NAFB Will Be Watching Washington

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-165 - NAFB Washington WatchThe National Association of Farm Broadcasting is holding its annual Washington Watch program at the end of April and for the first time in a few years I’ll be attending. On this week’s program we’ll learn about it from program chair Lindsay Hill, BARN.

I know I’m a little late this week but maybe I can get back on my Monday schedule next week.

Washington Watch is all about farm broadcasters getting together in DC to meet with the Secretary of Ag as well as a lot of Under Secretarys and others at USDA. Lindsay says NAFB will be doing something new this year by busing everyone out to the Ag Research Center in Beltsville, MD.

Also on the agenda is an Issues Forum where various ag groups provide representatives to talk about the big issues of the day facing agriculture. I think you’ll enjoy our conversation.

This week’s program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s called “Barnside Shed” by Justin Gordon. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 165 (12 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast165-4-3-08.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

Audio, Media, NAFB, ZimmCast

MO Hail

Chuck Zimmerman

Deck HailIt might have been a sunny spring day yesterday but today is a different story.

Here’s the scene on my deck a few minutes ago. As the hail stopped the sun poked out for about 10 seconds too.

Yep, a typical midwest weather pattern for the spring. I’m sure someone out there will get the notion that this is unusual and the effect of global warming.

Me, I’d take some warming right now.

Weather

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • John Deere Agri Services has released an upgrade to the AGRIS business management system, focusing on improved processing speed with the use of an enhanced database engine. For more information, call 1-800-393-8971 or send an e-mail to AgriServices@JohnDeere.com. Information about the AGRIS Product Suite can also be found on the Web site.
  • AgriLabs is awarding a total of $1,500 for scholarship grants to three state associations as an outcome of its booth promotion at the recent National Cattleman’s Beef Association Convention in Reno, Nev. The Nebraska Cattlemen Research & Education Foundation, Lincoln, Neb.; the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, Bismarck, N.D.; and the Washington CattleWomen, Goldendale, Wash., each will receive $500 to be used for an educational scholarship for a deserving youth during 2008.
  • DuPont announced its Pioneer Hi-Bred business has opened a new state-of-the-art canola production facility in Lethbridge, Canada, to meet an increased demand for its high-performing Pioneer(R) brand canola hybrids. The addition of the new seed production plant is part of the business’s strategy to be the canola market leader by 2012. Pioneer will increase its seed production acreage by 58 percent in 2008 to meet increased demand for its canola hybrids.
Zimfo Bytes

Tractor Cruises to Benefit Camp Quality

Chuck Zimmerman

Show Me Tractor CruiseWhen it comes to raising money for a good cause, Missouri’s own Tom Brand, KFEQ, is leading the way. Tom started the Show Me Tractor Cruise to raise funds for Camp Quaility, Northwest Missouri. He’s been doing it since 2003. This year’s event will be held June 28th.

The first Show-Me Tractor Cruise began in 2003. We decided to make the ride a benefit for Camp Quality of Northwest Missouri. Our expectation was for 35 – 50 tractors to make the ride the first year, with the thought of raising $5000 as a good goal. Well, the idea for that first ride grew rapidly, as 87 tractors came the first year to take part in the ride. We started in the community of Guilford (population 87) and continued into Conception Junction, Ravenwood, Hopkins, Pickering, Maryville and Barnard before returning back to Guilford. With the efforts of all the drivers, communities and the matching gift of an anonymous donor that first year, we raised $35,000 jointly for Camp Quality. It was the largest fund-raiser ever for Camp Quality Northwest Missouri and for any Camp Quality in the nation!

The event has received national attention and in fact is slated to receive support from Oprah.

Oprah’s Big Give is coming to St. Joseph, pledging $10,000 to match the first $10,000 raised by drivers and riders of the Show-Me Tractor Cruise.

Great Buckeye Tractor CruiseTom’s idea is catching on as Andy Vance and Lindsay Hill, Buckeye Ag Radio Network, have set up the first Great Buckeye Tractor Cruise which will also support Camp Quality.

The Great Buckeye Tractor Cruise will take place in scenic Auglaize and Mercer Counties on Saturday, July 26th. The approximately 40-mile tour will take drivers through the scenic area near Grand Lake St. Marys and past beautiful farms in the countryside. It will also include a stop at the Whitney Educational Farm to tour their amazing museum that houses farm equipment restored to mint condition from as far back as 1905. Drivers will also enjoy watching local antiques and classics participate in a plowing demonstration.

Sounds like Tom has a great franchise operation started.

Tractor

Recruit Members, Help Kids, Get License Tag

Chuck Zimmerman

Missouri Cattlemen's FoundationThe Missouri Cattlemen’s Association has a neat incentive program going on. I think membership has been coming on strong lately and now members can get a little reward for recruiting new one.

Membership is the backbone of a strong Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. During the month of April recruit a minimum of 3 new members and MCA will pay for your first year of a personalized Missouri Cattlemen’s Foundation license plate valued at $40.

Guidelines:
1) Recruit a minimum of 3 new members
2) Contact MCA Office at (573) 499-9162 for license plate form
3) Mail in license plate form along with the 3 new membership forms
**You MUST mail in the membership forms with your license plate form to be eligibile.

