A YouTube Phone

Chuck Zimmerman

Helio OceanHere’s a gadget that today’s agriblogger might want to have in the kit. It’s the updated Helio Ocean that now allows you to take a video clip and immediately load it to YouTube. I’m not sure what the quality is like but for that quick upload from an event this phone might be worth checking out.

Helio is a stand alone phone and service provider but they are leasing their service from Sprint so you know it’s on a fast network if you’re in one of their EVDO cities. If anyone tries one out let me know how well they work.

Just think about doing a quick video interview at Commodity Classic or any of the upcoming annual farm meetings, uploading it to your YouTube account and linking to it as soon as you update your blog! It doesn’t get any easier than that.

You can find a video demo on their website.

Podcasts

Free Ice Cream!

Laura McNamara

Turkey Hill DairyThe 12 days for Christmas aren’t just for eight maids-a-milking, five golden rings, or a partridge in a pear tree anymore. Turkey Hill Dairy, based out of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is celebrating the Christmas holiday with the !2 Days of Ice Cream.

Turkey Hill DairyStarting Friday, December 14 and ending on December 25, we’ll post a new entry every day on The Ice Cream Journal. Each entry will also feature an ice cream-related product, which we’ll give away the very next day to one lucky reader chosen at random (selected from the blog comments left during the previous day). On December 26, we’ll give away the grand prize: a one year’s supply of Turkey Hill ice cream. For some of you, that stockpile might only last a few months, but either way, that’s a lot of ice cream.

Turkey Hill encourages all readers to stop by its blog daily and leave a comment or two (or 10).

Agribusiness, Dairy, Food

Brussels Song

Chuck Zimmerman

Never let your guard down in Brussels or someone will capture it on video. Such was the case for my partner and wife Cindy and BASF’s Pat Morrow. I think it could become a YouTube hit.

Thanks to Don Green, Farm Journal for making sure we got to see this.

BASF, Video

Farm and Energy Bill Movement

Chuck Zimmerman

Just in case you didn’t know it, the Senate passed a farm bill today. Ho Hum. The news releases and statements are flying. It’s still got to go to conference committee and the President isn’t happy with it. Politics as usual. Kind of like the energy bill which is heading toward the White House now that it finally got past Congress. Well not exactly. The energy bill should be signed but the farm bill probably won’t. As our Acting Agriculture Secretary just said in his press conference, “We’ve got a long way to go.”

It keeps life interesting and it’s important to agricultural marketers because of the impact these legislative decisions have on farmers and farming in America. Don’t forget that you can keep up on farm policy by subscribing to the master at Farm Policy.com.

If you’re looking for some stories on the farm bill then here’s where you should start.

Farm Policy

I’ll Have a PorkSlap Please

Chuck Zimmerman

ButternutsBeerAndAle MooI don’t plan to drive to New York to buy some Butternuts Beer and Ale but I would. You’ve got to love a beverage that combines beer and farm. The following links will take you to where you can see the ads that will be running in Times Square.

This first one if for Moo Thunder and Heinneweiser.

ButternutsBeerAndAle PorkSlapI can’t even begin to imagine what a beer called PorkSlap would taste like but I’m brave enough.

I’m equally interested in the SnapperHead since it sounds like a perfect beer for a grilled red snapper sandwich. There’s something I miss from my Florida days.

Via AdRants.

Food

Michael Walter Named President of CMC and TEGMA

Chuck Zimmerman

Commodity Markets CouncilHere’s a couple of groups I’m not familiar with. But I do know they have a new leader. I’ll bet we could all learn a lot more if they would have me blog their annual meeting.

The Commodity Markets Council (CMC), a competitive markets association, announced today that Michael D. Walter has been named President of the organization. Walter, who has almost 30 years of combined experience at ConAgra Foods and General Mills, will lead CMC in its mission to represent some of the most important commodity-related businesses in the grains, energy, metals and livestock industries to advocate for free, open and robust market places.

Transportation Elevator and Grains Merchants AssociationTEGMA (Transportation Elevator and Grains Merchants Association), is pleased with the naming of Walter as president, a role he will also fill for the organization. “Mike’s fundamental understanding of North American agriculture will allow him to be an effective advocate for the TEGMA membership on transportation issues. His proven leadership will be invaluable in growing TEGMA in the future,” said Eric Wilkey chairman of TEGMA and president of Arizona Grain Inc. CMC and TEGMA share a strategic relationship that works for the common benefit of each organization’s membership.

CMC also announced the promotion of Christine Cochran to the position of vice president, government relations, reporting to Walter and focusing on legislative and regulatory issues impacting the energy, agribusiness and metals industries. Read More

Ag Groups

USDA Makes Soy a Staple for WIC

Laura McNamara

SoyfoodsThe USDA says soybeans, soymilk and tofu are nutrient-rich foods for nutritionally vulnerable women and children. Maybe you should consider including more soy in your diet too.

To meet the growing needs and food preferences of diverse families participating in the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Food Program (WIC), USDA has incorporated tofu and soymilk into the revised WIC food packages. Both women and children will also be able to select dried and canned whole soybeans in the WIC food packages. These soyfoods provide a high quality protein equal to animal sources as well as calcium, iron, and fiber, without increasing saturated fat and cholesterol in diets. The changes to the WIC food packages ensure those at nutritional risk have access to a variety of nutritious foods to meet cultural needs.

The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) applauds the tremendous insight and dedication of USDA staff to review thousands of comments and to devise rules that balance all interests and advance the health of the most nutritionally vulnerable. These new rules accommodate the cultural food preferences and nutrient needs of the women, infants, and children served by WIC and meet the recommendations in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines.

Food, Soybean

Media Interviewing Suggestions

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSI was waiting to hear what Steve Leer, Purdue University would have to say in his presentation this morning.

His topic is “Interviewing with the Media: Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say.” Instead of the interactive TurningPoint clicker he’s having us write our answers to questions on a notepad he handed out to us. The notepads promote Ag Answers, a joint project of Ohio State University and Purdue.

One of his first questions had to do with the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the media. Most of the answers were negative. Then he proceeded to make sure everyone understands that no matter what they think of the media they’re going to have to deal with it at some point and it’s good to be ready.

Ag Groups

Authoritative Producer Message Delivery

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSWe’re onto the subject of “Delivering a Message to the Producer: Present the Facts, You are the Authority!”

This presentation is being done by Fred Whitford, Purdue University. Here’s Fred using some creative props to help make a point.

It took me a few minutes to get a picture since he’s wandering all over the room. He also doesn’t need to use the microphone! He’s got some good advice like, “It’s not who you are but what you say that counts.”

Ag Groups

How To Talk To CCA’s

Chuck Zimmerman

NCWSSRight now Bryan Young, Southern Illinois University is talking

His topic is “Targeting a Certified Crop Advisor Audience: Is there Some Middle Ground?”

To start out he’s describing what that audience is like and I think it’s interesting that they have a wide range of educational backgrounds from no high school diploma to PhD. He did point out that 70% have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher though. Sounds like a diverse group.

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