Outgoing National Association of Farm Broadcasting president Pam Jahnke – the one and only “Fabulous Farm Babe” – was honored and roasted by fellow members at the annual president’s banquet Friday night.
Pam was teased by her colleagues about all the things we love about her – from her boisterous personality to her undying love for Brett Favre. Let’s just say she took a huge amount of grief from her friends in Minnesota like Mike Parry. Party favors supplied by World Dairy Expo friends included Farm Babe Bobbleheads and Pam Fans.
Pam was joined by her saintly husband Buck and the rest of her family, including nephew Jayden – who seemed to find the Auntie Pam bobbleheads kind of scary!
Here’s a YouTube video with a few highlights from Pam’s roast – make sure to check the photo album for the pictures!
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) has named Ken Root of WHO as the 2009 Farm Broadcaster of the Year and Meghan Grebner of WMBD in Peoria is the Horizon Award winner this year.
The winners of the NAFB’s high honors this year are also great friends of ours. Ken Root was president the year we became members of NAFB in Florida and was one of our earliest friends in the business. Meghan’s only been in the biz for less than three years but she has already made close friends with her outgoing personality. She fit in with this group from the start.
Brownfield Ag News Farm Director Cyndi Young was expecting another Brownfield reporter to win this year’s New Holland Oscar in Agriculture Award, so she was pretty surprised when she won for her “Doing It Right” farm tour series.
Our friends from New Holland, Gene Hemphill (retired but still involved) and Dawn Fox, were happy that Cyndi was selected by the judging panel at Kansas State University.
It was a big day for the Brownfield team. Reporter Tom Steever was elected Vice President of NAFB – we’ll have more on new officers later. The entire eight member on-air Brownfield team was in attendance at this year’s NAFB meeting for the first time.
The man who took away the blue sheets with overlapping circles and put ag media research at your fingertips was honored by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting for Meritorious Service last night.
Ron Claussen, president of AG Media Research (AMR), was praised by his long-time friend Roger Olsen for the work he has done over the years to help farm broadcasters show their value to advertisers.
Two great farm broadcasters and people we are proud to call close friends were inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame Thursday night in Kansas City.
NAFB’s own “Real McCoy” was honored posthumously with the award. Lee McCoy passed away last year after a valiant battle with cancer. His brother, son, daughter and namesake grandson accepted the award in his honor. We are proud to call Lee a close friend throughout his career as a farm broadcaster in Oklahoma, Texas, and finally Georgia where he was part of Southeast Agnet for many years.
Our buddy Evan Slack was also inducted, joining many fellow long-time NAFBers and former presidents who are still active after more than five decades in the business. Evan made a point to tell everyone how important his iPhone is in continuing to do his job as a busy farm broadcaster!
I will be getting caught up with posting here today, hopefully. Since Chuck abandoned me to head out a day early to hunting camp, I spent most of the day yesterday taking pictures for NAFB. The photo album has updated with lots of great pictures from last night’s awards dinner. I am taking the morning off from the trip out to the Ag Hall of Fame this morning to get some posts done.
My first stop at the NAFB Trade Talk was the U.S. Grains Council booth. I interviewed Ken Hobbie and Rick Fruth, Chairman. Today is Ken’s last day on the job as President/CEO. Let’s all wish him well as he starts “relaxing.”
In my interview they talk about the current activities of USGC, including international trade development. Speaking of which, I’ll be participating in an upcoming corn mission with the organization. I’ll be leaving at the end of November for Morocco, Egypt and Jordan and will be documenting the trip to help show how the organization works on behalf of U.S. grain producers.
You can listen to my interview with Ken and Rick below.
The Purdue University Beef Team has launched a new Web site designed to be an information source for beef producers from Indiana and throughout the Midwest.
Merck & Co., Inc. outlined its global plans following the completion of Merck’s merger with Schering-Plough Corporation.
Electronic trading of MGEX (or Exchange) futures and options reached 10,592 contracts, marking the second highest electronic trading volume in Exchange history.
I can’t let Cindy be the only one to get her working photo on here today. I think I did 20 Trade Talk interviews at the NAFB Convention. I’m about talked out. For the moment.
In this photo I’m interviewing Annalisa Clarke, who manages I Love Farmers, They Feed My Soul. We were in the AEM AGCONNECT Expo booth. I’ll feature my interview with Annalisa later. Right now I’ve got a mtg. to go to before heading out on the highway. Support I Love Farmers with some of their great stuff.
Cindy will be here through the end of the NAFB Convention so you’ll be seeing more coverage as it happens.
Here’s the @FarmPodcaster, Cindy Zimmerman, working in the NAFB media room. AgWired is on the scene and as usual posting is light today due to the annual Trade Talk session. It’s an interview frenzy. I’ve done about 10 so far and have at least a half dozen left to go.
