Are you ready for some 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference fun? Hopefully we'll see you at booth #412. You can see the Connection Point layout on the NAMA website. Stop and say hi to Chuck, Cindy and daughter Caitlin who will be helping us this year as well as Dave Larson, our sales manager. Please use the official conference hashtag, #NAMA12, to tweet or just follow along with what's happening and keep your eye on AgWired too. In fact, if you don't have the AgWired app on your smartphone, now's a good time to get it.
We'd like to say a big Thank You to new AgWired sponsor, Monsanto. Some of you many remember that way back in the early ZimmComm days (over 8 years ago) Monsanto was one of our first clients and we can't say how much we appreciate their support then when we were just starting out and now as this little new media company continues to "mature." Well, maybe mature isn't the right word. We're still just kids at heart anyway! Thank you Monsanto!
Our latest ZimmPoll asked "Will we have a farm bill by end of 2012?" Is it any surprise to you that 77 percent of our respondents said No and that only 23 percent said Yes? The farm bill is a big deal to anyone who eats or produces food but in reality it's only about 2% of federal funding. It touches a lot of nerves though since it directly impacts everyone.
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, "Where are best job opportunities in agribusiness?" The outlook for ag jobs seems very positive according to an AgCareers.com analysis. Job postings were up last year. What area holds the most promise right now in your opinion? If you attend next week's Agri-Marketing Conference you'll run into some very qualified and motivated young folks, many of whom are looking for their ag career opportunity!
Here are some interviews from this week you might have missed:
Just wanting to get back to the land was a desire that led Ann and Jim Irvin to a piece of property near Charleston, SC that is now home to Irvin~House Vineyard and the Firefly Distillery. This was one of the tour stops for the Agricultural Relations Council annual meeting crew. We spent several enjoyable hours there doing some wine tasting as well as sampling some Firefl. MORE
We are starting a new series today for BASF Crop Protection called "Great Growers" where we will be following the progress of four farmers throughout the growing season from pre-plant to harvest. MORE
You can meet a lot of America's farmers right here on AgWired if you follow along regularly. But if you'd like to meet a whole lot of them very quickly then you might want to look at the the new YouTube Channel from the Center for Food Inegrity called "Meet America's Farmers."MORE
There were 679 renewable energy initiatives supported by 23 federal agencies and their 130 subagencies in fiscal year 2010. This according to a study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on renewable energy. The leading agencies in renewable energy support included the Department of Defense (DOD), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Combined, 60 percent of the projects were supported by these four departments. MORE
According to Wayne Lee, CEO of Lee Enterprises Alternative Fuels Consulting, the current biodiesel market will hurt oil companies. The company, under its RIN 9000 program, is now providing free information about biodiesel companies to the oil industry. This initiative was launched to provide RIN obligated parties to help address what Lee says is "RIN purchase hesitation," an emerging trend in the biodiesel industry. MORE
What a spring! With beautiful weather and warming soil temperatures many growers have started to feel the itch to get out and start planting. Ag Leader's Tech Support wants to take the time to pass along a few helpful pointers to ensure a smooth planting season while using Ag Leader equipment. MORE
Ag Leader will soon be releasing SMS Basic/Advanced v12.0 and SMS Mobile v6.0. Here are a few of the items that will be included in this upcoming release.MORE
Wisconsin will be getting three new cheese plants in the state. Emmi Roth USA is expanding its Wisconsin operations to produce specialty cheese. BelGioioso Cheese Inc. is building another plant in Pulaski, Wis. and Holland's Family Cheese LLC will expand it's facitily in Thorp, Wis. MORE
CRV was pleased with the results of the April 2012 sire evaluations. The addition of 11 InSire genomically selected bulls adds a whole crew of genetics to be harvested for US and global dairy producers. Sires specialized with increasing milk solids, improving health and fertility, and functional type are the main fields of expertise. MORE