Pure was known as Pure Marketing & Media. Now the name is purely Pure. The company just announced the launch of a new brand identity built around its exclusive p.u.r.i.f.y.™ brand development process.
The new identity includes an enhanced Web site as well as a dramatic new logo and supporting tag line: Distilling potent brands™.
“At Pure, we believe there’s an underlying reason why many brands are lifeless, stagnant or worn-out,” noted Brent Beshore, Pure’s president and chief executive officer. “They often contain impurities such as false assumptions about one’s market or target audience, unfocused positioning, inconsistent messaging, uninspired creative or ineffective communications channels.
“This is indeed an exciting time for everyone at Pure,” stated Steve Engle, president of Pure Ag—the company’s agribusiness unit. “Unlike traditional advertising and PR agencies, we back our full-service claim with a wealth of internal resources.
Agriblogging will be happening from the beach for a few days as Cindy and I try to escape the cold, almost winter, temperatures. Although it’s looking like we’re going to have some weather move in tonight.
It looks like a chunk of the southeast has had too much rain for a change. We drove past several flooding rivers in Alabama and a couple of inches of new rain are expected by tomorrow. I guess it’s all that “climate change” stuff going on, eh?
The picture is the view from our deck and actually most any window we look out of here in Panama City Beach.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today spoke at the key note event, Clean Energy Investments: Creating Opportunities for Rural Economies, at the climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark, according to a recent release by USDA. In an effort to improve the environment, Vilsack hopes to provide opportunities for food producers to do just that.
“Rural economies will benefit from incentives in comprehensive energy legislation that reward production of renewable energy and sequestration of greenhouse gases,” said Vilsack.
Climate change is one of the great challenges facing the United States and the world. But for our farmers, ranchers, and those who make a living off the land, the challenge presents unprecedented opportunities. Secretary Vilsack shared how the Administration is actively partnering with rural communities to create solutions for curbing greenhouse gases and preventing the worst impacts of climate change.
Secretary Vilsack shared how the Administration is actively partnering with rural communities to create solutions for curbing greenhouse gases and preventing the worst impacts of climate change.
To read the entire article and learn more about the program, link here.
Getting these BASF Headline harvest reports done this fall (yes, it is still fall) has been a challenge, to put it mildly. We’ve been trying desperately to get interviews set up with farmers since late October – in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. We did okay in Missouri, but when the harvest kept getting later and the rain kept falling, it just continued to get postponed. We had to cancel a trip to Iowa last week when the blizzard came through, but we went up this week even with below zero temperatures
Our second day in the frigid state brought us to the home of Brent Schipper of Conrad, where we had to record in the office to avoid becoming popsicles. Despite the weather challenges and a late harvest, Brent is very pleased with his crop this year, which was helped by Headline fungicide. “With the late harvest, the corn did stand very well,” Brent said. “The yield increase helped because Headline eliminated some of the disease pressure we had from the cool, wet weather.”
Brent saw a yield advantage of 4-5 bushels on soybeans and 10-20 on corn because of Headline, which he has been using for about six years now. There were some acres he did not spray with Headline, but because he saw such a definite yield difference this year, everything will be sprayed next year. “It showed one year of not spraying everything cost us in the end,” he said. “It’s a good insurance policy.”
Watch the video interview and listen to or download the audio of my interview with Brent below.
If you love BBQ then you might like BBQ Pitmasters, a new series on TLC. It airs Thursdays at 9pm Central.
The BBQ & Grilling channel is here to help you cook an amazing meal on the grill. Read how to smoke a chicken, grill a juicy hamburger and learn how to obtain the perfect grill marks on your foods.
Here’s a promo and description of the next episode:
Cooking skills, nerves and patience are tested at the historic Riverfest Barbecue Cookoff in Decatur, AL as the Pitmasters battle for the $3,000 top prize. Paul tries to avoid last place placement, Lee Ann’s schedule is threatened by a power outage and Tuff Stone uses spreadsheets for BBQ?!
I guess it would be more correct to call these BASF Headline POST-harvest reports, even though there is still about eight percent of the corn left in the fields at this point. Iowa farmers are pretty much done with this season, including Henry Miller of West Union, which is in the northeast part of the state. We caught up with him on Monday as Mother Nature was sending in a blast of frigid temperatures to welcome his 7th grandchild who was born early that morning.
Henry finished his corn harvest just about two weeks ago and he is very glad to see the 2009 season with its weather extremes coming to a close. “It was very far from normal,” Henry told me. His biggest challenge this year was summer hail storms. “In June we had corn knee high, we had hail that stripped it and beat the beans practically in the ground. Then in July, we got hit (with hail) on the other farm about tasseling time.”
