It’s time for the next NAMA Webinar. This one will focus on Emerging Technologies and take place this Thursday, December 3 at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time).
Mobile and emerging technologies are making it easier for direct marketers to connect with their customers. But this landscape can be intimidating and confusing if you don’t know how to navigate it.
This session will introduce you to mobile marketing and its ecosystem of players. Learn how to launch a mobile marketing campaign from experts who have done it successfully – and see what other emerging technologies are on the horizon.
Angela Ridpath and Pamela Sandler have helped national brands like Payless ShoeSource, Burger King and Beauty Brands adapt and excel in this era of change. And they can help you, too!
To register for this webinar, please visit http://www.nama.org/ConferenceRegistration/Default.aspx?confid=7.
The Nebraska Corn Board welcomes Kelsey Pope as their Ag Promotion Coordinator.
In this role, Pope will work on behalf of Nebraska corn producers to expand marketing opportunities, partner with livestock industry groups to develop joint strategies and assist in coordinating animal agriculture welfare programs through education, information and research.
She will also coordinate corn promotion activities at the State Fair, Husker Harvest Days and other events across the state. Additionally, Pope will utilize social media and other communication tools to promote positive messages about agriculture.
Pope recently received her master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University, where she also received her bachelor’s degree in Ag Economics. She is a Limon, Colo., native, having grown up on a cow-calf operation.
As Chuck heads out of the country, I am heading out to Champaign, Illinois today to cover the inaugural AGMasters Conference at the University of Illinois. I will be providing coverage here on Agwired and other ZimmComm sites, as well as on the AGMasters Conference blog – with the help of several ag comm and crop science students from the university whose profiles you can read on the blog now.
According to the organizers, “this year’s conference represents a significant transition from a rich history of conferences conducted over a 60 year-span to a new era. Those conferences included the Custom Spray Operators’ Training School, Illinois Agricultural Pesticides Conference, and the Crop Protection Technology Conference. Each of these conferences continues to leave us a lasting legacy of the commitment of the University of Illinois to our agricultural stakeholders and clientele.”
The two-day program is jam-packed with an array of presenters and session covering a variety topics important to agriculture, from the global perspective, to increasing yields, biotechnology, fertilizers and glyphosate resistance.
On-site registration for the event is still possible, and I would definitely encourage you to attend if you can. This conference promises to be a great one. But, if you can’t be there in person, we will be providing wall-to-wall coverage with photos, audio and more. Stay tuned!
- Dow AgroSciences Canada announced it is acquiring the assets of Hyland Seeds, a division of Thompsons Limited of Blenheim, Ontario.
- The AutoFarm ParaDyme System, launched Nov. 3, 2009, is being called the most innovative and advanced precision farming system ever.
- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that Steven and Jan Carlson of Stratford are the winners of the December “Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.” Northey will present the award to the Carlson family on Friday, Dec 4th. WHO Radio’s Big Show will broadcast live from the awards presentation.
- Mike Kostrzewa has joined The Context Network and will serve the firm’s clients as a senior associate.
Speaking For Agriculture was the title of a joint panel discussion at the NAMA Trends In Agriculture Conference and NAFB Convention.
The moderator was Lindsay Hill, ABN Radio. The session focused on how consumers perceive farmers and agriculture and what can be done and is being done to communicate a positive message about agriculture in a society that is increasingly removed from the farm, even in light of more people moving to the country for a rural lifestyle. In this week’s program you can hear an interview Cindy did with Lindsay about the session and what the panelists had to say.
Thanks to AgWired Sponsor, Fluidigm, for their support of the ZimmCast.
You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast below.
The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our a Subscribe page.
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It’s just natural for people to look for the next big thing and in media it’s no different. I’ve been asked a number of times by clients and friends “Is blogging still relevant?” or “With Twitter, do I still need my blog?” My answer is that a good blog is as much or more relevant than ever. Here’s one reason IMHO. Ideally, you are trying to create a community of followers/friends/customers/members. For the AgWired community I believe that revolves around the blog AgWired.com. This is my online publishing platform. I can’t say this much in 140 characters. I think Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and all the others enhance the center of the community – AgWired.com. They’re like spokes on the wheel. They help me promote the blog and have side conversations with specific community members who favor one mechanism over another.
