With the Market Strategies app, producers will receive in-depth information on 15 different commodities, including corn, dairy, soybeans, wheat and even inputs like fuel, feed corn and soybean meal. The app also offers customizable features to create a market advisory plan that meets the unique crop and input needs of each producer, giving them clear marketing and purchasing recommendations to maximize profitability.

The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) has three major Washington DC events planned this year – Coffee with the Secretary, the Mix-and-Mingle Luncheon, and the National Celebration of Agriculture Dinner. John Deere will once again partner with ACA, as well as Successful Farming and DTN-The Progressive Farmer, to sponsor the DC events.

The events honor National Agriculture Week and mark a nationwide effort to tell the true story of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture is a part of all of us. A number of producers, agricultural associations, corporations, students and government organizations involved in agriculture are expected to participate.

In addition to public service announcements and other educational programs, ACA and partners will sponsor students to attend the Washington D.C. events. Representatives from FFA, 4H, AFA, the Consortium, and Student NAMA will visit with legislators, participate in a mix-and-mingle luncheon, and attend special events throughout the day.

The winners of the National Ag Day Essay Contest will also attend the events. High school students around the country have submitted written or video essays about the importance of agriculture with the theme “American Agriculture: Your Food. Your Farmer.” One winner in each category – written and video – will receive $1,000 and round-trip airfare to Washington, D.C., for recognition during the Celebration of Ag Dinner. The Ag Day Essay Contest is sponsored by CHS Inc., the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal, National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB), National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), Country Living Association and McCormick Company.

I pursued the multimedia aspect of how DTN has evolved since I’ve closely watched the evolution of the company and was even an employee for a short time. Adrian says that expanding their media options is important on two levels. For one thing it’s important to their advertisers to have the most relevant media options and it’s also important for their subscribers as they offer information options to help them solve problems and become more profitable.

Besides DTN and The Progressive Farmer they’re also involved in new media and a project that Adrian is really excited about – The DTN Marketspace. He says, “It’s like eBay for corn.” As he puts it, this new project is for those who thrive on producing commodities and are open to new ways of doing business. He says they’re “the sort of people who have figured out that AgWired is a good place to get information.” I also love another remark he made about AgWired, “It’s Chuck’s world. We’re all just living in it.” I think that speaks to the sense of community that I’ve tried to create here. Thanks Adrian.

When it comes to blending media outlets like DTN and a magazine like The Progressive Farmer, Adrian says it has gone seamlessly. In our interview he concludes by inviting people to provide feedback to him directly.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 198 (13 min MP3)

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Here are the friendly faces of the girls of DTN/The Progressive Farmer. Actually, professional women! According to Adrian they doubled the attendance at this year’s Summit. You can learn all about it tomorrow.

I’ve also got a number of posts to do still from the BI event so look for more on PRRS too.