Because of all the bruising to the crop, Henry’s agronomist recommended using Headline fungicide, which was the first time he ever used it. “The yields were better than what I expected, it stood good, we had no problems with standability – I guess Headline helped us out there,” Henry said.
How will the wet fall impact this year’s prices? How can I use social media to promote my farm? What are our competitors in Brazil doing right now? These are all questions you’ll find answered on the United Soybean Board’s Expert Advice Column. It’s part of the newly designed website and we’ve been featuring interviews with the experts who are writing the columns.
USB would like you to take a minute to register on the website and take advantage of all the information they have for growers including, seed selection tips, pest and disease diagnostic guides, a sustainability calculator and a directory with just about every new soy-based product your soybean checkoff has helped develop. You can customize the page too. Here’s how to register:
* Visit www.unitedsoybean.org, then click on login/register, located on the upper-left corner of the home page, to fill out your information fields.
* Congrats! Now you are ready to begin customizing your individual home page.
* Now, just click on add content in the upper-left corner. This will display your customization options.
* Add the modules that meet the needs of your operation, including localized weather, livestock and additional crop information.
* Click the X at the top of an individual module to remove it from your home page.
* To edit the module content, just click the diagonal pencil icon.
* Click the minus sign to minimize a module.
Visit www.unitedsoybean.org today and come back often for time saving updates that can help increase your profitability.
We’d like to thank the United Soybean Board for their support of the AgWired community!
Syngenta Seeds, Inc. has united the history and traditions of Garst, Golden Harvest and NK Seeds brands to provide the best possible alfalfa and sorghum product portfolios to growers for the 2010 planting season.
With winter fast approaching it’s time to make your farm meeting plans. Make one of them the Chicago Farmers Farmland Investment Fair, February 6, 2010. I’ll be one of their seminar presenters with the topic of social media.
To learn more about Chicago Farmers and their annual program I spoke with the Chairman of the upcoming event, Jeff Martin, an Illinois “downstate” farmer. Jeff was in his combine working to get the last of his corn crop in before Christmas. I hope he makes it!
Jeff says the Farmland Investment Fair was started back in the early ’80s when interest rates were high and with the idea of bringing investors together with farmers who had land to sell. He says the event still has that same basic purpose and has expanded to include other educational topics. There will be nearly 60 exhibitors and 15 different seminars on the program including:
• Farmland Values
• Traits of a Successful Farm
• Managing Machinery Costs
• International Investment
• Farm Land Leasing
• Biomass for Energy
• Income from Small Farms
• Rural Development
• Social Media
• Wind Farms
• Acre Program FSA
• 1031 Exchanges
• Organic Farming
• Climate Change
To register as an attendee – visit www.chicagofarmers.org or call (312) 388-FARM. Direct questions to The Chicago Farmers Administrator’s office at (312) 388-3276 or you may speak to the Fair Chairperson, Jeff Martin, at (217) 792-3934.
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.
If you haven’t voted for your favorite video in the Alpharma, Reach Teach Learn Student Video Contest, now’s the time. Voting began on Monday, November 30 and goes through December 28, 2009.
Earlier this fall ag students from across the country submitted short video clips depicting anything related to agriculture and food production. Students received a $25 gift card for each video accepted, up to 10. Students submitted more than 140 clips to the contest Web site. In the second phase of the contest, students used these clips, along with their own footage and media, to compile a video conveying the role of modern agriculture in American society.
Video titles and submitting universities are as follows:
• Perennial Wheat – Michigan State University
• Naked and Hungry – University of Missouri
• A Call to Farm – University of Florida
• Agriculture: Who Cares? – Oklahoma State University
• Corn and Its Many Lives – University of Wisconsin-River Falls
• Agriculture is Our Soul – Sam Houston State University
• The AgriQuiz – Ohio Northern University
The video with the combination of the most votes and judges score will receive $5,000, with second and third place receiving $2,000 and $1,000 prizes, respectively. The winning videos will also be posted on YouTube and other social networking sites where visitors will be able to see the video and have a better understanding of how food is produced, as well as the care that is given to farm animals.
It’s time once again for the Agriculture Council of America’s Ag Day essay contest. The contest is open to seventh- to 12th-grade students who are asked to submit an original, 450-word essay about the importance of agriculture. This year’s theme is “American Agriculture: Abundant, Affordable, Amazing,” and the deadline is Feb. 12. Teachers and parents are asked to encourage their students to participate.
This year, the theme highlights the importance of agriculture and how the industry continues to overcome new challenges. These include keeping food affordable, meeting the demands of a growing population with fewer acres, working with legislative influences and addressing consumer concerns. Students may choose to specifically address one or more of these challenges in their essay. Agriculture has a touch point in each of our lives and is an amazing industry.
