Preparing Planters For Syngenta

Chuck Zimmerman

Sarah Gehant & Mack EstesThe planter boxes on display here in the Syngenta booth at the National Farm Machinery Show are prepared in the greenhouse of farmer Mack Estes, Owensboro, Ky. He’s pictured here with Sarah Gehant, who we’ll hear from later.

Mack had a greenhouse to grow tobacco but doesn’t use it for that purpose anymore. Now he’s on his 6th year helping Syngenta with these planter boxes that allow them to showcase their various products.

I interviewed Mack about what he does and what it means to him to work with Syngenta on this project. He says he’s learned a lot about the various products Syngenta offers and that alone has been helpful to him on his farming operation.

Listen to my interview with Mack here: nfms-07-estes.mp3

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is being sponsored by: Syngenta AgriEdge Soybeans and John Deere

Audio, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show, Syngenta

Syngenta Booth First Stop

Chuck Zimmerman

SyngentaWe’re going to call my first day at the National Farm Machinery Show, “Sponsor Day.” I got off to a late start due to the weather so I’ve devoted most of my time so farm conducting interviews and taking pictures at the Syngenta and John Deere Booths.

Here you can see Syngenta flying high inside the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Syngenta Planter BoxWhen you visit the Syngenta booth the first thing that’s going to catch your eye though are the planter boxes.

These aren’t the kind of boxes though that you’d place on your deck or outside your window. These are very large and contain crops grown in a greenhouse. We’ll learn more about that soon.

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is being sponsored by: Syngenta AgriEdge Soybeans and John Deere

John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show, Syngenta

NFMS Media Room Open For Sponsorship

Chuck Zimmerman

Welcome to NFMSIt looks like a public relations opportunity to me. The National Farm Machinery Show doesn’t have an “official” media room. There is a nice room inside the administrative offices though which I can work out of. However, no internet access. I was told the CEO decided no internet for the media unless there’s a sponsored media room. So. Here’s an opportunity since I was told there’s been a growing number of media attend this event. There is public wi-fi too I was told for a fee but it’s only in the lobby area, not a place I can leave a computer while I go do interviews and take pictures.

Here’s another example of my Sprint Broadband card paying off. Fortunately too, this is a Sprint EV-DO area, meaning it is true broadband. So, it’s time to go get my bearings, visit my sponsors and start covering the NFMS.

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is being sponsored by: Syngenta AgriEdge Soybeans and John Deere

Farm Shows, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show, Syngenta

Broadhead+Co Reaps The Regional

Chuck Zimmerman

Broadhead+CoAgWired advertiser, Broadhead+Co is another big winner in the NAMA regional competition. Let me take this opportunity to thank Dean for his support of what we’re doing here on AgWired. Please visit his website and let him know that you do too.

Broadhead + Co picked up nine first place awards in regional National AgriMarketing Association award competitions, representing four different clients. For the Almond Board of California, the agency picked up three first place awards for its public relations work in public affairs/issues management, audio visual presentations as well as its electronic newsletter to almond handlers. Broadhead + Co is the Almond Board’s agency of record for industry relations.

For the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC), the agency picked up first place honors for EPIC’s monthly member newsletter in the company publications category. In the customer events category, the agency, in conjunction with EPIC and the Indy Racing League, also won first place for its Pump Promotion Tour in Michigan held in conjunction with Michigan Indy 400.

In the advertising categories, the agency picked up four first place awards. In the unique print advertising category, the agency received a first for its ‘Welcome to the Big Country’ campaign for Emerald BioAgriculture. The agency also won firsts for its Emerald BioAgriculture ad “Use AuxiGro on Apples and Cherries and Harvest More Lettuce” and its National FFA Foundation trade ad for LifeKnowledge. The agency also picked up a first place award for its own corporate ad campaign, “An agency focused on the business and life of rural America” in the advertising to agribusiness category.

Agencies

Slight Weather Delay

Chuck Zimmerman

Can you say, “Midwest Winter Storm?” Just in case you’re looking for early morning posts from the National Farm Machinery Show, they’ll probably start more like late morning or early afternoon. It’s about a 6 hour drive from Jefferson City, MO to Louisville, KY but not today. After 6 hours I had made it to Mt. Vernon, IL where I’m spending the night. I-64 is not in good shape and I want to make sure I make it for my first ever NFMS. I’d have a picture of the road conditions for you but I was afraid to take my hands off the wheel.

I plan to get in by mid-morning at the latest depending on the conditions and then we’ll have plenty of action.

