Preview of Cattle Industry Summer Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

The officers of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association got casual this afternoon at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference. Here they are with Presidential Candidate Herman Cain who will be our opening general session keynote speaker tomorrow.

I spoke with Bill Donald, President, NCBA, to get a preview of this year’s conference. He’s the one with a hat. Bill says this is the meeting where “a lot of planning is done.” On the Beef Checkoff side they look at funding requests and on the NCBA side it’s about policies, with both focusing on the coming year. There will also be a progress report for the Beef Industry Long Range Plan (pdf). Bill says that he wants cattle producers to know that a lot of progress has been made through conversations between the officer team at the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the NCBA. He says they are viewing their relationship like a partnership and they want cattlemen to be able to trust that their Checkoff dollars are being spent wisely.

You can listen to my interview with Bill here. Bill Donald Interview

Photos from the conference will be posted to this photo album: 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album. Check it often as we add to it over the next several days.

Ag Groups, Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

cropNAtion A Virtual Coffeeshop For Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

GROWMARK announced their sponsorship today of a new online location for farmers called cropNAtion. You can create a free account and be in on the start of a new social network for farmers. I’m sure they’re looking for feedback.

Today’s farmers and ranchers are so busy increasing their productivity to meet the needs of a growing world that they don’t have time to sit and visit with their neighbors like they used to. However, there is still great value in building relationships, sharing information, and asking for advice.

A new website and mobile application, cropNAtion, will allow farmers and ranchers to connect with each other whether they are across the country or across the section.

The site, www.cropnation.com, is designed to serve as a one-stop resource for on the go information. After creating a profile, users can share information about their operations, ask and answer questions, upload photos and videos, and access the latest markets and weather conditions.

“We saw a need for farmers and ranchers to have a ‘virtual coffeeshop’ – a place where they could ask questions, share stories and photos, and cultivate relationships,” said Jim Spradlin, GROWMARK vice president, agronomy. “GROWMARK is pleased to sponsor this site, which we hope will be fed by farmers everywhere.”

Anyone with an interest in North American agriculture may register for and use the free site. The mobile application will be available for iPhone and Android platforms in late summer.

GROWMARK, Social Networking

Integrating Social Media Into Your Marketing Efforts

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 314Measuring the return on investment of social media is a big challenge. We deal with the question of “how to” all the time. More importantly though is answering the question of what your goal is with social media. This topic was on the agenda at the Agricultural Media Summit.

I spoke with Shelly Kramer, V3 Integrated Marketing, an integrated marketing and social media agency. She spoke to a full house and answered questions for a while afterward.

Shelly says that to measure your social media ROI you need to have a plan. I know that’s tough but if you don’t know what your goal is, then how do you know if you met it? To help her clients better understand digital marketing and especially the social channels she encourages them to act online just like they do in real life. However, that’s not easy for companies to do.

Listen in on my conversation with Shelly in this week’s program and hear more about her perspective and thoughts on using social media in your marketing efforts: Integrating Social Media & Measuring ROI

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

2011 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

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.

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by BASF and AgHaven
Ag Media Summit, Audio, Social Networking, ZimmCast

AgCareers North American Ag HR Roundtable Starts Today

Cindy Zimmerman

I will be finding out more about AgCareers this week at the 9th AgCareers.com Ag HR Roundtable, in West Lafayette, Indiana, which is being hosted this year by ADM and Purdue University.

The event brings together agribusiness employers, professional organizations and college career counselors “to talk about issues facing the recruitment and retention of entry level and professional level talent in our industry.”

This year for the first time, the HR Roundtable will be followed by the 2011 National Academic Programs Summit with the theme of “Creating Change: Reforming Curricula for a 21st Century Education” where participants will be able to receive input from the agribusiness employers at the roundtable on what changes they would like to see in preparing young people for careers in the industry.

I talked with AgCareers president Eric Spell recently about the event for a ZimmCast – listen to it here – and stay tuned to find out more this week.

AgCareers

NCGA and Pioneer Offer Growers NASCAR Dream Day

Cindy Zimmerman

Start your engines, NASCAR fans, because the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Pioneer HI-Bred are offering NCGA members a chance to win a NASCAR dream day to the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn., on Saturday, Aug. 27.

The dream day race package includes access to the DuPont-Pioneer hospitality tent, a pit tour, and a visit with racing legend Jeff Gordon. To enter, just visit www.ncga.com/racing and sign up for NASCAR-NCGA’s Fuel for Members Program before 12 pm central time this Friday, Aug. 5. The winner will be randomly selected from those NCGA members who have signed up for the Fuel for Members program.

