We live streamed the opening ceremonies from AG CONNECT Expo here and will post both video and audio later since we have it recorded.
In the meantime you can check out our photo album from the link below. It’s growing by the hour!
The preview day is history and it’s party time in Atlanta.
Post Update: You can listen to the opening ceremonies here: AG CONNECT Expo Opening Ceremonies
Here’s an edited video version of the opening ceremonies:
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
We’ve been talking with Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Vice President of Agricultural Services Charlie O’Brien about AG CONNECT Expo since it was first announced at Ag Media Summit in July 2008.
Now we are starting the second AG CONNECT Expo, which will be held every other year after this year, and Charlie says the show has really come together this year to be what they envisioned. “It’s certainly a larger footprint than we had last year,” Charlie says. “It feels like people really stepped it up a little bit more this year and it’s really looking good on the show floor this year.”
Charlie says it worked out very well for them to team up with American Farm Bureau, as well as other groups such as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, to have co-located events. “That’s kind of been the strategy all along is to have key meetings associated with it and then have the trade show and the educational events as part of the trade show. We’re trying to be as efficient as we can with everybody’s time.”
Listen to my interview with Charlie here: Charlie O'Brien
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
This afternoon John Deere held an AG CONNECT Expo media tour of their exhibit while providing an overview of their latest product offerings. I spoke with John Deere’s Tim Merrett who says the show is a great place to display new products like their new Interim Tier 4 tractors that are just rolling off the production line this month. These new 8R models come with JDLink Ultimate Service and Service ADVISOR Remote, all of which is on display. There are also several tractor simulators you can get in and take them for a test drive.
You can listen to Tim talk about all that’s being offered from John Deere here: Tim Merrett Interview
Follow along with the media touring John Deere during the show:
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
The trade show floor is now open on preview day at AG CONNECT Expo. We had quite a crowd waiting to come in which bodes well for the exhibitors here. The show opens up for general admission on Saturday and runs through Monday afternoon.
Cindy and I are getting ready to head out on the floor and talk with some of the folks that are here. Later this afternoon we’ll live stream the opening Celebration of Agriculture Reception. I’ll have that posted on the top of AgWired this afternoon or you can find it on our AgWired Live TV page.
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
Georgia FFA officers from around the state are helping out with AG CONNECT Expo this year.
I spoke with Josh Daniel, State Vice President from Oconee County, and Beth Hickey, State Vice President
Stephens County, about their involvement in the expo. “We’re helping with some of the educational breakout sessions and with some of the other educational opportunities and tours that AG CONNECT is offering,” Beth told me.
They are both very excited about meeting people from the agriculture industry all over the world. “It’s really a joy to meet people in the industry and seeing the way it’s growing and changing and always learning more about agriculture,” said Josh.
Listen to my interview with Josh and Beth here: Georgia FFA at AG CONNECT
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
Preview day for the second AG CONNECT Expo is underway here in Atlanta and it’s obvious the newest U.S. ag show is going to be much bigger this year.
There are already more media folks here than last year in Orlando. In fact, Julie Harker with Brownfield Network commented that last year it was just her and Chuck here!
I took photos and recorded Julie interviewing show director Sara Mooney, who says they are happy being co-located with the American Farm Bureau annual meeting this year. “We’re really excited about it,” Sara said. “We’re going to have over 380 exhibitors on the show floor with AG CONNECT and American Farm Bureau Trade Show Pavilion.”
In addition to the exhibit hall, Sara says there’s also an extensive education program, with over 30 brand new sessions and topics as well as Innovation Theater sponsored by Successful Farming. The show, which is sponsored by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), officially opens this evening with the grand opening ceremony and will run through Monday afternoon.
Listen to Julie’s interview with Sara here: Sara Mooney
2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
It is welcome time for AG CONNECT Expo, where they’re connecting the world of agriculture. Preview day is coming up on Friday and Cindy and I are checked in and ready to bring you all the action.
We’ll be on the floor throughout the next several days conducting interviews, attending educational sessions and taking lots of photos. Speaking of photos, I have started the official ZimmComm photo album: 2011 AG CONNECT Expo Photo Album
Thank you to AG CONNECT Expo for making it possible for ZimmComm to cover this show. It is the 2nd one and we’re looking forward to many more in coming years.
The second AG CONNECT Expo is now just days away in Atlanta and if you are attending, make sure you check out all of the educational events on tap.
