On the road again...

I have been doing quite a bit of traveling lately and thought it would be neat to give you some stories from the road. These are just some random thoughts and events that I have experienced over the last week.

I sat next to Sgt. Moeller of the 32nd Infantry Division on a flight from Cincinnati to Harrisburg. He was on his way to Ft. Indiantown Gap, an Army Base in central Pennsylvania. He was in Iraq just a few days ago, then went directly to his training assignment in PA. He'll then be home for eight months with his family in Wisconsin. We had a good discussion about things over there and no matter what your thoughts are on the war, those who serve in the military deserve our gratitude and thanks for the sacrifices they make. The stories he told me make me realize how thankful we need to be that even though we have our challenges here with politics, our economy, and day to day events we are truly blessed to be in a free society.

Okay, I hate to bash the airline industry but they really need to get their act together. I spent four hours on Sunday in Charlotte waiting for a plane coming from Raleigh (only 35 minutes air time from Charlotte). Our delay was due to a thunderstorm in Raleigh. There has to be a better system that deals with issues like this. Can a thunderstorm really have the impact to delay so many people? No, the answer is that their systems are so fragile that something as simple as a thunderstorm throws off the entire system. When you ask what the deal is they tell you that their systems work this way and they can not do anything else. Hard to take excuses from people who run businesses constantly in bankruptcy and in an environment where they have more paying customers than ever! Way to go US Air. (oops, wasn't going to mention their name)

Spent time with co-workers in Kansas City at the National Agrimarketing Association Conference. We heard some great speakers and the truth is the ag economy is doing very well and looks to be strong for a significant time going forward. There are many factors that contribute to this but the reality is the world is growing and we (the U.S) are key in helping to feed not only ourselves but the world. Remember, we still pay the lowest percentage of our income on food than anywhere in the world. It's hard to keep that in mind as we shop these days but our selection and pricing are second to none out there.

I spent time with two great companies in Georgia yesterday. I really enjoyed learning more about their businesses and look forward to working with them in the future. There is nothing better than trying to find solutions for companies to help them attain the goals they have set for themselves. It's really about focusing on their goals and challenges and knowing where you can help and where you can not.