Do The Right Thing

Jamie Johansen

During the 2012 NAMA Boot Camp a highlight for me was a breakout session on crisis management. Daren Williams, Executive Director of Communications for NCBA, spoke with attendees about the ins and outs of dealing with crises in the agriculture industry.

In my interview with Daren he shared his role of promoting the wonderful world of beef to consumers, how social media has changed how crises are handled and his simple motto, “Do The Right Thing.”

“The most important message I have learned throughout my career in crisis management is that it’s all about doing the right thing. If a company is committed to doing the right thing then you can get out and talk about what you are doing. When I say the right thing it may mean correcting the problem, fixing the problem or taking steps to make sure it never happens again. For example: you have a product in the market place that is faulty, you have to make it right by the people who were affected byt it. Doing the right thing is kind of my montra in crisis management. If you do right thing and communicate everything will turn out okay.”

In an effort to promote education about beef, NCBA, started the Masters of Beef Advocacy program to equip beef producers across the country in telling their story through presentations to schools and church/civic groups, in local media and in the “virtual” world of the Internet. Get your MBA for free and learn how to effectively answer the ever burning questions consumers are asking everyday.

Listen to my interview with Daren here: Interview with Daren Williams

You can find photos from the event here:2012 NAMA Boot Camp Photo Album

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Beef, Education, Livestock, NCBA

Farm Progress Show Heating Up

Chuck Zimmerman

It is a sunny opening day at the Farm Progress Show. Things have been heating up in the media tent! Fortunately, we’ve got a nice breeze outside on the exhibit grounds.

Cindy and I have been doing interviews and taking photos and have quite a few in the process of uploading now. We’re going to have lots of stories to show over the next couple week. Day one is always a crazy day between press conferences, in person interviews and other media events. Day two slows down a little and then the final day is pretty relaxing.

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
Farm Progress Show, Farm Shows, Farming

Social Media Beyond the Choir

Jamie Johansen

AgNerds from across North American came together in Kansas City, MO to attend the 2012 Agvocacy 2.0 Training. “Beyond the Choir” was a common theme throughout the week as we tweaked how to use social media in telling our story of agriculture to those not quite as familiar with it. Some came as social media gurus and others with a lot to learn. Some came from a life-time of farming and others a simple passion for agriculture.

Briåna Belko grew up a city girl in California, but her roots went back to the family farm. Now she works on her families calf ranch and uses social media to share her story, relating to those wearing heels and those in boots.

“It started when I went to college in LA. I had a conversation with a classmate about milk and he honestly thought milk came from the grocery store. I could tell how he said it that he had no idea it came from a cow. That totally through me off because I was born and raised in the city, but I had dairy farms all around me. I knew where my milk came from. So, going into this job I went in with a passion. Knowing there are a lot of people who don’t have the advantage of knowing where there food comes from. It has been a huge learning curve for me. When farmers are talking about different things on the farm I don’t know what they are talking about. I know I represent a larger majority of people who have even less of a clue as to what goes on on farms.”

You can follow Briåna on Twitter @HeelsToBoots and don’t forget to check out her blog, From Heels to Boots.

Listen to my complete interview with the Briåna here: Interview with Briåna Belko

Here’s where our photos can be found. 2012 Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Dairy, Education, Social Networking

Farm Futures 2013 Planting Intentions Survey

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Futures released the results of a 2013 planting intentions survey. I visited with Arlan Suderman, Market Analyst, to learn what they found out.

U.S. farmers are unsure about whether to increase corn acreage next spring, despite high prices and sharply lower production caused by this year’s historic drought. Instead, Farm Futures magazine’s first survey of 2013 planting intentions shows growers would rather boost soybean and wheat seedings.

Results of the survey of some 1,800 growers were released Tuesday morning on the opening day of the Farm Progress Show held Aug. 28, 29 and 30 in Boone, Iowa.

Corn and Soybean Acres Shift

Farmers plan to put in 93.1 million acres of corn in the year ahead, down 4% from this year, when they planted the most corn ground in 75 years. Farm Futures’ survey found producers actually planted slightly more corn in 2012 than reported in June by USDA, though they abandoned more of that ground than the agency estimates due to the ravages of the drought.

Instead of increasing corn plantings, as most experts assume, farmers want to continue expanding soybean acreage in the year ahead. Growers said they want to seed 78.1 million soybean acres next spring, up 1.2% from this year’s total. Farm Futures also found higher soybean acreage this year, though greater abandonment, too.

“Ironically, this shift from corn to soybeans mirrors a similar shift taking place in South America as well, casting doubts on the world’s ability to rebuild tight global feed grain stocks without a significant shift in global weather patterns to boost yields in 2013,” notes Farm Futures Market Analyst Arlan Suderman.