I just updated the photo album so see if your favorite farm broadcaster is there.
Later today I’ll be heading out to my annual deer hunt which is my 6 days of “rest.” I will have internet access but using it on a pretty limited basis but you can still expect to see lots of what’s new in the world of agribusiness on AgWired.
The final panel discussion of NAMA’s Trends in Agriculture “Connecting with the New Ag Community” focused on “Speaking for Agriculture.” The panelists talked about the issues, both environmental and political, that face agriculture. They also shared insights on how to communicate farmer’s values and the value of farm families. Tami Craig Schilling is the Director of Strategic Communications for Monsanto, and a fifth-generation agriculturalist. She spoke about how agriculture can effectively help consumers understand those values.
This is part of the Paulsen Marketing video interview series. They are also the sponsor of the NAMA Blog.
NAMA’s Professional Development Awards of Excellence luncheon honored four NAMA members. Lou Ireland, Pioneer Hi-Bred International was honored in Marketing Communications, Deron Johnson of Rhea + Kaiser Marketing Communications was honored in Public Relations, Gary Robertson of Fort Dodge Animal Health in Product/Species Management, and Pete Weil of High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal in Sales. Each winner spoke about the challenges and opportunities in agri-marketing.
Also at the luncheon the gavel symbolizing the presidency of NAMA was passed from Carol Anderson to Susie Decker.
View a series of snippets from the awards luncheon below:
You can find photos from the awards luncheon in the photo album.
This is part of the Paulsen Marketing video interview series. They are also the sponsor of the NAMA Blog.
Another presenter on the “How Marketers are Building New Community Ties” panel was Joel Jaeger. He is president of the mobile technology provider Commodity Update. He sees significant potential in the mobile market for agriculture, but emphasizes that it should be an element in the blend of social media.
In addition to Commodity Update, Jaeger is also a partner in his family’s farming operations in Colorado and Belize.
This is part of the Paulsen Marketing video interview series. They are also the sponsor of the NAMA Blog.
NAMA Trends in Agriculture Day Two began with a panel on “How Marketers are Building New Community Ties.” Leslie Bradshaw is the Director of Engagement, Public Affairs for Bradshaw Vineyards. She provided insight into the question many farmers and producers have about social media.
Bradshaw is also planning to launch a community and industry-friendly site, www.SocialMediaforAgriculture.com and is seeking input for the site.
This is part of the Paulsen Marketing video interview series. They are also the sponsor of the NAMA Blog.
This week’s NAMA Trends In Agriculture conference provided a great program opportunity for this week’s ZimmCast. You’ll get to hear from the morning panel on day two. I interviewed each of them and have included them in the program. The session focused on how agrimarketers are building new community ties.
3G-enabled smart phones, the “Tweeting Farmer,” and unusual partnerships are all part of the new ag community. This general session will feature practical case studies from marketers inside and outside of agriculture that have forged new links with their customers using new media and non-traditional collaboration. Joe Grigsby, VML, Leslie Bradshaw, a farm kid and University of Chicago educated Communications Manager with New Media Strategies in Washington, D.C., and Joel Jaeger, Commodity Update shared their experiences.
I’d like to thank AgWired Sponsor, Fluidigm, for their support of the ZimmCast. AgWired coverage of the NAMA Trends In Agriculture Conference is sponsored by Paulsen Marketing.
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.
Veteran agribusiness professional Dr. Jim Budzynski announces the founding of MacroGain Partners.
Through a Section 24(c) Special Local Need Registration for INSTINCT nitrogen stabilizer in Iowa during 2008, growers got a first look at the product’s performance in on-farm field trials. This summer, INSTINCT received federal registration and now is widely available across the Corn Belt.
J. R. Simplot Company and leading emissions reduction project developer and offset marketer, Blue Source LLC, (www.bluesource.com) announced the formation of a strategic alliance to assist American farmers interested in engaging in the carbon economy.
A genetic code for domestic swine has been uncovered, which should lead to a host of new insights in agriculture, medicine, conservation and evolution.
The afternoon panel discussion at the NAMA Trends In Agriculture conference included David Cleavinger, a fifth-generation Texas farmer/rancher. He talked about how producers can use a combination of social media and personal connections to bring greater understanding of the importance of agriculture in their lives. This is part two in the Paulsen Marketing video interview series. They are also the sponsor of the NAMA Blog.
Once again this year I’ll be posting video interviews from the NAMA Trends In Agriculture conference produced by Paulsen Marketing. Here’s the first one with our opening keynote speaker, David Kohl.
