Rural Lifestyle on Highway 6

Feeling Low About Your Income?

2009-12-16T07:43:15-06:00

This won't help. Here is a piece we picked up from our friends at the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA) regarding the salary of John Deere executive Samuel R. Allen.

"The Associated Press reports that Deere & Co.'s president and chief executive Samuel R. Allen, who held those offices only the last two months of the company's fiscal 2009 after his promotion within the company, received annual compensation of $4.28 million for the year.

Allen, 56, took the helm Deere on Aug. 1, after serving for two months as chief operating officer during a planned transition. He has worked for Deere for 34 years. He also joined the company's board in June, and will become chairman on Feb. 24.

The bulk of his compensation came from non-equity incentives totaling $1.61 million and stock and options valued at $1.65 million at the time they were awarded. Allen also received $222,299 in other compensation, including $27,738 for personal use of the company's aircraft.

Allen succeeded Robert Lane as CEO. Lane will step down as chairman in February 2010. For fiscal 2009, Lane received compensation of $14.02 million. That included a salary of $1.51 million, non-equity incentives totaling $4.86 million and stock and options valued at $7.49 million at the time they were awarded."

From The Shortliner published by FEMA

Farmers & The Internet

2009-12-09T05:53:44-06:00

Yesterday my friend Mike Winter from Worthington Ag Parts posted this piece about Internet Usage Among American Farms/Farmers. While I've seen higher connectivity numbers (especially among "rural lifestyle" folks) this is another reminder that if you are not expanding your "digital footprint"...well, your business is dying.

Thanks for coming by for a read...and do click on Mike's piece. Then the next step for you is to figure out a way to connect to agriculture.

Thanks for reading...you can follow us on Twitter @MichaelLibbie or @RuralLifeRadio and our ad agency website is, www.InsightCubed.com

The Thanksgiving...

2009-11-25T11:15:15-06:00

Tomorrow most Americans will gather around tables for Thanksgiving. This week has been full of shopping, cooking, cleaning and getting ready for the "big day". We, like many of our friends, will also mark the date with as many traditions as we can.

Over the years Thanksgiving has changed from being a day set aside to be thankful for the blessings of a good harvest to simply being, "thankful". That's not surprising because, today, there are so many folks that have never had a farming experience. So, I thought I'd infuse a little "rural thanks"...into Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow the kitchens and dining rooms located in the farm homes and acreages that dot this country will be wild with activity. Folks will rise early to finish chores and then help where they can to prepare the meal. There will be chopping, slicing, dicing, pie-baking and mixing. The houses will smell of fresh bread, sage and pumpkin. Even if it's cold, windows will be open and the smells and sounds will drift out to the pasture, across the fields and a mile down the road to the next home-place where the activity is just as intense.

And then, at a time agreed upon by the adults in charge, people will make their way, quietly to the place where the meal will be served. And there they will bow their heads and offer a prayer of gratitude. And some, looking out the window, will see the images of livestock and field stubble and they will forget the hard work, the bills and the struggle it takes to be in agriculture. With heads bowed and a sense of pride in their hearts coming from the knowlege that they have fed thousands of others...they will quietly say, "Amen".

Thank you...thank you for what you do.

The Road...

2009-11-17T10:44:25-06:00

Last week I traveled back from the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association meeting held in Atlanta. I had a five hour lay-over so I filled the time with a book. Before I boarded the plane...I had finished the book.

That's not what usually happens...

"The Road" by Cormac McCarthy ("No Country for Old Men") is a fascinating book that looks at the journey of a father and son following the distruction of the world...or at least most of it. Light on details as to why the earth is a charred reminant of itself, "The Road" took me on this fearful rural journey as "the man" and "the boy" attempt to head "south to the coast".

One of the amazing things about "The Road" were the visuals regarding rural life. There were word images of farms, fields, cattle and homes. All lifeless now but it's clear that what was rural survived and helped these travelers survive on their journey.

"The Road" will soon be released as a movie starting Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron will be in theaters November 25. But...do yourself a favor BEFORE seeing the film. Get the book...it is powerful and a different read.

