A Car Thing for AgNerds

Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Spotify Car ThingSeriously. There is a Car Thing coming from Spotify. Thank you Spotify for coming up with a new gadget for all the #AgNerds out there. And, especially a gadget that allows us podcasters to have our programs heard in another way.

Between work commutes, taking the kids to school, daily errands, and road trips, Americans spend countless hours on the road. It’s no surprise, then, that there are over 70 million user-generated driving-related playlists on Spotify. No matter where you’re headed, Spotify is the perfect companion in the car, thanks to the many ways to listen to Spotify and our curated playlists, like Daily Drive and Songs to Sing in the Car. And today, we’re excited to announce our newest exploration: a limited release of Car Thing, a new smart player that fills your car with music, news, entertainment, talk, and more.

Currently available to eligible users in the U.S., Car Thing enables you to play your favorite audio faster, so you’re already listening to that hit song or the latest podcast episode before you’ve even pulled out of the driveway. Switching between your favorite audio is effortless, allowing you to shift gears to something else as soon as the mood strikes. And when it comes to controlling the device, use it in the way that works best for you, whether that’s voice, touch, or physical controls.

Find out more from the press release.

Audio, Media, Podcasts, Technology

Animal Ag News 4/12

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program has partnered with Cargill to launch the Actionable Safety Review, a new online tool that enables dairy farmers to identify and review opportunities to improve safety on the farm.
  • Ten Wisconsin dairy calves taught their unique farm story to tens of thousands of school kids across the state thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Discover Dairy’s Adopt a Cow program. From August – October 2020, Wisconsin classrooms registered to “adopt” a calf from one of three Wisconsin dairy farms as a classroom mascot or pet. Then, from November 2020 – April 2021, classrooms followed the calf through a series of updates and photos provided by their farm families. Supplemental lessons kept the students engaged in learning and exploring where their food comes from.
  • Dr. Scott Bascom, Senior Technical Services Manager – Dairy, Phibro Animal Health Corporation, explores the connection between mycotoxins and global food security in the webinar titled “Mycotoxins and Food Security: Looking Beyond the Impacts of Mycotoxins on Animal Agriculture.” The webinar is the second of Phibro’s seven-part MYCOmpass™ webinar series, is available for download on the Phibro Academy website, and can be accessed here.
  • Grain prices are projected to remain high this year. While this boon to crop producers is putting pressure on livestock feeders, the upswing presents an opportunity for savvy cattle grazers. Corteva AgriScience’s Jeff Clark shares tips for grazing at RangeAndPasture.com.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Industry Ag News 4/9

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will hold its biannual Data Users’ Meeting virtually April 14 and 15 from noon-3 p.m. ET. This is the first time the event will span two afternoons. The meeting is free and open to the public. Anyone interested in participating in the Spring 2021 Virtual Data Users’ Meeting should register online at www.nass.usda.gov/Education_and_Outreach/Meeting/.
  • NCGA is pleased to announce a special session of the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) focused on funding for research, development, and commercialization of new uses for corn. This special session will bring together a panel of experts from both the public and private sectors to discuss funding across the RD&C spectrum from bench level to financing new capital at existing facilities. This free online event is scheduled for 10:00-11:30 Central Time on Thursday, May 13, 2021.
  • The 2nd Annual Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exhibition will be held May 18-20, 2021 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida. Attend in person or virtually.
  • The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City invites you to attend its annual Mizzou Showcase on April 22 featuring keynote remarks from Bayer Crop Science’s Brett Begemann.
  • Koch Agronomic Services, LLC reached agreement with Compass Minerals to purchase Compass Minerals’ North American micronutrient assets, the global intellectual property rights, with trademarks and patents, and certain other assets associated with the Wolf Trax®, Rocket Seeds® and Hydro Bullet™ product platforms.
  • With the start of spring, an agriculture industry collaboration led by Growing Matters wants everyone to be BeSure! when using neonicotinoid products on farms and urban landscapes – kicking off its third annual stewardship awareness campaign to promote best management practices. The BeSure! campaign uses a wide range of media channels including print, radio, digital and social media to remind farmers, crop protection applicators, agricultural supply retailers and others to ensure label directions and responsible stewardship measures are followed for neonicotinoid products, minimizing any potential impact on pollinators and other wildlife.
  • Celebrate the achievements and impressive careers of the very best in agriculture. NAMA has FOUR different award opportunities with upcoming deadlines. Winners of these prestigious awards will be honored at the 2021 Agri-Marketing Conference, July 20-22, in Kansas City, MO. The awards include: Ag Association Leader of the Year; Agribusiness Leader of the Year; NAMA Marketer of the Year; and the Next Gen NAMA Award.
  • The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture announced resource grants honoring the work of long-time AFBF staff member and former foundation executive director, Christy Lilja. The Christina Sue Lilja Resource Grants will provide 50 educators with $100 each to purchase agricultural literacy resources from the Foundation store for their classrooms. Lilja’s family established the CSL Foundation in her memory following her heroic battle with cancer in 2019. Lilja’s dedication to agricultural education lives on through the work of the Foundation and the resource grants in her name.
  • The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol announces membership in the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), a global, industry-wide nonprofit of over 250 members working to reduce environmental impact and promote social justice throughout the global value chain.
  • ASTA is pleased to announce the hiring of Payton Englert as the association’s new Director, Government Affairs. Payton comes to ASTA from the U.S. Senate, where she worked on Ag policy for Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO).
Zimfo Bytes

