Bader Rutter & Associates is bringing a new Vice President on board.
Nesh Malinovic has been named Vice President, Media Director at Bader Rutter & Associates.
Malinovic comes to the agency from Kelly, Scott & Madison in Chicago where he was an associate media director.
Originally from London, England, Malinovic has nearly 20 years of strategic media experience, working for multiple agencies, including Oglivy & Mather, Carat UK and The Media Shop. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of London.
Bader Rutter & Associates is an integrated marketing services agency headquartered in Milwaukee, with additional offices in Chicago and Lincoln, Neb.
Member Website Training
It’s another road warrior day as Cindy and I move our youngest to college. That means some light posting until tomorrow.
Yesterday was a little light too because much of it was spent doing website training at the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council offices. We re-built their member website recently and Elizabeth, Joanna and I finally found time to all be together in one room at the same time. Their member website is continuing to develop but it’s a great example of what you can do with a WordPress blog site.
By the time we were done I had compiled a list of about 10 new features and changes we’re going to be incorporating into the site. The site already allows EPIC to update it very easily and frequently without having to contract an outside firm and pay big bucks to make simple changes. Now that they’re all up to date on how to post, etc. I’m sue we’ll see even more regular fresh content for members to read (and subscribe to).
John Deere Applies Force to Corn Rootworm
Syngenta wasn’t the only company on hand at their Learning Centers program in Milford, IA. So was John Deere and their Central Insecticide System.
Here’s Ron DeFauw, John Deere Seeding Group, talking about a brand new way to apply Force Insecticide. Think of the box version of wine that you put in your refrigerator and you’ll have a pretty good idea what the new box formulation of this corn rootworm control product looks like. Ron says the product will be available this fall and that you should see your John Deere dealer for more information.
He says benefits of Syngenta’s Force CS include the fact that there’s no worry over getting granulated product or dust on your hands and the boxes are lightweight and easy to load and move. Another benefit comes after you’ve applied the product through your John Deere NT equipment. The boxes don’t have to be returned to the dealer. You can easily dispose of them.
I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this new product at next week’s John Deere product launch and I’ll be there to bring it all to you here.
You can listen to my interview with Ron here: learning-centers-defauw.mp3
Or you can download the interview using this link: 
Ron DeFauw Interview (2 min MP3)
Pfizer’s Looking For the 3 Millionth
Last week Pfizer made two announcements involving their SelectVAC preconditioning program. Although he wasn’t at the media event I attended, Cindy got to interview Pierre Bertrand, Pfizer, Senior Marketing Manager for Bios and SelectVAC by phone.
He talks about the fact that Superior Livestock Auction has chosen SelectVAC as the preferred health program for calves sold through their auction and the second announcement which involves the American Angus Association. The organization, along with Pfizer Animal Health are announcing a marketing alliance for two premier feeder calf programs. The collaboration pairs AngusSource, an age-, source- and genetic-USDA Process Verified Program (PVP) for Angus-sired cattle, with SelectVAC, from Pfizer Animal Health.
Pierre says that Pfizer also announced a reward for the 3 millionth enrollment in the SelectVAC program. Pfizer will mark the milestone by awarding that producer with a year’s worth of free SelectVAC products for their entire herd (up to a maximum of $5,000 in value).
You can listen to Cindy’s interview with Pierre here: pfizer-selectvac.mp3
Or if you’d like you can download it here: Pierre Bertrand Interview
New Soybean Varieties
We talked a lot about corn at the Syngenta Learning Center program in Iowa but soybeans were also a major topic of discussion. One of the presenters was Gene Kassmeyer, Head of Soybeans, Syngenta Seeds.
Gene says that soybeans are a crop that’s changing rapidly. For one thing he says there are a number of new pest problems to deal with like aphids and that soybean cyst nematode continues to be a problem. Gene says that Syngenta is working on new herbicide resistant varieties and that some of the new products released this year have significant performance improvements.
You can listen to my interview with Gene here: learning-centers-kassmeyer.mp3
Or you can download the interview using this link: Gene Kassmeyer Interview (5 min MP3)
Growing Fuel For Indy Cars
Growers attending the Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA might have wished they could drive this car but they were content to grow the fuel that’s powering it around the track this season. The #17 Rahal Letterman show car was accompanied by Al Jentz, Amaizing Energy. Al is also on the board of the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council which manages the promotion of the car. He gave an overview of how things are going in the ethanol industry for the growers and retailers who were attending.
Al says that although he felt like he was preaching to the choir his presentation allowed corn growers to learn more about EPIC’s promotional activities and ask questions.
He also felt like he got to learn more about what Syngenta is doing to develop corn varieties that will make the ethanol production process more efficient.
Syngenta is also a member of EPIC.
