CAFTA Campaign Kicked Off

Chuck Zimmerman

I thought we’d be able to bring you information about yesterday’s CAFTA-DR press conference that included ag group representatives and Sec. of Ag Mike Johannes but we got too busy and weren’t on the call.

So . . . I’m going to paste a note about it from the latest Agri-Pulse sent in by Sara Wyant (publisher). She would be happy to have you subscribe to her e-publication by the way.

Farm groups kickoff CAFTA campaign

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Ag leaders representing more than 50 organizations
rallied behind the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic
(CAFTA-DR) yesterday afternoon. In a press conference held at the Ronald Reagan
International Trade Center, the groups touted benefits of the
proposed agreement and downplayed opposition by the sugar
industry. A new coalition study demonstrates that the free trade
agreement provides overwhelming benefits for American agriculture.
In an attempt to sway key members, the study examined the benefits of
CAFTA-DR on a local basis for 40 congressional districts with
significant agricultural production. The study is available at
http://www.nppc.org/hot_topics/40districts.html “At a time when
many key export markets are still closed to U.S. cattle producers,
CAFTA will provide some very welcome new trade opportunities,”
says John Queen, a North Carolina cattleman who serves as vice president of the National
Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “This is why cattle producers across the U.S. are rallying for
final passage of CAFTA-DR, and we hope this will be accomplished by year’s end.”

Dr. CAFTA

She even had this cool image in her newsletter. I just had to add it.

So what does this have to do with agrimarketing? Just think about how things have changed as international trade has grown and expanded. Decisions about marketing will be affected significantly by the decisions made on the trade level. It affects companies, agencies, organizations and growers! It’s important stuff.

Let me know your thoughts on how trade affects agrimarketing.

Ag Group, Agribusiness, Government

Another Online Blogging For Business Poll

Chuck Zimmerman

Although I don’t know any of the numbers behind the numbers you can vote and see the results of another online poll about blogging and business. It’s on the American Business Media website.

The question is, “Do blogs have any use in business to business media?” Current results show:

46.43% Yes, they hold many benefits
3.57% No, too unreliable for business-to-business
3.57% It’s too early to capitalize on the benefits
46.43% A cautionary yes, if the tactic is mastered

This is their “Question of the week” so I would guess the final results will be available by next Monday.

Blogging, Media

Shroom Burger Time

Chuck Zimmerman

I love a good hamburger. Cindy keeps urging me to enter a contest with one of my recipes but I just like making and eating them. That’s why I like the information sent in by the folks at Certified Angus Beef. It’s called “Certified Angus Beef LLC Foodservice Briefs.” There’s a lot of information in it but here’s what I liked best:

Ultimate Mushroom Burger
Serves 12

Ingredients
• 6 lb. Certified Angus Beef ® ground chuck
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 portabella mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
• Olive oil as needed
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 16 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 2/3 lb. grated smoked Gouda

Instructions

1. Season ground chuck with salt and pepper, portion into 8-ounce patties and grill to desired doneness.

2. Brush both sides of whole portabellas with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and grill about 10 minutes per side.

3. Melt butter in large fry pan. Add sliced mushrooms and sherry, and cook 8-10 minutes over medium heat.

4. To assemble, top each portabella with a burger, mushroom slices and grated Gouda cheese. Move to the top shelf of grill and close lid until cheese is soft and slightly melted.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 597.3 Calories; 40.2g Fat; 17.1g Saturated Fat; 183mg Cholesterol; 7.9g Carbohydrate; 1.8g Dietary Fiber; 53.6g Protein; 561mg Sodium; 33% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

Recipe by Dianna Stoffer, Corporate Chef, Certified Angus Beef LLC

For more information contact Crystal Meier.

Feel free to send in your own recipes and/or e-newsletters. We’ll help spread the word!

Ag Group

ZimmCast Features Interview With Two Rivers Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

In our ZimmCast this week I interview Greg Ehm, Two Rivers Marketing. Greg talks about the agency, their clients and services and what they think about this whole blogging thing.

Right before interviewing Greg, I gave a Blogging 101 class to a group of people from the agency over a long lunch hour.

You can listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast

The current edition of ZimmCast is always available in our “Audio Programming” sidebar.

Agency, Audio, Blogging, ZimmCast

Dow AgroScience Recommends Triazoles For Rust

Chuck Zimmerman

There’s a lot of good information flowing on the soybean rust situation and what growers can do about it. I doubt there’s any country in the world that has as good a support system as America’s farmers and ranchers.

For example, see the latest news from Dow AgroScience with the following Talking News Release.

Triazoles Great Fit for First Application Against Asian Soybean Rust

INDIANAPOLIS, March 1, 2005 – Producers are sorting through volumes of information about Asian soybean rust as they consider management decisions for what soybean rust fungicide to apply – and when, if needed.

While the amount of information available is substantial, the list of fungicide classes comes as a simple trio: triazoles, strobilurins and nitriles. The strobilurins and nitriles provide preventive control only, while the triazoles offer both preventive and curative activity. Bob Gordon, fungicide marketing specialist for Dow AgroSciences, says products should be applied with activity in mind.

