Southeast AgNET

Former Southeast AgNet farm broadcaster, the late Lee V. McCoy was inducted into the National Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting at its annual meeting this week in Kansas City. Known by many of his friends and associates as “The Real McCoy”, Lee worked for this network for nearly ten years before losing his long battle with cancer in the spring of 2008. Lee was a pleasure to work with and represented us well. Everyone who knew Lee loved him. His colleagues around the country honored him with his induction into this prestigious Hall fo Fame representing the nation’s Farm Broadcasting industry. To see and hear some of Lee’s reports for this network from years past, CLICK HERE.

It is with great sadness and tremendously heavy hearts we report of the passing of Lee V. McCoy, known to many of his legions of friends and colleagues as the “RealMcCoy”. Lee lost his battle with cancer early morning Thursday May 22 in a Georgia hospital, admitted the Monday before in a bout with pneumonia.

Please find details regarding Lee’s memorial services at the end of this news post.

For nearly a decade until making a move into a new career opportunity last year, Lee was a regional representative of this radio network. He travelled the region and nation, and occassionally overseas, newsgathering and representing the network from his home location Read the rest of this entry »

Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy is in Germany this week for a major announcement from Bayer Crop Science.

Report (1:00 mp3)

The Second annual Georgia Cotton Quality awards held last week in Reynolds Plantation honored 12 producers and gins in the state for high fiber quality and premiums.

Report (1:00 wma)

Here are some interviews Lee McCoy did at the awards event on February 13:

Interview with UGA Agronomist Steve Brown (4:30 wma)

Interview with UGA Economist Don Shurley (3:00 wma)

For a list of all the regional winners, jump to more. Read the rest of this entry »

Southeast AgNet is set up at the annual Alabama Cattlemen’s Convention & Trade Show in Huntsville, Alabama. I took a quick picture of the two hard-working staff members Katherine Bush & Lee McCoy as they have been busy talking with cattle producers from across the state attending this years event. The show runs through Saturday at the Van Braun Center in downtown Huntsville.

A big announcement was made at the Georgia Agribusiness council legislative breakfast Wednesday morning. Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced that Range Fuels, Inc., a Colorado-based cellulosic ethanol company, will build Georgia’s first wood-based cellulosic ethanol plant in Treutlen County.

Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy was at that breakfast in Atlanta and he interviewed Mandich right after the announcement was made.

Report (1:00 wma)

Full Interview with Mandich (2:00 wma)

Cotton growers from the southeast recently attended a tour of Cotton Incorporated world headquarters in Cary North Carolina. Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy was also along for the tour where he talked with Cotton Incorporated president and CEO Barrye Worsham.

Report (1:30 wma)

The recent Southeast regional Fruit and Vegetable conference featured a variety of workshops for growers of all types of fruits and vegetables. Southeast AgNet’s Lee McCoy had a chance to chat with R.T. Stanley, Jr., a Vidalia onion grower from Vidalia, Georgia.

Report (2:00 wma)

The director of the Georgia office of the National Agricutlural Statistics Service was at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable conference held recently in Savannah and visited with Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy about the importance of fruit and vegetable producers to the state’s ag industry.

Report (1:30 wma)

USDA NASS

Southeast AgNet’s Lee McCoy discussed Farm Bill issues with Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia at the Southeast Regional fruit and vegetable conference last weekend in Savannah.

Report (1:30 wma)

A record number of attending growers and exhibitors turned out for the 2007 Southeast Region Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, GA the first weekend of January. Also on hand to discuss the issues were numerous industry and political leaders. In this report, GA Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Executive Charles Hall (photo on left) discusses some of the critical issues facing the industry. Also in these photos; Read the rest of this entry »

Georgia agriculture officials held a briefing this week in Gainesville on Avian Influenza. State veterinarian Dr. Lee Myers talked with Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy about what the state is doing to protect the poultry industry from the disease.