Uncategorized

John Deere Says “Reach For The Stars”

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere Reach For The Stars ProgramOne of my sponsors for AgWired coverage of this week’s National Farm Machinery Show is John Deere. I know they’ve got a lot to see and talk about and we’ll get started on that tomorrow morning. One of those things though is their “Reach For The Stars” program which they launched with the American Soybean Association.

John Deere representative, Seth Crawford explains what the program is all about: johndeere-crawford-stars.mp3
“New AMS solutions are expanding to include functionality on non-John Deere equipment as well,” said Seth Crawford, AMS Marketing Manager. “So I am encouraging all growers, regardless of the color of your equipment, to take advantage of this program, and experience how precision ag can bring more efficiency to your operation.”

I know we’ll be talking about precision agriculture, new tractors and implements but it’s time for me to get ready to head on out to the show. You’ll get lots of pictures and interviews over the next several days as I get my first look at this annual event.

AgWired coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show
is being sponsored by: Syngenta AgriEdge Soybeans and John Deere

Agribusiness, Audio, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show, Soybean

Weather’s Better at World Ag Expo

Chuck Zimmerman

World Ag ExpoI sure wish I was at World Ag Expo. My Truffle Media Network buddies are though and they promised to send me some pictures and information which I’ll post when I get it.

It may be a little cool in Tulare, CA but nothing like here in the Midwest where we’re having a winter storm. The drive to Louisville for the National Farm Machinery Show should be interesting.

See you from there.

Farm Shows

ZimmComm Update and a Little Biodiesel Willie

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-106 - Biodiesel WillieYou may not have had a chance to hear Emily Richard’s new version of “Biodiesel Willie” but if you listen to this week’s ZimmCast you will. Since I’m in between event blogging gigs I thought I’d share an update of how things are going here at ZimmComm New Media and a couple of sound bites from Merle Haggard and Larry Hagman on biodiesel. The program ends with “Biodiesel Willie.”

I hope you enjoy it.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 106 (15 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast106-2-13-07.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes.

Audio, Biodiesel, ZimmCast

Gibbs & Soell Big Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

Gibbs & SoellYou know the NAMA convention is coming up soon when the regional Best of award announcements start coming out. Congratulations to Gibbs & Soell for doing great in their region.

Gibbs & Soell Public Relations captured Best of Show in public relations honors at the recent Carolinas/Virginia Region Best of NAMA (National Agri-Marketing Association) awards competition. The annual Best of Show award goes to the entry that is judged tops in quality and measurable results by a panel of judges consisting of marketing and communication peers. Additional honors captured by the agency included 11 first place and merit awards for public relations campaigns, product brochures, educational feature articles, news releases and trade show promotion materials.

The Best of Show winning entry, The 2006 Business of Tomatoes: Building Relationships through Educational Experiences Seminar, was developed for Gibbs & Soell client Syngenta Crop Protection. G&S worked with Purdue University to provide a select group of California’s largest tomato growers with a unique opportunity to enhance their business skills in human resources, finance and strategy. At the same time, the program strengthened the customer relationship with Syngenta and its portfolio of products and services.

By the way, I’m working with Gibbs & Soell and their client, Syngenta, this week at the National Farm Machinery Show.

Agencies, NAMA

Farmers Online In Web Forums

Chuck Zimmerman

I know I just did a post on this but I’ve had enough people emailing me links to this AP story that I thought I’d post it again. I think that since it’s starting to show up in numerous websites more people are finding it. Like on CNN.

My main takeaway from this story is still the fact that farmers are going online to find the information they need and can’t get anywhere else. Several things are at play here. To start with, farmers want information now as in right now while they have the need. They don’t want to wait and hope it shows up sometime in the future. Next up is the fact that the internet allows them freedom of choice, their choice. They choose what they want and when they want it. Finally, and this is the hard part for traditional communicators to accept it seems to me, they are getting their information from other farmers and people like yours truly who have adopted and promoted the use of self publishing platforms like blogs and podcasts.

Now, this story focuses on online farmer user forums and doesn’t say anything about blogs and podcasts. I don’t know why but I hope you’ll understand that the more choices there are for farmers to get the information they want, when they want it, the more fractionalized the audience will become. I like to call it the online conversation and I want to be a part of it. I have no grandiose idea that I’ll capture all of it and that’s just fine by me. However, I think I do have a loyal audience and they are people who find useful and interesting things here that they will pass along (word of mouth) to their peers. That’s what this is all about.

Farming, Internet