On my Florida journey that winds up at the Ag Media Summit I made a stop in Ocala today at the headquarters of Southeast AgNet. We’ve been doing some new media training today on everything from audio production to posting on the website.
Here’s Julie McPeake (L) and Nicholle Saylor hard at work on their new computers. Julie is new to the team, coming from Georgia Beef Board. In a few weeks you’ll see her out and about in the southeast putting her new skills to work.
I’m not sure I mentioned it in my post from yesterday’s luncheon at the FFAA convention but Southeast AgNet was the sponsor.
At the Southern Peanut Growers Conference this week, I had a chance to meet up with one old friend I hadn’t seen in over 20 years - and one new friend that I knew but had never met.
Those of you in the ag journalism business may recognize this lady - formally the voice of the American Farm Bureau Federation once upon a time. You knew her then as Michele Brooks, but for the last 20 years she has been Michele Treptow, married to Rick Treptow of the Georgia Farm Bureau. Michele and I spent a few short minutes catching up and reminiscing about the “dot heads” at the 1985 annual AFBF meeting in Hawaii - and the infamous “Saturday night massacre” later that year when Chuck, Gary Cooper and I were forced out of Florida Farm Bureau after getting approval from the board to take their radio network independent. Ahh, the memories!!!
This gentlemen is known as “Mr. Peanut” in the Southeast and he wears many hats in the peanut industry. Tyron Spearman has been the peanut industry reporter for Southeast Agnet for at least as long as I have been reporting for them - but we had never met until this meeting. It was a great pleasure to meet him and get a chance to chat. He is extremely well respected in the peanut industry.
The SPGC was one of the very best conferences I have ever had the pleasure of attending. The agenda allowed for free afternoon time on the beach, the general sessions were very informative and well attended, the food was great, and the blues bash closing dinner and entertainment was great fun. This group is really a family and they obviously enjoy getting together at this great venue in Panama City every year. I will have more information about the conference in future posts. Not having internet access in my room was a drawback, but I had great access in the conference center.
I hope these kids don’t have to go through an airport metal detector with these belt buckles on. Here’s a picture of the winners (Josh Wampler, Joey Carr, Tyler Klein, WKBV’s Chris Nolte, and Kaitlyn Culy). Brownfield, Ag News for America, and WKBV-AM 1490 are excited to announce the 2008 Indiana Ag Youth Awards winners from the Wayne County 4-H Fair.
Brownfield’s Dave Russell and WKBV Program Director Chris Nolte traveled to the Wayne County Fair on June 27, 2008 to present outstanding youth with engraved belt buckles. The winners were Joey Carr for Grand Champion Barrow; Josh Wampler for Grand Champion Heavy-Weight Goat; Kaitlyn Culy for Grand Champion Steer; and Tyler Klein for Grand Champion Light-Weight Goat.
The Indiana Ag Youth Awards provide a way to honor the successful commitment these young leaders have shown in agriculture. Visit our Ag Youth website, http://www.BrownfieldAgNews.com/2008youthawards/, to check the 2008 county fair schedule, see photos and hear interviews from the 2008 Indiana Ag Youth Awards winners.
I thought I knew about all the ag communications organizations out there but this is a new one on me. It’s the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists. And they have a blog. Yes, I’m going to join.
Our vision is to be the leading global community of practice for information specialists serving agriculture.
Our mission is to enable our members to create, capture, access and disseminate information to achieve a more productive and sustainable use of the world’s land, water, and renewable natural resources. To further this mission:
* IAALD connects agricultural information specialists worldwide, providing platforms and spaces for information dissemination, exchange and knowledge sharing;
* IAALD convenes agricultural information specialists worldwide, organising meetings and catalyzing dialogue among all agricultural information stakeholders;
* IAALD communicates and advocates the value of knowledge and information to its members and others, improving the status and practice of agricultural information management and dissemination;
* IAALD collaborates with members and other partner organisations, facilitating and catalyzing educational and other opportunities across agricultural information communities.
The brave farm broadcaster gets her feet wet collecting pictures and natural sound. What is the sound of flooding anyway?
Tricia “Brave” Terry, RFD Radio Network, literally took to her heels to check on the Mississippi River situation, “splashing my way down US Rte 54 between the river and the levee on the Illinois side. This was Monday at noontime. This area is the Sny Levee Reach. The levy here has four compartments and protects 125,000 acres, one of the largest districts in the country.”
You can click on the picture for a larger version.
Joining the growing number of ZimmComm designed and developed blog is HAT Chat. Hoosier Ag Today announces the launch of the interactive blog “HAT Chat”. Located at www.hatchat.net, this blog is a place on the internet for a discussion of the news and issues impacting Indiana agriculture. HAT broadcasters Gary Truitt and Andy Eubank will regularly share their insights on the news and issues of Indiana agriculture as well as a behind the scenes look at the news and the operation of HAT. Hoosiers will be able to participate in this discussion by posting comments on the blog.
