NAFB Horizon Award and Farm Broadcaster of the Year

Leah Guffey

awardsA prior NAFB Scholarship Winner and past president, Pam Jahnke aka The Fabulous Farm Babe, has taken home this year’s Farm Broadcaster of the Year Award. Pam is in her 25th year as a NAFB member and has had a career in radio, television, and social media in her market. Pam figures she’s logged about 25,000 miles to her 17 affiliates from the Illinois/Wisconsin border all the way to the northern regions of Wisconsin.

“I approach the farm department at Midwest Family Broadcasting very much like it’s my own business. In that regard, I work every day on any area that can improve my relationship with my audiences, clients and workmates.”

Pam was also just recently awarded the Honorary American FFA Degree and UW-Madison’s College of Agriculture has given her its Honorary Recognition for “leadership, integrity, and unselfish services, making significant contributions in the areas of agriculture, life sciences, natural resources and social science.”

NAFB’s 2013 Horizon Award is Rob Winters of WOWO Radio, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Rob hands out six daily doses and a mid-day market report over the airwaves reaching more than 40,000 listeners in portions of three states. Throughout the year Rob will attend about 30 farm events.

He’s created a very successful weekly program called “Midwest Ag Matters” which allows him to dig deeper into stories about family farmers. He is the founder, producer, and host of this extremely popular and profitable endeavor. Rob also functions, like many farm broadcasters do, as the local sales manager for WOWO. His local sales have risen 30% over last year.

2013 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Media, NAFB

Iowa Corn Growers “Fill Up on Me’ Sweepstakes

Jamie Johansen

iowa-corn-growers-association-77948544A new multimedia campaign features four Iowa corn farmers called ‘Fill Up on Me’ Sweepstakes. The statewide campaign from the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board includes TV, online, print and radio advertisements focusing on ethanol/economic development, products from corn to ethanol process and conservation practices found on the farm.

“We are proud of the outstanding farmers we have in Iowa,” said Shannon Textor, Market Development Director for Iowa Corn and the staff person responsible for ethanol marketing. “We picked just four Iowans for the campaign, but we have thousands more great Iowa farmers that we could have chosen to feature.”

The campaign is already underway and will continue through December 14th. The farmers range in age, experience and have different farming techniques, but their passion for agriculture is clearly the same.

Meet the farmers:
– Mark Recker, Arlington, IA
– Brent Drey, Sc City, IA
– Pam Johnson, Floyd, IA
– Bill Couser, Nevada, IA

The ‘Fill Up on Me’ Sweepstakes includes a fuel giveaway and other ways to get involved on the issue of ethanol. For more information on the campaign check out IowaCorn.org.

Ag Groups, Corn, Ethanol, Media, Video

NAFB Night of Honors

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) bestowed honors on many deserving individuals last week – the best of the best.

nafb13-johnnieWe’ll start with the new members of the NAFB Hall of Fame. Johnnie Hood was one of our very first friends in NAFB, back in the day when he served as president in 1985 at the midpoint of his career as a radio farm broadcaster on WPTF in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was so great to see him and wife Peggy again last week, it’s been a long time! He and Peggy retired in 2002 and moved to Land O’Lakes, Florida where they live a quiet and happy life driving school buses and playing Santa Claus.

nafb13-wey1The second Hall of Fame inductee was Wey Simpson, radio and television pioneer in the great Northwest. Wey served three terms as NAFB regional vice president, edited the organization’s magazine CHATS for two years and served three years on the Sales/Marketing board. He hosted the NAFB Summer Meeting in 1974, the year of the World’s Fair in Spokane, the same year he was named Farm Broadcaster of the Year.

nafb13-lynnThe NAFB Meritorious Service Award was presented to Agri-Marketing Magazine publisher and industry leader Lynn Henderson. This award, named after NAFB advocate and volunteer leader Dix Harper, annually recognizes outstanding support and leadership to the broadcasting industry and association by a member of the Management & Sales Council or the Allied Industry Council.

In addition, the National Farm Medicine Center and agency Broadhead received the Plambeck Award Best Series for their campaign, “You’re a Parent First, Farmer Second,” and BASF Crop Protection agency Mullen was recognized for Best Single Ad for Verdict herbicide. The Plambeck award is named after NAFB legend Herb Plambeck, second president of the organization.

Our sincere congratulations to all!