You can download the full release here: Dow AgroScience Triazoles

For more information contact Darrell Bruggink.

Agribusiness, Audio, Dow AgroScience, Talking News Release

AGCO Suggest Direct Injection Systems To Spray For Rust

Chuck Zimmerman

We have the latest installment from the AGCO series of Talking News Releases. Troy Schroeder lets farmers know how to get ahead of soybean rust.

Direct Injection Systems Can Help Get a Jump on Soybean Rust

DULUTH, GA – April 11, 2005 – Considering the uncertainty about Asian Soybean Rust this growing year – when and where it might hit, if at all – farmers and custom applicators may want to consider a direct injection system for their sprayer units to help them juggle a busier-than-normal spray schedule.

With the added pressure of potentially having to apply herbicides and fungicides in the same spray window, a direct injection system eliminates the downtime needed to rinse and clean tanks between jobs, according to Troy Schroeder (SHRAY-der) marketing manager for AGCO application equipment.

You can download the full release here: AGCO Direct Injection

For more information contact Lisa Sherman

AGCO, Agribusiness, Audio, Talking News Release

MFA’s Health Track Gives Producers Animal ID Edge

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the latest from MFA INCORPORATED. They’re a Talking News Release client by the way and when you download the full release you’ll see what I mean.

MFA INCORPORATED’S
“HEALTH TRACK” PROGRAM
GIVES PRODUCERS INSIDE
TRACK FOR ANIMAL ID

(Columbia, MO, March 30, 2005) A beef marketing program originally developed by Missouri-based MFA Incorporated to give cattle producers a competitive edge in the marketplace could also give them an edge when it comes to a national animal identification program.

Use this link for the full release: MFA Health Track

For more information contact Chuck Lay

Agribusiness, Audio, MFA, Talking News Release

P-O-R-K Stands For?

Chuck Zimmerman

So what does P-O-R-K stand for?

The Pork Checkoff came up with “Producer Opportunity for Revenue and Knowledge.”

The Pork Checkoff is presenting Producers Opportunity for Revenue and Knowledge (PORK) Academy on Wednesday, June 8 at the Downtown Marriott in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Pork producers who attend PORK Academy can learn about many different areas,” said Leon Sheets, chairman of the Pork Checkoff’s Education Committee and a pork producer from Ionia, Iowa. “As a pork producer, access to accurate and timely information is vital to my operation and the Pork Checkoff is helping provide that through educational events like PORK Academy.”

PORK Academy is a series of in-depth seminars designed specifically to meet the need for pork producers to remain competitive in today’s rapidly changing world. PORK Academy allows producers to select those areas in which they have the most interest. Information will be presented during three sessions and at a luncheon program. The Academy runs from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For more information contact my good friend Cindy Cunningham.

Ag Group

Have You Ever Painted A Heifer?

Chuck Zimmerman

I don’t mean actually taking a brush and going out to the barn or field with a can of paint and giving old Bessie a new look. I mean a “painting.” As in artwork. This release was just sent in for the Professional Dairy Heifer Growers Association.


Artist Bonnie Mohr Conveys Beauty and Her Love of the Industry in New Painting – “Enchanted Pastures”

The Professional Dairy Heifer Growers Association (PDHGA), in partnership with Elanco Animal Health and Vita Plus Corporation, featured world renowned artist Bonnie Mohr and her newest painting, “Enchanted Pastures” at the annual PDHGA conference. This art was the result of the sponsors’ consignment and request to capture the essence of raising dairy heifers.

Enchanted Painting Picture

For more information contact Ed Peck.

Ag Group

In Partnership For Almost 25 Years

Chuck Zimmerman

If you know ZimmComm then you know there’s more than just Chuck that makes this company run. In fact, you can see her picture on the blog home page!

I’m talking about Cindy of course. Just today she asked me to show her how to write and post her own articles! So you can look forward to even more (and probably better) information from the AgriMarketing Pros.

So why has it taken Cindy so long to get started on this blogging thing? Because very quietly, behind the scenes, she’s doing a ton of work! Cindy is a talented and award-winning writer, editor and voice talent. She’s producing daily programming for Southeast AgNet. This means she’s writing and producing daily farm radio programming that’s heard on radio stations all over the southeast U. S.

If you’ve hired our services to produce and distribute Talking News Releases then you know that she’s the one who usually conducts the interviews. She edits the releases or writes them when necessary. She cuts up the audio and makes it sound bettter. She’s a lot faster and better than I am! She’s already worn out a couple of keyboards on her Gateway computer!

I’m writing this because she deserves some special recognition for all the hard work she’s doing. When we started this company she said, “You get the work, I’ll do it.” Well, thanks to many wonderful people we’ve been blessed to have plenty of work to do and it wouldn’t happen with the quality you expect without her. I wish she could go with me to the NAMA convention next week but you’ll just have to put up with me. But you’ll know who’s back here making sure we meet our deadlines.

She’s my partner in all things, including marriage for almost 25 years now!

Personal