Major New Ag Trade Show Announced

Cindy Zimmerman

AEM at AMSThe big announcement at the Ag Media Summit today was a new major agricultural trade show to take place in 2010.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) announced AG CONNECT Expo, “a new international agriculture event that will showcase the latest industry innovations, products and technology and offer access to leading industry experts worldwide.” The inaugural Expo is slated for January 12-15, 2010 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

AEM's Slater and O'Brien“Agriculture today is global and dynamic,” said AEM President Dennis Slater. “Industry professionals want access to the best information and the best people possible, without boundaries. That’s why the member companies of AEM felt the perfect time to initiate AG CONNECT Expo is now.”

Charlie O’Brien, AEM Vice President Agricultural Services, explained that the data supports this effort. “Research reveals that producers and other industry professionals really want more substantive discussions with industry leaders and to learn more about how agriculture around the world will affect their businesses,” O’Brien said.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dennis here: ams-aem-slater.mp3

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Charlie here: ams-aem-obrien.mp3

An audio news release with sound bites is posted on AgNewsWire.AgWired.com.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

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Barbra Makes a Return Appearance

Chuck Zimmerman

My Golf TeamBarbra Streisand, also known as Jodie Wehrspann, Farm Industry News, made a guest appearance at our opening reception party. Doesn’t she look gorgeous in her red and pearls?

Since it is our 10th industry of the Ag Media Summit she had a special performance of “The Way We Were.” The reality is that none of us are just exactly the way we were although we keep trying to be.

I happened to have my recorder so you can listen to most of her song here: ams-08-jodi.mp3

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF and Successful Farming

Ag Media Summit, Audio, BASF

My Team

Chuck Zimmerman

My Golf TeamAfter a long morning on the links, this team was ready for some air conditioning. These were my teammates today in the golf tournament. Mike Wilson, Den Gardner and Lyle Orwig.

I think we birdied this hole seeing as how it was sponsored by Charleston Orwig.

We did get second place and were pretty happy with how things went. Three of us were playing with rented clubs even. Actually, I thought about buying my rented driver since I was hitting it better than my own!

The photo album has just been updated and Cindy and I will be at InfoExpo for several hours. We’ll have a lot more to come later.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF and Successful Farming

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Golf Tournament Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Golf Tournament WinnersWe had beautiful weather to play golf in today. We got some light drizzle once that just cooled us off, otherwise it was picture perfect Florida summer weather.

Here’s your winners of the tournament. The team of Atzenweiler, Mader, Moore and Steinbeck. They’re showing off their winning clubs. Second place went to my team, which included Gardner, Orwig and Wilson. Third place consisted of Behr, Bettner, Custer and Freebair. The highest scoring team was Grey, Henderson, Henderson and Lightfoot.

We had a lot of other winners, including closest to the pin #17, Tim Steinbeck, closest to the pin #2, Darrell Bruggink, longest drive #3, Molly Mader, longest drive #11, Tim O’Connell and straight drive #14, Andy Atzenweiler.

Thanks to the sponsors for making the tournament so much fun.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF and Successful Farming

Ag Media Summit, BASF

Guess Whose Thongs

Chuck Zimmerman

Pink ThongsSome people call them flip flops but they also go by the name thongs. I knew the title would get your attention.

In the theme of guessing things, here’s another one for you.

The first person to guess whose thongs these are will win an AgWired t-shirt.

Just use the commenting feature to post your guess.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF and Successful Farming

Ag Media Summit, BASF

Who Is Wearing The Watches?

Chuck Zimmerman

Mondial WatchesThe golfers are back in the club house so I’m trying to get caught up on some posts before heading over to the InfoExpo session which just got started.

Here’s a question for you. Who’s wearing these fine Swiss Army watches they received at an IFAJ Congress in Switzerland a couple years ago?

If you guess correctly (first one to do so) by commenting then we’ll send you an “I’ve been blogged by AgWired” t-shirt.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF and Successful Farming

Ag Media Summit, BASF

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • To celebrate the enhanced performance of Prowl H20 BASF launched a campaign in which tree fruit, tree nut and grape growers could share their Prowl H20 success stories with BASF and growers via photo/video or essay entries. Two winning entries were selected, one from each category, and each will be awarded an Arctic Cat Prowler UTV and trailer. The winning entries were submitted by LaMora Farms in Webster, N.Y., and David Gilcrest in Visalia, Calif. Click here to view the winning entries.
  • American Farm Bureau Federation has announced the launch of the new Conversations on Animal Care initiative. Conversations on Animal Care is a comprehensive effort that supports farmers and ranchers who are eager to engage consumers in a positive dialogue about animal care. The initiative also helps livestock producers share positive and personal insights on the care they provide farm animals. The initiative puts the faces of farmers and ranchers on our nation’s livestock care issues as they demonstrate that the animals they care for produce safe, healthy food for Americans.
  • The FarmPRO™ GPS Steering & Application Control System introduced earlier this year by AutoFarm has been tremendously successful. Key to this success has been its ease of use and consistent performance, in no small part due to features such as the AutoFarm AutoCalibrate function. AutoFarm AutoCalibrate gives full steering system calibration in a simple 3-step process that can be accomplished in as little as eight minutes.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Quasimojo Entertains Again

    Chuck Zimmerman

    QuasimojoThe opening reception of the AMS was a wonderful party that took place in two different locations. We started out with food in one place and the Quasimojo band in a tent at a different location. The fortunate people moved over early. The unfortunate came late and had to walk through the rain that persisted through the evening.

    Cindy made it in finally and will be doing some posts tomorrow. It’s late and I’ve got to get up early to join the golf group so I’m this is all you get tonight. I have updated the photo album though.

    Ag Media Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
    BASF and Successful Farming

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    AAEA Update

    Chuck Zimmerman

    John WalterJohn Walter, Agriculture Online, is President of AAEA and he’s got a lot to smile about.

    After today’s board meeting he told me that the organization is very healthy and that it’s been a pleasure for him to preside over continued growth in membership and sponsors. Topics discussed at the meeting include, new member benefits like professional development webinars, new award categories for multi-media like video, continued ethics discussions and an expanded role for affiliate members. John says that Holly Martin, High Plains Journal, will be taking over the reins at the end of the AMS.

    You can listen to my interview with John here: ams-08-walter-1.mp3

    I’ll be talking to John again about what his company is doing online since they’re one of our event coverage sponsors.

    Ag Media Summit Photo Album

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    ACN, Ag Media Summit, Audio, BASF

    Early Educational Sessions

    Chuck Zimmerman

    AMS SessionRight now the first educational sessions are taking place at the AMS. I believe this one is “Create a More Profitable Web Presence” with Don Nicholas, Mequoda Group, doing the presentation. Glad to see they’re blogging.

    Both of the concurrent sessions seem to be well attended. Perhaps the rain has something to do with that? Surely not.

    The other session taking place right now is “Make it Interactive-Tell Stronger Stories Online,” presented by Al Tompkins, Poynter Institute.

    Ag Media Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
    BASF and Successful Farming

    Ag Media Summit, BASF