2013 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agencies, Audio, BASF, Media, NAFB

NCBA’s Government Affairs Advocating for Beef

Jamie Johansen

nafb-13-19-editedThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) attended this year’s NAFB Trade Talk event and I spoke with Colin Woodall, Vice President of Government Affairs, while stopping by their booth. Colin voiced that it is an exciting time to be part of the beef community. He admits herd numbers are down, but that it means people are making money. Beyond cattle numbers he discussed a few other hot topics he and others on Capitol Hill are tirelessly working on to ensure beef production in the United States continues to grow and thrive.

The Farm Bill was a hot topic everywhere you went during Trade Talk, but Colin focused on one aspect of the bill that is front and center for NCBA.

“Country of Origin Labeling is one issue that we have to get fixed because right now we have a retaliation that is looming from both Canada and Mexico where they could should us out of their markets or add a surtax our markets probably sometime in late summer or early fall of 2014.”

Colin also brought up Federal Lands Grazing. Many farmers and ranchers utilize permits to graze federal lands in the western part of the U.S. Activists groups are pressuring for the removal of these permits.

“We have two pieces of legislation we are working on right now. One is to try and change the way the federal government approaches wildfires. To make sure we are managing federal lands in a way to mitigate the severity of wildfires. Then also we are trying put in place a Grazing Improvement Act that would make the process to get these permits a little bit more expedited and try and cut out some of the bureaucratic red tape we have to deal with right now.”

The beef industry relies heavily on international trade. On this topic Colin shared news on the Trans Pacific Partnership and what it means to producers and consumers alike. Read More

Audio, Beef, Farm Bill, Farm Policy, Media, NAFB, NCBA

ASFMRA Speaker Interviews

Chuck Zimmerman

Last week I posted podium remarks from Monsanto’s Dr. Robert Fraley and from California Secretary of Agriculture, Karen Ross at the Agronomics Vision 2014 conference in Reno, NV. After their presentations I sat down with them for a short interview which focused not only on their presentations but in more personal detail about what they see for the future. Feel free to click and watch or listen.

You can listen to my interview with Dr. Fraley here: Interview with Dr. Robert Fraley

You can listen to my interview with Karen here: Interview with Karen Ross

Agronomics Vision 2014 Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the ASFMRA Agronomics Conference is sponsored by Halderman Farm Management.

Ag Groups, Audio, Video

Big Bucks for the NAFB Foundation

Cindy Zimmerman

nafb13-lakeThe NAFB Foundation auction raised over $20,000 last week, thanks in a big way to the now-traditional boys and girls fight over the Agri-Pulse Lake Trip, which was responsible for nearly ONE THIRD of that amount!

Sara Wyant and Al Johnson’s generosity means they will once again host two NAFB groups next summer at their beautiful home on Lake Ozark. The dorky boys club ran up the bid again to a record $3100 – and the fabulous farm chicks met their price for a second trip. It’s a friendly rivalry for a very worthy cause.

We were happy to welcome a few new members to the girls club this year – including Pat Morrow of BASF and Haylie Shipp of Northern Ag Network. They will be a great addition to our group, which will celebrate our fifth Lake Girls Trip next year. Oh yeah – and our own Leah Guffey will be joining us as well.

2013 NAFB Convention Photo Album

BASF, Media, NAFB

USDA’s Drive in Support of Rural Communities

Jamie Johansen

nafb-13-49-editedUSDA Rural Development was on hand during last week’s NAFB Trade Talk to share their work with rural communities across the United States and promote the use of #MyFarmBill.

I spoke with Colleen Callahan, Illinois State Director for Rural Development, during the event and she was eager to express their commitment to rural communities and their passion for brining value to agricultural businesses who drive the growth of those rural communities through their financial and loan programs.

“When it comes to the breadth of what USDA does, we at Rural Development feel that we are the jewel in the crown of USDA because it’s not just about any one program or any one business. It’s about entire communities and regions.”

During the Secretary of Agriculture’s press conference at NAFB, Vilsack gave credit to Colleen for her committed work with the National Drought Resiliency partnership. USDA, along with numerous other government organizations have teamed up in effort to become better prepared to mitigate the consequences of future droughts. You can find the complete audio from the press conference here.

You can’t talk with anyone from USDA without bringing up the Farm Bill. Colleen talked about the power of strength in numbers and their promotion of #MyFarmBill. The use of the hashtag will allow us all to express our opinions and share our agriculture story to the decision makers. As one it’s hard to make a stand, but together we can share our words, photos and video using #MyFarmBill to be heard. Colleen also reminds us that this is more than simply a farm bill, it is a food bill. It is about producing food for exports and putting wholesome food on the tables in homes across the country.

