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Broadhead + Co. is Middle of Country

Chuck Zimmerman

Broadhead+CoI’m hoping to see my good friends at Broadhead + Co. next week when Cindy and I attend and cover AgNite. It looks like the agency has been busy with the RNC coming to town.

Delegates to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul will enjoy a red carpet welcome campaign at the MSP airport, and throughout the Twin Cities, highlighted by more than 600 banners designed by local agency Broadhead + Co.

Named the “fastest growing agency” by AgriMarketing magazine in 2007, the Minneapolis-based marketing communications agency developed the creative for the Minneapolis St. Paul 2008 Host Committee. The banners will also hang throughout the Xcel Energy Center, the site of the Republican National Convention.

“This was an exciting opportunity for us to display our creative work at one of the most high profile events in the country,” said Dean Broadhead, President and Founder. “We’re looking forward to showing off to the delegates all the Twin Cities has to offer.”

The agency has also provided a link in cyberspace to some of the Twin Cities entertainment hot spots by creating a website for the delegate experience: http://www.msp2008delegates.com/.

“From arts and entertainment to parks and recreation, we’re showing that the Twin Cities may be middle of the country but hardly middle of the road,” said Broadhead.

Agencies

Manage the Markets with DTN

Laura McNamara

Teri Thiele with DTNThere were a LOT of reasons about 1,000 Farm Progress Show visitors visited the DTN exhibit in Boone, Iowa this week. But, the biggest reason was probably the chance to win $25,000. Aside from scoring the dough, though, visitors also had the chance to score some valuable marketing and weather tips from DTN experts. DTN representative Teri Thiele says visitors could get advice on how to understand markets and commodities so farmers could understand and make decisions about them on a daily basis.

DTN was also showcasing its new market space product that Teri says offers farmers inventory management system control. She says farmers can then buy and sell their grain and other commodities online. Young farmers she says are really embracing mobile technology.

I spoke with Teri about the technology DTN is bringing to farmers in the office or in the field and what trends farmers seem to follow with mobile technology. You can listen to my interview with Teri here: fp-08-thiele.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Markets, Technology

BASF From Brazil

Chuck Zimmerman

BASF BrazilThe Farm Progress Show had a lot of international visitors like these guys from Brazil.

I just happened to walk in to the BASF tent and met them. Several of their group actually work for BASF in Brazil. Their tour leader is Fernando Dellazari (3rd from right). He says they had 17 guys on this trip. I asked him what he thought of the Farm Progress Show. “So beautiful. We can see what is the best I think today in the world.” He says they also have big farm shows in Brazil but lag behind in getting the latest technology compared to the United States.

You can listen to my interview with Fernando here: fp-08-basf-brazil.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, International, New Holland

Post FPS Stress Syndrome

Chuck Zimmerman

AgWired At Farm Progress ShowI feel a little like I’m suffering from Post Farm Progress Show Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PFPSTSS). Even a cup of homemade Rocket Fuel hasn’t gotten me moving too fast yet. How about you?

While I was packing up yesterday Gene Hemphill, New Holland Media Room Sponsor Extraordinaire, noted that we have a lot of “gadgets.” I prefer the T-word (tools). So between Laura and me, we had multiple still and video cameras (8), audio recorders (3), computers(3), tripods (2), and a variety of other things (power strips, cleaning supplies, cords, fans, etc. We needed those tools to take about 900 still photos, shoot 10 video clips, conduct over 40 audio interviews not counting press conferences and have a live webcam/cast going for most of the show from our media tent table. I think I’ve still got about 9 interviews to edit and post.

If we didn’t get to your exhibit and get an interview done, we are sorry. It was a busy 3 days for a couple of agribloggers. The rain on Wed and internet access issues kind of slowed us down too. I know there were a lot of you public relations professionals out there working hard to get us to stop by but we Leah Guffeycouldn’t get to everyone. Don’t stop trying though. You can see Laura at work at the AgWired table in the top photo.