Thanks for coming by for a visit -

Michael P. Libbie - Acreage Owner...

End Crop Payments To Farmers?

2009-11-12T09:33:03-06:00

When we started Highway 6 - Your Road to the Country three years ago, we said we would attempt to connect on a regular basis with folks who make up the small farms and acreages dotting this nation. At a recent meeting in Atlanta I posted this article regarding a visit with Dr. Barry Asmus. I'd love to hear back from you with your thoughts.

Barry Asmus at FEMA

You don't get to be the Senior Economist with the National Center for Policy Analysis and miss a chance to bang the drum for free market systems and smaller government. And, that is exactly the message coming out of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA) event this morning in Atlanta. Dr. Barry Asmus did not leave the faithful wanting as he railed on any sort of free trade barriers, public health options and leftist agendas. Oh my...

It was the "red meat" 90% of the membership yearned for..

One thing was missing from Dr. Asmus' 90 minute political/economic speech to nearly 300 people dependent on agriculture. What? U.S farm subsidies. He didn't take questions from the floor but as soon as he was finished speaking the "less government" disciples gathered around him for more.

So, I asked, "Dr. Asmus in calling for free trade, less government handouts and lower taxes what is your position on calling for a halt on farm subsidies."

The farm machinery people ringing Dr. Asmus looked stunned. It got very quiet.

Barry didn't miss a beat. "I am all for it!", he exclaimed. "There are enough hungry people in the world that if the United States halted farm programs tomorrow we would see the economics come into play and farmers would be fine." And then he really spoke the truth, "The trouble is, even the most conservative farmer, even those in my family who raise the GOP flag with their right hand take the cash with their left. When it comes to this issue people like to say the word, 'but'. As in, 'I am against handing out government money BUT I want my crop payment..."

It was enough to send shock waves through the 20+ people around him. Can you imagine what impact this might have on the congressional delegation from Iowa? Which of them might be the first to float that idea?

And, that is the problem with some of the "less government" ideas. Less is always good, unless "I" am getting less.

Barry Asmus was a great speaker and what he said gave many folks hope and heartburn. For sure it was reason to pause and think...even for just a bit.

Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey - October 14

2009-10-14T08:02:40-05:00

As you know we've been doing our daily business radio show, Insight on Business for the past five months. And, we promised you that when we were doing a show with a focus on agriculture we'd let you know. Today is another of those days.

Our special guest today at 12:30PM Central is Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey. Secretary Northey will be in studio talking about the World Food Prize, agri-business in the Midwest, the rural economy, rural manufacturing and technology, Iowa and our fight against hunger...and we'll also discuss the budget cuts his department will have to make in the wake of Governor Chet Culver's order to reduce spending, across the board, by 10-percent.

Come on by and join the discussion with Secretary Northey and our guest Cathy Erickson from the Great Iowa Pet Expo. Insight on Business is on Monday - Friday starting at 12:30PM Central and you can watch and listen by heading to this link: www.MacsWorldLive.com

Thanks for reading, watching and listening:

Michael Libbie - Host, acreage owner and advertising agency guy. You can keep up with us before, during or after the show on Twitter - @RuralLifeRadio or @MichaelLibbie

Banking on Social Media for Rural Development?

2009-10-13T15:28:58-05:00

Early this week I traveled to Creston, Iowa (pop. 7,500) my host was Iowa State Savings Bank. I was there to share with them ideas to use social media for their bank. We spent the morning together as they learned about the opportunities in blogging, Twitter and other forms of social media.

Like many small rural towns Creston has been hit by the recent economic downturn. I centered on that issue during my visit and gave them some ideas of how to use social media to market the bank. OK, I know, you're going to say, "What about financial liability issues and compliance? Financial institutions and insurance people and financial planners can't possibly use social media because they have to send everything through some compliance officer!"

Nope.

I talked about that very issue on our daily business radio show, Insight on Business. In addition I gave several suggestions right at the top of the show as to how financial people should use social media to build the relationship. Have a watch...and a listen? Let me know what you think...and how social media can be very helpful in rural development issues.