The National Pork Board is celebrating Cindy today. Not me, that would be Cindy Cunningham, or “communications professional extraordinaire,” as NPB VP of Communications Michael Wegner calls her.
Our good friend is being celebrated today for 20 years of service to America’s pork industry. As Mike notes, Cindy “helped guide the pork industry through the price collapse in 1998 and through the H1N1 disaster in 2009. She’s also helped the industry avert a few thousand other crises — large and small — in between and since. And crisis management is just a small part of her job description. We all can be thankful she has chosen to dedicate these past 20 years to serving pork producers.”
I am thankful to have known Cindy for all those 20 years and that she is one of the exclusive club of three Cindy-Cyndi’s – which includes us and Cyndi Young of Brownfield Network. We’re kind of a big deal.
When I told her I wanted a photo to do a post about her anniversary at NPB, she said nay, nay. Of course, we have dozens of photos of her over the years – always lovely. And we have to say yeah, yeah.
For those folks just getting back into the office this week after the holidays and playing the game of catch-up, the Agricultural Relations Council has some good news. The deadline for the 2011 Golden ARC awards has been extended to on or before Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 at 5 p.m.
The annual competition will include nearly 40 categories for agricultural public relations activities conducted in full or partially in the year 2011. Re-instituted in 2009, the Golden ARC awards program began in 1990. The contest recognizes the stellar work created by professionals in the agricultural industry.
The format and requirements for the Golden ARC awards are similar to other leading PR awards programs, based on best practices for public relations and public affairs campaigns and tactics.
Categories fall into two divisions – Campaigns and Tactics. A student category is also available. The 36 categories reflect the broad scope of public relations and public affairs activities today, including campaigns and a range of tactics, from traditional media releases to social media.
The contest is open to both ARC and non-ARC members.
The entry fee for the first entry for non-ARC members is $300 (includes a membership fee). Additional entries are $125 each. More information is available at www.GoldenARCawards.com or at the ARC website, www.agrelationscouncil.org.
Does your nonprofit need some free public relations assistance? If so, get your application if for the 2012 Seed to Succeed PR Grant, valued at $25,000, from Harvest PR & Marketing.
Any U.S. nonprofit organization connected to the production and/or marketing of food, commodities, or committed to the cause of promoting agriculture, is encouraged to apply by Oct. 31, 2011.
The idea for Seed to Succeed materialized in 2009 when Harvest PR team members expressed interest in annually committing to a nonprofit focused on food and farm, and whose goals were limited mainly by resources. “We are firm believers that big ideas can sprout from small places,” says Heidi Nelson, principal. “Coming alongside a nonprofit that shares our values and commitment to the betterment of the industry has been a tremendous experience for our team. Our Seed to Succeed work thus far has been quite meaningful and successful.”
Organizations interested in 2012 pro bono marketing services can download more information at www.harvest-pr.com. Applications are due Monday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. PST. The recipient will be announced Dec. 1, 2011.
The AgChat Foundation has been a recipient of the grant and as a board member I can say we have truly appreciated the work done for the Foundation by Harvest PR & Marketing. They played a key role in the early development of the organization.
The top players of the popular on-line game FarmVille will get a taste of reality as they leave the virtual farm this month to plant a real fruit orchard in the real town of Farmville, Virginia – courtesy of Edy’s Fruit Bars.
The new orchard in Farmville, VA commemorates a branded integration between Edy’s Fruit Bars and FarmVille. From June 13 to June 19, 2011, FarmVille players across the country will plant limited edition Edy’s Fruit Bars branded crops within the FarmVille game, earning additional profitability and the opportunity to receive mastery recognition for planting, growing and selling the Fruit Bars crops.
A handful of lucky players have been selected to plant trees in real life, as well. Sharyn Martinez is among the FarmVille enthusiasts traveling to Farmville, VA to plant a fruit orchard with Edy’s Fruit Bars. “Being from Los Angeles, I thought the only way I’d get to plant an orchard was on my beautiful virtual farm! But now, thanks to Edy’s Fruit Bars and Zynga, I am getting ready to dig in and plant fruit trees in the real town of Farmville,” says Sharyn.