This year’s national winner will receive a $1,000 prize and round-trip ticket to Washington, D.C., to be recognized during the Celebration of Ag Dinner held March 18 at Whitten Patio. At dinner, the winner will have the opportunity to join with industry representatives, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, media and other friends in a celebration of agriculture. Statewide winners of the contest also will be selected. Each state winner will receive a $100 prize.
It’s Holiday Greeting time and the wishes are rolling in. Here’s the Association of Equipment Manufacturers saying Happy Holidays. I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time with them in January at their AG CONNECT Expo of which we’re a supporting organization.
Do you have a holiday greeting card you’d like to share with AgWired fans? If so, please send them to me and I’ll do my best to feature them here over the next few weeks. Please don’t hesitate to send if it mentions Christmas too. I and everyone I know are okay with that. After all, it’s the reason for the season.
The equine group at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has produced a short video to help promote it’s new Vetera virus protection.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI), announces the introduction of its Vetera™ West Nile virus family of vaccines, the only vaccines containing the North American Equine E159™ 2005 horse isolate representative of the virus that is most likely to infect horses today. The Vetera family of vaccines includes protection against West Nile virus; Eastern, Western and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis; and tetanus, in a variety of combinations.
Pour-on dewormers commonly used by beef producers simply are not working like they used to, according to new research data from the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring System Beef 2007-08 cow-calf survey.
Bayer CropScience announced that it will launch a revolutionary new biocontrol seed treatment in corn, soybeans and cotton for the 2011 season.
San Diego-based biotech firm Cibus Global and Canada’s BrettYoung announced an agreement that will bring new, non-GMO canola traits to North America.
BASF announced that it has launched a special section of its Web site dedicated solely to offering in-depth information on seed protection for seed industry professionals.
Filament Marketing went shopping for some toys and found them.
In an effort to support the local community and share some holiday cheer, Filament Marketing, LLC hosted an afternoon of toy shopping, which raised more than $1,700 worth of toys which were then donated to the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
Following the afternoon of toy shopping, participants gathered for a “show-and-tell” reception at a local restaurant before loading the toys up for drop-off at the Madison U.S. Marine Corps Reserve base. Companies represented in the effort included Bovance, Heartland Country Cooperative, Distillery Design Studio, Family Dairies, Horse Shoe Hill Brown Swiss, NMC, SprintPrint, Sunshine Genetics, Trans Ova Genetics, Vance Publishing and the Wisconsin Farm Report, in addition to Filament Marketing.
“This was a fun way to share the holiday spirit,” says Ed Peck, president of Filament Marketing. “We thought this was the perfect year to start this tradition, given the challenging economy. We are proud to represent the passion and commitment agriculture has to all members of our society – especially those in need. We hope to continue and grow this effort each year, going forward.”
It’s time to look into your photo archives and see if you’ve got a competition shot you’d like to enter into the 2010 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Star Photo Contest.
Special categories and great prizes for:
best portrait
best landscape or nature photo
best production photo
The U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team is home safe and sound. It was a very interesting 2 weeks of visits with American grain customers and others in Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. You might expect these countries to be “all the same.” However, each country has a very distinct culture and that includes everything from food to how they drive.
A consistent theme was the growth potential in these markets. That’s why the USGC has people on the ground working to develop new business opportunities for American farmers. After our team’s final dinner I spoke with them as a group to get their final thoughts on what they’d like farmers back home to know about their experience. We just went around the table starting with the corn grower members. Here are some of their final thoughts:
The main thing is the relationship the USGC staff has with people in all these countries. They appreciate what the USGC does.
I got to see what the USGC does on a personal level. These ddgs programs are working well. I hope they’ll buy more.
I sure learned a lot about the legwork that goes on on the ground here for these guys. There’s still some work to be done.
We spent our time well and did something that will benefit everyone back home. The USGC work has been an important part of keeping our exports going.
I think the potential for increased sales is there. The network is in place and working well.
Demand looks strong and will continue for a long time to come.
Shannon Schaffer, the USGC staff representative on our trip added these thoughts:
These guys worked really hard on this trip. Lots of time spent on the road and with the customers we service. They served as ambassadors for the USGC and corn growers specifically.
For my part I want to thank the USGC for allowing me the opportunity to go on this trip and provide documentation of the trip. Besides the stories here on AgWired I have also been posting onto The Grain Board. It looks like I produced a little less than 3,000 photos, and a combination of 50 audio/video interviews and clips. Hopefully it has provided you with a better understanding of the international development work of the U.S. Grains Council and these markets in particular.