Matt Mullenweg, creator of WordPress, our blog platform, agrees and says, “new forms of social media, including micro-blogging, are complementary to blogging”
One of the many uses of Twitter is to link to and promote your blog posts. (And other people’s blog posts.) As we grow, so do they, and vice versa. I blog when I have something longer to say, like this. I tweet when it’s the lowest friction way to talk to my friends, or get distribution for something longer I did somewhere else.
It’s not really a “versus,” it’s an “and.”
Via Podcasting News
Would you agree or disagree? Feel free to post how you think your blog fits into today’s communications plans.
This is the U.S. Grains Council Pioneer Mission group I traveled with back in 1998. Our fearless leader then was Rick Tolman (pictured in the center), now CEO of the National Corn Growers Association. We toured Brazil, Columbia and Mexico. It’s hard to believe that just eleven years ago I didn’t have a digital camera and website to post onto. I had to scan this photo from my photo album that sits on a shelf in my office. I did have a Sony recorder though as I recall that let me record onto a disk and I could send audio reports back via phone line. That was when I managed the Brownfield Network.
Times have changed. Beginning tomorrow I’ll be leaving on a USGC Corn Mission to Morocco, Egypt and Jordan and hope to document it digitally. In doing so, I’ll be sharing information with an international audience via the web. Let’s just say I’m hoping for good internet access opportunities and the time to use it. As I recall, we keep up a pretty brisk pace during these trips.
I just did a little bit of online searching and found very little about that trip back in 1998. I’m just guessing that won’t be the case for this trip by the time we’re finished!
The Vice President of the National Pork Board is Gene Nemecheck. I met him at the NAFB Trade Talk session in Kansas City, MO. Gene is a veterinarian with Tyson.
I asked him “What’s new with the Pork Board?” and he says that the swine genomic project just recently reached completion. He says that after years of work by a team of international researchers, the genetic code for domestic swine was uncovered. That should lead to a host of new insights in agriculture, medicine, conservation and evolution.
Or course I had to ask about the impact of H1N1. He says he just wants people to know that pork products are safe to eat and they’re nutritious. Looking forward he says the Pork Checkoff has benefited producers greatly and points to the Pork Quality Assurance Program in particular.
You can listen to my interview with Gene below:
See more NAFB and NAMA Trends photos here.
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To get a complete overview of Boehringer Inghelheim Vetmedica Dr. Steve Peterson, DVM, Senior Manager, spoke to the media gathered in St. Joseph, MO recently.
Steve started out his presentation showing us a Flomax commercial as an example of how diverse the parent company is. BI is a family owned company that was started in 1885 and he calls the animal health side of the business “the tip of the dog’s tail.” It is the largest family owned pharmaceutical company in the world with sales last year of $17 Billion. On the human side of the business you might also recognize OTC products like Dulcolax and Zyrtec. With the acquisition of the Ft. Dodge Animal Health products he expects the animal health annual sales in the range of $1 Billion.
When it comes to the BI commitment to animal health Steve says the family owns animals and is very committed to this side of their business. He says that although the past year has been tough economically in some industries, BIVI has seen increases in its business and that “products have continued to grow beyond budget.”
You can listen to my interview with Steve below.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Media Day Photo Album
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Tom Dean is the Marketing Manager for high horsepower tractors at Case IH (seen here in his NAFB Trade Talk booth). He says those are classified as 100+ horsepower. He says what’s new is the Magnum CVT Line. CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission. He says the tractors are just now shipping this month.
They’re very simple to operate for any hired hand and very efficient. He says there are several models available in time for spring planting.
You can listen to my interview with Tom below:
See more NAFB and NAMA Trends photos here.
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It sure sounds like Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica did very well in the cattle market with their acquisition of a portion of Ft. Dodge Animal Health. To tell us about is Tim Bettington, Director Livestock Marketing. He says that although BIVI has been a long standing player in the cattle business it has only been in certain segments like the stocker and feedlot sector. But now he says they have great opportunities in the cow/calf and dairy sectors.
According to Tim, the stand out products will be Cydectin, Today and Tomorrow Mastitis Tubes and newer vaccines like Triangle. He says that although there is an integration of staff, customers will see the same look and feel of the products and deal with the same representatives they were dealing with.
You can listen to my interview with Tim below.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Media Day Photo Album
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After receiving several Thanksgiving cards I thought I’d just go along with the California Poultry Federation, Bill, Monica, Sandy and Cody and post theirs.
