SoilWeb can retrieve a graphic summary of soil types in response to a user inquiry in the form of soil profile sketches. Each profile sketch shows soil horizons, often compared to a vertical ice cream sandwich made up of layers of soil. Soil names, locations and taxonomic categories are also shown.

Can you click on the picture and help me identify the other animals in this picture?

Until we walk again …

Entertainers in the lineup for the evening include Darryl Worley, John Conlee, Sarah Darling, Mike Snider, and Joey+Rory. (We just saw Joey+Rory, best known for their hit “Cheater, Cheater, last week in Nashville at the Cattle Industry Convention – they’re great!)

“The Evening of Entertainment will cap off three days of learning sessions, policymaking, networking and a sold-out, record-setting trade show that has the 17th annual Commodity Classic on pace to be the largest in history,” said Commodity Classic co-chair Jeff Sollars.

Commodity Classic will be held March 1-3 at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn., and is presented annually by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers.

“It’s obviously been a year of identity,” said outgoing Federation chairman David Dick of Sedalia, Missouri (pictured right). The proposal the Federation developed last year, which was approved by the CBB and NCBA during the convention, outlines how joint checkoff committees will function in the future. “Basically it allows us to start building a new committee structure.”

David says he’s satisfied with the changes that have been made and the identity that has been put forth for the Federation and he is especially grateful for his fellow executive committee members who worked many long hours over the past couple of years to make it happen.

Listen to my interview with David Dick here: David Dick Interview

One of those who has worked closely with David for the past two years is the new chairman of the Federation – Craig Uden, a cow-calf producer and feeder from Elwood, Neb. “In the Federation we act as a team,” he said. “We utilize the people who dedicate their time and efforts into making this industry better and moving the needle on beef demand and the only way to do that is with a team approach.”

The Federation is made up of the 45 state beef councils that collect the $1 per head national beef checkoff but its roots stretch back to the days of voluntary state checkoffs. “Back in the 60s, on a voluntary basis, a lot of these beef councils wanted to pool their money together, and that was kind of the basis for the Federation,” Craig said.

That cooperative spirit remains the primary mission of the Federation, the sharing of beef checkoff dollars from states that have large cattle populations, like Nebraska, with the national effort or states like New York that have less cattle but a larger consumer population.

Listen to my interview with Craig here: Craig Uden Interview

The Federation team also now includes Richard Gebhart of Claremore, Oklahoma as vice chairman. Newly elected to represent the Federation as regional vice presidents on the NCBA executive committee are Garry Wiley of Michigan, Clay Burtrum of Oklahoma and Sid Viebrock of Washington who join existing RVPs Jennifer Houston of Tennessee, Terri Carstensen of Iowa, Jane Frost of New Mexico and Becky Walth of South Dakota, as well as Richard Ayers of New York who is the new veal representative.

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How do you think farm equipment sales will do this year compared to last?” Let us know what you think. Will there be more new equipment sales this year? Is it time to replace a worn out piece of equipment?

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

“You might ask why we as the beef industry care about laying hens,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) legislative affairs director Kristina Butts. “The reason why we care is because currently there’s no production practices in federal statute and we want to keep it that way.”

Butts said legislation codifying the agreement was introduced in the U.S. House by Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR), who is a veterinarian. “This legislation opens up Pandora’s Box on Capitol Hill. While this bill currently only applies to the egg industry, it’s not a far stretch to see it applied to all animal agriculture,” Butts said, noting that Rep. Schrader believes that since he’s a vet and is on the House ag committee that he can control this legislation. “One thing we know from other issues where we’ve dealt with HSUS is that you can never be too trusting of where they’re going to go in terms of parliamentary procedure.”

Listen to Kristina’s comments on the bill here: Kristina Butts Comments

NCBA Government Affairs Vice President Colin Woodall says UEP is looking at this agreement as a partnership with HSUS. “But there is no such thing as a partnership with HSUS,” Colin said. “HSUS operates in the mode of ‘this is what we want you to do and if you don’t do it, we’re gonna do it to you.”

Colin says it is unfortunate that the issue has driven a wedge between UEP and nearly all other livestock and agricultural organizations, including other poultry groups. “But we cannot allow them to move forward. So we will defeat this,” he said.

Listen to Colin’s comments here: Colin Woodall HSUS comments

What do you think about the UEP-HSUS agreement and pending legislation regarding laying hens? There’s still time to vote on the question regarding the issue in our ZimmPoll on the left side bar.

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

I spoke with Paul Sr. just prior to his entry into the exhibit hall and he says the bike was a tough one to build. He says it’s not a speed demon but it won’t break down, “It’s just made to go.” The bike has affectionately been named Susie, btw.

