Meet The Ambassadors

Chuck Zimmerman

Amanda RankinHave you ever had a chance to meet one of the National Beef Ambassadors? If not you can listen to an interview with one of the five students who were selected to be the current Ambassadors for the Beef Checkoff.

These students do a lot of traveling over the year going to events and talking to consumbers.

Amanda Rankin is from California and volunteered to be interviewed. She’s in the picture, second from the left.

Download and listen to Amanda here: Amanda Rankin Interview (3 min. MP3 File)

Or listen here now:

cic-07-6-ambassador.mp3
Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

NCBA TV Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Next week NCBA will launch it’s first episode of Cattlemen to Cattlemen, a weekly tv show on RFD-TV. It’s set to air every Tuesday at 8:30pm and will be re-run a couple of other times.

The program is going to be hosted by Susie Ross and they’ve got several regional reporters. Initial underwriting is being provided by Ft. Dodge Animal Health, Purina Mills, McDonalds, Pfizer Animal Health and Bayer Animal Health.

Ag Groups, Media

On The Farm Radio

Chuck Zimmerman

WESM - On The Farm RadioMy coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention has been noticed by On The Farm Radio, Mt. Sydney, VI.

Jeff Ishee and I have traded emails since he wanted to use my interview with Beef Board chairman, Jay O’Brien. I certainly granted him permission and he says it will be in tomorrow’s show which you can find here.

Media

Opening General Session

Chuck Zimmerman

Jay O'BrienThe convention program was kicked into high gear yesterday with an end of the day joint presentation on stage of the Beef Board and NCBA.

Several presenters gave reports on the state of the industry and how the organizations are working to address various issues like trade and consumer preferences and perceptions. Beef Board Chairman Jay O’Brien was on hand to welcome everyone.

Here’ s a sound bite from Jay’s comments:

cic-07-3-obrien.mp3
Audio, Cattle Industry Conference

Cattle Convention Photo Album

Chuck Zimmerman

Throughout the Cattle Industry Convention I’ll be posting new photos to an online photo album. If you’d like to see them please feel free to check it out. New photos will be added each day.

Use the following link:

Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Cattle Industry Conference

RFD-TV Branson Theatre

Chuck Zimmerman

RFD-TVCindy brought to my attention that RFD-TV is opening up a theatre in Branson, MO. It looks like it’s supposed to be ready in March.

It’s official! Branson, Missouri will become the new home-base for RFD-TV to expand and improve its entertainment programming to better serve its fans of traditional music and family-oriented entertainment! We invite you to join us in Branson, Missouri in 2007 to experience RFD-TV The Theatre.

Media

Beef Board Chairman Interview

Chuck Zimmerman

Jay O'BrienJay O’Brien is the chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and one of his duties today was speaking at the new appointees orientation lunch.

Jay started off talking about the need to look professional and that means wearing a nice bow tie. So he showed everyone how easy it is to quickly tie your tie.

Before the lunch got started I had a chance to interview Jay. Jay talks about some of the key things that producers should know. For example, he talks about end of last year USDA producer survey and how closely the results matched the producer survey results that was conducted by the Beef Board of a smaller sample size. He also talks about the retirement of Monte Reese and the process the Board will go through to find a replacement.

Listen to my interview with Jay:

cic-07-3-obrien.mp3
Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

New NAFB Print Ad

Chuck Zimmerman

NAFB Print AdThe National Association of Farm Broadcasters has a new print ad. This ad will run in Agrimarketing magazine.

According to the latest e-Chats newsletter the ad helps further communicate the fact that member’s broadcasts are heard by the rural audience in addition to a traditional farm audience.

The ad highlights that NAFB member networks and stations enjoy significant listenership in rural households on 3-plus acres — a key demographic of the rural lifestyle segment. NAFB’s 2006 national study established there are 27 million rural households with an estimated population of 69 million, with many household incomes above $75,000 annual. The ad further reinforces reach among larger producers generating at least $100,000 income across NAFB coverage geography.

Advertising, NAFB

Cattle Industry Convention Media Room

Chuck Zimmerman

Cattle Industry Convention - Grace & JoeHere’s the Cattle Industry Convention Media Room welcoming committee. It’s Grace and Joe. Joe says Grace is the official Yard-O-Beef spokesmodel.

I think the plan is to slice that baby up later today as a news room snack.

The media room is getting busier as the day wears on. I was hoping we would have some mild weather here but no . . . It was 13 degrees this morning and they’re predicting a couple inches of snow by tomorrow.

The Media room is sponsored once again this year by Merial and they’re also hosting a reception for us tomorrow evening.

Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

NAMA iPod Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA Convention 2007Are you one of those people who wishes they had an iPod? Not a NAMA member yet either? Then now’s the time to join because NAMA is launching a winter membership promotion.

New members who join NAMA between January 1 and April 6, 2007 will be entered into a drawing for a 30 GB Video iPod. In addition, existing NAMA members who recruit these new members will also be entered into the drawing. Just make sure when you recruit a member that they put your name in the “referred by” space on the membership application. The drawing for the iPod will take place at the Trade Show Closing Reception on Thursday, April 12 in Dallas, but you need not be present to win.

NAMA