Help kids, support your industry, and show pride in your heritage.

How many states have this kind of license tag program? Anyone know?

Ag Groups

Sunny Spring Day

Chuck Zimmerman

Missouri Spring DayIt was a beautiful day here in central Missouri so I went out for a walk on the Katy Trail.

Pretty soon these fields will be seeing some action but not until we get some more midwest rain from the looks of the forecast.

We’ve got some standing water in a lot of fields still from the last rains but as long as we can get some sunshine I think we’ll dry up nicely so farmers can get out and get some work done.

This is a picture from my Blackberry which was all I had with me.

Farming

Running of the Pigs

Chuck Zimmerman

In case you didn’t see the Smokey Bones “Running of the Pigs” video I thought I’d share. This is a great April Fool’s gimmick.

Here’s some of the press release that was actually used by some in the media.

The streets of Orlando were filled today with “oinks” and squeals and screams of terror when more than 100 pigs rampaged after an estimated 500 people during the inaugural Smokey Bones Running of the Pigs. In an event that was no less exhilarating than the famous Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain, pigs and people barreled through a quarter-mile course lined with curious and somewhat horrified onlookers. Amateur video of the event was captured by one spectator, who later uploaded the footage to YouTube. The event commemorated the introduction of Smokey Bones’ All-You-Can-Eat Baby Back Ribs special.

Advertising, Food

Say Cheers With a Corn Cup at the Ballpark

Chuck Zimmerman

Corn CupsSome people may like to drink their liquor from an old fruit jar but at baseball parks this summer you may be drinking your beer from a corn starch cup.

Some of the nation’s major league baseball teams are adopting cups made from corn starch this season to help quench the thirst of fans and be more environmentally-friendly at the same time.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, for example, have announced a new greening initiatives program called “Let’s Go Bucs. Let’s Go Green.”

Pitt PiratesBeginning with the 2008 season, the concessionaires at PNC Park will be using corn-based beverage cups. They are also reportedly printing game-day programs with soy-based inks and providing flex-fuel vehicles for team scouts.

According to Bob Nutting, Pirates Chairman of the Board, “We are not launching this program because ‘going green’ is a popular trend. We are doing it because it is the right thing to do. The measures being put into place at the ballpark will have an immediate positive impact. These initiatives not only make sense for the environment, but they make good business sense as well.”

The Oakland A’s are also reportedly using cups made of biodegradable cornstarch this season.

Corn

More Digital Solutions at Bader Rutter

Chuck Zimmerman

Bader RutterIn today’s digital online world everyone’s got to have someone to help them out with digital solutions.

Bader Rutter, a Brookfield, Wis.-based integrated marketing services agency, has added two associates to its Digital Solutions Group.

Damon Sanchez joins the agency as senior interactive media specialist. He comes from Charleston|Orwig where he was senior interactive director. A native of McFarland, Wis., Sanchez earned his bachelor’s degree from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. He is also an instructor at the Madison Media Institute.

Tara Hammond joins the agency as a web programmer/analyst. Her previous experience includes positions as a software engineer at TEKSystems and most recently, as a technical business analyst at James Tower. Originally from Mequon, Wis., Hammond holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

Agencies

Are You An Ag Journalist of the Future?

Chuck Zimmerman

AAEA ByLineI’ve got to say “Thank You” to AAEA President John Walter, Successful Farming, for his latest column in the organization’s newsletter (pdf), The Byline. John told me he was writing this and we did have a phone/email interview to go with it. Here’s how he starts out.

The first time I met him was at the 2005 Agricultural Media Summit in Milwaukee, and to tell you the truth, I found the experience to be a bit unnerving. He was running circles around the rest of us, shooting photos and video, conducting audio interviews in the corner of every room, dashing off to the media room to file Web reports multiple times
daily, and generally practicing our profession at a pace I’d seldom seen before. Ag journalism on steroids.

At that time most of us had not even heard of the inelegant word, “blog,” and he had already coined the term, “agriblogging.”

Read the full column to find out who’s he’s talking about.

I think the take away is that things are sure changing in the profession of agricultural communications. That’s why I think it’s so important to participate in the professional improvement opportunities offered by organizations like AAEA, LPC, IFAJ, NAFB, NAMA and others. I wouldn’t stop there. I highly recommend other communications activities like those offered by the National Press Photographers Association and shows like MacWorld Expo, New Media Expo, etc. Sometimes we get so caught up going to all the farm shows and events that we neglect our own professional development. And don’t forget reading up on these subjects. You’ll also be amazed at how much there is available online that’s free, including how-to’s on YouTube!

The best way to learn how to use some of these new tools is to jump in and just do it. Start a blog and a podcast. Create a Flickr photo album or YouTube account and upload some of your materials. Share and be shared with!

I’m just starting the chapter in Clay Shirky’s new book, “Here Comes Everybody” that’s titled, “Everyone is a Media Outlet.” Mull that thought over. These new media tools allow everyone to be part of the online conversation that’s changing our world.

ACN