New Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. Commercials Debut

Melissa Sandfort

Two new checkoff-funded “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” online advertising video commercials will be making their world debut this week.

The first spot called “Island” is full of sizzle and beauty shot that brings our hero – beef – to life. The intended message – that Lean Beef has the power to elevate the everyday – comes through in a clear and engaging way.

The second spot called “Invitation” features a new child star who convincingly and earnestly conveys the message about beef. The spot’s message – that Lean Beef has the power to bring people together – is a feel-good message that will surely resonate well with consumers.

The new commercials can be seen on ABC.com throughout the top 10 ABC Network programs that score high against adults age 25 to 54. Programming will include shows such as: The Bachelorette, Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, Happy Ending, Last Man Standing, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, Private Practice, Revenge and Suburgatory. The two spots will also be shown via a two-month long sponsorship of the ‘Moments’ sections of Modern Family and The Bachelorette, a popular feature on ABC.com.

Advertising, Beef

USDA Celebrates 150 Years Live

Chuck Zimmerman

I’m a little late to the live webcast but right now USDA is celebrating 150 years of service. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, is commemorating the event with a variety of people on stage.

When President Abraham Lincoln founded the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1862, he called it “the People’s Department,” a sentiment that still rings true today as the Department’s diverse portfolio boasts strong support for American agriculture and local and regional food systems, as well as critical nutrition assistance, food safety, conservation, rural development, and research programs, among many other programs and initiatives.

As the department commemorates 150 years of accomplishments, USDA is looking to the future. In the years to come, we will help address the changing needs of agriculture and rural America.

The continued work on food, agriculture, economic development, science, natural resource conservation and many other issues will ensure USDA still fulfills Lincoln’s vision – touching the lives of every American, every day.

As we promote innovation – both here at USDA and in the countryside – we will help create jobs and support economic growth, and promote healthy families and communities, and a stronger nation.

To watch the celebration live, please visit www.usda.gov/live. For more information on the 150th anniversary celebration, please visit www.usda.gov/usda150. Additional information on USDA’s work to strengthen the American economy can be found at www.usda.gov/results.

USDA

Mary Geiger Moves To Kansas Dept. Of Agriculture

Chuck Zimmerman

All I can say is congratulations to Mary Geiger who is starting a new phase of her career with the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Mary has been a bright spot in the communications department of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. (Plus, I dare say, she’s much better looking than Mike Deering!) So now what are we going to do Mike? Here are the thoughts he shared with me on Mary’s big move.

Bitter-sweet is the term that can best describe the news I have to share today. Associate Director of Communications Mary Geiger will be advancing in her career by serving as the director of communications for the Kansas Department of Agriculture. This is an outstanding opportunity for Mary professionally and personally, as she is afforded an opportunity to be closer to her hometown of Troy, Kan., while also working for the industry she loves.

At the same time, this is a loss for NCBA. Mary has been a determined, go-getter from day one. By leveraging contacts established while working on Capitol Hill, Mary has effectively established NCBA as the go-to source for congressional press secretaries to access the most trusted information regarding the beef cattle industry and policy positions impacting producers. She introduced the concept of tele-townhall meetings, which have been a win for cattlemen and women investing in this organization. Mary has played a significant role in the success of the revamped monthly NCBA membership publication National Cattlemen and she has helped provide content for NCBA’s weekly TV show Cattlemen to Cattlemen. Mary never forgets who she works for and has always considered cattle producers as her top priority. Her accomplishments are many and she is a passionate fighter for the industry.

The two-person policy communications team with Mike and Mary in NCBA’s Washington office is one of the most effective policy communications teams in Washington D C. I am extremely proud of what Mary contributed to NCBA, the entire U.S. beef cattle community and the important role that she has played on NCBA’s communications team.

Please thank Mary for her service at NCBA and join me in congratulating her as she begins an exciting new career. Her last day at NCBA will be May 25.

So, if you think you can fill Mary’s shoes at NCBA here’s where you can get more information.

Ag Groups, NCBA

Anderson-Wise is New Dairy Council of California CEO

Melissa Sandfort

Tammy Anderson-Wise has been named chief executive officer of Dairy Council of California by the organization’s producer-distributor board of directors.

Anderson-Wise was formerly director of program services for Dairy Council of CA, managing its school programs. She has been with the organization 15 years. She replaces Peggy Biltz, who is retiring after spending 27 years with Dairy Council of CA, 22 as chief executive officer.

The organization reaches millions of children each year with a professional staff of 50 through its nutrition education programs in schools, collaboration with health professionals and through digital communications. Some 90 percent of California schools use Dairy Council of CA nutrition education programs.

Anderson-Wise steps into the chief executive officer position July 16.

Dairy

Celebrating Moms

Melissa Sandfort

In honor of Mother’s Day yesterday, I thought I’d post another picture of momma and filly. It’s with a sad heart that I post this, too, because I believe a new home has been found for “Surprise” once she’s weaned. I feel a little like I’m losing one of my own, and as a mother myself, it’s hard to see something so young let go…to have someone else raise her…to have someone else take care of her.

My husband is all about blood lines and being able to trace back her lineage, so we need a father with papers. That means poor momma is going to have another baby (hopefully) next year. I know she’s designed to do that, but we got a girl the first time out of the gate and who’s to say the next five won’t be boys? (We’d hoped for a female because they’re a bit more docile than boys. You know, those boys are trouble-makers!)