There will be a lot more people at this second event than there were at the inaugural event in Orlando last year and there will be even more educational opportunities – including breakout sessions, the Progressive Farmer Innovations Theater, new Town Hall forums, and Farm Journal Media presents.
Sustainability is the number one issue for agriculture and the first on the agenda for educational breakout sessions starting on Friday at 9:30 am. Business Management is on tap for Friday afternoon from 1:30-2:30 with two concurrent sessions, The Impacts of Risk on Supply Chain Management and Implementing an On-Farm Research Program for Your Farm.
Saturday will have three different time frames with concurrent sessions – a total of 11 different sessions on all kinds of topics including land values, irrigation, precision technology, environmental issues, weather, markets, and even using smart phones on the farm. Sunday sessions in the morning and afternoon will focus on topics such as first aid, financial planning, on-farm wireless internet, no till and timber for biomass.
Two final sessions on Monday morning will answer the questions How Does Your Farm Measure Up? and When Is the Best Time to Buy Your Fertilizer?
There is so much more I can’t get it all in one post – check out the list of educational opportunities here or use the handy search function on the AG CONNECT website to create a customized agenda based on your own personal interests.
Here’s an update on the agvocate social media training session that will take place this Saturday, from 3-6pm in Atlanta in conjunction with AG CONNECT Expo. I’m currently early on the program with a session on “Tools & Technology for the Trade.” Other sessions include: 3 on using Twitter, 3 on using Facebook, Effective Blogging and small group training. If you haven’t registered to attend then please do so now.
This agvocate training session is being conducted by the AgChat Foundation. If you’ve got questions please feel free to send an email to info@agchat.org.
See you there.
The AgChat Foundation will be holding an agvocate training session in Atlanta during the 2011 AG CONNECT Expo. It will be held January 8 from 3-6pm. If you’d like to attend then get your ticket by registering now.
Training is a major pillar of the Foundation and this unique opportunity provides an excellent opportunity for farmers attending AgConnect equipment show, American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting and the National Cotton Council’s Beltwide Cotton Conference a chance to spend a few hours focused on telling their farm’s story using social media.
Ray Prock, ACF secretary and a dairy farmer from California, says “The concept is to take advantage of the opportunity of having so many good agvocates gathered in one place, broaden the Foundation’s reach & further empower a small group of farmers to increase social media skills and knowledge.”
Prock said the plan includes a three-hour hour hands-on session featuring ACF Board members and others in the AgChat community as trainers and presenters.
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The winners of the AG CONNECT Expo 2011 “Advocating for Agriculture” award have been announced. These awards recognize those who support “in a compelling way the work of farmers and ranchers to provide abundant and affordable food and fiber.” Online voting by the Ag community helped select the winners, and more than 12,500 votes were cast for the nine finalists.
The “Advocating for Agriculture” award winners are:
Ag Woman of the Year — Beverly Hall from Baxter, Tennessee
Community Advocate Award — Ray Bowman from Frankfurt, Kentucky
Next Generation of Ag Award — Elliott Marsh from Statesboro, Georgia
The “Advocating for Agriculture” awards seek to create a wider public understanding and appreciation of the industry’s role and the significant contribution that production agriculture makes to our quality of life. The achievements and significant contributions of the award winners also serve as an inspiration for future industry leaders.
Grand prize winners receive a round-trip for two to AG CONNECT Expo 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia and will be honored at AG CONNECT Expo during the “Celebration of Agriculture” reception on Preview Day, January 7.
You can see more about the winners here including their video entries. You can watch Beverly’s below.
It’s time to vote for the AGCONNECT Expo 2011 “Advocating For Agriculture Awards.”
AG CONNECT Expo 2011 is proud to announce the finalists for its “Advocating for Agriculture” Awards. It’s now up to you to determine the Grand Prize winner for each category by voting online from November 24 – December 9, 2010.
Meet our finalists by reading their nominations and watching their videos. Then, vote for a finalist in each of the three categories. Winners will be notified by December 10, 2010.
Finalists Include:
Ag Woman of the Year
* Beverly Hall
* Debbie Lyons-Blythe
* Maria McGinnis
Community Advocate
* Ray Bowman
* Melinda Jackson
* Jerry Schleicher
Next Generation of Ag
* Chad Bremmer
* Elliott Marsh
* Erin Mohler
It’s hard to believe that the inaugural AG CONNECT Expo happened almost a year ago in Orlando, Florida back in January. A successful first-time event, AG CONNECT Expo 2011 is shaping up to be even better. AgWired reporter Cindy Zimmerman caught up with the show’s director Sara Mooney to learn what is on tap for next year’s event being held at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta, Georgia on January 7-10, 2011.