I agree with their message,
” . . . The California Poultry Federation wishes you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for this year and are especially grateful for the friends, families and business associates we come in contact with over the year.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!”
Wishing a warm, safe and happy Thanksgiving from my family in South Dakota to yours. Where will you be spending the holidays? What are you thankful for this year?
In echoing the sentiments of Cindy’s Thanksgiving post, today is a day to be thankful and count our many blessings. While most of us have a family to share the day with, in a welcoming home with plenty of food to go around, it’s been said that one in eight Americans goes hungry each night. In his Thanksgiving Address, Obama has promised to work to shape of the state of the economy in order to help struggling American families.
According to the AFP, President Barack Obama vowed to put the US economy back on track in his Thanksgiving address to the nation Thursday, but admitted there were still too few jobs being created. Acknowledging that millions of Americans were unemployed and “facing very difficult economic times,” Obama said he would not rest until the economy is rebuilt stronger than before. He listed tax cuts, extending unemployment benefits and help for homeowners facing foreclosure, among the measures taken to help Americans weather the crisis as well as his aim of overhauling the nation’s health care system.
In the meantime, let’s do all we can do to help those struggling to put food on the dinner table. Statistics show that one farmer/rancher can feed up to 144 people each year, but it’s time we start spreading that food around. Donate food to a local food pantry or volunteer at a shelter this year. Give your time, talents and treasures to help others this year. Happy Thanksgiving!
This is the time of year we take at least a moment to be thankful for the great abundance of food we have in this country. A recent report from USDA shows that over 85 percent of American households have enough – or more than enough – to eat. That means that as a nation, we are “food secure.”
That was the good news – which didn’t make the headlines. The bad news that did is that almost 15 percent are reportedly some level of “food insecure” – which according to USDA means families that “had difficulty putting enough food on the table at times during the year.”
There is absolutely no reason for anyone in this country to go hungry, ever – much less some 49 million people. We have more than abundant resources in this nation to feed those who are without the means to feed themselves and if people are “food insecure” it is because they are not taking advantage of those resources for some reason. The fact is that even the 15 percent who are classified as “food insecure” in our nation have much more to eat than the poor in most other countries.
On Thanksgiving – and frankly every day of the year – we should be thankful for the food security of our nation and reach out to those who may be “insecure” to get the help that is available. It is our job as individuals, companies, organizations and governments to feed those who are in need.
We should also be thankful that this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is even more affordable than last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. AFBF’s 24th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table found the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $42.91, a $1.70 price decrease from last year’s average of $44.61. That’s four percent less than a year ago, and adjusted for inflation it actually costs LESS than when the first AFBF study was conducted in 1986.
This country has been truly blessed with the great abundance of affordable food brought to us by our farmers and ranchers. Let us all give thanks for that blessing.
Today is officially Thank a Farmer day in Missouri.
Missouri Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler (right) visited Forck Farms near Jefferson City to present the official proclamation to Kelly Forck, a diversified crop and livestock producer who is president of the Missouri Soybean Association.
“It’s an appropriate tribute to the farmers and ranchers across Missouri and across this country who put a reliable, safe food supply on our families’ tables at Thanksgiving,” Hagler said. “In America, we have the highest quality, most affordable food in the world because of the hard work of farm families across this nation.”
Dr. Hagler says his favorite statistic at the Department of Agriculture is that “four out of four people eat” which is why we should all be grateful on Thanksgiving and every other day of the year that we enjoy affordable and abundant food.
Kelly pointed out that farmers are consumers too and are thankful for other farmers who produce the food they eat. “As farmers we have a lot of things to be thankful for – we even have the consumers to be thankful for,” he added.
Check out some photos from the event here.
The Missouri Beef Industry Council and other state commodity groups were involved in the proclamation made this morning. Listen here to our weekly Missouri Beef Checkoff Chat that includes comments from Kelly and Dr. Hagler.
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The Grain Board will be one of the locations you can follow the upcoming U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission. What’s that? It’s going to be me traveling along with growers and organizational representatives from Virginia, Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Missouri to Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. We’ll be seeing the USGC in action and I’m along to help document it and present what we find.
I’ll be introducing you to the participants before we get started and we’ll find out what they learned when we’re done. Of course I’ll be posting here as well as the USGC blog and there will be photos, interviews and video clips. Let’s hope we get good internet access!