Listen to my interview with Paul Sr. here: Interview with Paul Sr.

Listen to Paul Sr. describe the biodiesel bike here: Paul Sr. Remarks

Here’s video of Paul, Sr. driving into the exhibit hall.

Remember that you can follow what the Twitterverse is saying about the conference using the hashtag #NBB12.

2012 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Regarding international trade, a resolution was passed that codified NCBA support of a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that removes tariff and non-tariff trade barriers for U.S. beef to participating countries, which include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Another resolution that was passed encourages a more efficient payment system for fed cattle in light of the recent announcement by the U.S. Postal Service that first class mail delivery will slow in the future which could cause problems for the efficient delivery of payment for cattle.

Regarding herd health, the current management of bison on federal lands by the Department of Interior has raised concerns among cattle producers so NCBA members passed a resolution opposing the relocation of any bison outside the current Greater Yellowstone Area management area, the expansion of that area and any increase in the currently authorized bison population.

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

The Equal Access to Justice Act is one issue that many may not be familiar with – I know I wasn’t. NCBA Government Affairs Vice President Colin Woodall explains. “This is a long-standing government program that was put in place to allow people who don’t have the financial means available to sue the government,” said Colin. That includes people like veterans, widows of vets, people trying to get benefits, etc. “Unfortunately, it’s been hijacked by extremists groups who are using the money to sue the Department of Interior, the Forest Service, to get federal lands ranchers kicked off their land. They’re using taxpayer money to fund their activist agenda.”

Colin says NCBA is having to education members of Congress about the act and how it is being used by these groups. They hope to add more transparency to the act and put a cap on the amount of money that can be used and those who qualify for it.

Regarding transportation, Colin says they are working on legislation to create uniform transportation laws across all states and helping states adopt transportation laws that increase allowable weight, length and trailer requirements. NCBA also supports giving states the option to increase truck weights with an additional axle to livestock and semi-trailers to increase braking power and place less total weight on each axle, making livestock transportation safer and less stressful on U.S. roadways. Finally, NCBA is opposing a federal requirement of commercial driver’s licenses for farmers and ranchers.

Listen to or download my interview with Colin here: Colin Woodall Interview

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

So I finally decided to sit down with Mike and talk about the conference we’re currently attending which is the National Biodiesel Conference and how things have changed in the media world we live in. Certainly technology is a key part of that as you’ll hear us reminisce about taking handsets apart on public telephones to connect our tape recorders for feeding audio back to the studio. Really, we’re not that old. I think it’s our active lifestyle and meeting some of the most wonderful people in the world that keeps us young!

BTW. I’m wondering if Mike has just a touch of Golden ZimmComm Microphone envy. What do you think? And thanks to John Herath, AgriTalk Producer Extraordinaire, for the photo.

Listen in on my conversation with Mike in this week’s program: AgriTalking with Mike Adams

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

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

“There’s a whole lot of market signals in place for growth in this industry,” Forrest Roberts said in his report to the NCBA membership during the annual business meeting at the Cattle Industry Convention on Saturday morning. “NCBA is riding a wave of momentum.”

Forrest notes that NCBA has a strong financial and leadership foundation and the relationship between NCBA and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board is also strong. “Let me leave no doubt – we are working together very well,” Forrest said about the policy and checkoff organizations.

He outlined goals for the coming year as increasing consumer demand and proving the sustainability of cattle production, creating new trade opportunities in international markets, and pursuing the policy priorities of removing the livestock title in the 2012 farm bill and getting permanent estate tax relief.

Listen to Forrest’s report here: NCBA CEO Forrest Roberts

I also interviewed Forrest about the record attendance at the meeting of 8,217 cattle industry members. “The sense that I’ve gotten from folks all across the U.S. this week has been a lot of optimism about the future of this industry,” he said, noting that is the case even with the severe drought in Texas that helped contribute to the lowest cattle numbers since 1950. He expects to see those number go back up again pretty quickly. “I can see us maybe moving from 30 million head to 35 here in the next 5-6 years,” he said. “The demand is there for our product.”

Listen to my interview with Forrest here: Forrest Roberts Interview

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Joe spent some time talking about the RFS.

The RFS demonstrated last year that effective energy policy can be carried out by actual energy policy. After the first year of implementation it has its wrinkles to iron out and we are going to talk about those in depth. But 2011 demonstrated that the RFS can work at doing what Congress intended, which is to draw renewable fuels into the market. I want to commend the EPA for their work in bringing this program together. They have had a very difficult job to take a brand new complex law and a wide range of stakeholders, and build a workable program.

The RFS has created a clear, predictable, stable and sustainable future for this industry.

