Drake & Company Making Dreams Fly

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 286Let’s meet a different kind of agency, an association and cause management company. Let’s meet Drake & Company and who better to talk about it than the man himself, Steve Drake. This is the continuation of my series of podcast conversations with the leadership of various types of agricultural communication agencies.

I remember when Steve got his company started about 18 years ago and he’s done nothing but grow. In fact, when it comes to what’s new with DrakeCo, growth is part of the story. For example, we can point to the fact that they are the management firm for the newly formed U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. In our conversation we talk about this and just what the company will be doing for the new effort. It’s clear that a lot of formative work is being done. One thing Steve makes a point of is that his company will be “managing” and not actually performing project work of whatever type USFRA decides on.

Other topics covered in our conversation include the Trees for Troops program, Christmas Tree Journal excellence award, managing association conferences, including on an international level and how digital media and content management is impacting associations. Steve says they’ve just completed a strategic growth plan that has re-structured the company into three major divisions. They’re hiring too! So listen in and learn what’s new with Drake & Company: ZimmCast 286 - Drake & Company

This week’s program ends with some music from Music Alley. It’s called “That’s What Christmas Means” by Maximum Fidelity.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems 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 a Subscribe page

Agencies, Audio, ZimmCast

Evaluating DTN/PF iPad App

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s nice to see the big boys catching up to us little boys! LOL. DTN/The Progressive Farmer now has a free iPad app (opens iTunes) and it’s really well done. I’ve added it to my iPad and first impressions are that content is intelligently layed out and easy to navigate. Information opens and refreshes quickly on my wifi. I like seeing posts from their blogs and videos along with “traditional” information like news, wx and markets. Have you tried the app yet? Your impressions?

As a new breed of mobile and technology-savvy professionals increases within the agriculture industry, DTN/The Progressive Farmer continues to lead the way in providing solutions that keep pace with the evolving needs of farmers and agribusinesses. For the first time, professionals can have enhanced access to award-winning agriculture news, market data and industry-specific weather information offered in an optimized format for iPad users.

With the flick of a finger, iPad users are able to browse breaking industry news, access more than 13 blogs from DTN/The Progressive Farmer editors and analysts, and view daily weather and market videos. Additionally, the app offers users commodity market data, charts and graphics as well as interactive, location-specific weather information and maps. Knowing agriculture professionals are rarely confined to their office, farmers can quickly access the DTN/The Progressive Farmer while they have a Wi-Fi or 3G internet connection and download the latest industry information that they can take with them and access whenever and wherever it is most convenient for their busy schedules. The DTN/The Progressive Farmer agriculture app is available for free at www.dtnpf.com/ipad (opens iTunes).

Remember that you can also get AgWired on your iPad or iPhone with our AgWired App. We’ve had over 1,000 people download it and are still seeking a sponsor! A sponsor would let us take it to the next level which would be optimization for iPad! Interested?

Media

Get on Santa’s List by Taking our Survey

Cindy Zimmerman

We’re making a list of all the nice Agwired readers who have taken our survey – and checking it twice to see who will win $250 to help make the holidays brighter.

We know that people hate giving out personal information on the internet, but we are asking so that we can improve our on-line publications by knowing who our readers are and what they want to know about. That’s why we are offering everyone who takes our survey the chance to win $250 cash money each month. We already sent a check to one lucky reader at the end of November – the next one will be pulled at the end of this month.

It only takes about three minutes to fill out the survey – Agwired Survey – so do it today and you might be $250 worth of happier for the holidays!

Uncategorized

Novozymes Acquires EMD/Merck Crop BioScience

Joanna Schroeder

Novozymes had acquired EMD/Merck Crop BioScience from Merck KGaA for US $275 and marks the company’s third major purchase in the agricultural biologicals sector in the past three years. EMD/Merck Crop BioScience is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the majority of the company’s activities take place in North and South America. Novozymes has spent the past few years building up its portfolio of sustainable solutions in the agricultural sector.

According to a press release from Novozymes, EMD/Merck Crop BioScience has approximately 165 employees and has generated average annual sales growth of roughly 15 percent during the last seven years. It is expected to generate sales of US $60 million in 2010 and will support Novozymes’ long-term sales growth expectation of more than 10 percent. EMD/Merck Crop BioScience’s EBIT margin supports Novozymes’ long-term EBIT margin expectation of more than 20 percent.

“The acquisition of EMD/Merck Crop BioScience strengthens our global position in the growing industry for agricultural biologicals providing products that enhance the natural growth and yield of crops,” said Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes. “We have found in EMD/Merck Crop BioScience a company that has a strong strategic fit with our existing BioAg business. In brief, it has a complementary product range and geographical scope, a strong R&D pipeline, and very talented people. Together we can utilize Novozymes’ unique biotechnology platform to bring a new level of innovation to the market.”

Novozymes cites many reasons that EMD/Merck Crop BioScience is an asset to their business portfolio but among them are the fact that their product line-up focuses on biological growth enhancers and nitrogen inoculants primarily used in the production of soybean and pulses. This supports Novozymes’ current nitrogen and phosphate inoculants business.

“Novozymes is dedicated to continued innovation in agriculture, thereby enabling farmers to become even more cost and resource efficient,” said Riisgaard. “In a world that continuously needs to produce more food for a soaring population without further stressing the environment, farmers need effective but more sustainable ways to grow crops. This has led to a strong interest in biofertilizers and other biotechnological solutions.”

