RFA Ethanol Podcast

Get Some Elvis PR In Graceland

Chuck Zimmerman

Kevin KernHave you registered for the Agricultural Relations Council meeting in Memphis yet? Time’s a wasting. You’ve got until March 3 to get the convention rate at the hotel. They’ve got a full program on public relations lined up including one with Kevin Kern, Media Coordinator for Elvis Presley Enterprises.

You can download the program and registration form here. (pdf file)

ARC, Public Relations

Spring Weather Will Determine Soybean Acres

Chuck Zimmerman

Harry SiemensMany of the readers of Agwired may not know that Manitoba, that northern Canadian province, just north of North Dakota, and on the way to Churchill and polar bears, is soybean country. Yep, not millions of acres, but ½ a million if weather conditions are right.

At a recent Bean Symposium, many farmers showed great interest in growing soybeans, but according to pulse crop specialist Bruce Brolley of Manitoba Agriculture, most are still undecided. “We had a lot of growers, but I still get the feeling many growers are kicking tires trying to decide which crops they want to grow,” said Brolley.

The soybean RoundUp Ready seed, most in short supply, growers bought last fall or at least spoke for it.
“Since the bad season in 2004, we haven’t really built up our seed stock for the new varieties and that seed stock is more limited,” said Brolley. “I think for most of the RoundUp Ready, the seed has been spoken for already.”

It’s hard to get a handle on how many soybeans growers will plant this year because of the high intentions in the last two year, but Mother Nature cut those acres both years. “You tell me what type of spring we’re going to have, and I can give you a good handle on acres,” said the pulse specialist. “We have had good intentions to seed a lot more acres than we had. Even last year, we were probably in that range of 220,000 intended; but because of Mother Nature, we only got 100,000 acres in.” He believes there’s interest for around 350,000 acres; others are saying maybe 450,000 and even more.

Siemens Says

International

Farm Journal Editor Finalist For Neal Award

Chuck Zimmerman

Pam HendersonI hope the food is good at the Waldorf Pam. At least I’ve heard it’s okay. I guess you’ll get to find out when they announce the winner. Good luck!

Pam Henderson, Crops and Issues Editor of FARM JOURNAL, has been named a finalist in the 52nd Annual Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards for editorial achievement, the most prestigious awards in business-to-business journalism.

For a nine-article series entitled “Asian Soybean Rust Takes Root in the U.S.,” Henderson was cited in the category of “Best subject-related series of articles” for magazines with more than $7 million in revenues. The articles were published between January and May 2005, after discovery of the devastating disease of soybeans for the first time on U.S. soil in November 2004. Andrew Burchett, former Chemicals and Seeds Editor of FARM JOURNAL, also contributed to the series.

Henderson is one of 101 finalists chosen from 1,250 entries by a distinguished board of judges. The 32 Neal Award winners, including the top award, the Grand Neal, will be announced on March 23 at the annual Neal Awards Show at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Often hailed as the “Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” the Neal Awards were created by American Business Media (ABM) to recognize and reward excellence in independent business publications.

Speaking of ABM, in their latest e-newsletter they had this interesting bit of information:

Leading business-to-business trade information providers will generate 35 – 50% of their revenue online within two to three years, predicts Outsell Inc.’s recently completed “Annual Ad Spending Study: Where and Why Advertisers Are Moving Online.”

Based on a survey Outsell fielded to 1,200 advertisers controlling an estimated $2.4 billion in November 2004, the Ad Spending Study found that online platforms are currently used by 80% of advertisers, a number expected to reach more than 90% by 2008. Total online advertising spending is expected to grow 19% in 2006, with the still relatively small blog and wireless marketing area poised to increase by 43% and 19%, respectively. But fear not, classic media: trade magazines and events still rated within the top 3 most effective tactics for both branding and lead generation.

Publication

Welcome Buckeye Ag Blogger

Chuck Zimmerman

Andy VanceI already introduced Andy Vance on World Dairy Diary and I’d like you to know about him too. That’s because he’s going to be a regular contributor to our dairy news blog.

He might even have stuff we’ll need to bring you here on AgWired too. Andy and his wife and partner, Lindsay, have their own farm media company, Buckeye Ag Radio Network. They’re just getting into blogging and podcasting too. They “get it.” So I got them, or at least, him.

Andy sent me his photo and was hoping I could use PhotoShop to make him look “hot.” I couldn’t find the “hot tool” though, sorry Andy but welcome to the ZimmComm family of farm news blogs!

Dairy, Media

Make Sure You Enter Our iPod Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland This is just a friendly reminder to enter our New Holland “Down on the Farm” Classic iPod Keepsake Contest. You don’t have to be a farmer to enter. As long as you don’t work for New Holland or me you’re eligible. Tell your neighbors, your family and your friends. Maybe they want to know about AgWired anyway.