Transportation Secretary on Jobs Plan for Rural Areas

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

The American Jobs Plan rolled out by the Biden Administration last week includes help for agriculture and rural communities, according to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

In an interview with a Texas radio station, Buttigieg talked about the importance of transportation and infrastructure such as roads, bridges and ports, for rural areas and agriculture, as well as universal broadband.

DOT Secy Buttegieg comments on Jobs Plan for rural areas (3:39)

Audio, Infrastructure

Southeastern Farmers and Syngenta Support Communities

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

The 2020 Farmers of the Year in 10 Southeastern states were able to lend a helping hand to charities in their areas, thanks to an opportunity provided by Syngenta.

Syngenta gave $5,000 in donations in $500 increments to the charity chosen by each farmer in the 2020 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year program.

“These farmers contribute to the health and well-being of their local communities day in and day out, so we found it fitting to express our gratitude by also giving back to their communities with a donation to service organizations near and dear to their hearts,” said Pam Caraway, Syngenta communications lead. “Agriculture is an industry of passion, dedication and sacrifice, characteristics exemplified by each of the winners selected, and we are proud to sponsor this award in recognition of their achievements.”

Top farmers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are recognized each year at the Sunbelt Ag Expo, but the 2020 Expo was cancelled due to COVID. So the 2020 State Winners will be recognized, and an overall winner will be announced at the 2021 Sunbelt Ag Expo, which is scheduled to be live and in person Oct. 19-21 in Moultrie, Georgia.

The 2020 State winners are:
Thomas Ellis, Fort Deposit, Alabama
Jamie Anderson, Lonoke, Arkansas
Rick Roth, West Palm Beach, Florida
Lee Nunn of Madison, Georgia
Stephen Kelley of Bardwell, Kentucky
Joe Edmondson, Vardaman, Mississippi
James Lamb of Clinton, North Carolina
Bob Hall, York, South Carolina
Jay Yeargin of Greenfield, Tennessee
CJ Isabell, Rockville, Virginia

Read more from Syngenta.

Sunbelt Ag Expo, Syngenta

Precision Ag News 4/7

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Farmobile LLC, Agriculture’s Independent Data Company™, announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 10,963,825, entitled “Farming Data Collection and Exchange System.”
  • The Kansas Soil Health Alliance is a recently-formed nonprofit organization that has been established to be a trusted partner and valuable soil health resource for Kansas growers.
  • The 2021 in-person Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) will be postponed until June 6-8, 2022. CUTC will be holding a special virtual session on May 13, 2021 at 10 a.m. CT. “Funding for Research, Development and Commercialization.” This free session will feature panelists that can speak to a wide range of funding opportunities and mechanisms. Register here.
  • Ginkgo Bioworks has partnered with agriculture giant Corteva Agriscience to drive the discovery of new crop protection solutions that rely on natural products. Natural products are ingredients found in the environment that have natural defense mechanisms and can be more effective, while also being more sustainable and eco-friendly.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and private landowners have partnered to protect more than 5 million acres of wetlands, grasslands, and prime farmland — an area the size of New Jersey. Since October, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has enrolled 110,000 acres in new conservation easements, bringing USDA to this important conservation milestone.
  • Golden Harvest® corn farmers now have access to the Seeding Rate Selector, a digital tool that helps farmers estimate the most economical seeding rate for individual hybrids and yield environments. The Seeding Rate Selector is another example of Golden Harvest’s commitment to delivering data-driven solutions to farmers.
  • Biome Makers has developed a software package that uses advanced machine learning to help farmers and agronomists pinpoint what their crops and soils need to boost yield in a sustainable way. The scientific teams of Bayer Crop Science and Biome Makers tested and disclosed the first application of this groundbreaking technology on bioRxiv, the preprint repository operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Don’t Forget Rural & Small Market Outlets in Your Media Mix

Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Hello from the ZimmComm Team. We hope everyone had a very blessed and happy Easter weekend.