It’s one thing to say there’s a new ag community. It’s another thing to live in it as a farmer. At the NAMA Trends in Agriculture conference a panel of producers addressed this subject. The panel included a row crop farmer from Texas, a dairy producer from Wisconsin and the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
Their task was to share specific examples of how success and growth today require more than good agronomic practices. A lot of the discussion focused on the growing anti agricultural forces that are reaching consumers with messages that are not based on good science and often meant to obtain a political agenda. They all agreed that new technology offers communications channels that can help farmers tell their story.
I spoke with one of the panelists, Daphne Holterman, Rosy-Lane Holsteins, after the session. She says that they all realize that they can’t just be “a farm in our little neighborhood or rural communities anymore but we have to be a big player in a bigger pond.” She says it’s important to talk out about being the true environmentalists. The digital age is making this more necessary than ever.
Missouri farmers made some significant harvest progress last week, especially with soybeans. According to USDA, Missouri’s corn harvest increased 13 percent last week to 62 percent complete and farmers harvested 31 percent of the soybeans in the state last week, up to 64 percent complete as of Sunday.
We saw some of that progress being made in the state last week on our BASF Headline Harvest Report visits. Terry Smith in Chillicothe, Missouri was just about finished with his soybean harvest when Chuck visited with him on Wednesday last week. “We’ve been slow off and on because of the weather, but the early beans we got out helped a lot. They were ready early and the weather was better.”
This is the first year Terry has used Headline fungicide on his beans and he saw a nine bushel yield bump. “The plants were healthy, they grew a little taller. When they yield nine more bushels, that’s significant,” he said.
Here is a YouTube video of Chuck’s interview with Terry and some shots of him harvesting beans.
Welcome new AgWired sponsor, United Soybean Board. Over the coming weeks we’re going to learn more about their Expert Advice website module. You should check it out. The website contains a commenting section so please feel free to post your feedback and questions. “Expert Advice” is a new addition to the official soybean checkoff Web site, that provides farmers with the answers they need from the experts who know. Readers can register on unitedsoybean.org to ask questions, offer perspectives and engage with experts and other farmers. Registration is quick and simple – taking a minute to register can save farmers hours searching on the web.
Four columnists contribute to the Expert Advice Column:
David Asbridge – “Market Production Analysis & Market Outlooks”
Michele Payn-Knoper – “Giving a Voice to Agriculture through Social Media”
Pablo Adreani – “South American Soybean Industry and its Impact on the World Market”
John Baize –“Soybean and Oilseed Industry Issues”
I’ll be featuring interviews with the experts and we’ll learn about what advice they have here during this harvest season.
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
David conducted a presentation on delivering expert opinion via social media to an audience at the start of International Poultry Expo week. He's got some great information about who consumers trust and how you can use today's consumer behavior to help communicate your message.
Outgoing National Association of Farm Broadcasting president Pam Jahnke – the one and only “Fabulous Farm Babe” – was honored and roasted by fellow members at the annual president’s banquet Friday night.
Pam was joined by her saintly husband Buck and the rest of her family, including nephew Jayden – who seemed to find the Auntie Pam bobbleheads kind of scary! 
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) has named Ken Root of WHO as the 2009 Farm Broadcaster of the Year and Meghan Grebner of WMBD in Peoria is the Horizon Award winner this year.
The man who took away the blue sheets with overlapping circles and put ag media research at your fingertips was honored by the National Association of Farm Broadcasting for Meritorious Service last night.
Two great farm broadcasters and people we are proud to call close friends were inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame Thursday night in Kansas City. 
Our buddy Evan Slack was also inducted, joining many fellow long-time NAFBers and former presidents who are still active after more than five decades in the business. Evan made a point to tell everyone how important his iPhone is in continuing to do his job as a busy farm broadcaster! 
My first stop at the NAFB Trade Talk was the 
I can’t let Cindy be the only one to get her working photo on here today. I think I did 20 Trade Talk interviews at the NAFB Convention. I’m about talked out. For the moment.
Here’s the 
This week’s NAMA Trends In Agriculture conference provided a great program opportunity for this week’s ZimmCast. You’ll get to hear from the morning panel on day two. I interviewed each of them and have included them in the program. The session focused on how agrimarketers are building new community ties.
3G-enabled smart phones, the “Tweeting Farmer,” and unusual partnerships are all part of the new ag community. This general session will feature practical case studies from marketers inside and outside of agriculture that have forged new links with their customers using new media and non-traditional collaboration. Joe Grigsby, VML, Leslie Bradshaw, a farm kid and University of Chicago educated Communications Manager with New Media Strategies in Washington, D.C., and Joel Jaeger, Commodity Update shared their experiences.
It’s one thing to say there’s a new ag community. It’s another thing to live in it as a farmer. At the NAMA Trends in Agriculture conference a panel of producers addressed this subject. The panel included a row crop farmer from Texas, a dairy producer from Wisconsin and the California Association of Winegrape Growers.
We saw some of that progress being made in the state last week on our 
Welcome new AgWired sponsor, 
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
