Top Producer magazine has published it’s annual Top 25 list of people, issues and trends. “A Top Producer Staff Report…It’s difficult to predict who or what will shake out as agriculture’s biggest influences and influencers in the coming years, but we identify some that will surely have an impact on your business.” Yours truly is mentioned in the item titled, “Internet pundits and critics.” Here’s an excerpt:

“The conversation is taking place already, and agriculture needs to join it,” says Zimmerman, who runs several Web sites for a variety of clients, including his own AgWired. “There is no question public opinion about agriculture is swayed by people who are not directly involved in the industry. And it’s not just bloggers, either. I think you’re seeing a lot of reporting from more of the traditional media today that is opinionated reporting. I think that’s being driven by how blogging has changed the industry.”

Basically this is about people in agriculture getting involved in the online conversation that’s going to take place with our without us. This goes for companies and member organizations. You have no control over the message anymore. However, you can make sure that your side is told!

You can now get more of The Progressive Farmer. The publication, owned by DTN, will start a January issue in 2009.

“An added publication date allows The Progressive Farmer to improve its overall coverage of the commercial farm market by bringing more value to our readers as well as offering advertisers the opportunity to increase their reach with our 100 percent circulation coverage in corn, soybeans, and livestock,” says Publisher Adrian Blake. “January is a critical time period for farmers who are preparing for the upcoming planting season, so we anticipate that our highly relevant editorial coverage will be extremely useful.”

The increased publishing frequency along with a tight editorial focus centered around “Your Farm, Your Land, Your Life” is expected to enhance the magazine’s stellar readership score of 90+ minutes per issue which positively impacts advertising effectiveness, Blake adds. The advertising close date for the new January issue is Nov. 19, 2008.

We’re not very focused on politics here but sometimes an interesting story comes along like this one. The Progressive Farmer has just conducted a Zogby International poll of rural American households (2,963 adults) to find out about the political leanings of farm country. The results are featured in the August issue of the magazine.

Commissioned by The Progressive Farmer, the poll of nearly 3,000 rural adults measures preferences for the fall elections as well as reaction to hot-button issues in farm country such as skyrocketing crop input costs, the assault on landowner rights and ethanol.

When asked about presidential preference, pollsters find Sen. John mcCain garners 50 percent compared to Sen. Barack Obama at 34 percent, with 11 percent of respondents saying they will not vote for either candidate.

There’s also a mirror survey online where you can compare results with the poll results.

Some web publications have been bought by Vance Publishing.

Vance Publishing Corporation has acquired two Internet-based businesses that market to and serve the farm and ranch communities, CattleNetwork.com and CattleStore.com. Both were purchased from Integrated Management Information, Inc., of Colorado.

This is Vance’s first solely digital acquisition; other recent purchases have included a mix of print, e-media, and events. The two new sites will become part of Vance’s growing Food360 group, which includes Drovers, Dairy Herd Management, Bovine Veterinarian and Pork print publications, web sites, e-newsletters, and the Doane forecasting and analysis product line marketed to the agricultural community, along with a host of other magazines, digital products and events.

Farm Journal has more than 40 agricultural journalists? Wow. Congratulations to Chip on his award.

For the first time in his life, Chip Flory was speechless. Winning the annual Wilmer Award caught the Pro Farmer Newsletter Editor and Publisher by surprise. “Chip is never at a loss for words, but the announcement caught him off guard,” said Andy Weber, Farm Journal Media CEO. “It is always powerful to be honored by peers for making a difference in farmers’ lives.“

The Wilmer winner was named during the recent Farm Journal Media Editorial Summit when more than 40 Farm Journal Media agricultural journalists converged at Twin Lakes Lodge in Missouri. The annual meeting is used to map out the multi-media editorial strategies for covering the key issues in agriculture.

Pictured here with Wilmer Award winner Chip Flory, in center, are previous winners who attended the Farm Journal Media Editorial Summit are Pam Henderson Smith, Charlene Finck, Jim Dickrell, Jeanne Bernick, Ken Ferrie and Darrell Smith

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers is reaching out to decision makers in the ag sector with a new newsletter.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is vitally interested in a profitable ag sector, and to show support the association has begun publishing a newsletter called Ag Executive Advisor. The newsletter focuses on the connection between ag equipment manufacturers and today’s key issues in agriculture.

You can find the inaugural issue here. (pdf)