The planting in Farmville, VA is an example of Edy’s Fruit Bars ongoing commitment to revitalizing one of our most precious resources: fruit trees. In 2010, Fruit Bars introduced Communities Take Root, an annual program dedicated to planting fruit tree orchards in deserving communities nationwide. Throughout the summer, Edy’s Fruit Bars invites people across the United States to cast their vote to help twenty communities blossom, one orchard at a time.
Peter Kerr has worked with a lot of people in agriculture and he found that many are not prepared for a crisis and can’t afford to hire a public relations firm to help them deal with one when it happens. So what he’s doing is bringing together farmers and agribusinesses in a coalition to “help each other out.” He has formed the Crisis Management Coalition. You join with a $100 monthly fee for which you receive a monthly newsletter, access to quarterly webinars and free assistance to create a crisis management plan and an hour’s no-charge consultation if a crisis should actually happen. He says members will pay about ten percent of what they’d pay a PR firm for ninety percent of the services they would receive.
Steve says that Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech, is one of the inspirations for the effort. I visited with Steve at the Alltech Symposium this week where he was signing up new members. Steve has been a communications consultant and was a speaker at last year’s Symposium. Peter Kerr Interview
Harvest PR & Marketing, Inc. has once again awarded its Seed to Succeed nonprofit PR grant, valued at $20,000, to the AgChat Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering farmers and ranchers to effectively tell their story using social media.
AgChat Foundation, which celebrated its one-year anniversary April 5, debuted the “Agvocacy 2.0 Training” in Chicago last August for a select group of 50 farmers and ranchers, and earned a coveted spot on the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, last month.
Currently, Harvest PR is leading a consumer-targeted media relations program spotlighting success stories of the farmers and ranchers who’ve established or enhanced their social media presence, and have successfully connected with consumers as a result of AgChat Foundation training and support. Harvest PR also recently spearheaded the nonprofit’s “Class of 2.0 Reunion,” in which Agvocacy 2.0 Training graduates reunited on Facebook and Twitter and recommitted to their social media goals.
Harvest PR created the Seed to Succeed PR Grant in 2009 to annually support one worthy not-for-profit cause or organization that serves to better agriculture. Applications for the 2012 PR Grant, valued at $25,000, are due Monday, Oct. 31, 2011. Details at www.harvest-pr.com.
When I bring up PR etiquette in a conversation it usually generates a few chuckles. Now why would that be? Maybe I should refer to this as public relations professionalism. Whatever you want to call it the recent Ag Media Summit provided several opportunities to comment on it. During the event’s InfoExpo I had two situations that provide a real good lesson in what “not to do.”
The first one involved me walking to a scheduled appointment with an exhibitor to conduct an interview. While walking past a certain exhibit one of the people in the booth grabbed me by the arm, stopping me and “asking” if I could interview their representative who was at that moment already being interviewed. I explained that I had a scheduled interview and could come back later. My arm was still being held and further pressure was applied verbally to stay. I don’t know about you but even though I like a good welcoming hug, I’m not fond of being grabbed. Needless to say I did not return to this booth.
Another situation involved me in conversation with my scheduled appointment and prior to starting me interview (audio recording), a PR professional from another booth walked in between me and the person I was speaking with and proceeded to try to start a conversation as if I wasn’t there. I had to speak over the shoulder to my contact and say that perhaps we could finish if this was more important. Turns out it wasn’t and they were told to come back. Needless to say I did not visit their booth. (more…)
Colorado Farm Bureau informed us today that the Farm American Chevrolet that will debut at the Brickyard 400 Sprint Cup race in Indianapolis on Sunday has a different look than when it was on display at NAMA earlier this year. As you can see here, the No. 78 Farm American Chevrolet is now a bright green, yellow, blue and white with the theme of ‘Cultivating the Future’.
Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers has lots more great photos on their Facebook page, including this YouTube video walk around of the car. Can’t wait to see it on the track!
Harvest PR & Marketing has just announced the recipient of its second annual Seed To Succeed nonprofit PR Grant. It’s the AgChat Foundation! The grant is valued at $20,000.
Harvest PR’s grant will help the start-up nonprofit spread its “agvocacy” message and share news of its core program areas, including Agvocacy Training and Technology Scholarships.
“The AgChat mission really resonated with our team, as it clearly has with thousands of grassroots supporters across North America that make up the backbone of this farmer-led organization,” said Heidi Nelson, founder and principal of the boutique public relations and marketing firm. “We’re honored to lend our public relations support to the AgChat Foundation through our second annual grant offering.”
