Promoting IFAJ 2009 Congress

Chuck Zimmerman

Churchill DownsWe had multiple receptions yesterday starting with one to generate interest and support for the 2009 IFAJ Congress which will be held in conjunction with the Ag Media Summit.

So, the organizing committee took many sponsors to Churchill Downs where we watched a video on the conference and had a short presentation by the Committee Co-Chairs Greg Lamp and Mike Wilson.

Greg LampGreg explained where things stand at this point in the planning process during a short interview I did with him afterward.

He wasn’t bashful about saying that they’re asking AMS sponsors to increase their investment in 2009 and sponsor both.

Many of our sponsors are international companies and hopefully the interaction with agricultural journalists from around the world will be attractive and beneficial for them: ams-07-lamp.mp3

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit, Audio, IFAJ

New Bayer CropScience Team Members at R&K

Chuck Zimmerman

Rhea & KaiserThere are some new team members at Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications.

Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications has hired agribusiness communications professional Eileen Crosby as a management supervisor to lead the Southern row crop business for client Bayer CropScience, overseeing activities for the cotton, rice and peanut markets.

To further develop the Bayer CropScience team, Rhea & Kaiser also recently hired Bill McLain and Stacy Mayo, senior account executive and assistant account executive, public relations, respectively.

Crosby brings nearly 20 years of experience to the position. Prior to joining Rhea & Kaiser, she led the cotton account team at Bader Rutter & Associates in Brookfield, Wis., and served as manager of consumer and business-to-business products and services for DMC Advertising Inc. of Pawaukee, Wis.

McLain, who previously managed PR programs for Dow AgroSciences’ Southern crops division at Bader Rutter, will lead day-to-day PR efforts on the FiberMax cotton business. Mayo, a recent graduate of Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and journalism, will provide support to the portfolio of Bayer corn and soybean products.

The agency also promoted Jeff Walter, a seven-year veteran of the Bayer CropScience business, to management supervisor from account supervisor. In his new role, Walter will manage all branding efforts for the Bayer CropScience corn, soybean and sorghum portfolios.

Agencies

Blogging for Business Session

Chuck Zimmerman

Blogging ClassHere are the happy shining smiling faces of the Blogging for Business workshop.

This is a demo post to show how relatively easy it is to put fresh content on your website.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

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Ag Media Summit

Stacked Traits For Breakfast

Chuck Zimmerman

Pancake ChefThis morning Syngenta hosted a pancake breakfast for us and distributed memory sticks containing all the information we need including logos, product info, etc.

They used pancake stacks to emphasize their Agrisure stacked traits for corn. Nice tie in folks.

I’m in my morning session room getting ready to discuss “Blogging for Business.” The early comers are seeing blogging in action. Shortly you’ll get to see them.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit

Opening Reception Fun

Chuck Zimmerman

BCS CommunicationsEven though I took the first bus back from the opening reception at Huber Winery it’s still too late for this agriblogger to get much done tonight. I’ll try to get some new pics added to the photo album though.

Gary, Leigh Ann and Kelly are having fun at the opening reception which is still going on I assume. We had the AMS American Idol contest and I’ll have the results for you tomorrow.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit

Registration and Media Room Are Open

Chuck Zimmerman

BASF Media RoomRegistration is open and so is the BASF Media Room.

I started out working from my room today but will switch to downstairs this afternoon. It’s going to be a busy one. We’ve got sessions starting at 1pm and receptions starting as early as 3:45pm before the big one which will take place at Huber Farms starting at 6pm.

Keep an eye of the photo album which has grown to 130 pictures so far and counting. See anyone you know? How about yourself?

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit

Talking Tobacco

Chuck Zimmerman

Tobacco FlowerIn case you’ve never seen a tobacco flower they are very pretty.

I’m not sure if they have any use and I didn’t ask.

If you’d like to learn a little bit about tobacco then watch this video clip from our farm tour stop.

In it our host shows us the difference in tobacco quality that you get from leaves on different parts of the plant. He also talks about how important immigration reform is to farmers like himself.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit, Video

Tobbacco Farm Stop

Chuck Zimmerman

Harlan PersingerOne of our stops on the Saturday tour was a tobacco farm. I’m no expert but his crop looked to be in great shape and you can see pictures of it in the photo album. Here’s Harlan Persinger sniffing some dried tobacco that was on display. We didn’t get to chew or smoke any though.

The farmer gave the group a talk about growing tobacco and had several representatives on hand who also provided comments about farming in Kentucky.

Our bus driver, affectionately know as Beanie, did a great job taking care of us as we made our way around the beautiful countryside. I interviewed him during our last leg back to the hotel and he talks about the horse business in particular. He says that people come from all over the world to buy horses just based on their blood lines and before they’ve even been proven on the track: ams-07-beanie.mp3

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit

Visiting Journalists From Mali

Chuck Zimmerman

Mali/OSU GroupAttending the Ag Media Summit is a group of communications professionals from Mali. They’ve been attending Oklahoma State University as part of an international exchange program and have been doing internships and all kinds of things.

I had a chance to speak with one of the group who is actually a student in Utah right now. I’ll have to add his name here later since I neglected to write it down. He does say it in the interview.

This is the whole group after lunch at Alltech. Here’s the interview: ams-07-mali.mp3

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit, Audio

Touring Alltech Headquarters

Chuck Zimmerman

Alltech TourOur next stop on today’s tour is Alltech. The tour is going on right now but I was here earlier this year for the Alltech Symposium. I’m borrowing Billy Frey’s office for a few minutes before lunch.

Dr. Pearse Lyons greeted us at the door and welcomed us to Alltech headquarters. Then it was off to the tour which is where I’m headed to now. More after lunch.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
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Ag Media Summit