Listen to or download Joe’s speech here: Joe Jobe Speech

2012 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

When my grandmother was young, it was customary for a woman to get dolled up not only for church on Sunday but for everyday life. My grandmother and her mom always have on hand hair pins, curlers, rollers, clips and rubber rollers to do their hair. This was also back in the days of aprons and panty hose, both of which I don’t own.

And when getting up at 5 a.m. was customary in order to feed the animals, gather the eggs, milk the cow and start on a meal large enough to feed a small country, who had time to do their hair???

Until we walk again …

“I’m proud to say that this national voice has had a major impact with consumers, politicians and other cattle producers for 60 amazing years,” Jill said. “In 2011, nearly 1600 ANCW members, representing 28 state affiliates, committed to continue our legacy.”

She noted that ANCW’s primary focus is to mobilize their network of volunteers to engage in conversations with consumers and youth about topics ranging from cooking to animal well-being.

Jill has been a cattle buyer for Excel and is currently a territory manager for Novartis Animal Health and she has served in officer positions for various cattlewomen associations.

Jill is now past president of ANCW as Tammi Didlot of Oklahoma was elected the 61st president during the organization’s 2012 Annual Meeting in Nashville.

Listen to Jill’s comments here: ANCW President Jill Ginn

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

His poetic composition for the cattle industry was on the timely topic of dust – and anyone aware of the bureaucratic battle over the regulation of “particulate matter” will enjoy Tom’s “It’s Only Dust.”

Listen to the audio here and watch the video below: NAFB President Tom Steever - Dust

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

The 2012 National Biodiesel Conference is taking place in Orlando, FL. Once again New Holland is sponsoring the media room and the blog and we thank them!

I’ll be posting mostly on the conference blog and Domestic Fuel during the next several days. Just in case you wondered, I will be posting photos too: 2012 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

NEXT ENHANCE is a source of cinnamaldehyde and garlic oil (containing the active ingredient diallyl disulfide), which have been shown to favorably modify rumen fermentation. This allows dietary carbohydrates and proteins to be more efficiently used by the animal.

On hand to discuss NEXT ENHANCE was Jim Gerardot, Executive Director, Global Strategic Marketing for Novus. He explains why this natural product is a great new option to optimize weight gain in cattle.

Listen to my interview with Jim here: Novus Introducers NEXT ENHANCE

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

“I’ve had great success with Plenish high oleic soybeans,” said John Motter, director, United Soybean Board and chair of the Ohio Soybean Council. “During this year’s harvest my Plenish soybeans yielded higher than my overall farm average at 55 bushels an acre, and agronomic performance was outstanding.”

Pioneer launched the high oleic soybean trait in its industry-leading lineup of Pioneer® brand Y Series soybean varieties, with key defensive and agronomic traits such as soybean cyst nematode resistance, phytophthora and sudden death syndrome tolerance, and excellent field emergence and harvest standability.

Pioneer will continue to work closely with growers who are trained in growing specialty crops under identity preserved conditions in targeted geographies based on processor collaboration to produce Plenish high oleic soybeans for continued product testing. Pioneer currently is collaborating with ADM in central Indiana, Bunge in northwest Ohio and Zeeland Farm Services in Michigan on contract production programs to produce Plenish high oleic soybeans in 2012.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will give the keynote address at the forum and moderate the panel which will feature any and all of the former living secretaries who are able to attend. They include (in reverse chronological order) Ed Schafer, Senator Mike Johanns, Ann Veneman, Dan Glickman, Mike Espy, Clayton Yeutter, John Block, and Bob Bergland.

In addition to the traditional USDA commodity supply and demand and food price outlooks, the forum will also feature 25 breakout sessions with more than 80 speakers that will focus on a broad range of topical issues, including: global food security; foreign trade, financial markets, and economic development; conservation; energy; climate change; food safety; food hubs; extension programs; and next generation farmers. USDA has hosted the Agricultural Outlook Forum since 1923.

Registration for the forum is still available for a cost of $425. Plenary speeches will be Webcast after 6 p.m. EST on Feb. 23, and breakout session speeches and PowerPoint presentations will be posted online after 6 p.m. Feb. 24.

From left to right, they are: President J.D. Alexander from Pilger, Nebraska; President-Elect Scott George from Cody, Wyoming; and Vice President Bob McCan of Victoria, Texas.

We already heard from J.D. and now immediate past president Bill Donald, but below is the audio from J.D.’s executive committee report at the NCBA membership meeting Saturday morning. He makes a great analogy there between great cowboys who can spot a sick animal before it even knows it’s sick, and the great cowboys working for NCBA in Washington DC who are able to know “if there’s something brewing that may have an effect on our industry.”