Report (1:30 wma)

A new cotton picker is on the way from John Deere. Southeast Ag Net’s Lee McCoy recently talked about it with Barry Nelson with John Deere.
Report (1:00 wma)

In an exclusive interview with Southeast AgNet at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention in Kansas City MO, U. S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns discussed efforts of specialty crops wanting to be designated a ‘major crop’ in the next Farm Bill. In the photo is Agriculture Secretary Johanns flanked by Southeast AgNet’s Lee McCoy from Newnan GA (left) and AgNet president Gary Cooper. Also in this report we announce, again, the winner of the CITRUS EXPO Attendee Survey Prize Drawing: Ray Grimes, Grimes Bros Citrus, Wauchula. He wins a CITRUS EXPO folding chair and carry bag. Report (2:00 wma)

Just before Southeast AgNet’s Lee McCoy (left in photo) sat down with U S Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns for a one-on-one interview during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention this week in Kansas City MO, Secretary Johanns joined McCoy and AgNet president Gary Cooper for this photo-op. The NAFB Convention is a busy time for our crew each year as we visit with the couple hundred folks in this business around the country and some of our clients who attend as well. We’ll have excerpts from the Johanns interview and other news happenings posted soon, stay tuned.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue spoke to the crowd at the Farmer of the Year luncheon today at the Sunbelt Ag Expo. During that speech he made an announcement about proposing funds for the Expo. Before he left, Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy caught up with him to ask about those comments.  Report (:30 wma)

To help promote the dairy industry, Ag Commissioner’s from 3 states took part in a milking contest this afternoon at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Ga. When it was all said and done, Alabama’s Ron Sparks (pictured on the left) output didn’t quite match up to what Tommy Irvin of Georgia had. But then again, Sparks suffered a loss when one of the cows “kicked the bucket”, thus losing a considerable amount. Charles Bronson of Florida was also scheduled to take part in the event, but was unable to make it due to weather. So Tennessee’s Commissoner of Agriculture filled in and ended up winning the contest by a large margin. Before the contest, I was able to talk with Alabama Ag Commissioner Ron Sparks, while Lee McCoy caught up with Georgia Ag Commissioner Tommy Irvin.

AL Report (3:10 wma) GA Report (3:50 wma)

Sunbelt Milking Contest (1:00 wma)

Cotton Incorporated is two years into a three year research project on stink bugs in the Southeast. Entomologist Pat O’Leary with the Ag Research Group talks about what they have learned so far and what they hope to learn. Southeast Agnet’s Lee McCoy interviewed Pat recently on a media tour that included Cotton Inc. representatives. Report (:45 wma)

A few members of the Southeast AgNet & Citrus Industry staff are in Ocala updating not only our computer knowledge, but software to help keep up with changes in the industry. Pictured (L-R) Katherine Bush, Sherry Fisher, Carole McKenzie, Robin Loftin, Lee McCoy, Carlos Torres. (not pictured…Gary Cooper & Randall Weiseman) 

 

Southeast AgNet’s Lee McCoy was on the ball today getting us a couple more interviews from the seminar program.

Early on the program were Tom Spreen, UF/IFAS FRED and Bob Norberg, Director, Economic and Market Research, FDOC.

Tom talks to Lee about FRED’s Chrystal Ball or rather what he sees for the future for Florida citrus. You can listen to their interview here: Tom Spreen Interview (2 min MP3)

Bob Norberg spoke to Lee about the growing demand for citrus in a cost/price squeeze. You can listen to their interview here: Bob Norberg Interview (2 min MP3)

On this morning’s seminar program Walter Kates, Director of the Labor Relations Division, FFVA spoke about ag labor relations in transition.

Our Lee McCoy was there and interviewed Walter after his presentation. He spoke about what the situation is in Florida agriculture when it comes to ag labor and the status of governmental activity that would affect it.

Listen to Lee’s interview with Walter here: Walter Kates Interview (3 min MP3)

The first person you’ll see out here at Citrus Expo is Lee McCoy. Lee’s the traffic director.

He’s making sure people know where to register and where to go.

You’ve got to have a name badge to get in to the seminars and Lee’s job is to make sure of that.

The staff of Southeast AgNet is on-site and greeting the first people wandering in to the Citrus Expo.

Getting this group together was not easy. Pictured are: (l to r) Robin Loftin, Lee McCoy, Betty Sanders, Gary Cooper, Katherine Bush, Randall Weiseman, Carole McKenzie. Not pictured but here also are Sherry Fisher and Ernie Neff.

Right now we’ve got some sausage biscuits, coffee and juice available for the early risers.

Over the course of the day we’ll be bringing you interviews and pictures. We hope you enjoy this online look at the 2006 Citrus Expo.

It’s set up time here at the Lee Civic Center for the 2006 Citrus Expo. Here’s Gary Cooper and Lee McCoy hard at work putting up signs and helping the exhibitors get set up.

We’ve had a lot of rain here in the Ft. Myers area but the air conditioning is on and by tomorrow morning we’ll have a beautiful start to the Expo.