Novozymes entered the biofertility market in 2007 with the acquisition of Philom Bios in Canada and has gradually increased its activities, most recently with the acquisition of Turfal in Brazil in August this year. The activities of EMD/Merck Crop BioScience will be integrated into Novozymes’ BioAg organization, which is part of Novozymes’ BioBusiness division. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed between February and May 2011.

Agribusiness, Biofuels, Soybean

New Website For Coalition To Support Iowa’s Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

A new website has been launched for the Coalition To Support Iowa’s Farmers.

The colorful site is chocked full of new content featuring new agricultural information, program updates, farm families the Coalition has worked with and easy, user-friendly navigation.

“Our new website is specifically designed to help Iowa livestock farmers successfully and responsibly manage changes to their farms,” said CSIF Executive Director, Brian Waddingham. “Being a livestock farmer is a difficult business, compounded by the growing mass of rules and regulations. The new web site is a resource tool for those farm families who need more information so they can stay rooted in rural Iowa.”

In addition to information about the latest rules and regulations impacting livestock farmers, the new site also features information about siting considerations. “Many farmers we work with are multi-generational; it’s important to them to care for the land and waterways so they can pass their farm down to the next generation, that’s why careful selection of sites is so important,” Waddingham said. The new web site offers considerations that may impact site selection from air modeling and typography to location of public use areas.

The new web site also highlights steps farmers may take with their neighbors when making changes to their farm. “Neighbor relations is an important part of a farmer’s business plan and the site provides some initial guidance on how to do that,” said Waddingham.

Ag Groups, Internet

NCGA and Pioneer Creating More Agvocates

Chuck Zimmerman

Here at ZimmComm we’re all about creating an army of agvocates. That’s why we support efforts like this one from the National Corn Growers Association with support from Pioneer Hi-Bred.

Starting in January 2011, NCGA will launch a series of hour-long social media training webinars sponsored by Pioneer for farmers. Each month, NCGA members, state corn association staff and others interested in using the Internet to promote today’s farming will take part in live online presentations that will focus on how growers can benefit personally and professionally using various social networking mediums.

In addition to covering the mechanics of utilizing social media, webinar curriculum will include strategies for goal-based outreach, developing content for conversations and becoming an online ambassador of the corn industry. The goal of the program is to grow the enthusiasm and activity of corn farmers who will use social networking as a useful tool to connect and educate policy makers, regulators and the general public.

Ag Groups, NCGA, Pioneer

Illinois Aerial Applicator Had Good Season

Chuck Zimmerman

During the National Agricultural Aviation Association convention I met Don Younglove, R&R Flight Services (not pictured), during the trade show. He’s got three planes and the business is located in Mendota, IL. He’s a big proponent of BASF products by the way!

I asked Don how business was this season and he says that it was good. It was a wet year in his area and that meant spraying a lot of Headline fungicide. He was enjoying the convention because the trade show allows him to talk with company representatives. I actually found him in the AgSync booth. He says that he converted his system to AgSync this year. He says the conversion was “a little tough” but by the end of the year he found that they sprayed more acres in less time than the year before.

You can listen to my interview with Don here: Don Younglove Interview

2010 NAAA Convention Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the NAAA Convention is sponsored by BASF.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, NAAA

HSUS Boss Comments Criticized

Chuck Zimmerman

HumaneWatch.org made sure people know about the latest problem HSUS is having. They ran this full page ad in the Sunday New York Times. It criticizes the “recent claim of Wayne Pacelle, the President of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), that convicted dog abuser Michael Vick “would do a good job as a pet owner.” The ad condemns HSUS for supporting the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback’s ownership of dogs and urges all recurring HSUS donors to cancel their memberships and stop giving to the organization. I just love what Dave Martosko and company are doing in making sure people get the truth about this anti animal agriculture organization.

HumaneWatch.org points to the Eagles’ $50,000 donation to HSUS in 2010 as one possible motivation for Pacelle’s indefensible suggestion that Vick should be allowed to own more dogs. Despite the words “humane society” in its name, HSUS is not affiliated with local humane societies anywhere in America. It spends tens of millions every year supporting a staff of more than 700, lobbyists in all 50 states, and an $11 million executive pension plan. Yet during the past two years, HSUS shared less than 1 percent of its money with hands-on pet shelters.

“It’s absolutely shocking that the leader of America’s biggest animal rights group would side with a convicted dog fighting felon instead of with helpless pets,” said David Martosko, CCF’s Director of Research and the editor of HumaneWatch.org.

Within 24 hours of Michael Vick’s arrest for running a Virginia dog fighting ring, HSUS began raising money online to “care for the dogs seized” at Vick’s home. Wayne Pacelle later admitted to The New York Times that HSUS was not caring for the dogs. Pacelle also recommended that officials “put down” (kill) the animals. Despite HSUS’s wishes, most of those dogs have since been successfully rehabilitated.

Read the copy of the ad by clicking on this link Read More

Animal Activists, Wackos

A Mid-Winter’s Tale From Syngenta

Chuck Zimmerman

One of the Syngenta Seeds bloggers (Rich Lee) has written a holiday poem that ties in the delivery of seed. Here’s an excerpt. You’ll need to go to Dirt on Seeds to read the whole thing.

It was the season before spring work; all is covered in snow,

‘tis the time we are frozen, when nothing will go.

The tractors are tucked, all snug in the shed,

in the hope that warm weather soon was ahead.

And dreaming of green crops and new record yields,

I could almost smell the dirt from freshly-plowed fields.

Read rest of poem

Agribusiness, Syngenta