You can listen to my final interview with the Corn Mission Team below:
The political and safety situation in Iraq today is making it very difficult to conduct business within the country, especially for companies and farmers that would like to export U.S. feed grains into the market. However, that’s going to change in the next couple years according to some Iraqi businessmen that the U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team met with. We met with them over a dinner of Masgouf, which you see cooking around this open pit fire. Masgouf is a traditional Iraq dish of fresh, whole fish that are seasoned with salt, pepper and tamarind and slow cooked on stakes around a fire. The fish used for our meal were carp.
While our Masgouf was cooking I spoke with one of the board members of the Iraq company that was represented at the dinner. He says they have always imported from America. He says American grain is “the best and very clean.” He says the market is somewhat limited right now but will get better in the future. He says that once things stabilize their poultry sector will grow quickly. He enjoyed meeting with American corn growers.
You can listen to my interview with the Iraq businessman below:
When the U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team toured the Hamoudeh Group dairy northeast of Amman they saw the open yards, milking parlor and as you’ll see in this video clip, the calf barn.
One of the most interesting sessions at the recent PIC Farm Manager Boot Camp in Danville, Indiana was the one entitled “Environmental Requirements for Optimum Wean Finish Performance.”
Ron Rush, who works in health and technical services for PIC, talked to the group of hog farm managers about the importance of the environment … the buildings… that they’ll be raising those pigs in. Rush said that while he can’t give any specific advice without actually seeing an operation’s barns, maintenance is key.
“I’m just trying to get them some basic general rules for ventilation,” he said. Some of the areas he covered was set points for heating and cooling systems, what pigs’ comfort zones are for optimum performance, and areas of concern, such as maintenance and controller errors. He said some of the most common mistakes are dirty fans, louvres and intakes. Plus, most people don’t understand that pigs can handle cooler temperatures.
“People generally under-ventilate pigs to try to conserve heat, but if you understand that pigs can take cooler temperatures you can bring more air to them without having to run your heat.” Rush added that too many managers either set their temperatures and never touch the controls again or they fidget with them every time they walk by a controller. “It’s important to look at those pigs every day and do want they’re telling you to do.”
You can hear more of my conversation with Ron here:
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.
Pure was known as Pure Marketing & Media. Now the name is purely Pure. The company just announced the launch of a new brand identity built around its exclusive p.u.r.i.f.y.™ brand development process.
Agriblogging will be happening from the beach for a few days as Cindy and I try to escape the cold, almost winter, temperatures. Although it’s looking like we’re going to have some weather move in tonight.
Our second day in the frigid state brought us to the home of Brent Schipper of Conrad, where we had to record in the office to avoid becoming popsicles. Despite the weather challenges and a late harvest, Brent is very pleased with his crop this year, which was helped by Headline fungicide. “With the late harvest, the corn did stand very well,” Brent said. “The yield increase helped because Headline eliminated some of the disease pressure we had from the cool, wet weather.”
I guess it would be more correct to call these 
How will the wet fall impact this year’s prices? How can I use social media to promote my farm? What are our competitors in Brazil doing right now? These are all questions you’ll find answered on the 
With winter fast approaching it’s time to make your farm meeting plans. Make one of them the 
To learn more about 
If you haven’t voted for your favorite video in the 
It’s time once again for the Agriculture Council of America’s Ag Day essay contest. The contest is open to seventh- to 12th-grade students who are asked to submit an original, 450-word essay about the importance of agriculture. This year’s theme is “American Agriculture: Abundant, Affordable, Amazing,” and the deadline is Feb. 12. Teachers and parents are asked to encourage their students to participate.
It’s Holiday Greeting time and the wishes are rolling in. Here’s the Association of Equipment Manufacturers saying Happy Holidays. I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time with them in January at their AG CONNECT Expo of which we’re a 
It’s time to look into your photo archives and see if you’ve got a competition shot you’d like to enter into the 2010 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Star Photo Contest.
The U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team is home safe and sound. It was a very interesting 2 weeks of visits with American grain customers and others in Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. You might expect these countries to be “all the same.” However, each country has a very distinct culture and that includes everything from food to how they drive.
The political and safety situation in Iraq today is making it very difficult to conduct business within the country, especially for companies and farmers that would like to export U.S. feed grains into the market. However, that’s going to change in the next couple years according to some Iraqi businessmen that the U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team met with. We met with them over a dinner of Masgouf, which you see cooking around this open pit fire. Masgouf is a traditional Iraq dish of fresh, whole fish that are seasoned with salt, pepper and tamarind and slow cooked on stakes around a fire. The fish used for our meal were carp.
Ron Rush, who works in health and technical services for 
In this week's program Chuck talks with David Armano, Global Innovation and Integration.