The blog will also be a place to learn the latest news about Hoosier Ag Today. News releases and other information about HAT will be posted to HAT Chat first. The site will be a multi-media site featuring photos, audio clips, and even video pieces. “This is going to be a fun place; I invite everyone to come and have some fun with us,” said Gary Truitt, President of HAT. The site was designed by ZimComm New Media.
While I was attending the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference recently, I turned the tables on one of the media representatives covering the conference. Pictured on the left is Andy Vance, Buckeye Ag Radio Network along with NCGA’s Christina Koboldt. Christina was a big help by the way, helping those of us who haven’t attended a CUTC in a while.
I asked Andy why he attended. He says that what’s happening with corn is extremely important right now to his audience and that he couldn’t imagine not being there. Since the CUTC focuses a lot on new uses for corn he wondered if some of the new uses would generate as much public reaction as using corn for ethanol has.
Andy says that there were several Ohio growers present and even leading some of the sessions. He thinks that growers should participate since these new technological uses of corn are very important to their future.
You can listen to my interview with Andy here:
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I just got off the phone with Curt Lancaster, Texas Farm Bureau Network. He’s got some new responsibilities.
This Texas radio veteran has now added marketing for TFB Publications and the TFB Voice of Texas Agriculture Website to his duties at Texas Farm Bureau.
As of June 1st Lancaster is the Director of Advertising Sales & Marketing for Texas Farm Bureau communications products. Lancaster says by combining the Publications, Internet and Radio Network properties, TFB will be able to offer advertisers a synergistic media marketing package that will be unbeatable in Texas.
Lancaster says the new marketing effort will be known as Texas Farm Bureau Media, reflecting the broad based coverage TFB will offer. Lancaster has been serving as Texas Farm Bureau’s Radio Services Director for the last 7 years, building the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network.
The former President of The National Association of Farm Broadcasters and Man of The Year in Texas Agriculture will maintain a weekly broadcast slot on the TFB Radio Network.
Mike Adams (right), Host of AgriTalk was the celebrity announcer of the celebrity tractor race. He and I talked about the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race right before it got started. AgriTalk producer, John Herath, got this photo of us sporting our Frogg Toggs to keep cool.
This was Mike’s second year as the emcee for the race and once again he did a great job of keeping track of all the competitors and entertaining the crowd for an event that lasted several hours. Mike does tend to kid the competitors and I was afraid for him at one point when he made a sarcastic comment to one of the Tennessee Titan guys who drove in the race. Let’s just say he could have come up on stage and picked Mike up and thrown across the race track. But he smiled and waved instead.
Listen to my interview with Mike:
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A well-run media center can make all the difference in the world when it comes to covering an event - and the World Pork Expo media center was exceptional.
The main reason for that is Leah Schomburg of TriLix Marketing Group, who has been handling this event for seven years now. She was attentive to the needs of the media, calm - if not always cool, especially today when it was pretty humid - and always had a smile on her face. She and the rest of the staff were more than helpful and pleasant. The last time I saw her today she was offering to give me a ride in the golf cart if I needed it.
Leah tells me that 75-100 media register for WPX each year, with another 50-60 often coming in “depending on the dignitary who shows up for the event.” This year that was Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner and one interview Leah set up with him was for MSNBC.
The best part about the media room was good wireless internet access and a quiet, comfortable atmosphere. At the high point on Thursday afternoon, I would say there were as many as 35 reporters working at the same time in different booths in the center and yet there seemed to be a very low noise level. I think the curtains provided good soundproofing.
Listen to my interview with Leah here:
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Longevity for a family-owned and operated business is not all that common in today’s world of acquisitions, especially in the agribusiness and media worlds, but Watt Media is the exception to the rule.
Greg Watt is the fourth generation president and CEO of Watt Publishing, a business started by his great grandfather J.W. Watt in 1917 through an acquisition of a poultry publication called Poultry Tribune. As they celebrate 91 years in the business, Greg says they now cover the agribusiness industry with publications on a global scale, including Pig International and Feed International.
In my interview with him, Greg talks about how the publication business has changed over the past nine decades, moving into more new media like webcasting and podcasting, their gold level sponsorship and involvement at World Pork Expo, and how they are forming partnerships with some of their clients like Novus International to better serve the livestock industry.
Listen to Greg’s interview here:
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The executive director of the National Biodiesel Board is not just a country music fan, but also a country music singer… well, for his wife and kids at home at least. But today, Joe got a bit more exposure than a home audience. He performed live on the Dave Nemo Show on XM Radio with renowned country music singer/songwriter Michael Peterson.