Here at ZimmComm we’re also committed to assisting the AgChat Foundation and have committed an in-kind contribution of our own that totals nearly $10,000 for advertising and promotional services. That’s outside of my own volunteer efforts as one of the current board members.
If your company or organization can provide some assistance to the AgChat Foundation don’t hesitate to call me or any of the members of the board.
Media convergence is defined as: “phenomenon involving the interlocking of computing and information technology companies, telecommunications networks, and content providers from the publishing worlds of newspapers, magazines, music, radio, television, films, and entertainment software. Media convergence brings together the “three Cs”—computing, communications, and content.” Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
We’re really seeing this in agricultural communications today. New media is not just happening somewhere else. Take the brand new Angus Report, produced by the American Angus Association. Here’s a cattle breed association with a publication that’s now producing a very nicely done television “broadcast.” Are they an ag group? Are they public relations people? Are they ag editors? Are they farm broadcasters? Hmm. Which ag communications association should they belong to? AAEA, LPC, NAMA, ARC or NAFB? All of the above? That does start to get expensive. Just planing seeds folks. Takes time for them to grow. Gotta water and fertilize the field every now and then.
The American Angus Association® has debuted its first-ever online news program, offering busy Angus cattlemen and women the opportunity to catch up on important industry issues while learning more about management tools and value-added marketing opportunities.
“We understand how busy producers are these days,” says Eric Grant, Association director of public relations. “This program encapsulates the week’s top stories into as short a time frame as possible — squeezing the information ranchers need into the little time they have available.”
The weekly web-based news program will cover a variety of topics in a traditional television news format and complements additional resources available at www.angus.org.
In ZimmCast number 250 learn how Ducks Unlimited does public relations. I can’t believe I’ve done 250 of these. The first posted version of the ZimmCast was January 31, 2005! I wish I could say it seems like only yesterday but it really doesn’t.
Getting on to the topic of this week’s program, I recorded the presentation made by Tony Dolle, Director of Communications for Ducks Unlimited. He’s seen here conducting his presentation during the Agricultural Relations Council meeting in Memphis at their headquarters. Tony’s job was to tell us how they conduct public relations and deal with today’s media. I think you’ll find it very interesting. Ducks Unlimited is a very successful and well run organization with a budget of about $220 million.
Since we were in Memphis and it’s the home of some of the best blues music you’ll ever find I ended the program with some music from Music Alley. It’s a song called, “Memphis Blues” by Ocean Street.
Since I have returned to my family’s cattle operation, I’ve quickly been put in charge of all marketing efforts. For the fair, I developed a brochure about our business, as well as designed stall cards to display information about our cattle. My next task is improving our website (it’s in need of dire help), and starting up a newsletter for our customers.
Of course, these projects take time, and I have to balance these ideas with my writing and speaking duties, as well. Yet, my hope is to help my parents really develop the NOLZ Limousin brand as one that people in the industry will recognize. Today, my questions for AgWired readers include the following: What are you looking for in a good newsletter and website? How long is the newsletter? What topics should it address? What’s the best programs for developing professional online and print materials? How often does a newsletter need to be sent out? Can it easily be sent via email, too?
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! I’m learning as I go. I’m definitely not a graphic designer! HELP!
If you’re interested in learning something about pitching stories to bloggers you might want to participate in a today’s webinar that’s part of the Communicating Renewables Webinar series. There’s still time to register. All the information is posted below. Although our topic is energy, the things we’ll discuss are applicable to any industry. I’m one of the presenters. If you’ve got any thoughts on the subject please feel free to comment here or send me a message via Twitter.
The Communicating Renewables Webinar series is a project of Joanna Schroeder, 4R Communications. Joanna is currently a contributing editor to our Domestic Fuel, renewable fuel news website.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2009
1:00 pm — 2:00 pm EST / Cost $49
Pitching Energy Bloggers: Best Practices
Presented by Jim Lane, Editor, Biofuels Digest and Chuck Zimmerman, Editor, DomesticFuel.com
The media landscape has changed and with the proliferation of blogs, the web has become the leader in breaking news, and a primary source for consumers to get their information. So how do you get bloggers to cover your story? This webinar will discuss the power of blogs; how blogs have changed the way reporters report; what types of stories bloggers write about; and how to craft a successful pitch to a blogger.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, “Shining at the PR Summit” is underway here in Denver. I’m feeling my miles this morning after 5 days at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville but thank you to the Brown Palace Coffee & Tea Co. for helping out.