This is Chip Foose on a John Deere 4020 that he’s getting ready to customize. The tractor is the focal point of a new giveaway and purchase incentive program the company is offering in 2010. They’re calling it the Big Buck Sales Event.
I got a preview of what it’s all about at the recent NAFB Convention from Barry Nelson, Manager, Media Relations John Deere Ag and Turf Division. He explains that the company started building the 4020 in 1963 and stopped in 1972. 170,000 tractors were built. So, Deere partnered with Chip Foose to do his thing with the tractor and it will be given away next year.
Potential customers can register to win this vintage workhorse tractor from John Deere, or one of three John Deere Gators, by completing a registration form at their local John Deere dealership by June 30, 2010. No purchase or other obligation is required.
Barry says the finished custom tractor will be highlighted at several trade shows and John Deere events planned for the first half of 2010, including stops on the continuation of the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show. Winners of the tractor and Gators will be announced in July.
In addition to the giveaways he says John Deere is offering significant financial incentives on its 20-166 horsepower utility tractors from November 2, 2009, to February 1, 2010. “Customers can get cash discounts from $500 to $4,000, depending on the tractor and equipment packages they purchase, or zero percent financing,” Nelson explains.
You can listen to my interview with Barry below.
See more NAFB and NAMA Trends photos here.
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As we’ve learned what the acquisition of a portion of Ft. Dodge Animal Health means to Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica we’ve heard about cattle, hogs, dairy but how about dogs and cats? You’ll find many of them at your average farm of course. But this is a huge area for the animal health business.
According to Matt Musselman, Executive Director, Pet Division, BIVI, they now have the great opportunity to combine the chronic care pharmaceuticals they had with the vaccines they’ve acquired. He says, “As we look at the combination of that portfolio we really like the ability to surround the veterinarian and the pet owner with a set of products and services that allows them to care for that dog and cat throughout their life.” Looking forward he says that the strong bond people have with their pets and the desire to keep their pet healthy is something BIVI can help with by providing “Value Through Innovation.”
The big product story he says is their launch of PROZINC for the treatment of feline diabetes. He points to it as an example of the type of novel chronic care products we’ll see from BIVI in the future.
You can listen to my interview with Matt below.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Media Day Photo Album
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Registration is officially open for the 2010 Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California and you better register soon because it will fill up fast.
This will be the 15th annual Commodity Classic for soybean, corn, wheat and sorghum growers and their families, to be held March 4-6 right next to Disneyland. The theme for 2010 is “Cruising to Success.”
Growers who attend the 2010 Commodity Classic are sure to benefit from the value of attending a trade show with nearly 800 booths representing the equipment, technology, products and services of today’s leading agricultural businesses and organizations.
“As a grower, attending Commodity Classic is a smart business decision,” said Commodity Classic Co-Chair Dennis Bogaards. “Producers will find many opportunities to learn about new products and technologies, as well as methods for improving productivity on their farms.”
Emcee of Commodity Classic’s General Session, Mark Mayfield, better known as “The Corporate Comedian,” will intrigue and entertain attendees with his hilarious presentation style. They will also hear what is on the minds of commodity group presidents and learn more about the facts and fiction facing today’s farmers from economist and futurist Dr. Jay Lehr. Because Lehr’s forecasts are based on in-depth knowledge of U.S. farm, energy and environmental legislation, as well as international farm support programs, he brings informed insight to identifying future risks and opportunities facing American agriculture.
If you like to eat – thank a farmer on Twitter today.
On Twitter, many agriculture advocates are taking part in tweeting the hashtag #thankafarmer, and are planning to tweet today from 10 am through 12 pm CST. Twitter users are beginning to express 
their gratitude with a #thankafarmer twibbon. Here you can see Chuck’s Twitter pic proudly displaying his twibbon.
The twitter efforts are just a small way to recognize and thank farmers for the abundant food they provide that is both safe and affordable. They are also completely committed to the land on which they farm and care very deeply about their communities, environment, land and animals, something that is often overlooked.
If you are a Twitter user and unable to tweet because of previous commitments, please sign yourself into Twuffer, a twitter service where you can time your tweets. This document contains links to different websites that are advocating for US Farmers and some tweets to get you started.
« Previously Posted
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