Fuel for Members is one of the benefits of belonging to NCGA and state corn grower associations, providing exclusive access to discounted NASCAR tickets and merchandise and insider access to America’s most popular sport. Plus, members receive discounts on goods and services from a wide range of NASCAR partners including: UPS, DirecTV, Office Depot and MGM Resorts.

NCGA is part of the American Ethanol partnership with NASCAR, which began racing on 15% ethanol this season.

Don’t delay – sign up today!

Corn, Ethanol, NASCAR, NCGA, Pioneer

Black Kitty

Melissa Sandfort

Her name used to be Fuzz but now it’s just black kitty. It was just easier that way.

She ran out a month ago and found herself a nice boyfriend and wound up pregnant with her first litter of kittens. Like any new mom, I can relate. She’s probably not happy about all the wiggling and pushing going on in there, not to mention the fact that it’s been over 110 with the heat index the past four days. July/August isn’t a great time to be pregnant. I guess I forgot to tell her that.

We’re not sure when she’ll deliver the kittens but our best guess is sometime in early August. I’ve tried moving her inside to the garage but she seemed a bit lethargic and unhappy as her bird-catching gets put on hold while she’s inside. However, I don’t want to have to go digging through the grass and weeds to find where she hid the kittens so I can tame them down.

Given that it’s her first time though, she might just leave them at the back door for me to help with – she’s left everything else at the door as a prize – mice, birds, you name it.

For a husband with cat allergies, he’s not too excited about having a few more running around. At least he still has his prized garage (or man space) where he can work sneeze-free. For now.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • U.S. distributor Kubota Tractor Corporation announces it has retailed 1.5 million Kubota units in America.
  • Valley Irrigation has expanded its Valley GPS product line to include compatibility with Trimble GPS products.
  • Osborn & Barr is further expanding its digital offerings with four new hires in St. Louis: Chris Feix, Kim Bracey, Gary Schrader and Stephanie Phillips.
  • PureSense Environmental Inc. was presented with the “2011 Game Changers of the Year” award in the category of Water and Irrigation Management at the recent 2011 California Agriculture Innovation Conference held at UC Davis.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Cattle Industry Summer Conference

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The next stop on the agriblogging highway for me is the Cattle Industry Summer Conference. I’ll be Beef Board Blogging once again for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.

    With me in Kissimmee, FL will be Joanna Schroeder who will be focusing on the activities of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. We sure appreciate their support.

    If you are wondering what happens at a CISC then check out the online brochure here. Here’s what the meeting is all about.

    The cattle industry comes together twice a year to discuss current issues as a group, to work on programs and initiatives, and to set the course we should take with our various projects for the betterment of the beef cattle industry. The Cattle Industry Summer Conference features meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board, American National CattleWomen, Inc. and National Cattlemen’s Foundation.

    Here cattle industry members will meet in both NCBA Policy committees and subcommittees and Joint committees and subcommittees to discuss current developments, to work on initiatives developed at Convention, and to make plans for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins October 1st. Issues Forums will be open to all registered attendees at the Summer Conference, and will include hot topics. Everyone is encouraged to participate. A CBB Meeting and NCBA Board of Directors Meeting will also be held.

    Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

    Case IH Web Press Room

    Chuck Zimmerman

    During InfoExpo at the Ag Media Summit I visited with Case IH to learn what’s new. I spoke with Kristina Hopkins.

    Kristina says that they are promoting their Web Press Room to ag media. It’s where you can find news releases as well as video, images and a media kit. So ag journalists make sure you bookmark this website.

    You can listen to my conversation with Kristina here: Kristina Hopkins Interview

    2011 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by BASF and AgHaven
    Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, Case IH

    Ag Media Summit Professional Development

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Ag Media Summit is all about professional improvement for both students and professionals. I wish I could have interviewed all of our session leaders but that’s not possible for one agriblogger. However, I did get some interviews conducted.

    One of our presenters was Brandon Souza, AdFarm. He spoke to students about finding the best fit for your first job. He recommended they find out early what they want to do, hone those skill sets and talk with people in the industry. He spoke to professionals about social media etiquette. He pointed out that everything is public in social media. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but he recommends defining what you want to get out of social media.

    You can listen to my conversation with Brandon here: Brandon Souza Interview

    2011 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by BASF and AgHaven
    Ag Media Summit, Audio