Here’s an excerpt from the letter to the FCC:

Earlier this week we published results of our ZimmPoll that showed a majority think the LightSquared proposal would be good for ag/rural America. However, most of those positive responses all came at nearly the same time.

The Javad GNSS system can be adapted to work with high-precision GPS devices including those already in the agriculture, surveying, construction and defense industries. (full release)

I’m not sure how forcing farmers and all kinds of people, especially those defending our country, to purchase new equipment that will have to be installed to keep their current GPS systems working is a real solution to what appears to be a very real problem. I’m all for more and better choices for broadband, especially in rural areas but not at the expense of GPS systems that perform very critical functions. This action seems to be an admission by Lightsquared that the concerns are real. Otherwise, why do this? I asked the Coalition to Save Our GPS for their response and got it right away.

“LightSquared has, as usual, oversimplified and greatly overstated the significance of the claims of a single vendor to have ‘solved’ the interference issue. There have been many vendor claims that have not proven out in rigorous tests and the demanding tests of marketplace acceptance. Moreover, this is not a one-size-fits-all situation and a few prototypes does not a solution make. The estimated 750,000 to 1 million high-precision GPS receivers now in use in the United States vary widely: there are hundreds of different high-precision devices used in performing thousands of different tasks. High-precision GPS supports a wide variety of uses, including agriculture, construction, aviation, surveying and many scientific and safety-of-life applications.

“In any case, this is not an issue that can be solved with a LightSquared press release. As the FCC and NTIA recently recognized, more testing is necessary to evaluate interference impacts under LightSquared’s latest technical proposals. We welcome the participation of Javad in those tests.”

A total of 62 percent of U.S. farms now have Internet access, compared with 59 percent in 2009. Sixty-five percent of farms have access to a computer in 2011, up 1 percentage point from 2009. The proportion of U.S. farms owning or leasing a computer in 2011, at 63 percent, was up 2 percentage points from 2009. Farms using computers for their farm business remained virtually stable at 37 percent in 2011 compared to 36 percent in 2009.

For crop farms, 67 percent have computer access and 41 percent use a computer for their farm business in 2011, up 2 and 1 percentage points from 2009, respectively. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 64 percent in 2011, compared with 60 percent in 2009. In 2011, a total of 63 percent of livestock farms have computer access and 61 percent have Internet access.

At the InfoAg Conference our closing session was titled, “GPS Under Seige: Lightsquared and the Threat to High-End Global Positioning.” This presentation was conducted by Kevin Kobb, Topcon (right) and Doug Schmuland, NovAtel. I spoke with them after their presentation. Kevin and Doug told me it has caused the major GPS producers and distributors to come together to understand the threat and then present that to the public and then work toward a favorable conclusion to the situation. The potential exists for this proposal to affect just about every device relying on GPS satellites. They say that now is the time to act and make your voice heard before the proposal receives a final FCC decision. You can find a lot of information on the website, Coalition To Save Our GPS.

Listen to my interview with Kevin and Doug here: Interview with Kevin Kobb and Doug Schmuland

2011 InfoAg Conference Photo Album

PAQ Interactive is a technology services company specializing in Web and GIS solutions. Our web design and development work focuses on the web as a communication tool. More than static pages, we assist our clients through the design of interactive, content rich, fully customizable web sites that allow our clients to use their web technology investment for internal and external communications. In GIS services, PAQ consults with clients in creating and maintaining a business-level GIS. We provide training, custom programming, data analysis, and GIS project management solutions to create or expand on our clients initial investment in GIS.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

The third component of the Chatterbarn Exchange allows you to submit questions into the network, which can be responded to by others, to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices, and information throughout the industry. You will use the Chatter Button throughout the site to make things happen. It will help you post your comments to the Chatterboard and submit your items to the Chatterbarn Exchange. So, are you ready to Chatter?

Subscribe to the Chatterblog, find ‘em on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

I got a preview of what members of the agribusiness industry will find from Brian McGahey, AgHaven Director.

You can learn more about AgHaven from my interview with Brian here: Brian McGahey Interview

Growers, ranchers and other agriculture industry professionals who are frustrated by Internet search engines not turning up relevant results now have a better option.

“The ag industry is one of the most important industries in our country and in the world, but we realized this market was underserved when it came to online experiences,” said Srik Soogoor, president of AgHaven. “It is exciting to develop the next generation web application that’s just for agriculture without the challenges that people may experience on other sites.”

According to Soogoor, who developed this cutting-edge search engine technology, AgHaven is semantic-based, which means the online search knows you are only interested in agriculture-related terms and only turns up relevant results. The site also provides a one-stop shop for:

Registration on the site is free and easy, and registered users control how much information they share with the site and with other registered users. Visit www.aghaven.com for more information.

AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
is sponsored by: and

With their permission, I am reprinting the article here.

For my mother, who grew up on a farm in Iowa, it was hard to imagine how far technology would advance agriculture in such a short time. For instance, the introduction of broadband would be a welcome surprise for many. It’s hard to fathom living without internet access; however, in the past, those in rural America did not have as much access as those living in urban areas. Fortunately, this is changing. According to Pew Internet, adults living in rural America have witnessed high-speed usage grow from 38% in 2008 to 46% in 2009. Many of these adults are farmers.

With the introduction of broadband also came the introduction of many precision agriculture technologies. For example, Ag Leader’s new SMS Mobile Technology helps farmers gain important information. The technology is designed to run on their handheld Mesa Rugged Notepad and provides a platform for farmers to gather information such as soil tests, scouting records and documentation of test trials. With the help of a wireless broadband network, farmers can instantaneously transfer the data to his SMS desktop software. The data can be combined with previous data and take his crop management to another level – a level that is designed to improve his profitability.

While this technology is still somewhat in its infancy, access to wireless communications has offered possibilities not before thought possible. Precision agriculture is taking full advantage of this technology. Each year, data integration and programs are more effective and easier to use as adoption among growers increases.

According to Tim Murphy, in a 2002 article, “Broadband Connection Highs and Lows Across Rural America“, the census found that half the farms in the country were connected to the internet in some way whether it be via broadband or dial-up. By 2007, the percentage of farms connected rose to 56.5 percent. As precision ag comes of age, I expect to see greater growth in the adoption in broadband in rural America. Why? Because broadband and precision ag, together, are helping to change the face of agriculture in a positive and profitable way.

Angela says that MyAmericanFarm.org is a free online resource that now has 12 games covering different topics on agriculture. They all meet core content standards for elementary teachers grades 3-5. Of course the games are fun for students of all ages. Besides adding games there is also updated ag information content. The resource is available to any school anywhere.

You can listen to my interview with Angela here: Angela Mayfield Interview

2011 AFBF Annual Meeting Photo Album

I learned more about the company and the product by talking with Bill Moffitt, a techno geek like me. He says the company was created to bring technology to rural areas to help farmers and others become more productive. One of the ways anyone in business today accomplishes this is by strategically using the internet. Bill says they are even working with Raven Industries on precision applications. Raven is building wifi into their products. This allows for an easier way to transfer data and without monthly cellular charges. There are a lot of other ways that the Ayrmesh can help farmers. One I can think of is becoming more active agvocates!

Listen in to my conversation with Bill to learn all about how to get some free range internet on your farm. Interview with Bill Moffitt

The new web site also highlights steps farmers may take with their neighbors when making changes to their farm. “Neighbor relations is an important part of a farmer’s business plan and the site provides some initial guidance on how to do that,” said Waddingham.

The AyrMesh network extends your home network to your open spaces including workshops, stables, garages, outbuildings and even pasture, without the chore digging in cables. Each AyrMesh Hub provides up to a half-mile of Wi-Fi coverage. Extend your coverage up to 2 miles by linking AyrMesh Hubs through Wi-Fi. Ready to purchase the Ayrstone AyrMesh system?

Listen to my interview with here Matt: Interview with Matt Farr

NAFB Convention Photo Album

Bryan Alessini, Ranch Manager with F&M Oberti Inc monitors 1500 acres of almond and olive crops with PureSense. Alessini was a beta tester for the Irrigation Manager Android app. Alessini found flexibility a key advantage of the new app. “The new Android app has really given us added flexibility in monitoring not only our field moisture, but also the climate readings our PureSense systems deliver,” said Alessini. “It has been a dependable app and makes it so I don’t have to be near a computer.” PureSense has plans to release additional apps for various platforms in the coming months.

Once you’ve given it a spin, stop by Machinery Talk, add your score and talk a little friendly smack!

Zachary Brown may still be in college but he’s already got a full time job going thanks to his Dad, James Brown. Together they started Hay Talk a couple of years ago and it has done so well that they’ve branched out with Ranching Forums, TractorFocus, Row Crop Talk and have plans for several more including the one they just announced which is AgLoop. Sounds like enough to keep two guys busy! By the way, to stay busy in his spare time Zachary also manages AgDesign, website development for farmers.

AgLoop is part of the AgBoards family of online farm forums. Zachary says they believe the sense of “community” created by these forums make them a great place for agribusinesses to connect with their customers. I couldn’t agree more. It’s all part of the online conversations that new and social media have made possible. You can follow them on Twitter.