You can listen to my interview with Arlan here: Interview with Arlan Suderman

2012 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus
Audio, Farm Progress Show, Farming, Media

Sunrise at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Good morning AgWired fans. We’ve got a beautiful morning for the start of the 2012 Farm Progress Show. Cindy is attending a Koch Agronomic Services breakfast while I’m uploading my first batch of photos from here at the show, including from last night’s Monsanto media dinner. Things will warm up today but that’s expected and we’ll be working out of the New Holland sponsored media tent.

Speaking of Farm Progress, the company just announced the launch of its new website.

Farm Progress has retooled and launched its state and regional magazines’ websites to provide users with a more feature-packed and flexible Internet portal. The producer-centered website will be presented to readers and show visitors at the 2012 Farm Progress Show Hospitality Tent, hosted by Wallaces Farmer, Aug. 28, 29 and 30 near Boone, Iowa.

The introduction brings more than a new look to its Internet environment; it gives users more graphics, an enhanced “markets” window that includes the key business markets, commodity reporting with handy charts from the homepage, and an upgraded weather display.

AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus

Farm Progress Show, Media

Farm Progress Show Media Tent Ready

Chuck Zimmerman

The media tent at the Farm Progress Show is ready for the over 300 ag journalists that have pre-registered. Helping get things ready for us for the 26th year is Gene Hemphill. I visited with Gene to see how things were going here at the city in the field.

Gene says we’ve got more permanent buildings and he’s seen more exhibit decorations than ever. I think we’ve also got more exhibits than ever too. Need to check on that. I’d like to thank New Holland for being our coverage sponsor once again and Monsanto for their support as well.

You can listen to my interview with Gene here: Interview with Gene Hemphill AgWired coverage of the 2012 Farm Progress Show is sponsored by New Holland and Monsanto Roundup Ready Plus

Audio, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

I’m Farming and I Grow It

Jamie Johansen

The Agvocacy 2.0 Training would not of have been complete without a surprise performance from the Peterson Farm Boys. Their YouTube video, “I’m Farming and I Grow It” went vial this summer and has almost reached 7 million views. Greg and Nathan Peterson not only performed but took time out of their busy schedule to talk with us about why they made the music video parody and why they share their passion for agriculture.

After I waited in line for fans to take the opportunity for some photo opts, I got to talk with the boys. You can find my complete interview below.

The Peterson Farm Boys YouTube Channel is stock full of videos educating viewers about the world of agriculture. Greg shared the simple equipment he uses to shoot and edit the videos. You don’t have to be a professional. We can all share our story.

Both Greg and Nathan will be at K-State this fall while their younger brother Kendal finishes up high school. All three brothers still work on the farm and even if their future careers take them off the farm, they won’t go too far from their roots of faith, family & agriculture.

You can order your very own I’m Farming and I Grow It t-shirt. Wear it proudly and see how many conversations you can strike up about agriculture anywhere you go.

Listen to my interview with the Peterson’s here: Interview with The Peterson Farm Boys

Here’s where our photos can be found. 2012 Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Social Networking, Video

What Producers Want

Jamie Johansen

A true highlight during the 2012 NAMA Boot Camp was the Producer Panel. Agri-marketers from across the country had the opportunity to learn how to effectively communicate with producers. After the panel I got to chat with Reggie Underwood, a Texas farmer involved in all facets of agriculture.

“I think the greatest thing these ag marketers can do is to have the folks that are in the field prepared. They need to have information that has good sound data on it. It needs to be easy for us to read and understand. The market research and data needs to share whats in it for me so I can make a decision right now on whether to go forward with that technology if it fits my operation.”

Listen to my interview with Reggie here: Interview with Reggie Underwood

You can find photos from the event here:2012 NAMA Boot Camp Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, NAMA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Third Annual Agvocacy 2.0 Conference

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCast 363Three years of Agvocacy 2.0 training and counting. That’s what the AgChat Foundation just accomplished with the conclusion of their third annual event in Kansas City.

    I was there to conduct a presentation on story telling and media creation with the Peterson Farm Brothers. We had a great session in which I just had to bask in the shadow of their YouTube greatness! 🙂

    The Chair for the training committee that put this great event together is Kathy Swift, Cow Art and More, in the middle of the picture with the committee. They were glad the conference finally came to an end. Kathy is a full time large animal vet in Gainesville, FL too. She says that with two years of learning how to put on this type of conference, their goal was to put on the best conference ever. I think they did it. The goal was to provide attendees with basic social media training along with advanced training. A large part of the conference was focused on communicating “outside the choir.”

    Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Third Annual Agvocacy 2.0 Conference

    Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, Roundup Ready Plus, for their support.

    The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

    Ag Groups, Audio, Social Networking, ZimmCast