Eat A Little Seafood – Plan A NAMA Chapter

Chuck Zimmerman

The Gateway NAMA Chapter leaders (some of them anyway) met for lunch today to begin planning for next year. It was a lunch meeting at Bristol’s in St. Louis. Good seafood. I’m getting ready to go work it off at the gym.

Our waitress was kind enough to snap a photo.

Gateway NAMA Board Planning

From left to right you’ll see Joyce Koranda, Brighton, Chris Leulf, Brighton, Sue Derscheid, American Soybean Association, Becky Rasmussen, National Christmas Tree Association, Maria Findley, Rabo Finance and yours truly.

Our meeting was to begin the planning process for our new officer’s slate and programs for the coming year. I’m sure all chapters are just beginning to think this through!

NAMA

In Case Your Customers And Competitor Have Figured Blogging Out And You Haven’t

Chuck Zimmerman

I’ve been meaning to alert you to the latest edition of BusinessWeek magazine since I subscribe to their alerts but it took a friendly email from a friend to remind me to get it done. There are a couple of articles on blogging that are worth looking at, especially if you still wonder if it has business applications.

Six Tips For Corporate Bloggers

Blogs Will Change Your Business

I saw real keen interest in blogging while attending the latest NAMA convention and hope it’ll be a seminar topic next year (hint to 2006 convention program committee!!).

I got a call today from the Midlands NAMA Chapter and agreed to make a May meeting presentation. It’s planned for May 17 at the Quarry Oaks golf course at 3pm. I hope you can attend.

If your NAMA chapter would like to have a presentation on Blogging 101 please contact me for scheduling!

Blogging

AGCO Wants You To Check Sprayer Ability To Handle Rust Applications Before Buying

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the latest in the AGCO series of Talking News Releases. Paul Haefner urges growers to consider how well sprayers will hold up to soybean rust applications before buying.

AGCO Logo

Check Ability of Sprayer to Handle Soybean Rust Challenges Before You Buy

DULUTH, GA – April 18, 2005 – As concerns mount about a possible fast-moving outbreak of Asian Soybean Rust, the market for new and used sprayers is heating up. Growers in the market for a sprayer should know the facts about spraying fungicides before buy, according to Paul Haefner (HAYF-ner), sales engineer for the Ag Chem, a division of AGCO.

You can download the full release here: AGCO Pre-Season Sprayer

For more information contact Lisa Sherman.

AGCO, Agribusiness, Audio, Talking News Release

MBIC Report Focuses On New USDA Food Guidance System

Chuck Zimmerman

Due to the NAMA convention this week’s MBIC Report is posted a little late. In this week’s program from the Missouri Beef Industry Council, Cindy spoke with Teri Jo Oetting, nutrition director, about the new USDA food guidance system from the perspective of a dietitian.

You can listen to the report here: MBIC Report

The most recent MBIC Report is always available in our “Audio Programming” sidebar. It’s set up as a podcast too, so you can subscribe to it. For more information on how, look at our FAQ’s page.

Audio, MBIC Report, Podcasts

Weepuls Were Wild At NAMA

Chuck Zimmerman

Yes, Weepuls.

What’s a weepul? The only way to describe it is with a picture.

Weepul Image

I never knew there was actually a “trade” name for these things but we sure distributed plenty of them from our booth at the NAMA convention.

Other names I heard were: cute little fuzzballs, blobs, fur things, blog ball

When Cindy was looking around at what we could bring to the trade show it was tough figuring out what would promote a blog. These little things worked great since they do look kind of like a blob. Our weepul has a little microphone too since we podcast and produce talking news releases.

I have more. If you want one let me know and I’ll mail it to you. We found them at Uniques.com.

NAMA

FFA Commercial Competition Announced By Garst Seed

Chuck Zimmerman

This announcement came in during the NAMA convention. Had to get past NAMA to post it:

Garst Seed Logo

Garst Seed Sponsoring Second Annual FFA Commercial Competition, Awarding Nearly $7,500

Entries Sought Nationally, Focusing on “Raising Leaders Through FFA — Cultivating
Agriculture’s Future”

SLATER, Iowa, April 20, 2005 — Whether you ask current high school students or today’s leaders in agriculture, agribusiness and related industries to name the one organization that helps youth develop confidence, leadership skills and career success, you’ll most likely hear FFA. That’s why Garst Seed Company has chosen “Raising Leaders Through FFA — Cultivating Agriculture’s Future” as the theme line for its annual commercial competition.

“I speak from experience when I say that FFA has had, and continues to have, a tremendous positive influence on students,” says Lori Thomas, communications manager for Garst Seed Company. “Everyone in the industry knows the organization’s classroom curriculum and its outside programs in areas such as public speaking and commodity marketing encourage students to excel and develop skills that are invaluable throughout their lives. At Garst, we believe it is fitting to recognize the opportunities FFA offers today’s youth and its accomplishments in preparing students to lead the agriculture, food and fiber industries.”

For more information contact Lori Thomas or Linda Leydens.

Agribusiness

Gimme Some Water . . . Cool, Cool Water

Chuck Zimmerman

If you remember who sang those words you are no longer a child. At the Agricultural Relations Council meeting they heard about water rights.

Grady Gammage - ARC Mtg.

Grady Gammage, a leading land use attorney in Arizona, helped ARC members understand the unique relationships between agriculture and developers in the Phoenix area. As one might guess, it all hinges on water rights.

ARC

Accreditation In Public Relations Talked About At ARC

Chuck Zimmerman

The Agricultural Relations Council looked into public relations accreditation more closely at their meeting last week.

Everett Tacket - ARC Mtg.

ARC members were eager to learn about the Universal Accreditation Board’s new process to facilitate Accreditation in Public Relations at the ARC Spring Fling. Everett Tacket, Phoenix PRSA Chapter accredition chairman, walked participants through the newly revised accreditation process and answered questions concerning the readiness review and the computer-based exam.

For more information, contact Jeri Omernik.

ARC

What Would An Ag Theme Park Be Like?

Chuck Zimmerman

From the Agricultural Relations Council:

Carrie Schnepf - ARC Mtg.

As one of the presenters at the ARC Spring Fling, Carrie Schnepf discussed how she and her family diversified Schnepf farms from a commercial fruit and vegetable operation into an agri-tainment destination. By partnering with media, the operation now attracts visitors from across Arizona. Last year, they hosted more than 150,000 visitors during their Pumpkin and Chili Festival.

Sources of revenue? Entrance fees (Carrie equates their operation to an agricultural “Six Flags” experience) and gift shop sales.

For more, visit Schnepf Farms Logo.

ARC