Besides the forums and new social site, these guys are also podcasting with their first one tied into Hay Talk. It’s the HayTalk.com Hay and Forage Podcast (iTunes link). ZimmCast 267

Here’s some more information about AgLoop:

AgLoop has been compared to the Facebook of Agriculture and provides you with an opportunity to create an in depth profile of yourself or your business.

* Create and maintain your very own blog
* Upload photos and videos
* Create polls
* Chat in our chat room and forums
* Submit your website to our FREE web directory
* Update your Facebook and Twitter from AgLoop!
* Create or join a group/association for your favorite company, cause, or just for fun
* Find and post events that are going on in your area (and promote your favorite event for free)
* Browse using our iPhone app (Coming very, very soon)
* Generate sales and leads for your business
* Make valuable connections – professional and personal
* And more!

The program ends this week with Social Trend by HAF from Music Alley.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.

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

Why? Well if you look at this graphic which shows AgWired visitors for the last month by type of browser they use you can see a top ten list. That’s right. Ten different browsers and there are actually more. So not everyone is using Internet Explorer or Firefox. And although Internet Explorer (IE) is the biggest you need to realize that there are multiple versions of IE. There’s IE6, IE7, IE8 and a test version of IE9. Google Analytics isn’t breaking them out here. Your website could look different in each of them if it isn’t properly coded. And besides the browsers you have to also consider the operating system of your computer. What version of Window are you using or Mac OS? It makes a difference.

I’ve seen this browser compatibility problem with all kinds of websites and companies lately even including my bank where I do online banking. Now, even when we upgrade to a new version of our website software we have to fix all kinds of little bugs that pop up depending on which browser you’re using. It’s a pain in the you know what! But it’s reality. BTW. We find the most problems with IE and its various versions. And if I go back just 2 years ago IE was at 70% and of course there was no Chrome.

The survey explores producer activity and preferences in accessing the Internet for agricultural business information, as well as use of texting and social media. Specific to broadcaster interests, it also probes interest in e-newsletters and the preferred content of agribusiness-focused Web sites.

Among key findings noted by Haller in the new research:

• the Internet is revealing “quintiles” of usage — a sign of what Haller calls “settling,” with indications of core usage in the low range of 20 percent and the high range of 50 percent, depending upon the specific online behavior/activity surveyed
• those producers using the Internet are very active, for the most part, with e-mail, weather, markets, and futures the top draws
• unlike other media, “what I do not do” is still a larger number than “what I do;” but the “I do’s” appear to be in normal quintiles and represent an attractive target

Agribusiness marketers and agencies interested in specific demographic detail or a customized presentation should contact Ted Haller at teddymedia@live.com. Association member broadcast organizations interested in learning more about how the NAFB Internet Usage Study© may benefit their cross-media programming strategies and local business development can contact Mike Parry at mike@nafb.com.

As you’ll hear Ted say in our conversation, traditional media options like radio will not go away. However, the use of the internet by farmers will only continue to grow and these numbers are proof of that. He also describes how useful the internet is now to companies with a limited budget and those who have a “big budget” and are now spreading it across more media options.

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.

I’m also continuing to read “Six Pixels of Separation.” I hope you are too. One of the first points Mitch Joel hits on is the idea that providing free content can make you money. I think the question I get asked most often is, “How do you make money doing this?” Well, Cindy and I have built our whole business via new media using blogs, podcasts and social networking. As Mitch says, we’re all connected now. We can instantly connect with almost anyone. This has fundamentally changed the way business is conducted. For example, your brand is no longer what you say it is. It’s what Google says it is. Why? Because people are searching and finding lots of information about you and your brand. What are you doing to make sure those top results are links or information to you?

I’ll keep pointing out some interesting ideas as I come across them in this book but so far I think it’s the best one I’ve read that puts what we’re doing in language that business people can understand. If I was an agency, I’d buy this book for my client. Unless of course you’re a “traditional” marketer and still think these social media mechanisms are just wastes of time.

The biggest challenge for marketers was integrating Web analytics with other marketing solutions, cited by 46% of respondents. Verifying the accuracy of data was a problem for 41% of marketers, while 32% reported trouble with analytics that were not comprehensive and 29% complained of budgets that were too small.

I take exception to the statement above about analytics proving success. If by analytics they mean just web analytics. By this I mean that just because I can deliver a ton of impressions (visits, visitors, clicks, click throughs, etc.) it doesn’t mean the company sold anything. But how often does an agency or marcomm staff member justify an investment by providing a report that says, “We spent X$’s and got a story that aired on 200 radio stations, a feature in a publication with 100,000 “subscribers” and a web banner or post that had 10,000 visitors.” Wow. Sounds good. But what was the result? Did they sell more? Did that story actually air on those stations? Who listened? Did every subscriber read the feature in that magazine? Did every web visitor see and/or click through on the banner or post? How often do you get that much detail? Ever?

I want to find out how you agrimarketers are tackling this issue. What metrics do you want from the web? What is meaningful? What form do you want it in? Are there certain services or software you prefer? If you place a banner ad, what do you want reported to you? How often do you need to see information? What do you consider reasonable?

This is a very important issue in today’s new media world and one that I have spent countless hours researching and discussing. As ZimmComm has developed online communities that revolve around a blog I don’t think reporting unique website visitors is very helpful for you in evaluating an investment in an advertising order. Why? Because there are over 12 other measurements that have nothing to do with website visitors that need to be considered. Here’s an example:

Let’s look at one day’s traffic on AgWired. It can be as high as 1,000 unique visitors. If I post your story does that mean that only 1,000 people saw it? No way!!!!! Consider that there are almost 1,000 subscribers to the AgWired RSS feed. They may not visit the site. That’s part of the value of the RSS feed. Consider that every post goes to my Twitter account with almost 1,600 followers and that every time one of my tweets is re-tweeted, it is seen by their followers. Consider that Twitter feeds my Facebook profile where I have 350 friends. Consider that this also updates my FriendFeed. Consider that the images or video I’m using in the story may be included in my Flickr or YouTube account. Consider that there are over 40 other websites that have installed the AgWired widget which displays homepage posts on their website. I’m not even counting the other less used social networking mechanisms I’m utilizing like Posterous, MySpace, etc.

But even beyond the above, what about the search engine aspect of all those places on the web that I have posted/distributed content that are now showing up in key word search results or key word news alerts? What about all the people who are re-publishing my information or sending it to their friends, neighbors and colleagues? Of course now you’ll ask the question, “Who are these visitors?” That’s a topic for another post.

Yeah. It adds up and all the sudden the total number of impressions for that one post could grow from the initial 1,000 unique visitor impressions to as many as 5,000 impressions. In fact, this number may only be good for just that one day or point in time. All our stories are archived. We never delete them. How much higher will that number grow within the next week, month and year?

This is what I’m talking about. This is what we do and excel at. This is what we preach and this is what can help grow your brand.

More information is always better and with a lot of information circulating about how marketers are moving their budgets online, this should be good information for ag media planners to have. I do hope questions are asked about social networking mechanisms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. We know from other studies that farmers are reading blogs and listening to podcasts while even producing their own. The social networking phenomenon is taking place in ag and I have no doubts we’ll see that verified by this new study.

NAFB is initiating its third major national research study in four years, with the Internet Ag Information Usage Study commissioned with Ag Media Research, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Results are to be introduced during the November Annual Convention, Nov. 11-13 in Kansas City.

Just when I was about to write a post inspired by Jeff Jarvis, on media measurement I received the announcement about the agency survey and it’s a lot more relevant to you agrimarketers out there. Nicholson Kovac took the initiative to survey growers to find out information that is needed by agencies and companies who are having to make decisions on media choices to reach their customers. Well they sure found out that farmers are online and involved socially. Also amazing is how much they depend on and use their mobile phones.

Here’s some more information on what they found.

Sixty-two percent of large acreage, U.S. corn and soybean growers have sent or received text messages during the past year, according to the newly released Agriculture New Media Usage Study (corn and soybean segment focus), conducted by Nicholson Kovac, Inc. (www.nicholsonkovac.com) The Agriculture New Media Usage study is the first-of-its-kind in the agribusiness industry. It provides comprehensive insight on the use of social media and new media among large acreage corn and soybean growers – including Internet usage, social networking and mobile phone activities − for business and social purposes.

“While there appears to be some confusion and lack of familiarity about social networking, blogging, etc., when social networking brands (ie., such as Facebook or Twitter) were mentioned, many respondents confirmed they are actively using these sites,” said Johnson. “The early adopters and growers who are influencers in their communities are already engaged in exploring new media platforms.”

You can purchase a full copy of the study on their website. Read the full release here.

So, listen to my conversation with Sheree as she reviews the results of the survey and we discuss what they mean.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

For crop farms, 65 percent have computer access and 40 percent use a computer for their farm business in 2009, up 1 and 3 percentage points from 2007, respectively. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 60 percent in 2009, compared with 56 percent in 2007. In 2009, a total of 63 percent livestock farms have computer access and 58 percent have Internet access.

Best Food Facts employs the Food Integrity Index.

