Top 4 Trends Impacting Agricultural Communications

Chuck Zimmerman

Are you worried about the direction that agricultural communications has taken in the last year? If so, you’re not alone. I’ve had many conversations with friends in the industry who are having trouble understanding all the changes. I have thought about it a lot since the trends or factors impacting these changes have also affected my business. I’ve come up …

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Celebrating National Farmers Day

Carrie Muehling

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is among organizations celebrating Oct. 12 as National Farmers Day. RFA honors farmers for providing food, fuel and fiber for the nation and the world. According to new monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates issued today, America’s farmers are forecast to produce 14.28 billion bushels of corn for the 2017/2018 marketing year, up 96 million …

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Another NAMA 60 Year Perspective

Cindy Zimmerman

Another active member of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) who has been around for at least two-thirds of the organization’s 60 years is Carroll Merry of Countryside Marketing. Carroll has been a member of NAMA since November 1976 and in our reminiscing interview he talks about how NAMA started – and definitively solves the question of how it should be …

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America’s Farm Mom of 2017

Cindy Zimmerman

Mother’s Day was extra special this year for Susan Brocksmith of Vincennes, Indiana who was named the 2017 America’s Farmers Mom of the Year. The program, sponsored by Monsanto, honors the significant contributions farm moms make in their communities and beyond. Susan, a farmer, agribusiness professor, mother and active agriculture advocate, received the most online votes to be awarded the …

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Camso Intros CTS High Speed at #NFMS17

Cindy Zimmerman

Quebec-based Camso is back at the National Farm Machinery Show this year with some new track products for the North American agriculture equipment market. One of those products is a Conversion Track System (CTS) with suspended frame and integrated final drive system for combines. Track Systems Business Line Executive Director Martin Lunkenbein says Camso’s new CTS High Speed allows tracked …

Audio, Equipment, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS, Uncategorized

MGEX Breaking Records

Cindy Zimmerman

MGEX reached its highest open interest total of all-time yesterday, closing the day at 91,935 and surpassing the previous record by more than 1,300. It is the best open interest total in the 135 year history of the Designated Contract Market (DCM) and Derivatives Clearing Organization (DCO). Each day of the last two weeks has been a top three day, …

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No Date for Ag Secretary Confirmation Yet

Cindy Zimmerman

Confirmation hearings for Trump administration cabinet members have been moving slowly, so it may be toward the end of February before Sonny Perdue is confirmed as Secretary of Agriculture, but he has been meeting with lawmakers in the meantime. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) “had a good conversation” with the former governor of Georgia on Tuesday where they discussed “regional differences …

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Senate Ag Committee Announces Farm Bill Hearing

Kelly Marshall

Pat Roberts, (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, have announced the first hearing the next Farm Bill reauthorization. The hearing will take place on February 23, 2017 at the McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University. “It’s time to get to work on another Farm Bill, and we’re …

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PR Webinar with CommonGround’s Missy Morgan

Kelly Marshall

If you’re looking for solutions in the PR department, perhaps this is your answer. Missy Morgan of Osborn & Barr is presenting a webinar on the success of the 7-year PR Evolution of the GommonGround organization, brought to you by the Agricultural Relations Council. “Have you ever scratched your head in wonder when a PR program thrives despite overwhelming obstacles?” …

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CFI Provides Insights for Food & Ag to Earn Trust

Kelly Marshall

The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) conducts an annual consumer study to better understand how to earn consumer trust. Their latest research approach has identified influential consumer groups and made an effort to understand how they not only dictate food trends, but drive conversations that impact the decisions of others. In a first-of-its-kind method, the 2016 survey used digital ethnography that …

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