Royal Gala Shaping Up For October 21

Chuck Zimmerman

Royal Gala FundraiserAlthough I didn’t make the meeting it looks like the committee got a lot done! The notes are too long for this post so I’ll just use this opportunity to point out that the Royal Gala Fundraiser will be held again this year on October 21 at the American Royal headquarters in Kansas City. The event is to raise funds for the Livestock Publications Heritage Center. Besides great food, beverage and fellowship the notes say that Barry Nelson performed magic. Maybe he will again this year!

If you’d like to help out plan to attend the next committee meeting at the Agricultural Media Summit on August 1. It’ll be a dutch treat breakfast meeting in the conference hotel restaurant. Contact Amber Spafford for more information.

Ag Media Summit, LPC

Sun World Has New CEO

Chuck Zimmerman

Sun World InternationalBruce C. Burton Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sun World International, LLC.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif., July 1 /PRNewswire/ — Sun World International, LLC, one of California’s largest vertically integrated agricultural corporations, today announced the appointment of Bruce C. Burton, as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 18, 2005.

Mr. Burton brings to Sun World an impressive track record of success in agribusiness. He spent thirteen years with the Dole Food Company, including eight years as the Group Vice President, North American Deciduous Group, with profit and loss responsibility for Dole’s $130 million North American Deciduous Fruit Business. Prior to that he served for three years as Director/Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development.

About Sun World International, LLC

Sun World is one of California’s largest vertically integrated agricultural corporations with a significant farming and packing infrastructure, strong marketing capabilities and an extensive proprietary product development program. The company owns approximately 17,000 acres of land in the San Joaquin Valley and the Coachella Valley. Sun World grows, packs, markets and ships fresh produce (such as table grapes, stone fruit, citrus, peppers and watermelons) to food wholesalers and retailers located throughout the United States and to more than 30 foreign countries.

For more information contact Giovanna Falbo, +1-212-573-6100, or Jeff Lloyd, +1-310-788-2850, both for Sitrick And Company.

Agribusiness

Boomtown Jack Receives Award

Chuck Zimmerman

Boomtown USAI introduced you to Jack Schultz a while back. I just found out that he received a very nice award. That’s because I subscribe to his Agurban newsletter.

Congratulations Jack Schultz! 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year!

Last Thursday night Jack Schultz was in Kennewick, Washington speaking at the Association of Washington Cities annual conference. While he was furthering the Boomtown message on the West Coast, in Chicago a room of more than 500 people was applauding his efforts, his spirit, and his dedication. Jack was chosen as an honored recipient of the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year!

Jack was nominated for this award earlier this spring by a past recipient from the Effingham area. Ernst and Young recognize outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses. Randall Tavierne, E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Illinois Director, writes, “For the past 19 years, we have proudly recognized outstanding business leaders across Illinois. This year’s Illinois program participants have succeeded through turbulent economic times and emerged even stronger. As they forged ahead, they may not have listened when told it couldn’t be done and they continue to take chances that average people consider too risky. They are leaders rather than followers. We are inspired by their achievements.”

We couldn’t have described or honored Jack any better. He has been an entrepreneur all his life, exuding the Can-Do Spirit. Jack’s absence, fulfilling a prior commitment, truly shows his devotion to his passion of spreading the word about the endless possibilities in Small Town America. Please join all of us at Agracel, Inc. in congratulating Jack for this awesome achievement!

You can keep up with Jack on his blog Boomtown USA by Jack Schultz.

Agribusiness

How Emotional Branding Creates Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Osborn & Barr CommunicationsThe folks at Osborn & Barr Communications are using the power of the internet to distribute an electronic newsletter about their agency. In the latest issue you can find some case studies as well as an article on emotional branding.

Harnessing the Power of an Emotional Brand

“How your customers feel about your brand isn’t a casual question,” states Daryl Travis, author of Emotional Branding. “It is the crucial question. Products might leave your factory by the thousands a day, but brands are sold one at a time, and they are sold by FEELINGS.”

Your brand is what your customers perceive every time they do business with your company and, beyond that, what they hear about your company in elevator conversations and online chat rooms.

In their attempts to create those feelings and perceptions, companies spent a nationwide total of $67.6 billion on advertising in 2004 according to data from TNS Media Intelligence. Big companies were the front-runners in dollars spent. Meanwhile, small businesses were trying to come up with prudent solutions that would enable them to compete for customer share of mind and share of pocket.

Rather than compete in a head-on advertising war they can’t win, small businesses must leverage their brand power through a mutually supportive combination of operational branding, public relations and advertising that engages customers and motivates them to become your brand advocate. To build this kind of customer belief, all points of contact must reinforce one another and create the same positive emotional response, not just for the single sale but also for the long-term relationship. Consider the “Align, Define, Combine” method of brand building. . . (Full Article)

For more information contact Tammy Donelson.