Mooney attributes much of the show’s success to their industry supporters. “The show was 30 years in the making so there was a lot of interest and a lot of participation from throughout the industry. So it was a very successful event,” said Mooney.
It’s also the support of the industry that is helping them create an even more educational event for next year. Mooney said this year there are more exhibitors and 35 brand new sessions targeted for growers who want to learn more about precision farming to those who own dairy or beef operations.
This year, AG CONNECT Expo 2011 will be hosted along side the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting. The group will be exhibiting along side AG CONNECT in the pavilion and attendees of both events will have access to all the exhibits. In addition, the event is certified as an international buyer program show by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Mooney said this is advantageous because the event is promoted at their posts throughout the world. Last year, 20 percent of the attendees were from other countries and Mooney expects this number to be much higher at next year’s show.
To learn more about the event, see a list of the dozens of educational programs and to view information about the more than 100 exhibitors, visit www.agconnect.com. You can also register online and those who sign up by December 10, 2010 will receive registration discounts.
You can also learn more about AG CONNECT Expo 2011 in Sara Mooney’s interview. Don't Miss AG CONNECT Expo 2011
Registration is now open for AG CONNECT Expo 2011 in Atlanta, GA.
AG CONNECT Expo, the new global Ag trade show in North America, announces that registration has opened for the 2011 show. AG CONNECT Expo 2011 is slated for January 8-10, 2011 (Preview Day January 7 by special admission) at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This new international agriculture event showcases the latest industry innovations, products and technology and offers access to leading company and industry experts worldwide.
Registering in advance saves over 30 percent off the show registration fee. Attendees can also save money by registering in advance for the extensive educational programming that will take place at the show. Go online to www.aem.org for full details and to register.
The youngest agricultural education and trade show is growing up and will be bigger and better in 2011.
AG CONNECT Expo representatives Rich Jefferson, with show organizers the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and show director Sara Mooney were connecting with agricultural journalists recently at the Ag Media Summit to tell them what will be new and different about the second expo coming up January 8-10, 2011 in Atlanta.
For one, Sara says the show will be co-located with the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting. “They’re going to have a special Farm Bureau pavilion on the show floor and the Farm Bureau annual meeting attendees are welcome to come and visit the AG CONNECT exhibits,” she said. There will also be lots of new educational and innovation sessions at the expo as well as forums such as the Corn College for the South. She adds that as of the end of June, they already had 25 percent more exhibitors than the first show, held in Orlando in January.
AG CONNECT is an international event that is coordinated with partners AgriTechnica, the big European farm show that is held every other year.
Listen to Chuck’s interview with Sara from AMS here: Sara Mooney Interview
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and AG CONNECT Expo 2011 announced they are teaming up in 2011 with the co-location of the 2011 AFBF Annual Meeting and AG CONNECT Expo 2011, both to be held in early January 2011 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga.
AFBF’s 2011 Annual Meeting will be Jan. 9-12, while the AG CONNECT Expo runs Jan. 8-10, with “Preview Day” on Jan. 7 by special admission.
The co-location will provide Farm Bureau members attending the 2011 AFBF Annual Meeting with the added value of convenient access to the AG CONNECT Expo show floor on January 8-10. The 5,000-plus attendees expected at the AFBF Annual Meeting will have the opportunity to participate in an event that offers the best in technological advances and showcases innovative agricultural equipment, inputs, components and services. This unique opportunity for Farm Bureau members – a one-time exception in AG CONNECT’s standard registration – became a reality after AG CONNECT Expo organizers approached AFBF about teaming up in Atlanta, according to AFBF President Bob Stallman.
I recently spoke with Sara Truesdale-Mooney, the Show Director for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). This past January, AEM held its first agricultural trade show, the Ag Connect Expo. Sara told me that it was a great first show. “We are very pleased with the results and it really exceeded all of our expectations for a first-time event.”
The next Ag Connect Expo will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, January 7-10, 2011 at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. So far, the educational program is taking shape and Sara said it will be bigger, better and have more offerings. AEM is also planning to expand the Innovations Center as well as adding days and sessions on the show floor as well as more seating. Sara noted that all the sessions were full this past January.