Michael and Joe also delved into energy issues, renewable fuels and where all that fits in with public policy. Joe says the National Biodiesel Board is aiming to have biodiesel replace five percent of the national supply of diesel fuel. He says that is equivalent to the amount of diesel the U.S. if refining and importing from in Iraq. In other words, he says the National Biodiesel Board is aiming to replace the diesel fuel we get from Iraq.
Some critics arguing against renewable fuels point out that the alternative fuel sources will never fully replace the need for oil. But, Joe says that’s not the point, “That’s like saying if you can’t do everything than you shouldn’t do anything.” Joe says The National Biodiesel Board simply doesn’t share that frame of thought. That’s why it has launched the BioTrucker Fuel Card. The card offers card holders cash price on all biodiesel fuel at 5,000 participating locations and special discounts at select truck stops all without any transaction fees. Those interested can sign up for the card at BioTrucker.com.
Both Michael and Joe lauded the farmers that make up the nation’s ag industry. Joe says agriculture is a powerful industry that fosters cutting-edge, technological innovation. “Ag is slow to move but powerful to respond,” Joe said.
You can listen to the entire broadcast of the Dave New Show with Michael and Joe here:
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I also got some videos of Michael and Joe while they were singing and strumming their guitars. You can watch the videos here:
Some of our farm media friends have requested that we supply downloadable audio from World Pork Expo - so here are some files for your use. I just forget to do that now because it is so great to have the player that plays the audio immediately off the server.
OK, let’s start with the interview from NPPC president Bryan Black: Bryan Black Interview (10 min MP3)
Rather than the entire Chuck Conner speech - here is audio from the press gaggle with Conner: Conner press gaggle (13 min MP3)
Here is audio with former NPPC president Joy Philippi (pronounced PHIL-i-pee) of Nebraska, co-chair of the Farm Bill Policy Task Force, on what is in the farm bill for pork producers - and what isn’t: Joy Philippi (10 min MP3)
Here is an interview with Dan Meagher of Novus International - you can thank them for the audio!
(He pronounces his name and gives his title at the start of the interview) Dan Meagher (7 min MP3)
All photos in the Flickr set are available in hi-res versions. Just click on the photo and choose the size options. Just another service of Agwired, courtesy of Novus International. Please email me - cindy@zimmcomm.biz - if you need anything else.
I really hate to do this to you but here’s AgriTalk again. I know, they need their own category, blog, etc. Mike, Mike and John were live from the CUTC today and I’ll see them again this weekend in Nashville for the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race.
I’ve got some more items to post but this has been a day of doing audio interviews, video recording of session presenters as well as still photography. There hasn’t been any posting time but I do have the photo album updated.
Tomorrow I’ll be traveling on to the annual meeting of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council where I’m presenting in back-to-back sessions in the afternoon. So after the reception here tonight I’ll get caught up online and see you from there.
Another one of the booths I visited at the recent NAMA Convention Connection Point was Fastline. Participating in this interview are Bill Howard, Publisher, Matt Coniglio, National Accounts Manager and Joe McWilliams, VP Sales and Marketing. Learn all about the company and publication. They’re celebrating 30 years this year!
This is one in a series of interviews we conducted in partnership with AgriMarketing Magazine and exhibtors in the NAMA Connection Point.
One of the booths that I got to conduct an interview in during the NAMA Convention was the DTN and The Progressive Farmer booth. In it I spoke with Adrian Blake, Publisher, who helped me understand the editorial focus of DTN and their publication. In the interview you’ll hear him talk about what make them different and how advertisers can benefit from the multiple channels they offer.
This is one in a series of interviews we conducted in partnership with AgriMarketing Magazine and exhibtors in the NAMA Connection Point.
I am seriously glad I elected to arrive early into Washington, DC today for the BASF Media Summit. Although we don’t get started until this evening, registration was already set up and waiting when I got to the hotel.
All the rain and wind from the midwest this weekend is now here on the east coast. I hope all our other attendees make it in on time. It was pouring when we landed and it looks like the Potomac is almost over its banks.
I’ve started a photo album for the event which I’ll be adding to periodically so check it out and see if you know anyone who’s here. BASF Media Event Photo Album
After getting in a little work out I’m going to check out our media room set up and see if I can plan a schedule for AgWired Live TV tomorrow. I’ll post that later on.
AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:
I’ve been asked a few times lately what the story is with The Derry Brownfield Show and Learfield Communications but was waiting to write about it until I had more information. Here’s Derry enjoying a great party out at his cabin last weekend.
Probably most of you know that Derry Brownfield and Clyde Lear started Learfield Communications many moons ago. I joined the team as manager of the Brownfield Network after Clyde had bought Derry’s interest in the company. It was while I was there that we started Derry’s talk show. In fact, Cindy gets credit for the idea and I worked out the formatting and helped get the first list of affiliated radio stations. I’m planning to do an interview with Derry soon so we can reminisce about those good old days.
