Getting Logistical With GROWMARK

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the latest installment of our “Getting To Know GROWMARK” series. I talked logistics with Tracy Mack. He says they deal with storage and movement. That includes well over 100,000 truck loads of product a year, 650 barge loads, 9,000 rail cars and an occasional vessel. They do wholesale operations for members but also have a supply chain optimization tool …

Audio, GROWMARK

AgHaven Survey Says Farmers Spending More Time Online

Chuck Zimmerman

Farmers may be spending more time online but according to a survey by AgHaven, they are frustrated by the results. This frustration is one of the main reasons why AgHaven was created according to AgHaven President, Srik Soogoor. I spoke with him at the NAMA conference to learn more. The farmers and ranchers surveyed who spent more than 30 minutes …

Audio, NAMA

Paulsen Thought Paper On Rural Lifestyle Buying Decisions

Chuck Zimmerman

During the Agri-Marketing Conference I spoke with Alicia DeGeest (right) and Sara Steever, Paulsen Marketing about their latest thought paper titled, “Rural Lifestylers are Changing the Way They Research and Buy Products.” This ought to catch some attention out there in the AgWired community since this has been discussed a lot over the last couple years. The goal of this …

Agencies, Audio, NAMA

Moore Reasons To Attend Brownfield Party

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s Jeff Moore, Account Executive, Brownfield Ag News, with some “moore” reasons you should attend a Thursday night Brownfield Party at the NAMA convention. Jeff has been to eight of these events. He says it’s all about taking some time to enjoy fellowship with clients and friends. I did not see him ride the bull at PBR Big Sky but …

Audio, NAMA

FFA Leaders Join Novus Science Day

Cindy Zimmerman

Two National FFA officers and a regional director for the National FFA Foundation were among those who participated in the third annual “Science in Action: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers” Day sponsored by Novus International. Christopher Bell with the FFA Foundation said it was a good opportunity for the officers to visit an agricultural company that is making a difference …

Audio, Education, FFA, Novus International, Sustainability

Cow Art And Social Media

Chuck Zimmerman

Cow artist and veterinarian, Kathy Swift, is also a board member of the AgChat Foundation. We got to visit while I was in Gainesville, FL doing a little John Deere work. Our conversation is ZimmCast number 300! I guess that’s a milestone of sorts. You figure out how many years that is. With the AgChat Foundation recently turning one year …

Audio, ZimmCast

Driving Green at GreenSouth

Chuck Zimmerman

I was driving green with John Deere in Gainesville, FL this weekend. GreenSouth Equipment held a field party for customers and the public as part of the Drive Green Challenge tour. One of the stars of the tour is the truck that travels across the country delivering some of the equipment that is displayed at scheduled events. I met this …

Audio, John Deere

Agri-Marketing Conference Wrapup

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference was one of the most well attended since 2000 according to Jenny Pickett. She says the official number is 1,206 registered. Jenny says she heard numerous comments about how upbeat people have been at the conference. She also wants to remind people to get the NAMA App on their smartphone. One of the key features is …

Audio, NAMA

Put Some White Space On Your Calendar

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s not a bad thing to have some white space on your calendar. In fact, Juliet Funt, thinks you should actually schedule some. She was our closing speaker at the Agri-Marketing Conference with a session titled, “Overcommitted, Overwhelmed and Over It! Success Skills for the Blisteringly Busy.” Juliet is the daughter of Allen Funt, Candid Camera, and is an entertaining …

Audio, NAMA

Celebrating With Brownfield

Chuck Zimmerman

People told me why they go to the Brownfield Party at the Agri-Marketing Conference. Now let’s hear why Brownfield puts on the party. I spoke with Anita Vanderwert, National Sales Director, pictured on the left. Anita says the party allows them to get together to have a good time and celebrate working in this great industry of agriculture. She says …

Audio, NAMA