While next year’s show is still a work in progress, Sara said that they are taking into account all the feedback from the attendee surveys and focus groups to ensure that the next show will be even better. Next year there will be a broader scope of exhibits, more floor space and they will bring back their signature elements.
On a closing note, Sara mentioned that Ag Connect Expo has been selected to participate U.S. Department of Commerce’s Buyer Program. Approximately 35 shows are selected for the program each year, and this will be the second year Ag Connect has been selected.
Registration opens in August but you can pre-register now by going www.agconnectexpo.com.
You can learn more about the Summit by listening to my interview with Sara.
2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the 2010 National Agri-Marketing Conference
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AGCO is providing a great example of how to integrate social media and networking into their communications strategy and to learn more about what they’re doing I spoke with Sue Otten, Director, Corporate Communications & Brand Communications Worldwide. In our conversation we talk about why the company has invested in very active social communications channels. Sue says that it’s a great way to “learn” from their customers and target a new demographic too.
As you can see in this image from their homepage they’ve put the spotlight on their Facebook page where you can see photos and video from their participation in AG CONNECT Expo. They’re working consistently to create online content relevant to their products and their customers.
One of the recommendations Sue makes is to not be afraid to get started with social media. She says that there are some great consultants out there who can help you too. I’ll use this opportunity to make a little plug for Todd Lohenry with e1evation, Inc. who has worked with AGCO.
Thanks to new AgWired Sponsor, Novus International, for their support of the ZimmCast.
You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast below.
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We read a lot about precision agriculture hardware but you’ve got to have good software too. That’s what ZedX, Inc. is all about. On the floor of last week’s AG CONNECT Expo I met Twitter Master, Nathan Taylor, Business Analyst for the company.
Nathan says the company supplies precision support tools for the management of production agriculture. He says they also have a strong focus on R&D through universities government and private. They also have a weather division. The software ZedX offers is fully web based and Nathan claims they’re the only company that can make that claim right now.
Nathan says that “what’s new” with the company is an expansion of their AgFleet product so that growers can wirelessly sync from the field. He says they’re also hoping to have some new product releases very soon.
You can listen to my interview with Nathan below:
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AGCO’s Challenger brand is designed for professional producers, those who view farming as a business decision rather than a lifestyle decision. This year, Challenger had two new pieces of equipment on display during the AG CONNECT Expo including the MT600C and the MT595B. Both of these are prototypical equipment of what’s to come next explained Allison Bass with AGGO.
Last year the company launched the 600C with E3 technology and this technology has to do with fuel economy and emission reduction. Company expert Phil Jones told me that the E3 technology is important as the whole industry is approaching what’s known as Tier 4, which is emission reduction policy. Jones notes that meeting these requirements must be done in a smart way.
“Our path, we believe, is the most farmer friendly way. Farmers absolutely get why it matters, but are also concerned. Their concern is that in every step of the way, they have had to make trade-offs in terms of power, performance, fuel efficiency, and reliability as it relates to things done previously to achieve various tier standards in terms of emissions.” Jones continued, “We call this compliance without compromise.”
The E3 technology achieves emission reduction while also increasing fuel economy by 15 percent versus where the company and industry were in the past. Eventually the technology will expand beyond their tractor line into combines, other tractors and more.
Another product of great interest during the show was the prototype of the Big Biomass Baler. Dean Morrell spoke to me about this cutting-edge piece of equipment. It is designed to be able to take the corn cobs and leaves coming right out of the combine delivering it directly to the baler to make a 3 x 4 Big Bale.
This is a one-pass combine-baler system saving the farmer time and money. Morrell said they call the material it picks up MAWG – material other than grain — and it never touches the ground. Ultimately the bales can be delivered to cellulosic ethanol plants that will convert the MAWG to ethanol. This is exactly what Poet is doing in their Emmetsburg, Iowa plant and Morrell said their Big Biomass Baler was tested in 2009 in conjunction with the Poet plant. (The plant is expected to be operational in 2012.)
Biomass harvesting has been a challenge and Morrell said, “We feel we have the solution to the problem because we have something that they can pick up, move and transport very easily.”
The Big Biomass Baler is not yet available and Morrell stressed that they will keep testing it to ensure they concept can do what they say but should be to market within the next several years.
Listen to my interview with Allison, Phil and Dean below.
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