You can listen to my interview with Al here: learning-centers-jentz.mp3
Or you can download the interview using this link: Al Jentz Interview (4 min MP3)
Missouri Governor Recieves Flex-Fuel Hybrid
The latest in renewable energy vehicles from Ford joins Missouri Governor Matt Blunt’s official fleet. Ford has produced just 20 of its hybrid-electric, flex-fuel Escapes that can run on E85 fuel and Ford Manager Tony Reinhart handed Blunt the keys to one of these rare vehicles. Blunt says the specially-equipped Escape will help promote his Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard, which outlines that all fuel sold in the state will have to contain 10% percent ethanol by January of 2008. The Governor pointed out that Missouri is the fourth state to have such a requirement. The hybrid, flex-fuel also meets Blunt’s executive order that requires at least 70% of new vehicles purchased by the state to be flex-fuel vehicles.
Each of the hybrid, flex-fuel Escapes were manufactured in Kansas City and a total of five of the 20 (well, 21 if you count the prototype) will remain in Missouri: one to Governor Blunt, three to Kansas City Power and Light and one to the Tour of Missouri Bicycle Race where it will serve as the pace car.
Listen to why Tony Reinhart, Governor Blunt and Missouri Corn Grower’s Association Education Director Gary Marshall say this vehicle represents Missouri’s commitment to renewable resources:
blunteth.mp3Zimfo Bites
- With an ever-increasing demand from the livestock industry on RFID technical services, Allflex USA has promoted Chuck Rogers to Technical Services Manager. Rogers joined the Allflex expert team in 2006 and has helped to elevate the company’s technical expertise in helping producers with all aspects of implementing and troubleshooting EID systems. Rogers will manage the North America Technical Team and support the implementation of EID systems in various types of livestock operations. He will also work within the global Allflex R process to evaluate new EID products and determine their suitability for use in real-world conditions. Rogers’ training includes degrees in information technology systems and electronic engineering.
- Penton Media’s Farm Industry News® was named as the winner of three regional awards at the American Society of Business Publication Editors’ regional awards banquet held in Chicago. The magazine received two editorial and one design award at the ceremony. “We’re honored to have been selected by our peers for these awards, from more than 2600 entries,” said, Karen McMahon, editor of Farm Industry News. McMahon won gold in the “Original Research” category for her October 2006 article “Plenty of Power.” In the “How To” article category, “Farm Office Redesign,” written by Jodie Wehrspann, senior editor, was awarded second place. The magazine’s September 2006 cover received a bronze award for its cover photography taken by Lynn Varpness, art director for Farm Industry News. Farm Industry News also won a bronze award at the National ASBPE Awards. Lora Berg, contributing editor of Farm Industry News, was awarded third place in technical feature for her Animal Trackers story.
- Penton Media’s Farm Industry News®, The Corn and Soybean Digest®, National Hog Farmer® and Hay & Forage Grower® were named as award winners by the American Agricultural Editors Association (AAEA) at the annual association awards banquet held in Louisville, KY during the Agricultural Media Summit. Dale Miller, editor of National Hog Farmer, won a gold award for his personality profile, “Wendell & Dell Murphy: Dedication Sustains Murphy Family Ventures.” The Corn and Soybean Digest’s Susan Winsor was named as a Level Three Master Writer by the association, while Neil Tietz, editor of Hay & Forage Grower, took second place for his photography in the Nuts & Bolts category. “Can We Stop Wasting Energy?” an editorial opinion piece by Greg Lamp, editor of The Corn and Soybean Digest, won a bronze medal. Lamp also placed third for some of his unpublished photography. Mark Leiknes, art director for The Corn and Soybean Digest, received a bronze medal in the special publication design category. Jennifer Kampinen, marketing communications specialist, took first place honors for the 2007 Farm Industry News Media Kit and second place honors for The Corn and Soybean Digest 2007 Media Kit.
A Media Perspective of the Syngenta Learning Center
Farm Industry News editor Karen McMahon was one of the media representatives attending the Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA. Here she’s taking notes during our media briefing. (Me, I take pictures)
Today when we were out in the field I interviewed her about what we’ve seen and what she thinks about attending a very personal, just for the media, opportunity to listen to and interview company representatives and then get to go out in the field and see what they’re talking about “live.”
Corn After Corn Ideas From Dr. Fred Below
One of the more entertaining presenters at today’s Syngenta Learning Center in Milford, IA was Dr. Fred Below. He’s a professor of crop physiology at the University of Illinois.
The main focus of his comments was mitigating the effect of yield loss when planting corn after corn. His research offers a number of suggestions for growers and you can hear them in my interview with him. You can also get a taste of his presentation in the following video.
You can listen to my interview with Dr. Below here: learning-centers-below.mp3
Or you can download the interview using this link: Dr. Fred Below Interview (3 min MP3)