June 1, 2012

Hello ZimmComm Fans:

Chuck is just returning from "the best tour ever," 2012 Conservation in Action Tour which is coordinated by the Conservation Technology Information Center. He's got lots of stories to post and photos to upload as soon as he gets back to ZimmComm World Headquarters. Farmers are proactively doing all they can to improve their stewardship of the land and he'll share those stories over the next several days.

Next week is a big one for the ZImmComm team. Chuck will be attending the Corn Utilization Technology Conference in Indianapolis, Cindy will be attending a BASF media event in Chicago before going to World Pork Expo in Des Moines and Jamie will be covering the Fuel Ethanol Workshop in Minneapolis. Keep an eye on us as we burn up the agriblogging highway!

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, "Which group should restaurants consider experts on animal care?" Recently many folks in agriculture participated in an online thank you campaign for Domino's Pizza. Why? Because the restaurant chain made a decision based on good humane animal practices and did not give in to the demands of the animal activist group HSUS. According to our poll 48% said Farmers, 35% said Veterinarians, 16% said Ag Industry, 1% said Activists and no one selected Government. Sounds like good common sense response to us. So take notice all you restaurant chains. If you need advice and want to do the right thing for your customers and the folks who produce safe, humanely produced food, ask the experts and not people with an agenda.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, "Is Atrazine lawsuit settlement good for farmers?" A lawsuit against Syngenta related to the herbicide was settled with an offer of over $100 million by the company, even thought there has been no evidence of harm in drinking water caused by the product and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit acknowledged they had not commissioned any research on the subject or seen any new research to the contrary either. What do you think?

Here are some interviews you might have missed this week:

Now for some news from the ZimmComm News Network:

AgWired

Grocery and Restaurant Executives Surveyed

Results of a recent survey of grocery and restaurant executives signals an opportunity for the supply chain to provide retailers better support and alignment to address challenging issues in animal agriculture. MORE

Molding the Future of Agriculture

Wrapping up our tour at Locust Trace AgriScience Farm, I had the opportunity to chat with one of five agriculture education instructors at Locust Trace, Mr. Todd Harp. He had the students eating out of the palm of his hand as he discussed artificial insemination and quizzed them on reproduction in dairy cattle. This hands-on approach to learning is just one of many things that sets this school appart from other institutions. MORE

Podcast

A John Deere Welcome to CTIC Tour

One of our sponsors for the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour is John Deere. Making some opening remarks tonight was Matt Weinheimer, Division Sales Mgr., Mid-South. He says John Deere has been a member of CTIC since it was founded and he congratulates the organization on celebrating 30 years. MORE

Podcast

Domestic Fuel

Ethanol Plants Install ICM Selective Milling Technology

ICM, Inc. has completed full-scale commercial installations of its new Selective Milling Technology™ (SMT) at four ethanol plants. The plants that have installed the technology are LifeLine Foods LLC, Kansas Ethanol LLC, Green Plains Shenandoah, LLC and Lincolnland Agri-Energy LLC. MORE

Vote to Cut Military Biofuels Disappoints Ag Secretary

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is "disappointed" in recent Congressional action that would cut the use of biofuels by the military. MORE

Podcast

Novozymes Nebraska Enzyme Plant Opens

Advanced biofuels took a $200 million step forward on the march toward castcommercialization Wednesday with the official opening of Novozymes' enzyme plant in Blair, Nebraska. MORE

Podcast

Precision Pays

SLIP Plate Facebook Sweepstakes

Let me re-introduce you to SLIP Plate, a Superior Graphite product. Many farmers already know about SLIP Plate and use the products but over coming months we're going to introduce you to this company and this product. We're going to get started now with an interview I just conducted with Barry Lee, Product Manager Coatings & Lubricants, Superior Graphite. He says the company started in 1917 and their strength is graphite, supplying it in various forms to many different industries. MORE

Podcast

Precision Pays Podcast: The next step in crop scouting

Crop scouting is a lost art. I hear so many farmers (my father included) that will say how good or how poor a field looks as they are driving by it. I'll admit - I'm guilty of it, too. I slow down to see how things are looking and maybe even stop long enough to snap a few photos. MORE

Podcast

Farm Families Return to DC This Summer

The nation's top crop and the farm families who grow it will return to the U.S. capital this summer for the fourth year in a row as part of the Corn Farmers Coalition educational program that debuts June 1, at Union Station, an important venue for reaching policymakers inside "The Beltway." MORE

World Dairy Diary