I’ll be conducting a session on social media here in just a few minutes. Please feel free to tweet your thoughts on using social media to the PR professionals here from state Farm Bureaus across the country. Just use the #FBPR hashtag. You know what I’m talking about right?
Got a beat in your step and a competitive edge? Here is an interesting contest you might want to consider entering…
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council today announced an impressive lineup of judges for the Council’s contest to rewrite “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”so that it includes a long-overdue reference to hot dogs.
Judges will include Washington D.C.’s “Man About Town,” Bob Madigan,of WTOP radio; Chicago news and sports personality Bob Sirott of NBC5 ; hot dog historian Bruce Kraig, author of the new book Hot Dog; Agri-talk Radio Host Mike Adams; and Eric Haman, corporate communications manager at Hatfield Quality Meats and star of the YouTube sensation “The Hatfield Hot Dog Launcher.”
Entries must be received by June 12, 2009. Winners will be announced at the start of National Hot Dog Month July 1 and will be featured in an online video on the Hot Dog Council’s YouTube channel.
Calling all communications professionals. What is one of the most difficult challenges we face? Developing campaigns that will garnering consumer support and product adoption. An example of just how difficult this can be is the corn-ethanol industry. Consumer support has been dwindling for months and this has in part, been driving by media hostility and biased reporting.
So what is the most effective way to communicate your message to ensure your product survives in a crowded marketplace?
This question and more will be answered in the Communicating Renewables Webinar Series. This program is designed for those involved in or seeking information about the alternative energy arena. The webinar series is designed specifically to help arm communications professionals with the tools they will need to approach, head on, the challenging task of getting the positive message about renewable energy, technologies and research out to consumers, stakeholders, policy leaders, and the media.
Topics include:
» Web 2.0: how to harness the newest online tools to ensure your message reaches your target audience
» Strength in numbers: building coalitions with unlikely partners to add legitimacy to your messages
» Pit Bull Media Relations: how to pitch reporters who don’t support your product
» Grant Writing and Fundraising 101: how to bring additional funding to your organization
» Pitching Energy Reporters: the do’s and dont’s to securing coverage and featuring our very own Chuck Zimmerman
» Developing Effective Media Relationships: how to work with overburdened and time-starved reporters
Don’t miss this ground breaking and affordable webinar series. Most sessions are only $49. The first session is June 2, 2009. To learn more and to register go to www.CommunicatingRenewables.com.
Doing a story on farming or tractors? Need a good quality photo? John Deere has help in the mail.
I just got my John Deere Photo Library Volume Seven.
Here’s a new way to send out your photos. In the box was a folded up cut out tractor with tiny magnets holding different parts together. Inside was a John Deere USB memory stick containing the photos listed in the printed catalog. The memory stick contains programming to allow you to easily browse the photos by category in a browser too.
There are a lot of photos available including scenic shots in addition to pure product photos. Seems like a good way to provide journalist (yeah, that includes bloggers!) with complimentary content and in a useful format.
Thanks to Denny Eilers for providing me with photos of our Best of NAMA award winners for each category.
First up is Best of Show, Advertising
(Left to Right)
Tom Bigelow, Bigelow Advertising
Rick Radermacher, Bigelow Advertising
Chris Lund, AGCO Application Equipment
The next ones are Best of Show, Public Relations
(Left to Right)
Paul Durham, Martin/Williams
Kim Dawson, Syngenta
Kerry Henderson, Gibbs & Soell
And then we have Best of Show, Specialty
(Left to Right)
Richard Williams, Archer>Malmo
James Ward, Archer>Malmo
Mike Butler, Archer>Malmo
Hello non-profits. Here’s a chance to obtain a grant for public relations services. The folks at Harvest PR & Marketing want to help you out. If chosen, they would start working for you in June.
At Harvest PR & Marketing, Inc., we believe big ideas can sprout from the smallest and unlikeliest of places. And, with a little nurturing, those ideas can grow and thrive.
We are seeking an opportunity to help one nonprofit thrive in 2009 — with the help of our first PR grant offering, Seed to Succeed.
We will donate up to $20,000 in services to promote one worthy not-for-profit organization or cause that serves to better agriculture — its reputation, its products, its future, the communities and families it supports from one generation to the next.
