Category Archives: Events

Honoring American Traditions and Christmas Classics

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Before televisions dominated family rooms, a holiday season tradition for many Americans including listening to Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” as performed on the radio by Lionel Barrymore and narrated by Orson Welles. This weekend, in Franklin County, Iowa, we have the opportunity to step back in time and enjoy this classic radio production as performed by the Franklin County Players.

The final performance of “A Christmas Carol Radio Play” will be 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Windsor Theatre in Hampton, Iowa. Advanced tickets are available for $10 from Center I or online at hamptoniowa.org. Watch as 25 local actors dress in 1940s-style clothing and take the stage.

Cast members of "A Christmas Carol" radio play include, from left to right, in the back two rows: Deb Lukensmeyer, Raelene Borcherding, Grace Barter, Donna Speedy, Bekah C., Phil Strand, Jim Davies, Rick Janssen, Bella S., Ruth Katz, Melanie V., Brad Van Horn, Lisa Shatzer, Wendy Buseman, and Sandee Brouwer. Front row: Will S., Josiah S., Carter H., Jonah V., and Sara B. (Courtesy of "The Hampton Chronicle")

Even Latham Hi-Tech Seeds will be a part of the show! Our company’s sponsorship of this production allows us to pay tribute to Willard Latham, who founded the business nearly 65 years ago, when he produced seed oats for retail. As the time changed and the business grew, the company evolved from a retail business to a dealer organization. Today our company offers only the highest quality soybean, corn hybrids and alfalfa seed.

We’re proud to continue the family tradition. The same values and principles on which Willard Latham founded the business remain our guiding principles yet today: honesty, integrity and unsurpassed customer service. As you’ll hear in our 1940-esque radio commercial,

Latham Seeds do more for you… Sowing, growing, harvest, too,
Latham yields for you!

We want to help you select the best seed for your dollar. Contact your local Latham® seed representative for some “mighty fine seed” to include your crop rotation.

Chinese officials learn more about U.S. seed industry

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In cooperation with the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), Latham Hi-Tech Seeds President John Latham recently hosted tours for a Chinese delegation consisting of 17 seed company managers and government officials plus their interpretator.

“The purpose was for Chinese leaders to see there is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to the U.S. seed industry. The U.S. model is a great example of how family-owned businesses and multinational companies all play an important role in the seed industry,” says Lisa Nichols, ASTA’s director of international programs. “China is currently in the process of revising its seed law. It’s our hope that the information gained from their U.S. visit will help change China’s policies, practices, and regulations to best support a modern seed industry.”

This U.S. visit is just one example of how the ASTA has been working over the past five years with China’s key seed industry and government stakeholders. Last summer Bernice Slutsky, ASTA’s vice president of science and international affairs, traveled to Beijing where she met with individuals and agencies involved in the seed industry.

“Our goal is to be an advocate for policies that will enable our members to successfully conduct business in major markets, including China,” said Slutsky. ”Policies surrounding intellectual property rights, variety registration and technology transfer are of utmost importance. In the longer term, we would like to see China update its system from the 1978 International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) standards to comply with the UPOV revisions of 1991, which is a more robust system.”

Working together and forming agreements is about making sure companies are protected and about facilitating the movement of seed on a global level, added Slutsky. “It was an honor to host such a distinguished group of seedsmen from China,” says John Latham. “The U.S. and China are very dependent on each other in this world economy. We need to continue to find better ways to work together to feed a growing world population. This visit was a step in that process.”

Beef is Your Ticket to a Tailgate Party

Guest blog by Michelle Baumhover, Director of Consumer Marketing, Iowa Beef Industry Council

Calling all Cyclone, Hawkeye and Panther tailgaters! Beef on the grill is your ticket to getting your tailgate party featured on the JumboTron during this season’s home football games.

The Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) is sponsoring “Tailgate Fan Cams” at home football games for Iowa State University, University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa. Video crews are scouring the parking lots and tailgating areas this fall in search of proud beef-grilling fans.

Beef fans can flag the down the video crew if they see them. You may also e-mail michelle@iabeef.org with your tailgate location, and the video crew will come to you!

Whether you’re planning for your next tailgate or a weekday meal, make it quick and easy with beef. Look for fully cooked beef products – including fully

Fully cooked beef products take only minutes to prepare but are satisfying and delicious. During the Latham Hi-Tech Seeds / WHO Radio Crop Tour, we’ve taste-tested beef brisket and meatball sandwiches. Fully cooked beef makes for a perfect fall harvest field lunch!

cooked beef pot roast, meatballs, beef brisket, beef tips and gravy, and barbeque shredded beef – in your grocer’s refrigerator section. Fully cooked beef meatballs and burgers can be found in the freezer section. Simple, but hearty, meals like shredded BBQ beef or brisket sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, or meatball sandwiches are a snap when using fully cooked beef products.

Hot Beef Sundaes is another simple, but hearty, meals that is sure to become a family favorite. The recipe calls for fully cooked beef tips and gravy, so you serve this meal in less than 15 minutes!

Even if harvest keeps you away from Saturday’s Homecoming game in Ames, you can hear the play-by-play action from a local station on the Cyclone Radio Network. Remember to stay tuned following the game coverage for the Latham Hi-Tech Seeds Locker Room Show, where analysts, players and coaches share their thoughts after the day’s game.
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Recipe Details: Beef is Your Ticket to a Tailgate Party

Prep Time: 
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: • 1 package (17 ounces) fully-cooked Beef Tips and Gravy
• 1 package prepared refrigerated mashed potatoes (or instant potatoes) to serve 4
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and 4 cherry tomatoes
Directions: Heat Beef Tips and Gravy in microwave according to package directions (4 minutes). Prepare mashed potatoes according to package directions. To serve, place scoops of mashed potatoes in bowl. Top with Beef Tips and Gravy. Sprinkle with cheese and top with tomato. Enjoy!

A homemade version? Yes, you can make Hot “Beef” Sundaes from scratch! Use leftover roast beef. Just chop or shred it, add some beef gravy, and serve over mashed potatoes.

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