Here’s a multi-lingual greeting from our friends at U.S. Wheat Associates.
Zimfo Bytes
- The members of the Dairy Business Association recently held an election for three positions on their board of directors.
- Broadhead is proud to announce it has recently received Platinum and Gold Awards in the 2011 MarCom Awards competition, as well as an IABC Silver Quill Award of Excellence.
- The National FFA Foundation announces it raised a record $16 million through corporate and private financial contributions to support FFA in 2011.
- Osborn & Barr welcomed Brad Bremer as Client Solutions Lead on the company’s Monsanto Commercial Team.
Leading up to Christmas
The countdown has begun and I’m trying to continue all the holiday traditions for my son that I had when I was growing up. We have the calendar hanging downstairs and we pin a little ornament to it every day; the tree was up at Thanksgiving.
To celebrate the fast-approaching Christmas season, I decided to do a series of posts about old decorations. To aid my writing, I made a trip to Grandma’s house and rummaged through her china hutch.
One of the first things I came upon was this little Christmas tree made of plastic, prickly pipe cleaners and lights. She said at one time you could put a battery in it and the lights lit up. She had this tree when she was younger so it’s aging in at 80.
Do you have any decorations around your house that you just don’t have the heart to toss? Or ones that have been passed down through the years?
7 days and counting!
Until we walk again …
ZimmComm On The Beach
Yeah. It sounds like a specialty adult beverage I know. Maybe Cindy and I will invent one while we’re here!
It’s sand and surf in the sunshine state. Time for a little R&R. The way we look at it, we’re guaranteed a white Christmas!
But that doesn’t mean you’ll be missing anything on AgWired during the holidays. Far from it in fact. Just add the AgWired App to your favorite iOS or Android device and keep up on the latest.
Zimfo Bytes
- The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has released the annual business “outlook” survey.
- As the United Soybean Board launches into the next 20 years, new U.S. soybean farmer-leaders take the reins and plan to continue the focus on creating profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers.
- Osborn & Barr recently welcomed four new employees to its media services and internal support teams: Holly Nichol, Laura Rustmann, Brad Pond and DeJuan Waters.
- FMC Corporation announced that it has acquired Rovral iprodione and Sportak prochloraz fungicides from Bayer CropScience.
Patrick Delaney Joins ASA As Communications Director
Here is Patrick Delaney in action prior to joining the American Soybean Association as Communications Director. Patrick will be based in ASA’s Washington Policy Representative Office of Gordley Associates in Washington, DC.
“ASA is pleased to welcome Patrick to our team,” Censky said. “His experience in ag policy communications will serve him well in his role with ASA, where he will craft timely communications on policy decisions and issues happening in Washington, as well as talking points and analysis to keep ASA’s farmer-leaders and state affiliates informed.”
Delaney comes to ASA from the United Fresh Produce Association, where he managed staff, advised leadership and communicated to key audiences and stakeholders on all publicity matters, including advocacy and crisis communications on nutrition, labor, food safety, immigration, trade, sustainability and farm policy. He has worked in various public relations roles with agencies and the radio broadcast industry.
Bob Callanan, who has served as ASA Communications Director based in St. Louis, moves into a new position as ASA’s Project Development Director, where he’ll develop program concepts and proposals to be presented to state soybean affiliates, qualified state soybean boards, and industry partners.
Communications Coordinator Cassandra Langley will have an expanded role at ASA’s headquarters in St. Louis, assisting Delaney in the implementation of communications developed there.
Congratulations to Patrick, Cassandra and Bob on your new responsibilities!
Mush! Giddy-up! Haw!
Oh, that’s right, there are no horses in front of this wagon – it’s just for decoration. Every year, my Grandparents pull this wagon out of the shed and into their front yard for Christmas and decorate it with running white lights on the wheels.
Horse-drawn wagons such as this were used to transport anything and everything on the farm. From being used when husking corn to hauling grain to the bin or hauling hogs to the butcher, this wagon was put to work.
One year, the lights were on the wrong way and the wagon was going backward. It was quite comical.
Until we walk again …
Alltech Holiday Greetings
Okay folks. This holiday greeting might be hard to beat. It’s a personalized greeting that includes a link to world class opera seasonal music which I just finished listening to. Here’s the message and link:
Season’s Greetings from Alltech
Dear Chuck and Cindy,
We thank you for your support in 2011 and wish you and your family the very best of health and happiness for the upcoming year.
Please click here to enjoy a special seasonal musical performance.
Here’s what you’ll find:
In the spirit of the season we hope you enjoy this sample of our Alltech Vocal Scholars’ outstanding performances during the Alltech Holiday Celebration of Song.
Alltech believes in community involvement. The Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition is the largest competition of its kind in the world. Held each spring at the University of Kentucky in the United States, talented young singers from across the world compete for more than $400,000 in prizes and music scholarships. During the holiday season Alltech along with UK Opera Theatre puts on a community concert – the Alltech Holiday Celebration of Song which features these talented young artists.
Utah State University Holiday Greetings
It’s holiday greeting time. It’s also Christmas time too you know.
I’m going to feature some of the holiday greetings we get here once again this year. We get so many that are creative and just plain good looking that they need to be seen by more eyeballs!
Here’s one from Utah State University which came with this message:
Greetings!
We hope this winter season finds you happy and well. Please view our online holiday greeting here.
Regards,
Mark R. McLellan, PhD
Vice President for Research & Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
Utah State University
AgChat Foundation Hires Executive Director
Big news from the AgChat Foundation today! Welcome Emily Zweber as the first Executive Director. It seems like it has been a long time coming to some of us board members but really, it hasn’t been. In fact, the AgChat Foundation is less than two years old.
So let’s meet Emily:
Zweber, an organic dairy farmer from Elko, Minn., will focus on furthering ACF’s mission of connecting farmers to diverse audiences via social media platforms. She also will provide day-to-day management oversight and fundraising support.
“Emily uses social media every day on the family farming operation, so she’s a great choice for this position,” says Darin Grimm, ACF president. “What began as an all-volunteer outcropping of an agricultural social media movement is growing into a professionally managed organization. Having Emily on board is a real boost.”
Grimm added that ACF’s highly-successful summer thought-leadership and social media training conference is slated to provide more content than ever in its third year, and that additional training programs are planned.
Emily received her bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics and international studies from South Dakota State University and is a University of Minnesota Center for the Study of Policy and Governance Humphrey Policy Fellow. Previously, she has served as the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation’s executive director and the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation’s special programs coordinator. Emily and her husband, Tim, co-own and operate Zweber Farms with Tim’s parents.
Established in 1906, the Zweber farm is a certified organic dairy. The family also runs a successful natural meat business for which Emily coordinates all social media and marketing.
I spoke with Darin and Emily by phone just a few minutes ago. Listen in on our conversation about today’s exciting news and get to know Emily.