“In agriculture during this time of year we use a lot of technology. We use that GPS, we know where we are in the field, what the yield is in that very spot. We use the no-steer guidance to get use where we are at that point in the field and so using that technology helps us with social media. The #MyFarmBill really completes that circle. You’re at the end of the field, you’re unloading, it goes from the augur to the grain cart and you are sitting there watching. Take advantage of the time you have to communicate the business you are in.”

Listen to my complete interview with Colleen here: Interview with Colleen Callahan

Checkout photos from NAFB Convention: 2013 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Audio, Farm Bill, Farming, Media, NAFB, USDA

NAFB President Passes the Gavel

Leah Guffey

_DSC2780As tradition has it, the gavel was passed during NAFB’s Friday night banquet. Mark Oppold with RFD-TV has greatly served the organization as the 2013 NAFB President. Emcee for the entertaining evening was Ken Root of Root Communications, a former colleague of Mark’s at AgriTalk. Friends and family of Mark took turns toasting his accomplishments and sometimes even roasting a memory or two.

I had a chance to catch up with him following the passing of the gavel and dinner with friends, family and colleagues alike. Mike Adams, who currently hosts AgriTalk also took time to narrate a video with some of Mark’s RFD-TV coworkers letting him know how proud they are of him and of course there were a few wise cracks along the way.

“I have been in this business for almost 40 years and it’s been an honor to be in the leadership the last three years to culminate tonight as the out going president. It’s very humbling. I’m very thankful.”

Past presidents also took their turn to wish Mark well, including last year’s president, Tom Steever. You can see how working together for the last three years on the board and as colleagues for many years has brought Mark and Tom closer together. Mark passed the gavel to now co-worker, Janet Adkison, who is stepping up in ranks as the 2014 NAFB President. I’d have to go back and look, but I’m not sure the transfer has ever happened in the same organization.

You can listen to my interview with Mark here Interview with NAFB President Mark Oppold

Checkout photos from NAFB Convention: 2013 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Audio, Media, NAFB

MFA, Inc. Celebrating 100 Years

Chuck Zimmerman

MFA IncorporatedI’m going to a big party this week. It’s the 100 year anniversary for MFA, Incorporated.

The celebration will be held along with the 2013 Annual Meeting of MFA, Inc. in Sedalia, MO. I’ll be on my way in the morning and have lots to share starting some time on Tuesday.

MFA was one of our first clients to have us build them a blog. That was way back in the early days of blogging! Oh, say going on about nine years ago. Doesn’t really seem that old but in new communications technology it is. But blogging hasn’t gone away. AgWired is good evidence of that! I’ll be seeing you from there.

Agribusiness

Ag Secretary Visits NAFB

Leah Guffey

vilsackAg Secretary Tom Vilsack made a trip to Kansas City to visit with farm broadcasters during the 70th National Association of Farm Broadcasting Annual Convention. The Secretary centered his comments around the RFS announcement, record levels of exports, drought issues and of course, the farm bill.

Vilsack started off by thanking all the farm broadcaster for the work that they do and shared how nice it was to talk to a crowd that understood what truly happens on the farm and appreciates the rural lifestyle.

The first topic Vilsack discussed was his excitement with agricultural exports. He stated, “We have now reached a record level of agricultural exports. Once again, $140.9 billon exports. It’s the best five years of ag exports in the history of the country. If you compare it to the pervious five year period we’ve done $230 billon more of agriculture exports and our volume is up as well.”

Next, the Secretary commented on this mornings announcement about the establishment of the National Drought Resiliency partnership. It is a collaborative effort between the Department of Commerce, Department of Interior, Department of Energy, Army Corp of Engineers, EPA, FEMA and the USDA. The goal with this team effort is to become better prepared and to mitigate the consequences of future droughts.

The final announcement came from the EPA today about RFS. Vilsack said, “At USDA we are going to focus on those aspects of this industry that we can control.” They plan to work with the industry and specifically the larger operators to create a distribution system to increase the availability of ethanol products and not depend on the petroleum industry.

You can listen to the entire press conference here Secretary Vilsack Press Conference

Checkout photos from NAFB Convention: 2013 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Environment, Ethanol, Farm Bill, Media, NAFB, USDA