Plow Boys Make Planting Progress

Cindy Zimmerman

The planters were tearing it up around the country last week in the glorious weather. What a difference a year makes!

Last year at this time, just five percent of the corn was planted. As of Sunday, a whopping 19 percent was in the ground – more than twice the five year average! Illinois has 34 percent planted, compared to 12 percent for the five year average and just one percent this time last year. Indiana has more than four times the average in the ground at 17 percent – nothing was planted a year ago. Minnesota has 13 percent of the crop planted where the average is just one percent.

I found a number of 2010 planting videos already up on YouTube, but this one from Kelly Robertson of Benton, Ill., gets my personal Oscar nomination for the week. Kelly shot this video last week in a multi-tasking mode – planting, talking on the cell phone and shooting video, all at the same time! But, it’s the editing and the music that makes it. I nominate it for best editing, best musical score and best director! Maybe we need to start a new awards show for farming videos?

Corn, Farming, Video

Paulsen Surveys Ag Media Usage

Chuck Zimmerman

Paulsen MarketingJust in time for the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference Paulsen Agribranding has some new information out from their study, “The New Ag Media Model: Conventional + Contemporary Strategies.” In it you can find out how ag media usage differs between older and younger producers.

This study features video interviews from producers who discuss how they use traditional and digital media to make important purchase decisions.

The conclusion?

Today’s ag media landscape is changing rapidly—and so are the channels of trust. This study is free, and there is no obligation. If you’d like to learn more about what is changing in ag media, please give us call at 605-336-1745.

Here’s just one of their video features. If you watch them all you’ll see how varied the responses can be.

Agencies

Do You Know What Successful Farming Knows

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 257Enter to win a free iPad. I thought that would get your attention. You can enter to win if you stop by the Successful Farming booth at the NAMA Connection Point during the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference. Successful Farming is once again sponsoring AgWired coverage of the conference and we’re glad to see them helping boost Apple profits! By the way, they did a web survey of farmers the day the iPad became available and 1/3 said they would like to purchase one.

In this week’s ZimmCast I talk with John Walter, Agriculture.com, about trends in ag media today and what he sees in the future. John is a social media superstar and very proud of the company’s young farmer social networking site, Farmers for the Future. He says they have over 3,000 people registered in the network and recently had two of them get married after meeting via the network.

In our discussion John shares some information from recent Successful Farming research projects. They’ve been getting a complete “farmer insight” and to get the full story you’ll need to stop by their booth at the NAMA conference or contact your SF representative. Their research documents how farmers are using various forms of media, including online, for several years now and it is eye opening for anyone who still thinks nothing has changed.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.

You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast below.

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.

Audio, Media, NAMA

First Ag Text To Drink Campaign

Chuck Zimmerman

It has to be the first ever text to drink campaign in agribusiness. Not only do you get a free drink but texted schedule updates at the 2010 Agri-Marketing Conference.

Sign Up for NAMA Mobile Updates

Get FREE text updates to remind you where you need to be and when. It’s like a mini paperless NAMA program on your phone! And, we’ll text you a mobile coupon good for a FREE DRINK, compliments of Commodity Update!

Text “NAMA” to 46786 to sign up for Program Updates and FREE DRINK Coupon.

Or you can click on the image and do it through the NAMA website.

NAMA

Catching up with Laura

Cindy Zimmerman

mcnamaraLong-time Agwired readers may remember the lovely and talented Laura McNamara who did quite a bit of work for us back a couple of years ago. Among her many assignments was covering the 2007 Indy 500 and Agritechnica. She was also at the 2008 Farm Progress Show with Chuck and helped us with a number of other clients. Her amazing talents include writing and fabulous photography. She is truly an exceptional artist.

mcnamaraLaura has been living out her dream and traveling extensively over the last couple of years, as that is her passion. At last count, she had visited more than 22 countries in Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America – including 12 countries in one year alone!

She is currently traveling around Mexico and basing herself in Chihuahua. Some of her most recent photo albums include spectacular views and portraits of the people in Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

Laura now has set up a store on her main blog, giramonda.com, where you can purchase some of her fine photography. Check it out – you will be amazed!

Photography

IFAJ Congress Update

Chuck Zimmerman

I just heard from IFAJ President Mike Wilson, Farm Futures, who is attending the 2010 IFAJ Congress. He took a minute to give me a quick update about attendance which has been impacted by the Iceland volcano.

I’d say around 120 people made it to the congress, about 40 had to cancel. We’ve heard a ton of stories about people stranded all over the world, and yet also some very heroic stories about people getting on ferries, trains and taking cars 12 to 24 hours just to get here for a few days. It’s actually been exhilarating to see this, a real statement about how people feel about the IFAJ.

I understand how those people felt who did go to extra lengths to get there. I tried having my flight route through or to another location in Europe from which I would have had a long train ride but all cities that Delta/KLM would have had to go through were closed. Oh well.

The photo is another one I took from the Congress Twitpic account.

IFAJ

Tweeting IFAJ Congress Tours

Chuck Zimmerman

The Monday tours at the IFAJ Congress are in full swing and the Congress team is actively tweeting them. Here’s a link to their TwitPic photos, like this one, showing up this morning.

The Congress team is really doing a good job helping those of us who couldn’t make it still feel somewhat a part of this year’s event. I’m hoping to get some more information to share today. From the looks of it the ag journalists who could make it are having a great time.

IFAJ

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • AgFeed Industries, Inc. announced that it has agreed to invest in a hog production project in conjunction with Xinyu City in Jiangxi province.
  • The Andersons, Inc. announced it has recently signed a letter of intent to purchase two grain cleaning and storage facilities from O’Malley Grain, Inc., with closing to occur as soon as reasonably practical following negotiation and execution of definitive agreements.
  • Farm Journal Media’s key dairy magazine, Dairy Today, is announcing the launch of a digital edition.
  • Agro-Culture LIQUID Fertilizers has announced plans to build its flagship, state of the art, manufacturing and distribution facility in Ashley, Mich.
    Zimfo Bytes

    An IFAJ Welcome

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The IFAJ Congress is doing a great job of posting information. It’s great for those of us who couldn’t be there. There are now several video clips online like the one below with a welcome from Congress Chairman, Jef Verhaeren. In his opening remarks Jef asked for a moment of silence for Don Gomery, long time honorary secretary of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists of Great Britain who passed away recently. You can read an obituary about Don on the IFAJ website. I was very saddened to hear this news since Don was one of the friendliest faces of IFAJ that I had come to look forward to seeing each year. He is missed.

    IFAJ

    IFAJ Congress Blog and Photos

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Now I’m really feeling sad that I can’t be in Belgium for the 2010 IFAJ Congress. Photos are now available and there is a Congress Blog.

    This evening the main congress has started. During the welcome walking dinner and reception some speeches were held. Extended video footage of this evening will be posted tomorrow. For those who can’t wait to get up to date there already a text version of the chief of the cabinet of the Minister of Agriculture of Flanders. You can dowload it right here (pdf)

    IFAJ