To get a preview of this year’s ARC annual meeting agenda I spoke with ARC President, Mace Thornton, AFBF. Mace says more people are attending this year which marks the third year of growth for the revitalization effort that’s underway to grow ARC into the organization that it once was. The Golden ARC Awards program is also larger with more entries this year too. Mace also points to a new element of the program – the inaugural inductees to the new Agricultural Public Relations Hall of Fame. We’ll be honoring Lyle Orwig, Charleston Orwig and Don Lerch, an ARC founder. Find out more about the program in this week’s program. If you think you still want to attend it’s not too late if you get your registration done now. If you can’t make it then check AgWired or you can also follow the conference hashtag on Twitter – #ARC12.

Post Update: The official Twitter hashtag for the ARC Annual Meeting is now: #AgRC

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Preview of ARC Annual Meeting

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.

“We are thrilled to recognize these winners,” said Lynn Henderson, Agri Marketing magazine publisher and award sponsor. “This new award program for ag PR professionals who have distinguished themselves and promoted this profession is long overdue.”

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.

Love you muchess, Duchess!

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 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.

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 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.

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.

Brilliant! Wish I had thought of it!

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

2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

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.

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.

Other situations like this have happened at InfoExpo before and at the NAFB Trade Talk. I’ve even had a PR person turn me around and ask me to come to their booth and interview their client while I’m in the middle of an interview with my microphone held up and obviously working!

Perhaps as these sessions have grown they’ve become too competitive. What do you think? I’ve been told that some clients are judging their PR reps on how many interviews they score and they keep score cards. But does an interview mean a story is published or aired or posted online? No!

If we had 81 booths at InfoExpo and I know the NAFB Trade Talk is full too then it is physically impossible to conduct an interview or even have a meaningful conversation with every exhibitor. I would love to do so btw. This means I have to prioritize and it means that generally speaking, I or any other ag journalist I know, have to try to see our major supporters first. That means those who are spending money to support our medium and media outlet. I think this is a subject for a separate post so I’ll leave it at that.

I think we expect that the PR professionals exhibiting understand our situation as journalists and realize that even if we can’t conduct an interview during the show we can always follow up afterward by phone. The majority do and I really appreciate their professionalism. It’s the few overly aggressive or perhaps unaware who are really doing their client or company a disservice. Would love to know your thoughts. Have you experienced this? Have suggestions?

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!

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

Amanda Nolz
Blogger
Speaker
Daughter
Cowgirl
Student

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.

Click here to register.

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?

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.

For details on prizes and how to enter, link to the American Meat Institute.

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.

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.

What do you think about this idea?

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

Congratulations to all winners and finalists!

NAMA Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by:
and .

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.

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.

Conference organizer Joanna Schroeder with 4RCommunications has just released a new promotional video about the summit – now live on YouTube for your viewing pleasure!

In a post titled, “Five Digital Trends to Watch for 2009:”

The Power of Pull – Where push once ruled, it’s now equally important to create digital content that people discover through search

How hard is this for the traditionalist (public relations and journalism) to understand? Very! The objections include things like, “I can’t control it” and “The numbers are small.”

In a post titled “The Newspaper Reporter of the Future is Here Today,” Steve points to the work of Peter Abraham, who is covering the New York Yankees for a local newspaper. Abraham is blogging, including live with CoveritLive, podcasting, posting pictures. Here’s what Steve says about it:

Now imagine for a moment that Abraham wasn’t a Yankees beat writer but instead covering your company or industry for the business section. Or imagine she is the newspaper’s food columnist. This multi-platform method of engaging is right for all of them. If every reporter did this on staff they can build not only a more engaged audience, but also redefine local media since it’s all potentially global.

What Abraham is doing represents not only the future of journalism but also what PR professionals themselves need to do to build connections in the years ahead.

Now, keeping in mind what Steve says above, read this comment from a recent post by Jeff Jarvis. His post is titled, “TV’s Next,” in which he writes about the demise of newspapers and explains why he believes broadcasting is next.