I will leave it up to my husband to separate momma and filly when it’s weaning time. A clean break – that’s best, right? But since I work from home, I’m the one who will get to listen to momma’s neighs, wondering where her baby is.

Such is life on the farm. Another baby will come along and I’ll gush over how cute it is, take pictures, write a little something and life will go on.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Internet Grows As Farmer Information Source

Chuck Zimmerman

national association farm broadcastingThe National Association of Farm Broadcasting has just released the results their Media Usage Update Survey. The internet continues to make inroads as a farmer’s source for news and information and mobile devices are gaining steam too. But as you’ll find in the results you’ve still got your farmers out there who don’t even use a computer much less the internet. So what does it all mean? Just from looking at the quick results released it looks to me like farmers are following along with the general population. They still use traditional media but are increasingly using new communications channels. I don’t know if the survey breaks out categories of income by number but I’d guess the higher the farmer income, the greater their use of internet and mobile.

Today’s top agricultural producers remain engaged consumers of business-related information. And while sources and channels for that information have proliferated, research conducted in late 2011 reveals strong dependence upon producers’ favored first and second media preferences.

The national sample of 1,504 producers – farmers and ranchers – required a gross farm income of at least $100,000 and is proportionately representative by each state to the Agriculture Census. The surveyed producers were not drawn from a subscriber list or circulation, or a listener or viewer audience; the statistically valid sample is from the national database of Farm Market iD. The survey was developed by Ag Media Research, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Producers remain devoted to the “traditional” farm media they trust, as the Internet otherwise continues to draw traffic and targeted searches for desired information. In fact, on a daily basis, farm radio and the Internet (accessed from home/office) are easily the two most-used agri-media channels. For those choosing either radio or the Internet as their first choice, farm television is the preferred second daily information source. Among information sources used at all (not specific to daily or any time frame), farm-title publications – newspapers and magazines – garner the highest numbers.

Additional findings of the Media Usage Update Survey study as well as raw survey data and available cross-tabulated findings, including geography and age-specific results, are available by contacting becki@nafb.com or at (816) 431-4032. The data is projectable to each state and by county within a state.

Media, NAFB, Research

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Syngenta and Devgen announced a six-year global license and research agreement that will enable Syngenta to add RNA interference (RNAi) technology to its crop protection pipeline.
  • On May 15, we will recognize the 150th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On that date in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed into law an act of Congress establishing USDA.
  • Osborne Industries, Inc., has expanded its offerings with “Single Source Swine Solution” packages for new and existing swine farms.
  • Joe Murphy has joined the Iowa Soybean Association staff as Member Communications Manager.
    Zimfo Bytes

    SojaBook Social Network For Farmers

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Have you considered how farmers are communicating socially outside of our United States? Of course, many are doing so through Facebook, Twitter, etc. just like farmers here. But there are also a number of social networks being developed. Here’s one that came to my attention via Twitter last night. It’s SojaBook.

    SojaBook is the social network that connects you with area people in the countryside.

    I don’t have much more information about it except that it’s structured so that you can use it in a large number of languages and that’s a great feature. If you join let me know what you think.

    Farming, Social Networking

    Stewart Doan Services

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Information on services for Stewart Doan have been finalized, along with a college fund set up for his daughters, Lauren and Sara.

    Visitation will take place on Monday, May 14, from 6-8 pm at the Little Rock Funeral Home, 8801 Knoedl Court, Little Rock, AR 72205. The funeral will be held on Tuesday, May 15 at 4:00 pm at Faith Spring Church, 501 South Bowman, Little Rock.

    A fund was established by Jeffery Hall of Arkansas Farm Bureau to help pay for Stewart’s girls’ college education.

    To contribute, please make checks payable to:
    Stewart Doan’s Children’s College Fund
    c/o Peoples Bank
    20409 Arch Street
    Little Rock, AR 72206

    NAFB

    Tributes Pouring out for Stewart Doan

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Tributes to the life of Stewart Doan have been pouring out from all over the agriculture industry today as news of his sudden passing yesterday has been spreading.

    According to Sara Wyant, president of Agri-Pulse, where Stewart had been senior editor, they do not have all the details, “but we know that he had not been feeling well and saw his doctor Wednesday to undergo tests related to having shortness of breath and related health concerns. He fainted at his home yesterday morning and was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he later died.”

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack praised Stewart in a statement to Agri-Talk this morning. “Stewart was a voice that people depended on and that people listened to,” said Vilsack. “And he used his voice to advocate on behalf of America’s farmers, ranchers and producers.” Listen to Visack’s comments here:
    Secretary Vilsack on Stewart Doan

    The most common word being used to describe Stewart is “professional.” He was a first-class reporter, the master of the :45 news story with :10 sound bites. I loved that. He was kind, down-to-earth, passionate about agriculture, and a good friend to all. We were at several events together just this year and he was always working very hard and always in a good mood. I remember being very impressed with his presentation on the presidential candidates at the Farm Bureau annual meeting where he played sound bites from them addressing various issues. It was probably the best presentation incorporating audio that I have ever seen.

    Besides being a colleague and friend to so many of us, he was also a dedicated husband and father. I snapped this photo of Stewart with his wife Leslie, their two daughters Lauren and Sarah and a couple of their friends at Sara and Al’s house a couple of years back.

    Stewart was only 52 years old and for more than 30 years of his life, this Kentucky native covered agricultural news for a variety of media, beginning with radio. He was president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting in 1998, and was named 2006 Farm Broadcaster of the Year. But, most of all, he was a great guy and we will miss him. Rest in peace.

    NAFB