my iPhone 5S. I am eagerly waiting for it. Why? Because I like typing on real keys. I’ve become “better” at typing on the virtual keyboard but . . .

Typo has apparently pissed off Blackberry though. For some reason they think they “own” the physical keyboard. Last week a judge ordered a preliminary injunction to restrict sales of Typo keyboards but they are still for sale ($99).

I’ll write a review of the device after I have a chance to use.

Here is what the claims are:

Type Faster w/Less Typos – Users report typing 50% faster and with less Typos – Touch keyboard brings back 40% more screen space for typing

Full Backlit Keyboard – Backlit Keyboard for typing in low light environments

Battery Indicator – See how much battery you have at any time

Quick Currency Keys Access – Quick access to all your most necessary currency keys

TYPO smart Typing – Custom TYPO Smart Auto-Correct Enabled

You can order one here.

Equipment, Technology

Hot Dogs Remain Top Dog For MLB Fans

Jamie Johansen

79543It’s a love affair that has spanned generations and baseball fans will once again make hot dogs their number one choice at the ballparks this summer. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) estimates that fans will eat a whopping 21,357,316 hot dogs and 5,508,887 sausages during the 2014 Major League season, enough hot dogs to stretch from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to Wrigley Field in Chicago.

“When it comes to the food of choice at baseball games nothing cuts the mustard quite like hot dogs and sausages,” said Eric Mittenthal, NHDSC vice president of public affairs. “It’s a tradition that fans relish, and despite growing options at concessions, they keep coming back for their old favorite.”

This year’s total includes a new single season record for most hot dogs at one stadium as the Los Angeles Dodgers anticipate fans will consume 3,077,537 hot dogs, a jump of more than 800,000 hot dogs from last year. That is enough to round the bases at Dodger Stadium 4,274 times and based on last year’s attendance, means if everyone had just one, 82 percent of fans at every Dodger home game will eat a hot dog.Read More

Ag Groups, Food, Pork

Snow Day Ag Day

Chuck Zimmerman

Capitol SnowI had to walk in it a lot on National Ag Day in Washington, DC. But the snow made for a pretty picture around the nation’s Capitol.

It snowed most of the day on Tuesday so walking between activity appointments was a little cool and “humid.”

I’ve got lots of good photos from this week’s National Agriculture Day activities online including some of the late snow.

2014 Ag Day Photo Album

Coverage of National Ag Day is sponsored by BCS Communications

Ag Day, Ag Groups

New President for World Farmers’ Organisation

Jamie Johansen

Kendall copyPeter Kendall of the National Farmers’ Union UK was elected as the new President of the World Farmers’ Organisation. After the US national Robert Carlson, he will be at the guide of the WFO for the next two years with a board of six members from six different continents: Mr. Ismail Ab Rahman Bin (Asia), Dr Evelyn Nguleka (Africa), Mr. Brent Finlay, (Oceania), Mr Luis Miguel Etchevehere (Latin America), Mr Piet Vanthemsche (Europe), Mr Ron Bonnet (North America).

Peter Kendall, Former President of the National Farmers’ Union in England and Wales, took a degree in Agricultural Economics at Nottingham University, before returning to the family business in 1984. He was NFU President for eight years from 2006 to February 2014.

“Feeding the world’s rapidly growing population is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today, and it is vital that the world farmers have a strong and united voice as we seek the best solutions to meeting this demand,” said WFO president Peter Kendall. “As President of the World Farmers Organization (WFO) I look forward to continuing the excellent work of Robert Carlson and inclusive who has led the organization since its formation three years ago in August in that time has agriculture continued to climb the political agenda around the world and with the realization that increasing climate change and extreme weather events make our futures uncertain, the WFO has a vital and central role to play. My priority will be to continue to raise the profile of the WFO so it is seen as the lead and most respected organization for global agriculture. To be elected at this critical time is both a great honor and responsibility.”

The vote for the new president and the board has involved all the confederations member of the World Farmers’ Organisation during the General Assembly in Buenos Aires. The event that is going to end brought together about 100 agricultural confederations, coming from 80 different countries in Buenos Aires at the Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA) from March 26 to 29.

Ag Groups, International

Outstanding Young Farmer at Ag Day Lunch

Chuck Zimmerman

Greg WegisA member of the Outstanding Farmers of America Fraternity, Greg Wegis, Bakersfield, CA, was a mix & mingle lunch speaker during National Ag Day activities this week. He was introduced by Orion Samuelson. There were several other members in attendance too. Greg and his wife Gina were part of the 2013 Outstanding Young Farmers Program group. You can see who is in the 2014 group on their website.

The Outstanding Farmers of America Fraternity is made up of past nominees of the Outstanding Young Farmer Program. The fraternity is designed to facilitate an exchange of ideas and friendship that encourages excellence and involvement in agriculture and the local, state, and national community.

There are approximately 1,500 members of the fraternity across the nation who utilize their connections with each other in a strong networking format to assist farmers and promote the importance of America’s farming community.

You can listen to Greg’s remarks here:Greg Wegis Remarks

2014 Ag Day Photo Album

Coverage of National Ag Day is sponsored by BCS Communications

Ag Day, Ag Groups, Audio