It’s a failure of distribution as a business model. Distribution is a scarcity business: ‘I control the tower/press/wire and you don’t and that’s what makes my business.’ Not long ago, they said that owning these channels was tantamount to owning a mint. No more. The same was said of content. But it’s relationships (read: links) that create value today.

The local TV and radio business, once a privilege to be part of, is next to fall. Timber.

How is your company or media outlet making sure you survive the digital information transition? Do you agree with Steve and Jeff or disagree? Do you still think you can control your customers or subscribers and force them into your “domain?”

The firm, which will operate as an independent subsidiary of JLM1926 Holdings, is located in the Corporate Woods office park in Overland Park, Kan. The agency will continue to service Anderson Fallon’s existing client portfolio. In addition, it will serve as a public relations partner to other JLM1926 agency holdings including McCormick Company, McCormick Global (Canada), The Hondo Group and UNISON Resource Company.

“We believe by combining the expertise, integrity and strategic capabilities of Anderson Fallon with the scope and reach of JLM1926 Holdings, we can deliver meaningful public relations counsel to clients that help them capitalize on their market positions in this time of growth for the agricultural industry and time of challenge in many other industries,” says Perrin.

Mariposa Partners, Inc., will be led by Anderson; Becky Johnson will serve as the new firm’s manager of client services; PR counselors Julie Balmer, Sylvia Bachmann, David Chitwood and Beth Buchanan also will be joining the group.

At least they’re thinking in the right direction. Adding a function that would allow you to post to a blog on your own domain/host would be a nice next step.

I guess bloggers can be journalists after all. Who would have thought?

“As our client base expands, so must our operations,” said Kim Jones, vice president of The Hondo Group. “We are pleased to now have a location in Darlington that will focus on our ever-expanding list of agriculture and dairy clients.”

As The Hondo Group continues to expand, the company will provide clients with business solutions such as strategic branding processes and procedures, new products and new technologies. The company has made investments in several additional staff members to ensure that exceptional customer service and results continue.

The Hondo Group has offered marketing services both on the national and international level. The firm focuses on agribusiness, real estate, professional services and western lifestyle.

He used Ning to create the site. Ning? What’s Ning you may ask. Ning is the only online service where you can create, customize, and share your own Social Network for free in seconds. It’s the software equivalent of Home Depot. Unlike other services that offer a �one-size-fits-all� offering, your social network on Ning runs on a programmable platform.”

Now that sounds interesting. But let’s get back to PROpenMic.

PROpenMic? A metaphor. Step up and speak your mind. Our goal is to be the social network for PR students and faculty worldwide. We have common interests, goals and certainly can learn from one another. We welcome PR pros, too. Hey, you can find your next great intern or new hire right here. Also, faculty always love to interact with practitioners.

PROpenMic isn’t a podcasting network, although we’d love to see those here, too. Think of it as a digital place to step up to the microphone and share your views. Please tell your friends. Once you sign up, there is an easy “Invite More” link in the top right hand corner of the page.

I know I don’t have very many network connections online (yeah, right) but I did create a page of my own on the new PR network.

“When we initiated the search for a new agency of record, it was very important to select an agency with a winning track record of effective brand management and marketing communications within the agricultural market,” said Paul Holliday, Becker Underwood, Business Unit Head – Inoculants. “After a thorough search and analysis, we selected Osborn & Barr because of the agency’s in-depth knowledge and understanding of the agricultural market and their tremendous success in representing some of the most widely recognized brands in the industry.”

Becker Underwood, headquartered in Ames, Iowa, employs approximately 317 employees globally. For more than two decades, the company has provided unique and valuable products for niche markets in 60 countries, including agriculture, turf and landscaping, horticulture, and lawn and garden. Becker Underwood strives to develop new technologies and products through continuous scientific research that naturally improve customers’ end products, whether it’s higher crop yields or a more visually appealing golf course.