USDA Undersecretary Bruce Knight Speaks at BASF Media Summit

Chuck Zimmerman May 13, 2008

Wow. What a morning here at the BASF Media Summit. After doing some live video streaming, interviews, pictures and recordings we got to have lunch with USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Bruce Knight.

Bruce talked about the farm bill of course. He used a description from a story in the Washington Post which called the current proposal “an overstuffed turkey.” When he was asked about so many farm groups coming out in support of the proposal he basically said that if he was a special interest group he’d be pretty pleased with it too. However, he said that just because a lot of groups support it, that doesn’t make it good for Americans.

I recorded his remarks so you can download and listen to them: Undersecretary Bruce Knight’s Remarks (30 min MP3)

Or listen to them here now:basf-media-summit-3.mp3

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

Audio, BASF, Farm Policy, USDA

BASF Media Summit Streaming Live

Chuck Zimmerman May 13, 2008

Apparently we’re going to be moving to different rooms this afternoon so this morning’s episode of AgWired Live TV is over but I have several recorded interviews like the following one with Mike Heinz, BASF President, Crop Protection Division.

Thanks to all of you who watched and made it through our internet access disappearing for a few minutes.

BASF, Video

Broadcasting Live From BASF Media Summit

Chuck Zimmerman May 13, 2008

I didn’t know we had internet access here in the BASF Media Summit presentation room so I had to move my set up but we’re live and I’m going to stay live for the rest of the day.

You can see the live stream showing up on my Mac here in the back of the room.

Right now we’re near the end of the first session of speakers.

Somebody just turned the air conditioning on which has been really needed here this morning.

This is going to be a fun day of live web streaming activity. Hopefully I’ll bring you some live interviews during our breaks.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

I’m sort of in the way back here in the room but hopefully people will get used to walking around my tripod and cables.

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

BASF

BASF Media Summit Underway

Chuck Zimmerman May 13, 2008

The BASF Media Summit is underway and we’ve got a big group of journalists here. I didn’t count but most seats are filled.

I’m recording the presentations and will be doing one on one interviews with each of them as well as having some on AgWired Live TV at the times listed in the last post.

Our first speaker, Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, BASF Executive Board member, just finished his presentation which included an overview of the company and their priorities. Right now we’re hearing from Dr. Peter Eckes, Senior VP, Global R&D, Crop Protection.

Stay tuned because there’s more to come.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

BASF

AgWired Live TV Schedule Today

Chuck Zimmerman May 13, 2008

Here’s the schedule for when I intend to be live on AgWired Live TV.

10:15 – 10:30am
12:00 – 12:15
3:00 – 4:00pm, eastern time. Approx. live break times.

Our sessions are across the hall in a different room where I don’t have internet access so I’m going to be be bringing people to the media room for some live interviews. Check us out:

AgWired Live TV

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

BASF

Sampling BASF Wines

Chuck Zimmerman May 12, 2008

Our hosts for this evening’s dinner and wine tasting were (l-r) Katja Schweder and Bernhard Wolff, BASF Wine Cellar. Katja was German Wine Queen in 2006-2007.

I interviewed them prior to dinner and learned that BASF has a wine cellar with 1 million bottles of wine, including over 4,000 kinds of wine. Picking a selection to go with menu items like salmon, venison and lamb chops had to be difficult but they did it with ease. In fact, each of them picked a different wine for each course. To top it all off we were treated to a 1929 Maury wine which you would have to taste to believe.

Katja says that for her, working for BASF is “the next step up” from being Wine Queen. She’s got a bright future ahead of her.

You can download and listen to my interview with them here: Interview with Bernhard & Katja (4 min MP3)

Or listen to the interview right now:basf-media-summit-1.mp3

For each course of our meal Bernhard and Katja “performed” by describing each of the wines we tasted. You can hear Katja describing a Riesling here: basf-media-summit-2.mp3

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

Audio, BASF

Welcome To The BASF Media Summit

Chuck Zimmerman May 12, 2008

This evening the attendees at the BASF Media Summit were treated to some of the finest wines in the world along with a fabulous dinner.

The man who has helped put this all together is Group Communications Manager, Ray Gilmer, who welcomed us before the dinner started.

Ray has put together a great program and tonight’s dinner was the perfect way to get it all started. As you’ll hear in my next post, we had some talented people here from Germany to make sure we had the proper wines to go with the menu.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

BASF

Cotton Everyday

Laura McNamara May 12, 2008

Cotton Incorporated wants consumers not just to know, but to feel the natural attributes of cotton. That’s why the company has developed a new branding campaign, “A Natural Part of Everyday Life.” The campaign will run in approximately 85 malls throughout all 50 states.

“A Natural Part of Everyday Life” spotlights the new Natural(TM) trademark while showcasing images of people enjoying life — in fashionable cotton clothing. The campaign will change seasonally; targeting the mall consumer who according to the Lifestyle Monitor(TM), visits the mall approximately 2.9 times a month.

The campaign invites the customer to experience cotton on various levels. Activities include a four tier marketing strategy that involves traditional marketing, sweepstakes, gift-with-purchase and online components.

Customers can go online to enter “The Natural Part of Everyday Life” sweepstakes where 10 winners will receive a custom Cotton iPod shuffle.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Cotton

Tree Farmer of The Year

Laura McNamara May 12, 2008

The 2008 Washington State Tree Farmer of the Year goes to David Robbins of The Hama Hama Tree Farm. The Washington Farm Forestry Association says the award is meant to recognize David’s exceptional commitment to enhance his forest land.

The tree farm is mostly composed of Douglas-fir with scattered stands of alder, hemlock and cedar, and supports a sustainable harvest of 1.4 million board feet per year. The careful stewardship of the water, soil and timber resources directly benefits another portion of the family business — the Hama Hama Seafood Company, which supplies oysters and clams to the area.

Certified tree farmers must manage their forest land in an environmentally sound manner in accordance to the standards and guidelines of the American Forest Foundation.

Ag Groups, Environment, Farming

Getting AgWired Live TV Running at BASF Media Summit

Chuck Zimmerman May 12, 2008

This is a picture of the elements that are making up AgWired Live TV now. On the tripod is a Canon HV30. I’ve been streaming live for about an hour now in the BASF Media Summit Media Room. This is where I’ll be set up again tomorrow. I’ll publish a schedule for you later so you’ll know the times that I’ll be on with someone. I think it’s going to be during the breaks.

As of the writing of this post I’m still live in the media room but I’m planning on shutting down soon so I can go to the reception and dinner.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:

BASF

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