The Food Integrity Index is designed to provide balanced, objective information to help consumers make informed choices. We have partnered with leading universities to provide information on common questions or issues about the contemporary US food system. The Index provides a quick overview of the issue and the conclusions. A link is provided to the full research for more information.

The other site is Farmers Feed Us.

Across our great country, farmers and ranchers work each day to produce the food you and your family enjoy. To us, farming is much more than our chosen profession. It is a commitment to providing you with safe, nutritious and affordable food, caring for our animals and our land, and giving back to our communities.

We invite you to explore this site and learn more about what we do each and every day. You can tour our farms, meet our families, and see for yourself how we grow the food that ends up on your family’s table.

Here are the organizations supporting the CFI.

The Center for Food Integrity is supported by more than 20 organizations representing each segment of the food chain, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, Dairy Management Inc., Elanco Animal Health, Fair Oaks Dairy Farm, Foster Farms, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Packers Company, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, International Association of Fairs and Expositions, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board, Michigan State University, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Monsanto, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, Novus International, Ohio Farm Bureau, Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, Purdue University, United Egg Producers, and United Soybean Board.

The new website features a section dedicated exclusively to E85, plus a news center and quick facts, as well as links to follow RFA on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.

The site also invites visitors to sign up to “stay informed, share your stories and become a part of the discussion about clean, renewable fuel in the United States.”

The website address is www.chooseethanol.com.

So, have you tried it? What do you think?

In the report, Acting Chairman Copps notes that Congress has provided new direction and support for federal broadband policies and initiatives, in particular through the American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act of 2009. In addition to providing $7.2 billion for broadband grants, loans and loan guarantees administered by the Agriculture and Commerce departments, that law charges the FCC with developing a national broadband plan by next February.

I love this statement in the report on why broadband matters:

In addition, we not only surf the web, send e-mail, form social networks, and download music and video, but also become ourselves creators of web-based content as we blog about local or world events, and become publishers in our own right.

Here’s what it says about agriculture:

It is clear that access to fixed and mobile broadband services also has the potential to enhance the efficiency and productivity of a number of agricultural activities in rural areas. Farmers, particularly those with smaller operations or in more remote locations, can materially benefit from real-time access to weather and crop reports and to databases of local and national agricultural extension services. For example, farmers can be warned if there is a heightened risk of a plant blight, a livestock disease, or an insect infestation; examine the problem; and know immediately what they need to do to address it. They can call upon Internet-driven tools and applications to consult with experts and precisely calculate the additional inputs they might need to enable their fields to flourish and their animals to thrive—with less waste or risk to the environment. Detailed online market information can help farmers time the sales of their products more profitably. Web-based interaction can help consumer-focused farmers develop a personal relationship with their clientele to assist in bringing the right products to markets at the right time—saving time, fuel, and frustration.

“The revamped site features a number of improvements over the old site,” said Anthony Transou, Syngenta internet marketing manager. “We were able to update the design, making navigation easy and efficient, and add improved features to provide users more agronomic resources. We continue to analyze our service offerings for our customers and provide them with the best information in whatever manner is most convenient for their business.”

“The redesign of the dosatronusa.com website has been a company goal for several years,” said Pam Temko, Dosatron’s vice president of sales and marketing. “We realized that our old site, while it contained good information, was a little inaccessible for those not already familiar with Dosatron. With this design upgrade, our site moves into the twenty-first century and more fully represents the Dosatron brand: innovative, cutting-edge and top-of-the-line.”

You can find the blog here. They’re using WordPress (hooray) and even better, they’ve got an AgWired link in the sidebar! Now that’s how you pitch a blogger just in case you’re wondering. I love it.

Here’s an example of one of the video clips they have available to customers. Notice that it’s loaded into their YouTube account.

Journalists can find their press room here.

The SEO mantra: ‘content is king’ is one shared by journalists. We’ve always believed writing to be incredibly important. The SEO wants to create great content and the journalist wants to write a good news story. Both SEO and journalist want their articles to be read by as wide a readership as possible. It’s important that they appeal to readers and generate some debate. Maybe it’s the journalist’s ego but we want our stories to cause a stir, we want people to respond to them through comment sites, forums and blogs. That means our stories need to be found on the internet in the first place, and that’s why SEO has to become our new best friend. Put simply, we can use SEO to make sure that many more people read our stories.

So, when you are compiling blog posts, updated your twitter or writing an article for publication, do you think about using keywords to reach a wider readership? If so, what are those key words, and how should a person identify them and use them correctly? The world of journalism is certainly evolving, and those not willing to change might be left in the dust. I thought this article might stimulate some dialogue, so let’s compare notes!