Listen to J.D.’s report here: New NCBA president J.D. Alexander

President-elect Scott George is primarily a dairyman in a family partnership that also includes a small cow-calf operation and breeding business. “Cattle are our whole business,” he says, adding that he has never been more optimistic about the industry. “Demand is good, both domestically and internationally, so we’ve got some great opportunities, great prices and that should remain for several years.”

Scott says issues NCBA will be focused on in 2012 are the estate tax, transportation issues and a new farm bill.

Listen to my interview with Scott here: NCBA president-elect Scott George

Bob McCan oversees the cattle and recreational hunting and wildlife operations for his family’s company, McFaddin Enterprises in Texas. He was NCBA policy division chairman for 2011 and is proud of NCBA’s accomplishments in Washington last year.

Bob reports that membership for NCBA is just a tick above 24,000 now, starting to head back up after a drop when dues were raised last year to $100. “With the service that you get and the representation that you get, that’s not a whole lot,” he said, noting that members get lots of discount deals with companies like Roper, John Deere, New Holland and others. “There’s just not a whole lot of reason not to shell out $100, especially with the cattle market we’re looking at now.”

Listen to my interview with Bob here: NCBA vice president Bob McCan

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

You can find more reports on Beef Board activities at the convention on the Beef Board Blog, MyBeefCheckoffMeeting.com. They include board meeting financial, evaluation committee and management reports.

You can listen to my closing interview with Wesley here: Closing Interview with Wesley Grau

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

People were still signing up when I passed through the registration area after noon today. I talked to a few of them and most were from somewhere in Tennessee, like Retha and Johnnie Marlin who drove down from Springfield, which is just about 30 miles due north of Nashville.

“This is our first, we just heard about it,” Retha told me as she was waiting to get their name badges. “Next time, we’re going to Tampa and we’ll go for the whole thing!”

The Marlins own J&J Farms in Springfield where they raise feeder cattle and ship them to Kansas. “My husband’s a banker and we’ve raised cattle for years but hopefully when he retires we can just do this full time,” said Retha.

Listen to or download my interview with Bill here: Cattle Industry Convention Attendee Retha Marlin

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

The Masonic Village Farm, which has been in operation for more than 100 years, raises 180 cow/calf pairs, maintains a feedlot that finishes approximately 200 steers annually, grows corn, soybeans and hay land. The Village implements rotational grazing to maintain its pastures; uses manure from feedlots to fertilize its fields; and innovative watering systems throughout the farm. Additionally, the farm invites the public to tour the facilities and learn more about the possibilities of stewardship in agriculture.

The Masonic Village Farm was winner for Region 1. The other regional winners who were recognized during the Best of Beef breakfast this week were: Region 2 – Daigle Farms of Ragley, LA; Region 4 – Matador Ranch in Matador TX; Region 5 – M/M Feedlot of Parma, ID; Region 6 – Della Ranches in Grouse Creek, UT; and Region 7 – Center of the Nation Cattle Company of Newell, SD. Region 3 – which includes Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota – did not have a winner for 2011 because there were no applications from that region last year.

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

I have been taking random boot photos but the owner of the boots in this picture is known to the AgWired audience – otherwise it wouldn’t be very fair, would it? To give you a couple of hints – it is a female and she has been a contributor to AgWired in the past.

Use the comment feature to guess and the winner will get an AgWired hat!

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

These two guys – still current president Bill Donald of Montana and soon-to-be president J.D. Alexander of Nebraska – are just about as different as night and day. For example, while pony-tailed Bill is most at home riding the range on horseback, J.D. prefers taking to the highway on a Harley. But the two have become fast friends over the past year serving together on behalf of all cattle producers.

“It was a proverbial whirlwind,” Bill says about his year as president. “I have traveled 120-some thousand miles and been gone about 250 days from home, but I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”

Bill is happy to have served as president during a great year for the cattle industry, with good prices and record exports, and the passage of three new free trade agreements to help increase exports even more.

Listen to or download my interview with Bill here: NCBA president Bill Donald

J.D. is just as happy to be riding an optimistic industry wave in this year and he is excited. “It’s hard to fathom that we are seeing the lowest herd numbers in my lifetime and at the same time we’re seeing some of the best prices,” he said, noting that one of the challenges for the industry will be keeping demand up.

He says among the biggest issues that NCBA will be working on in 2012 is permanent death tax relief. “In our industry, we build up a business but we don’t ever sell out. We always try and turn it over to our next generation,” J.D. says. “We’ve got to make sure we don’t have a government tax situation that doesn’t make that possible.”

Listen to or download my interview with J.D. here: NCBA president-elect J.D. Alexander

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

I visited with them briefly after they were done and learned just how much they love farming and beef! I also shot a video clip of their song, Cheater Cheater.

Listen to some farm and beef advocates here: Interview with Joey+Rory

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album