Agency

Enlist In NAMA Boot Camp

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA Boot CampIt’s time to enlist in the second annual NAMA Boot Camp. Yours truly will be conducting a program on blogging. If you’ve wondered who, what, where, when, how and why this is your chance to see a live blogging demonstration and class. Of course there’s lots more on the program. You can see the full program here.

BOOT CAMP ENLISTMENT BEGINS

Join us for the second annual Agri-Marketing Boot Camp, August 17-19, in Kansas City. You’ll hear case studies on how to market to your audience and get caught up on issues and trends facing the industry today. In addition, there will be ample time to network with your peers.

Did you attend last year? If so, we want you back! This year’s program will be a perfect continuation, not a repeat, of the basics. And if you want to see our industry in action, plan to come early for the Ag Tour. This tour will be sponsored by the MoKan Chapter. The tour will be priced separately. You can add the tour to your Boot Camp registration or attend the tour only.

Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned veteran, the Agri-Marketing Boot Camp will give you the tools you need to more professionally market to the agricultural industry.

Who should attend? Agency account executives; Media professionals; Art directors; Copywriters; Marketing professionals; Sales professionals; and 2004 Boot Camp attendees.

To register go to the online form.

NAMA

Update on CAFTA, WRDA and RFS on CornTalk

Chuck Zimmerman

Missouri Corn Growers AssociationIt was an active week in Washington, DC for legislation affecting corn growers. In this week’s CornTalk, the weekly interview report from the Missouri Corn Growers Association I interview Samantha Slater, director of public policy for the National Corn Growers Association, who gives us an update on CAFT-DR, WRDA and RFS.

You can listen to CornTalk here Download MP3 File

CornTalk is also a weekly AgWired podcast which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar.

Ag Group, Audio, Corn, CornTalk, MCGA, Podcasts

Meet “The Art of Dairy” Creator On This Week’s ZimmCast

Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmCastYou know that ZimmComm has created the World Dairy Expo Blog and when you visit you’ll see an image of a cow that’s in the process of being painted. If you go to the World Dairy Expo website you’ll see an opening flash animation of that cow being painted. In this week’s ZimmCast I interview Brad Nellis, Distillery Design Studio, who has worked on the theme images of the Expo for about 10 years. He’s the creative talent behind the campaigns, including this year’s “The Art of Dairy” theme.

You can listen to my interview with Brad here Download MP3 File

You can also subscribe to the ZimmCast using the podcast file in our sidebar.

Ag Group, Audio, World Dairy Expo

Sheep & Goat Photographers Alert

Cindy Zimmerman

American Sheep Industry AssociationThere are a number of organizations that hold photography contests. If you’ve got pictures of sheep or goats you might want to consider this one.

Attention all photographers: There are only five weeks left to enter your pictures in the American Sheep Industry Association’s (ASI) 2005 Photo Contest. The contest is open to all who wish to enter, which means you don’t have to be involved in the U.S. sheep, lamb, and wool or goat industries to participate. The only rule is that your photograph must include sheep or goats. Entries must be postmarked by August 8, 2005. Entries will be judged on clarity, content, composition and appeal. A total of $1,000 will be awarded for the top photos in each of the four categories: action, scenic, people and sheep, and open category. New for this year’s photo contest, ASI will now be accepting high-resolution digital photographs.

For more information contact go to www.sheepusa.org or call Amy Trinidad at 303-771-3500, ext. 55.

Ag Group

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

Chuck Zimmerman

FireworksBy now I’m sure most of you are on your much needed holiday break. We’re ready to do the same but that doesn’t mean no news from AgWired. We’ll find something to let you know about. During the next week or so we’ll be moving a daughter to college (1 of 2 that will be moving out and into college this fall!). But even during the travel you’ll still get your daily dose of AgWired!

Have a very happy and healthy 4th of July from Chuck & Cindy. Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do!

General

Farmer Internet Use On The Rise

Chuck Zimmerman

American Business Media Agri CouncilThe Agri Council of American Business Media released their latest research on farmers use of media. If you’re wondering whether farmers use the internet and how much then wonder no more. Here’s a couple tidbits from the study as it relates to the internet.

*The Internet stands out as a source whose usage is on the rise – significant minorities of respondents indicate greater usage than several years ago and even more say they will increase their usage in the next 3 to 4 years.
*The Internet is growing in importance as a source of information used by farmers and ranchers as majorities are online or plan to be in the future.
*The Internet is currently used to check on markets and the weather, and research new products and services. In the next 3 to 4 years, respondents expect to spend more time using the Internet to keep up with key information that helps them to run their business.

This kind of information documents that farmers are really no different than the general public in regards to their internet use. Everyone is using it more and will continue to do so. That’s why technologies like blogging, podcasting and RSS exist and you’ll see even more to come. It’s really blurring the distinctions between media and forcing us to change the way we communicate!

Internet, Media