Apparently Learfield Communications will no longer be supporting the talk show and I really don’t know anything more than you can read online. You can read about it directly on Clyde’s company blog.
His last show will be in the middle of May. The “Common Sense Coalition” grinds to a halt on our system, but likely will continue with a new ownership group.
I’m fairly certain that Brownfield Network clients know that Derry’s show has been independent of the farm radio network. However, the public perception has always been different. Derry has always been very outspoken and opinionated. In fact, he’s a self described mean spirited, politically incorrect, cantankerous old so and so. But he’s a good friend and one of my favorite people to hang out with. I love how it says in the “AgLine News” article that other people at Learfield were afraid to talk to him. I always found Derry open and easy to talk with.
Derry is an industry icon and one that has many more years of service to give. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next and I’m betting you’ll be able to find out here soon.
“Kelly is a great addition to our team,” said Stan Koenigsfeld, President, Learfield News. �Her enthusiasm and Director of Marketing experience make her a great asset to our team and clients in Nebraska.�
As Account Executive for Nebraska Radio Network and Brownfield, Ag News for America, Medwick will help marketers develop and implement effective campaigns to achieve their organizational goals.
Before joining Learfield, she was the Associate VP of Communications for Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, where she developed strategic marketing, branding and public awareness campaigns. Medwick also worked with multiple state and non-profit entities on collaborative outreach programs.
According to Executive Director, Bill O’Neill, the National Association of Farm Broadcasting is conducting waves of farmer media use surveys this year. It’s their NAFB 2008 National Producer Media-Use Study. He says they’re focusing on larger producers and ranchers (Class 1A, $100,000+ in sales/gross farm income).
I’ll be attending next week’s NAFB Washington Watch program courtesy of the organization to cover it here on AgWired.
He’s got these notes from the first wave (the others will be conducted in April and September):
While Web-based information use among producers has grown thanks to increased access to high-speed Internet connections, radio is holding place as the primary and most-used source of daily agribusiness information. The study’s initial results also reveal that agriculture’s listening patterns have changed little in 10 years, as all Class 1A producers are listening to radio 5.57 days per week — and those who listen specifically to agricultural programming are listening 6.42 days per week.
A new generation of younger producers (below age 50) is indicating more reliance on radio for specific information, and they are spending more time listening. A strong percentage of high-speed Internet users listening to farm radio are tuning to a specific broadcaster. Online, fragmentation is highly evident among producers attempting, without the aid of a reference list, to pinpoint their “most valuable Web site” for agricultural information. (more…)
On my Florida journey that winds up at the Ag Media Summit I made a stop in Ocala today at the headquarters of Southeast AgNet. We’ve been doing some new media training today on everything from audio production to posting on the website. 
At the Southern Peanut Growers Conference this week, I had a chance to meet up with one old friend I hadn’t seen in over 20 years - and one new friend that I knew but had never met.
This gentlemen is known as “Mr. Peanut” in the Southeast and he wears many hats in the peanut industry. Tyron Spearman has been the peanut industry reporter for 
I hope these kids don’t have to go through an airport metal detector with these belt buckles on. Here’s a picture of the winners (Josh Wampler, Joey Carr, Tyler Klein, WKBV’s Chris Nolte, and Kaitlyn Culy).
I thought I knew about all the ag communications organizations out there but this is a new one on me. It’s the 
Joining the growing number of ZimmComm designed and developed blog is 
While I was attending the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference recently, I turned the tables on one of the media representatives covering the conference. Pictured on the left is Andy Vance, 
I just got off the phone with Curt Lancaster, 
Mike Adams (right), Host of 
A well-run media center can make all the difference in the world when it comes to covering an event - and the World Pork Expo media center was exceptional. 
Leah tells me that 75-100 media register for WPX each year, with another 50-60 often coming in “depending on the dignitary who shows up for the event.” This year that was Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner and one interview Leah set up with him was for MSNBC.
Longevity for a family-owned and operated business is not all that common in today’s world of acquisitions, especially in the agribusiness and media worlds, but Watt Media is the exception to the rule.
Greg Watt is the fourth generation president and CEO of 
Some of our farm media friends have requested that we supply downloadable audio from World Pork Expo - so here are some files for your use. I just forget to do that now because it is so great to have the player that plays the audio immediately off the server.
I really hate to do this to you but here’s 
I am seriously glad I elected to arrive early into Washington, DC today for the BASF Media Summit. Although we don’t get started until this evening, registration was already set up and waiting when I got to the hotel.
I’ve been asked a few times lately what the story is with 
According to Executive Director, Bill O’Neill, the 
Digital cattle news pioneer, Rob Cook, is now working for Vance Publishing after the company acquired CattleNetwork.com.