Entries have already come in from farmers, media, agencies and ag groups. Don’t miss your chance. I have no idea what the odds are of winning this but I can guarantee that they’re better than the lottery.

For those of you who will be in Anaheim next week you can also enter at the New Holland booth in the trade show.

Agribusiness, Commodity Classic

BSE Effects Continue in Canada

Chuck Zimmerman

Harry SiemensWhat do growing forages and BSE have in common you may ask? When the BSE crisis hit the Canadian cattle industry in 2003, most watched cattle producers struggle, what to do with their cattle, in some cases almost worthless. However, the effects of that crisis reached out to almost every segment selling into that industry.

“BSE certainly reduced our sales because the cattle producers didn’t have much income and so they weren’t buying very much seed,” Dave Dyck of Dyck Forages and Grass at Elie, Manitoba. “The last year, particularly in Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan, the wet spring dropped our retail sales even more.”

However, things are looking up. Dyck says there’s more interest this spring than last year at this time.
“I expected that, because we have some pent up demand to reseed some fields and put in some new hay and pasture fields,” he said. “Moreover, there are some improvements in the price of cattle. The cattle producers are probably feeling a little more encouraged to spend some extra money on some seed.”

However, the cattle industry in Canada will feel the effects of the U.S. closing the border to Canadian cattle for a long time. Keeping the border closed to live cattle over 30 months of age keeps a lid on the prices producers get for those animals.

Siemens Says

International

College Students To Blog Commodity Classic

Chuck Zimmerman

Mary IrelanMeet Mary Irelan, University of Illinois student and about to become, AgWired blogger. Actually, she’ll just be blogging her experiences as a first time visitor to Commodity Classic next week. Her trip is being sponsored by Monsanto as part of it’s Future Ag Journalists Fellowship program. Monsanto wants to make sure the future agricultural communicators get some “new media” training.

Margy FischerMeet Margy Fischer, University of Missouri student and also blogging her Commodity Classic experience right here on AgWired. Both Mary and Margy will begin blogging their trip next Tuesday. All their posts will be categorized by their name so you can easily find them, since they’ll be mixed in with my coverage of the event. Additionally, they’ll also be helping me with my coverage. I was very happy to find out that they will be bringing a digital camera and notebook computer. That’s what the ag journalist of the future must be equipped with.

This is very cool and I can’t wait to see what our Monsanto Future Ag Journalists have to say. The same goes for Monsanto Public Affairs Manager Mica DeLong. She says the opportunity will provide the students with a unique real-world media experience. Monsanto has a long- standing commitment to promoting youth involvement in agriculture by supporting programs such as Future Farmers of America, 4-H, Agriculture Future of America, Ag in the Classroom and other notable agriculture youth and leader development organizations.

“These students will make some new contacts and learn more about the agricultural industry at one of the largest and most widely recognized ag events of the year,” says DeLong. “ZimmComm has offered a unique opportunity for both students to write for AgWired, which gives them exposure to one of the newest forms of communications and can really broaden their knowledge.”

MonsantoI think Monsanto is one of the companies that’s “getting it.” They’re already video podcasting and now they’ve created an opportunity for students like Mary and Margy to create event coverage via a blog. Who would have imagined this a year ago when we got AgWired kick started?

Guess who ZimmComm will be looking for at graduation time.

Agribusiness, Commodity Classic

Protecting That Intellectual Property

Chuck Zimmerman

Dermot HayesOur last session of the day involves a discussion on intellectual property rights and how they benefit society.

Our presenter is Dermot Hayes, Iowa State University, Professor of Finance and Economics. Basically, as I hear it, higher protection for IP or intellectual property would benefit society in several ways, including encouraging companies like Pioneer to invest in new technology. Dermot conducted a study on this issue which is published in the November issue of the American Journal of Agricultural Economics.

Agribusiness, Pioneer

More High Speed Internet Access To Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

Tom DoergeWhen we got to precision farming it was time for a tag team approach again. Getting this session started was Tom Doerge, Agronomy Research Scientist. Tom talked about using yield monitors and doing on-farm testing. He had some great photos of fields in which different treatments were applied side-by-side and in other patters. I will ask if these presentations are available.

Todd PrescottTag team member Todd Prescott got into the services Pioneer offers its customers who want yield mapping done for them. A certain amount of this information is or can be available via internet and computer. So, I asked him what kind of feedback he gets from growers about internet access. I was surprised and pleased to hear him say that farmer access to broadband is growing fast. He sees a lot of DSL becoming available and throughout the corn belt and soybean growing areas of the country. In fact, he’s spoken with growers who now have high speed options. He’s been hearing growers say they’ll have it installed and working as soon as they can now that it’s available in their area.

Agribusiness, Pioneer