Lots of Smartphone Apps

Chuck Zimmerman

According to our latest ZimmPoll you’re using lots of apps on your smartphones. Well, at least some of you are. Over a third of our respondents said they have more than forty apps on their smartphone. That was followed though by another third who said they only have zero to ten apps. Seventeen percent said they have 20 to 30 apps, thirteen percent said 10 to 20 and five percent said 30 to 40 apps. That’s a lot of apps! It’s amazing how useful these devices are becoming and apps are what make that possible.

Our new ZimmPoll is now live. We’re asking the question, “Will USDA forecast for record 13.5 billion bushels of corn come true?” There’s been a lot of flooding and cool weather in the corn belt this spring. How much do impact will that have? Let us know what you think and thank you for participating.

And if you have any questions you want to suggest for future ZimmPolls please let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by Rhea+Kaiser, a full-service advertising/public relations agency.

ZimmPoll

Hondo Group Happenings

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 304My on-going series of interviews with the leadership at agricultural advertising and public relations agencies continues again this week. I just got off Skype with Lynn Balinas, President, The Hondo Group.

Lynn has a long background in agribusiness with several companies. That work took him all the world after which he joined the “agency world.” He wound up in Texas with McCormick Company and just about four years ago they formed The Hondo Group. They moved the office to Austin to be near a good talent pool due to the University there. He says they’re “providing innovation in traditional spaces.” One of the new things about The Hondo Group is their Kinita mobile platform that allows for the deployment across all smartphone systems at once.

Listen in on our conversation as Lynn talks about some of their clients and social media success stories: What's New With The Hondo Group

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, Growmark, locally owned, globally strong, 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.

Agencies, Audio, ZimmCast

Changes at Brownfield Ag News

Cindy Zimmerman

Brownfield Ag News has announced a couple of major changes today.

First, Dave Russell is the Farm Director of the new Brownfield Ohio Ag News Radio Network.

“Having the opportunity to go back to my home state is exciting,” said Russell. “I’m looking forward to helping build Brownfield Ohio, but even more, I’m looking forward to telling Ohio’s tremendous agricultural story.”

Moving into Indiana for Brownfield is Meghan Grebner, who has served as Agri-Business Director for stations WMBD and WIRL since 2007 and is currently regional Vice President for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). Meghan has also been a contributing editor here on Agwired.

The top photo is one of Meg’s favorite Facebook profile photos of her and Dave. The bottom one I took at Commodity Classic this year in Tampa. Just couldn’t resist putting them side by side!

Congrats and best to both of them – and to the whole team at Brownfield!

NAFB

Novus Donates Award to Global 4H Project

Cindy Zimmerman

Novus International has won a national award for information technology and donated the prize money to the Global 4-H Knowledge Center.

novusNovus received $1000 for the first ever Information Technology Innovation Award from the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) for a customer inventory management system integrating satellite communications and remote monitoring technology.

The Global 4-H Knowledge Platform is a program of the National 4-H Council designed to enhance sustainable food security in Africa. The Global 4-H Knowledge Platform links 4-H programs in the United States with others around the world to develop a global network that employs the 4-H model to create sustainable livelihoods and improve economic security for young people. Earlier this year, Novus partnered in the launch of this program.

Novus International

Introducing…Royal Star Papaya

Melissa Sandfort

Tex Starr Distributing LLC, a newly formed company in South Texas announces the unveiling of the company’s new sweet papaya variety called Royal Star Papaya. The proprietary seed variety is a natural hybrid that is sweet, firm, and brightly colored inside and out.

To reach the consumer, Tex Starr Distributing LLC plans to launch a consumer marketing push this summer to align with the product’s availability.

David Peterson, grower and proprietor of Tex Starr Distributing LLC., says, “Foodies, chefs, health and adventure eaters alike are searching for the next big culinary ingredient and we intend to give them Royal Star. It smells and looks enticing, tastes amazing, is great for your body and has a longer shelf life than other papaya varieties available on the market.”

While most Maradol papayas have a shelf life of 3 days once it has been cut, Royal Star Papaya has a shelf life of up to 5 days, even after it is cut. Uncut the fruit can last for up to 14 days.

Contact information for Tex Starr Distributing LLC, the only distributor of Royal Star Papaya, is available at www.royalstarpapaya.com.

Food

Alaska’s Summer Salmon Season Kicks Off Today

Melissa Sandfort

Alaska’s summer salmon season kicks off today. This year’s projected harvest of 203 million fish would mark the fifth largest salmon season for the state.

