AEM Annual Outlook Survey

Chuck Zimmerman

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has released their 2010 outlook for agricultural machinery. It looks like an expectation of continued “continued weakness in U.S. and Canadian tractor sales.” This is comes from a survey they conduct of members. So although this year’s outlook is somewhat negative, future years look much better. For all sizes of two-wheel tractors, however, the declines …

AEM, Equipment, Tractor

Livestock Publications Council Starting To Blog

Chuck Zimmerman

The Livestock Publications Council has implemented a blog element into their website. Let Diane Johnson know if you’ve got information for it. You can subscribe with this link. Also: Don’t forget to RSVP for LPC Luncheon at NCBA Convention in San Antonio For the first time this luncheon is being co-sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and will recognize the 2009 …

LPC

Muzinic Promoted to VP at Rhea + Kaiser

Chuck Zimmerman

Cheryl Muzinic has been promoted to VP, Group Account Manager, at Rhea + Kaiser Marketing Communications. Muzinic, who joined Rhea + Kaiser in 2005 as management supervisor, manages strategic development and planning for the agency’s business-to-consumer accounts: DePaul University, Hammes Company and Central Garden & Pet, including Excel Marketing, Gulfstream Home & Garden, Pennington Seed and TechPac, LLC. “Cheryl has …

Agencies

Sparkle Pig

Chuck Zimmerman

Just in case I didn’t mention it. I want to be like Russell Graves when I grow up. Here’s a short video he just released about a little girl and her show pig. I think you should let others see it. It’s the kind of thing we need more of out there in the web. It kind of made my …

Pork, Video

Ag Leader at AG CONNECT

Chuck Zimmerman

One of the exhibits I visited at AG CONNECT Expo is our primary Precision Pays.com sponsor, Ag Leader Technology. Mike Olson, Sales and Support Manager, was on the floor interacting with attendees when I stopped by. The Ag Leader booth was one of the ones displaying the “New Product” banner. I asked Mike what was new. He says there have …

AEM, Ag Leader, Agribusiness, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

U.S. Ag Associates Conference and StollerUSA

Chuck Zimmerman

What a week we had on AgWired last week at AG CONNECT Expo and what a week we’re going to have next week. Besides the Cattle Industry Convention and International Poultry Expo we’re going to have full coverage of the U.S. Ag Associates Conference courtesy of StollerUSA. So that’s the subject of this week’s program. This morning I spoke with …

Agribusiness, Audio

IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

Alltech has once again sponsored the IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism awards. Ten young agricultural journalist winners have been announced. Their awards will allow them to attend this year’s IFAJ Congress, which Cindy will be attending. The IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism awards recognize the leadership potential of young members from countries belonging to IFAJ. Recipients each receive …

Alltech, IFAJ, Media

Social Media Is About Engagement

Chuck Zimmerman

Social media and networking continues to be the hot topic in agricultural communications and every other industry too for that matter. How do you measure it is the question I get most often these days and I pretty much say, “Don’t.” Don’t? Yeah. Don’t. There are so many measuring points that I’m not sure where you start. How do you …

Social Networking

ARC in Memphis Coming Up

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s time for the ARC Memphis: Consumer Outreach for Ag meeting. The Agricultural Relations Council is calling for registrations. The meeting will be held February 18-20, 2010 at the Westin Memphis Beale Street Hotel, Memphis, TN. The agenda includes a presentation from Agricenter International, Tennessee Farm Bureau, trip to Ducks Unlimited and a session on, you guessed it, Social Media …

ARC

AgWired is Top Agriculture Blog in PostRank Analytics

Chuck Zimmerman

PostRank Topblogs 2009 – #2 in Agriculture PostRank Analytics says, “Over 80% of the engagement with your content doesn’t happen on your blog.” This is the hardest thing for today’s media buyers and marketing/communications people to understand. When it comes to social networking and influence the blog is often just the hub of the wheel while most of the activity …

ZimmComm Announcement