Please spread the word if you, or someone you know, could benefit from our own special currency of seed money. Interested parties can find more information at www.Harvest-PR.com. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit a proposal by May 15 to be considered for this PR grant.
From “Darling to Devil” in the blink of an eye – that’s what happened to the biofuels industry in the past year or so – but better communications on the part of the industry could have helped with the damage control and could still help repair some of the damage done. What’s more, the damage done to biofuels could also happen to other alternative energy products like wind, solar, geothermal, and hydrogen unless communicators implement three important lessons learned from the attack on biofuels. They will be presented by experts in the field at the upcoming Communicating Renewables Summit, April 21-23, 2009 in Minneapolis, MN.
1. Learn to create key messages that resonate with consumers – Suzanne Shelton, President and CEO of The Shelton Group, will tell you “What consumers really think about green.”
2. Unify with “one voice, one message” – Matt Williams, partner in The Martin Agency , will discuss how to ‘green’ your brand from the core to create sustainability efforts that build your brand and differentiate you from your competition.
3. Prepare an Issue Management Plan in advance of attacks – “Crisis Communications vs. Issues Management” will be presented by Eileen Wixted, principal of Wixted, Pope, Nora and Thompson (WPNT).
Become a communications victor, not communications victim at the Communicating Renewables Summit. Register online by March 13th and receive $150 off the early-bird registration rate.
In this week's program Chuck talks with Mike Adams, AgriTalk.
Chuck and Mike often wind up at the same events all over the country so it seemed like a good idea to do a little AgriTalking about the changes they've seen in the ag media landscape.
Our good friend is being celebrated today for 20 years of service to America’s pork industry. As Mike notes, Cindy “helped guide the pork industry through the price collapse in 1998 and through the H1N1 disaster in 2009. She’s also helped the industry avert a few thousand other crises — large and small — in between and since. And crisis management is just a small part of her job description. We all can be thankful she has chosen to dedicate these past 20 years to serving pork producers.”
A handful of lucky players have been selected to plant trees in real life, as well. Sharyn Martinez is among the FarmVille enthusiasts traveling to Farmville, VA to plant a fruit orchard with Edy’s Fruit Bars. “Being from Los Angeles, I thought the only way I’d get to plant an orchard was on my beautiful virtual farm! But now, thanks to Edy’s Fruit Bars and Zynga, I am getting ready to dig in and plant fruit trees in the real town of Farmville,” says Sharyn.
In ZimmCast number 250 learn how 
Since I have returned to my family’s cattle operation, I’ve quickly been put in charge of all marketing efforts. For the fair, I developed a brochure about our business, as well as designed stall cards to display information about our cattle. My next task is improving our website (it’s in need of dire help), and starting up a newsletter for our customers.
If you’re interested in learning something about pitching stories to bloggers you might want to participate in a today’s webinar that’s part of the 
The American Farm Bureau Federation, “Shining at the PR Summit” is underway here in Denver. I’m feeling my miles this morning after 5 days at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville but thank you to the Brown Palace Coffee & Tea Co. for helping out.
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council today announced an impressive lineup of judges for the Council’s contest to rewrite “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”so that it includes a long-overdue reference to hot dogs.
Calling all communications professionals. What is one of the most difficult challenges we face? Developing campaigns that will garnering consumer support and product adoption. An example of just how difficult this can be is the corn-ethanol industry. Consumer support has been dwindling for months and this has in part, been driving by media hostility and biased reporting.
Doing a story on farming or tractors? Need a good quality photo? John Deere has help in the mail.
Thanks to Denny Eilers for providing me with photos of our Best of NAMA award winners for each category.
The next ones are Best of Show, Public Relations
And then we have Best of Show, Specialty
Hello non-profits. Here’s a chance to obtain a grant for public relations services. The folks at 
From “Darling to Devil” in the blink of an eye – that’s what happened to the biofuels industry in the past year or so – but better communications on the part of the industry could have helped with the damage control and could still help repair some of the damage done. What’s more, the damage done to biofuels could also happen to other alternative energy products like wind, solar, geothermal, and hydrogen unless communicators implement three important lessons learned from the attack on biofuels. They will be presented by experts in the field at the upcoming 
In this week's program Chuck talks with Mike Adams, AgriTalk.