For the first time recent USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines are advising Americans to eat eight ounces of seafood rich in omega-3s per week for brain and heart health. The average American currently eats about 3.5 ounces of seafood per week. Wild Alaska salmon is a high quality protein and a premier source of long-chain omega-3s containing generous amounts of vitamin D, vitamins B6, B12, and selenium.

Alaska is home to over 90% of the wild salmon in North America, and five different species.

Visit www.wildalaskaflavor.com for dozens of healthy Alaska salmon recipes including: Grilled Alaska Salmon with Avocado and Papaya Spinach Salad or Spicy Alaska Salmon Wraps.

Uncategorized

Skim or Whole?

Melissa Sandfort

You can learn a lot about someone from their garden. For instance, do they use Clorox or Downy; do they drink more skim milk or more whole milk? And because of the popularity of home gardening these days, our back yards have taken on quite a different look than in years past.

I posted a while back about putting down roots, and included a picture of my seeds that had sprouted. Last week, I had the crazy idea of putting the cups outside (they were now 4 inches tall and getting spindly) to get them adjusted to the weather since it had been cold. The day I decided to put them out, the wind blew like we lived in western Kansas and some of the leaves wilted before I could get them in the ground.

Some of them were too far gone, and others, I’m trying to save. See, that’s the thing about a garden – it’s so fulfilling, knowing that you’re actually GROWING something. It makes me feel successful. It’s the little accomplishments in life.

So, for the tomato and pepper plants I transplanted, I’ve used one of the tricks from Grandma’s “I learned it from my mother” book of knowledge and put milk jugs over them. This creates a sort of greenhouse effect and I must say, out of the 27 plants that made their beginning in red Solo cups, I’ve managed to save 15 of them. The wind took out about 9, so I’d say that’s a pretty good save-rate.

Some things about modern gardening haven’t changed. Including knowing what your neighbors are drinking and washing their clothes in.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Iowa Corn Growers Join The Team

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the whole group of participants at the Iowa Speedway last week doing the Iowa Corn Growers Join The Team promotion. You’ve got Iowa State, Indy Car, University of Iowa and Iowa Corn Growers gathered together. The emcees for the program and games that were played included Craig Floss, CEO, Iowa Corn Growers and Bruce Gaarder, former farm broadcaster and one of the announcers at Iowa Speedway. I visited with Craig after the games had ended.

Craig says the main purpose of the event was to promote the Join The Team program. This consist of two main sporting events, the Iowa Corn Indy 250 race and the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, the two biggest in the state. He says Join The Team is a great metaphor for what they’re all about. He wants Iowa corn growers to be a part of the team that’s not just Iowa Corn but corn growers nationally.

You can listen to my interview with Craig here: Craig Floss Interview

Iowa Corn “Join The Team” Indy 250 Promotion Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Indy Racing

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Hoosier Ag Today has launched a web services division to better serve its sponsors and radio stations.
  • Broadhead has added six new team members who will help strengthen the agency’s ability to meet the needs of its growing client base and evolving business challenges.
  • DRAKE & COMPANY announced that it has recently been awarded reaccreditation by AMC Institute.
  • A “Corn Replanting Decision Tool” has been released as part of the FAST series of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
Zimfo Bytes

Importance of Panama Canal Highlighted

Meghan Grebner

With soybean  exports doubling over the last ten years and the continued demand for US soy, the question arises can we handle it?  Now, we know we can physically make that happen.  We plant, grow and harvest more efficiently and effectively than any other country in the world, the concern arises if our ports and infrastructure will last the next ten years.

Early last week, the Soy Transportation Coalition and the Panama Canal Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a promise to continue to develop global commerce.  Also involved in Monday’s MOU signing was the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board.  The objectives of the agreement are to undertake joint marketing efforts, data exchange to forecast future trade flows and market trends, and the sharing of information related to modernization and improvement projects.

With the Panama Canal increasing in size to be able to accommodate “Suezmax” ships – it could be a great thing for American Agriculture, especially since 60% of our exports currently travel through the Panama Canal.  Except our infrastructure is failing and the Department of Commerce thinks existing ports will be incapable of handling the shipments within the next decade.

I sat down with immediate past Chairman of the United Soybean Board and a farmer from Griggsville, Ill. and he detailed Monday’s announcement. Bradshaw Talks Panama

ASA, Soybean, USB