GROWMARK Associate Program

Cindy Zimmerman

Learning about various aspects of the GROWMARK system and where they might best fit is the goal of the company’s associate program and Heather Miller is working into her third rotation in the program this summer.

growmarkHeather, pictured here on the left with GROWMARK Publications and News Specialist Karen Jones, has already spent six months in corporate communications, is currently working in government affairs, and will finish her 18-month associate program with a stint in marketing. “My very first project with GROWMARK was the re-design of GROWMARK.com. We hadn’t done anything with our website since ’95 when it launched so it was desperately in need of a face lift. ” Heather told me during the company’s media day recently. “That was a great first experience coming into the company because I got to learn a little bit about everything that we do.” Heather also worked on the launch of some of GROWMARK’s social media strategies.

In the government affairs division, Heather has been able to see how GROWMARK takes an interest on behalf of its members in legislative and regulatory action on both the state and national level. “We’re not just going to ag committee hearings. We have arms in energy, we do transportation issues, we cover a lot of labor and workplace environment issues,” she said.

Heather has an agricultural background and interned with GROWMARK in 2009 prior to being hired full time in June 2010. “The GROWMARK internship is a really excellent program,” she said. “We have about 50 interns every year and about a 70 percent retention rate – about 70 percent of interns then come back to be full time employees at GROWMARK after they graduate.”

Learn more about Heather and the GROWMARK intern and associate program here: Heather Miller Interview

Audio, GROWMARK

The Spike-Tooth Disk

Melissa Sandfort

Ever heard the saying, “It’s a tough row to hoe”? Sometimes it rains so hard around here that after the puddles dry up, it looks as though someone went through your front yard with a concrete compaction stomper. That makes for some tough hoeing when it comes to planting flowers or getting your garden ready.

I’m sure the same holds true when you look back at when, and why, this contraption was used: the spike tooth disk, otherwise known as a pasture renovator. This was tractor-drawn, with dirt or concrete blocks placed on the top trays as weights. This was used, as the name implies, to disk the soil prior to planting, or to revitalize pastures before fertilizing. When used on pastures, it would improve forage yield and animal performance and growth rate because the grass was given the opportunity to grow instead of competing with weeds for nutrients and water.

Even though the disk was pulled with a tractor, it was still a tough row to hoe. The ground had to be clean and free of weeds, which meant multiple trips across the field, increased fuel costs and time invested by the farmer.

I found this out back of the shed in the weeds. Looks like this area could use a little hoeing!

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Animal Agriculture Alliance Summit Wrapup

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Kay Johnson SmithI got Kay Johnson Smith, Executive Vice President, Animal Agriculture Alliance, to wrap things up from the Stakeholders Summit. She says that the speakers focused on positive, proactive ways “we can reach the public and invite them in to our businesses without jeopardizing bio-security and food safety concerns.” She mentioned one speaker from a company that has live web cams of their hog barns to show the public what they’re doing.

    Kay is looking forward to next year’s Summit which will be during the first week of May. I hope to be able to make it!

    You can listen to my interview with Frank here: Kay Johnson Smith Interview

    Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean
    Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture

    New Chairman of Animal Agriculture Alliance

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Chris AshworthThe new Chair of the Animal Agriculture Alliance is Dr. Chris Ashworth, Elanco Animal Health. During his term he want to further distribute the message about how safe, affordable and abundant food is to citizens all across America. That includes showcasing farmers who produce pork, poultry, beef and fish. He says “We want to be able to make it even more safe and more abundant in the years to come.”

    Chris says there has been a lot of energy in this year’s meeting. That tells him that they’re very engaged in the program. In his summary comments he wants the people participating to think about the challenges in a long term sense. He sees a bright future for American agriculture.

    You can listen to my interview with Frank here: Dr. Chris Ashworth Interview

    Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean
    Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Food

    Communicating With A Non-Farm Audience

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Animal Agriculture AllianceWhat is the perception of farmers and ranchers? That’s the broader question that was being addressed by participants at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit according to Mary Kay Thatcher, American Farm Bureau Federation. She was one of the many people I had the pleasure to speak with.

    One of the things she got out of Frank Luntz’s presentation had to do with communicating effectively with non-farm people. She thought he gave great advice that included, “His whole thought process about making sure when we make comments to people, we don’t just jump in to our expressions of concern but we give them a little credibility first and say things like, “I get it, I see where you’re going,” and give them a chance to pause and then we can come up with our 45 second elevator speech.” A take away for her was the need to do better helping states deal with the threat that is coming from animal rights groups.

    Mary Kay also brought up the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance which AFBF is participating in and says it’s off to a great start. But like any other group dealing with these issues she says it will important to supply good information, messaging and coordination to state groups.

    You can listen to my interview with Mary Kay here: Mary Kay Thatcher Interview

    Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean
    AFBF, Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Audio

    Lessons From Europe

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Jim SumnerAt the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit we got an international lesson from Jim Sumner, President, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council. Jim says we have to look out for our own government policies and regulations or “we’re going to end up as bad or worse off than our friends in the European Union.” Let’s face it, regulations have been burdensome for a long time and they haven’t gotten better. In fact, he says it seems like the government doesn’t want to listen sometimes.

    Jim says we need to address consumers so they better understand animal agriculture. He uses our cheap food costs as something that consumers need to realize and he doesn’t think the general public does. This was Jim’s first meeting with the Animal Agriculture Alliance and he calls it a “very dynamic group.”

    You can listen to my interview with Frank here: Jim Sumner Interview

    Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean
    Animal Agriculture, Audio, Poultry

    Food Marketing Words – Convenient, Safer, Healthier, Cleaner

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Frank LuntzSafer, healthier, convenient and cleaner. Those are words that Frank Luntz, Luntz Global, wanted people to take away from his remarks at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit.

    I was able to ask him one question afterward while he was signing books and that was what he hoped participants took away from his presentation. His answer, “I think it’s essential that they use the most effective words and phrases that connect to the America people in where they live and how they live. That you talk about not just affordability but convenience, safer, healthier, cleaner. When you show that you’re doing it so much better now than before and you’re going to do it even better in the future than you did it now, that’s success. That’s good communication. That’s what I hope they take away from my presentation.”

    Frank shared results of survey work he’s done that show how people of various demographics respond to certain words or phrases. It was very eye opening. For example, he found that people really don’t care much about the word sustainability. It just doesn’t have a meaning that’s clear since there are countless definitions. He recommended not using that word in marketing efforts. Here are some other tidbits that stuck out for me:

    Imagine is most powerful word in English language.
    You create miracles everyday.
    Consumers take responsibility for their own nutrition. They don’t depend on the food industry.
    Convenient is the word that makes consumers most interested in product.
    Only people under 30 or who went to Berkely like “organic.” Although he does think this category of food product will grow.

    You can listen to my interview with Frank here: Frank Luntz Interview

    Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean
    Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Food

    Washington Watch Wrap Up

    Meghan Grebner

    This week was the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Washington Watch meeting in our beautiful Nation’s Capitol.  It definitely was an interesting time to be in DC after the events of last weekend.

    Washington Watch gives NAFB members an opportunity to sit down with folks inside the Beltway and get an update on some of the major issues of concern to agriculture.  After Monday’s meetings broadcaster’s had a chance to delve deeper into the hot topics during Issues Forum.

    Tuesday we visited USDA where we heard from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.  He touched on topics from the lack of planting progress this spring to the heartbreaking Birds Point New Madrid levee.  I think one of the most important items addressed was the decision to allow crop insurance protections for those affected by the Birds Point New Madrid levee situation (see Cindy’s post earlier this week).  We wrapped up Tuesday with a luncheon at the National Press Club with Former Secretary of Agriculture and Former Representative Larry Combest.  Tuesday afternoon left time for some Hill visits.  I had the opportunity to chat with my Representative, Aaron Schock, and his staff.  It’s always a good feeling to leave discussions with the confidence that the agriculture industry is in good hands.  Wednesday morning concluded with visits from several of ag’s biggest supporters in the Longworth Building.

    One of the most touched on topics in DC this past week was the issue of trade.  I had the chance to speak with American Farm Bureau Federation’s Trade Specialist Chris Garza about the current pending free trade agreements.

    Garza thinks there is light at the end of the tunnel…

    Garza on Trade
    Audio, Trade

    Supporting The Iowa Food and Family Project

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Aaron PutzeSoybeans came up on the program at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit in the form of Aaron Putze, Director External Relations, Iowa Soybean Association. He thinks it’s time to reflect on blessed we are in this country to have abundant food and thank the people who produce it. He gives a startling statistic that forty percent of the food produced in the United States is either spoiled or thrown away! That’s huge. And it’s why the Iowa Soybean Association supported the development of the Iowa Food and Family Project.

    The Iowa Food & Family Project isn’t an organization. It’s a movement, one that celebrates the miracle of food and the men and women that provide it.

    The Iowa Food & Family Project doesn’t consist of a board of directors. There are no officers or board of directors. It isn’t incorporated.

    Instead, the Iowa Food & Family Project is an activity-led initiative that brings together Iowans from all walks of life. They include farmers and farm families, teachers, students, health professionals, food retailers, manufacturers, bankers and lenders, academia, geneticists, agronomists, transportation specialists and people of faith. All those who are involved in the Iowa Food & Family Project believe in the increasingly significant role Iowa plays in feeding and fueling our state, nation and the world. They want all farmers to prosper. They believe that food should be respected.

    In my conversation with Aaron he mentioned that he’s on the board of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. He says USFRA is doing a lot of due diligence right now that includes research and “knowing how to engage in the social environment that exists today that then gives an opportunity to agriculture to become part of the fabric of the conversation.”

    You can listen to my interview with Aaron here: Aaron Putze Interview

    Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by NCBAAgWired coverage of the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by United Soybean
    Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Soybean