Leah Guffey, WFMB, is in the background of the top picture but here’s a better one. She’s got a new gig as reported here earlier. You can read more about it at SF-R.com (scroll down the article).

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show

NAMA Boot Camp Presentations Available

Chuck Zimmerman

Those fine folks at Truffle Media Networks have worked with NAMA to make some of the Boot Camp sessions available for you to listen to and/or download.

Podcast sessions include:

Producer Panel
Food & Fuel
Text Book Marketing and Real World Examples
Creative In Agriculture
Client/Agency Panel

To download and listen to the podcasts, please visit http://www.trufflemedia.com/home/content/2008-nama-boot-camp-selected-presentations.

Thank you and we hope to see you at the Trends In Agriculture program, November 11-12, in Kansas City!

Audio, NAMA

So Long From Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Progress ShowSo long from the Farm Progress Show. Laura and I have a lot more to offer in the coming days.

We’re packing up and getting ready to hit the agriblogging highway. Actually, we’re running behind and we might actually be in the media tent when Secretary Schafer arrives. If so, we’ll do a short interview for posting later.

So, thank you to BASF and New Holland for once again sponsoring our coverage of the Farm Progress Show.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

Host Farm Family

Chuck Zimmerman

Dick IsaacsonRepresenting one of the host families here at the Farm Progress Show is Dick Isaacson, pictured here at the exhibitor’s welcome reception.

The Farm Progress Show’s new, permanent biennial site wouldn’t be possible without the cooperation of local landowners. Host families include Eric and Carol Ziel, along with Eric’s parents, Bob and Mary; Dick and Judy Isaacson and his mother, June; and Alan and Jennifer Schoff.

“We are really lucky to be working with these fine farm families,” notes Jungmann.

Dick says his family farm comes up to the east side of the exhibit area. He says they tried to grow some corn there but the weather was just too wet this year. I asked him what he thought about having the show at his farm. “It’s really been exciting and it’s been a great attraction in central Iowa.” He says it’s a chance to see a lot of technology in a small place.

Since we’ve had some rain yesterday and again overnight I thought the water drainage was pretty good. Dick says the whole exhibit area was graded to allow drainage to a catch basin. Seems to be working to me. As far as what this means to him and his family he says, “It’s meant a lot. You’re elated then you kind of go through the reality check that everybody is going to be coming by your place.” That’s given his family an excuse to go ahead and “catch up on 20 years of cleaning.”

You can listen to my interview with Dick here: fp-08-isaacson.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, Farming, New Holland

Secretary Schafer Visits Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Ed SchaferOur Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer, showed up here at the Farm Progress Show and started out at the ADM tent with Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong.

After a brief opening statement he opened things up for some Q&A.

You can hear Orion ask the first question here: fp-08-schafer-orion.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Max got to go second with the following question:

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Video

Live From Day 3 of Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

AgWired Live TV is now done for the day. We’ve been live from the media tent throughout a lot of the Farm Progress Show so I hope you’ve been able to see an application of what we can do with it. I hope it gives you some ideas.

Laura and I are getting ready to pack up and head home but our coverage will continue over the next several days as we work up more interviews and pictures.


ZimmBite – Farm Progress Show Goodbye on 12seconds.tv

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

Muddy Start to Day 3 of Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Muddy EntranceWelcome to day 3 of the Farm Progress Show.

We had a lot of rain overnight so it’s pretty muddy out here but the sun is out and I’m sure it will dry up and be a beautiful day in Boone, IA.

Laura and I are working up some content from yesterday and have a to-do list to get started on. You can be sure that we’ll have posts for you over the coming days. It’s not all going to get posted today.

It’s our understanding that U.S. Sec. of Ag, Schafer, is supposed to do a press conference at 4pm but I don’t think there will be any press here. Maybe Ken Root, WHO? Who knows?

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland