Brownfield

Commodity Classic

I arrived in Nashville this morning and will spend the next few days here covering Commodity Classic for Brownfield Ag News.  There are a handful of "pre-Classic" events that Dave Russell and I will cover.  My first event is Bayer CropScience 2008 Ag Issues Forum.  We just finished lunch and are gearing up for an afternoon of educational/informational sessions.

Bob Petersen, Principal of Petersen Consulting Services, LLC is the moderator for this event.  In setting the stage for this forum, he told us, "American Baker's Association is calling on a march on Washington to alleviate the growing wheat crisis.  They are asking that wheat exports be curtailed until domestic bakers get the supplies they need."

Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, Ag Econ professor at Kansas State University is speaking now and I don't want to miss a word.

Over the course of the next few days, check the special events page for the latest from here in Nashville this week. And of course, you can tune in to your local Brownfield affiliate radio station!

Slaughter inspection 101

There have been a lot of misunderstandings associated with federal meat inspection in this country in recent weeks.  USDA has released a step-by-step description of the steps taken by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) including some basic information about what FSIS is and does, inspection basics and pre-harvest inspection process. 

Whether you are involved in the livestock production or food industry or you are a person who enjoys eating meat, this is great background information.

The release is titled Slaughter Inspection 101.

Wanted: great big propane torch

When I called to let the rest of the Brownfield team know that I am "iced in" in Vandalia, Illinois, John Perkins asked if there is anything I need.  A really big propane torch to warm the midsection of the country and clear the ice off of the roads, the cars and everything else was my only request.  I had been scheduled to speak at the Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District Annual Meeting this evening in Salem, Illinois, but the weather forced a postponement of the event. 

This has been a challening winter for many!  Bob Meyer in Marshfield, Wisconsin and Jerry Passer in Cedar Rapids, Iowa share stories of high winds, double digit negative wind chills, ice, snow and sleet on a weekly and often daily basis. 

In the most recent edition of USDA Broadcaster Letter, Larry Quinn interviewed Passer about the winter weather:

OFF MIKE

IN HIS 35 YEARS . . . of living in Cedar Rapids, IA, Jerry Passer (Brownfield Network) says he’s never seen a winter season like this one with snowfall of more than 55 inches and repeated freezing rain that has left two inches of ice on spots of nearby Interstate 380.  Roads are still not passable, and 75-80 cars are in the ditch along one stretch.  With subzero temperatures and wind chill, the salt is not melting ice on roads.  Schools have been out most of the week or operating on delayed arrival if open.  The area most affected is Cedar Rapids and to about 100 miles west of the city.  Complicating matters are incidents like a frozen fire hydrant that burst, flooding a street and then freezing near his home.  Livestock producers are having a difficult time moving animals to market or caring for their animals.

Pete Shinn, who is based in Omaha, Nebraska, reports today from USDA Ag Outlook Forum in Arlington, Virginia, that the temperature at the meeting is a steady 72 degrees and all elevators and escalators are open and traffic is steady.  (Smarty pants.)

Running into old friends

I met Ernie Barnes about 100 years ago.  Ok, maybe not that many years ago, but I've known him for a very long time.  It was a pleasant surprise to run into Ernie this morning at Missouri Pork Expo where he was representing the National Pork Board in the trade show.  Ernie introduced me to Annette Renaud with the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, also an exhibitor at Missouri Pork Expo.

Ernie Barnes is no stranger to pork expos.  For several years, Ernie managed the granddaddy of all pork expos: The WORLD PORK EXPO.

Where in the world is Dave this week?

Where in the world is Dave Russell?  He's heading toward the "Big Easy!"  Be sure to check for updates as he travels with the Illinois Soybean Association.  Here's an excerpt from one of his news stories:

The first stop on the See for Yourself – International Marketing Tour hosted by the Illinois Soybean Association on Tuesday, Feb. 19 was DeLong Shipping near Joliet, a company that has been shipping soybeans in containers for 20 years. Bo DeLong told the group that the amount of grain shipped by containers is driven by the difference between bulk vessel rates and container rates.

Dave hasn't spent much time in his office these past few weeks, but as farm broadcasters, we'd rather be out covering and telling the story than sitting in an office!

Dale Durchholz is in the house

We love having visitors.  Dale Durchholz, Senior Market Analyst with  AgriVisor Services, Inc., has been featured on Brownfield market programs for many years.    Headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois, Dale speaks via telephone with our Brownfield market reporters a couple of times a week, answering questions and offering analysis that we share with those listening to Brownfield Ag News radio programs.

Pictured, left to right:  John Perkins, Cyndi Young, Dale Durchholz, Tom Steever and Julie Harker.

OPEN

The OPEN sign is hanging in the window today here in the Brownfield newsroom, as it is at affiliate radio stations across our coverage area and beyond.  Thanks to all of you radio folks out there who show up every day!

Kudos

Congratulations to our friend Amy Bradford, corporate communicatoins manager at Growmark, headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois for taking home top prize at the 2008 Natoinal Council of Farmer Cooperative's (NCFC) Information Fair.  This event is a communications contest that recognizes excellence in the publications, member relations and marketing products of farmer cooperatives.

Amy received first place honors in the speechwriting category for the Growmark Chairman's Annual Meeting Address "Lead Large." 

Meeting people

One of the things we as farm broadcasters love about our work is the opportunity we get to meet people and make new friends.  Julie Harker did that during the National Sorghum Producers Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. 

Julie interviewed Mike Hall, National Sorghum Yield Contest winner from Dundas, Illinois for Brownfield Ag News.  In addition to getting a really good interview, she met a couple of really good people in Mike and his wife Sherry. 

Remember the Alamo!

Julie Harker is back from San Antonio, Texas, where she spent several days reporting on the U.S. Grains Council marketing conference and National Sorghum Producers Meeting for Brownfield Ag News.  In addition to reporting from San Antonio, she brought back a lot of really good audio that you will hear on future Brownfield Ag News programs on your local affiliate radio station or on the Brownfield website. 

San Antonio is one of my favorite convention cities, especially when it is 10 degrees above zero here and a balmy 70 in south Texas.  Remember the Alamo!

*You can link to a story Julie posted to the Brownfield website by double clicking U.S. Grains Council and/or National Sorghum Producers Meeting.