AgNewsWireHere at ZimmComm World Headquarters we’re working on several projects and focusing more on our AgNewsWire service to continue assisting agricultural marketers with media outreach. In the last couple years we’ve seen a significant growth in companies direct to consumer tactics which basically bypasses broadcast and publications. The technology has changed and it is becoming more and more common for companies to have full time social media managers/creators and agencies to develop social media teams and departments. In some cases, agencies have invested in full-fledged media production departments or created them with a separate brand identity. This seems to me to be a natural and logical evolution.

However, at the same time companies and agencies are employing more direct to consumer content channels, there is still a need to continue relationships with the media and provide content to them as well, and not just the big national outlets. Smaller, regional outlets are finding themselves being left out of the media mix, even when it comes to media releases and press conferences.

AgNewsWire targets all ag media – print, broadcast and online – as well as influencers in agribusiness, agri-marketing, and agricultural organizations. Our list of 1,700 also includes opted-in non-ag media, from small weekly publications and radio stations to major national outlets. We have found that when we post audio from a livestream or zoom-type event, it will generate hundreds of downloads, even if the archived video of the event is available.

Consider AgNewsWire an affordable tool in your marketing and public relations toolkit to distribute your content to multiple sources. Our emails and e-newsletter receive very high open and click rates – averaging 30 percent open and five percent clicks. If you haven’t tried our services and would like to do so, you can just contact me or if you have a news release to distribute, just click here to upload/pay. Easy Peasy!

Marketing, Media

USDA Releases First 2021 Crop Progress Report

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

#Plant21 season is officially underway now with the start of USDA’s weekly Crop Progress reports.

Planting has begun for barley, corn, cotton, oats, rice, sorghum, spring wheat, and sugarbeets, according to the first Crop Progress report issued for the 2021 planting season by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). By this time last year, 2% of the corn crop had been planted, 2% has been planted so far in 2021. Six percent of the cotton crop has been planted, 1 percentage point behind the same time last year. Fourteen percent of the sorghum crop has been planted, 1 percentage point behind a year ago. Barley, oats, rice, spring wheat and sugarbeet plantings are similar to 2020 progress.

Corn, Cotton, USDA

Animal Ag News 4/5

Carrie Muehling 3 Comments

  • World Dairy Expo® is pleased to announce, after thorough consideration, World Dairy Expo 2021 will remain in Madison, Wisconsin. The 54th edition of the event is scheduled for Expo’s historic home, the Alliant Energy Center, September 28 – October 2, 2021. This announcement comes after contingency planning and consideration of alternative venues.
  • The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a civil enforcement action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington charging Easterday Ranches, Inc., a Pasco, Washington based cattle feedyard, and Cody Easterday, co-owner and formerly president of Easterday Ranches, for engaging in fraud in connection with the sale of more than 200,000 non-existent head of cattle to a beef processor, making false statements to an exchange, and violating exchange-set position limits.
  • Greg Hinton, Rose Acre Farms, Seymour, Indiana, was elected for a second term as chairman of the board of directors of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association during a recent board of directors meeting, held in Atlanta. Due to the pandemic, the board elected to renominate the executive committee to a second term.
  • AdWeek recently released their list of the most impactful campaigns of the year and chose “Cheeselandia,” the brand community created by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, as Influencer Campaign of the Year.
  • Evonik has made a follow-up investment in the biotechnology start-up In Ovo through its venture capital unit. The investment comes as the young company reaches the commercialization stage for its technology and is bringing its gender-testing machine for eggs to the market. Together with co-investor VisVires New Protein Capital, Evonik Venture Capital has provided several million euros in further funding. Evonik Venture Capital first invested in the Leiden, Netherlands-based company in 2018, providing support for a technology that helps solve one of the egg industry’s biggest ethical problems.
  • As of March 1, there were 74.8 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, down 2% from March 2020, and down 3% from December 1, 2020, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Happy Easter

Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

LilyThe Easter Lilys haven’t bloomed yet at ZimmComm World Headquarters but these have.

We wish you a very happy Easter.

“’Christ is alive.’ This is the great truth which fills our faith with meaning. Jesus, who died on the cross, has risen. He has triumphed over death; he has overcome sorrow, anguish and the power of darkness. ‘Do not be terrified’ was how the angels greeted the women who came to the tomb. ‘Do not be terrified. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.’ ‘This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’”

St. Josemaria Escriva
Christ is Passing By, no. 102

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