Agriculture In Action

Amanda Nolz

Ag-in-Action-Logo In an effort to promote myself as an agriculture speaker available for keynotes and workshops, I have launched a new blog spot I hope you will all check out. It’s called Agriculture in Action, and it features the ins and outs of my life as a cattle rancher, as well as my travels across the country promoting the beef industry. It’s brand spanking new, and it needs a little love from all of you. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Here is a description of what my blog is all about: I’m a farm girl at heart, and I feel pretty lucky to have made my passion and hobby into a career that I love. I enjoy a medium rare ribeye steak and a glass of Merlot, with the company of friends or family.

Follow me on Twitter @AmandaNolz or check out the Ag in Action Facebook Page. Thanks for your support in my new endeavor!

Advertising, Beef

Mom Logic Concerned About Beef

Amanda Nolz

mom_logic Although I don’t have children of my own yet, I have run across the website Mom Logic on multiple occasions in my work as an agriculture advocate. It’s a place where moms can discuss everything from kids, to relationships, to fashion, to dieting and even to share recipes with one another. The motto of Mom Logic is, Real Stories, Real Honest, Real Moms.

Well, a common theme on the Mom Logic site is to abolish meat in the diet and replace it with ground turkey. It seems on the messaging boards, there is a huge concern about the price of beef, beef’s nutritional content and even the beef recalls in the news.

I think this is a huge opportunity for all of us to take part in the discussions, as moms, college students, agriculture professionals, etc. We need to start making our mark in these forums to tell the accurate story of meat as a healthy part of a well-balanced diet. Check out the website, and you’ll see what I mean. Let me know if you decide to take part in the debate. Together, we can make a difference.

Beef

IFAJ Award For Broadcast Journalism

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJI’m really glad to see the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists move forward with a new “broadcast” award program that includes both terrestrial radio and tv broadcasts as well as web broadcasts. That’s being progressive! Interestingly, the only U.S. members of IFAJ are members of AAEA which has traditionally had a membership of publication editors. However, that’s changing. I’m a member of AAEA for example.

This move makes the idea pop up in my mind again of “Why don’t NAFB/AAEA/LCP/Etc. just merge? Aren’t they all in the same business? Would this make sense? Then they all could be members of IFAJ. Let’s face it. We all talk about being in a “global marketplace.” Why not collaborate with our peers internationally? What do you think of this idea? Note how IFAJ refers to the award as broadcast journalism instead of farm broadcasting.

I just agreed to be a judge for the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists for their 2010 Australian Star Prize for Rural Broadcasting. Winners from their contest will be submitted as their country entries for the IFAJ awards.

The IFAJ has expanded its prestigious Star Prize award program for excellence in agricultural journalism and photography, with a new award for broadcast journalism. The award has categories for radio, television and online broadcasting. The deadline for the competitions is earlier this year to so winners can be selected in time for the early annual congress. Entries close February 1, 2010. For more information go to www.ifaj.org.

So, since only AAEA members can enter you’ve got very little time to get your entries in. You must first be selected by AAEA in order to be submitted to IFAJ. Contact the AAEA office for more details. The deadline for AAEA entries is January 15. Here are the categories:

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Star Prize for Broadcast Journalism recognizes the best radio, television and internet broadcasting among federation member countries.

Categories

  • Television – for the best piece produced primarily for broadcast on television.
  • Radio – for the best piece produced primarily for broadcast on radio.
  • Online radio (podcasts) – for the best audio piece produced primarily for broadcast via the internet.
  • Online video – for the best audio visual piece produced primarily for broadcast via the internet.

ACN, IFAJ, LPC

I Am Angus

Amanda Nolz

Angus Logo Did anyone catch the documentary of I Am Angus on RFD-TV last night? I’m sorry I missed its debut, but I have already heard great things about the program.

According to a recent press release by the American Angus Association, “I Am Angus is a one-hour documentary featuring the stories of people whose lives are defined by Angus cattle and Angus beef. The program also included two informational segments about Association programs and services designed to strengthen the economic position of cattle producers.
Film footage from the 1940s, 50s and 60s – narrated by radio great Paul Harvey in 1949 — will feature Angus farms and ranches, and showcase the dramatic changes in beef production, selection and marketing during the last 60 years.”

Did you watch the program last night? If so, what did you think? I’ll be waiting to watch the rerun. Even without seeing it yet, I’m sure it was a great way to boost the Angus brand and also tell the beef production story. Congratulations to those involved.

Beef

Fluidigm Workshop at Plant/Animal Genome Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

paglogoThe 18th International Plant and Animal Genome Conference is about to take place January 9-13 at the Town & Country Convention Center in San Diego, California and AgWired sponsor Fluidigm will be there. In fact they will be conducting one of the workshops titled, “Enabling High Sample Throughput SNP Genotyping for Plant and Animal Studies.”

It will be held on Tuesday, January 12, from 1:30 – 3:50 PM in the Town & Country Royal Palm Salon 1, 2, 3 rooms. Speakers include Curt Van Tassell, USDA-ARS, Bovine Testing; Jim Seeb, University of Washington, Salmon Conservation and Nanne Faber, Enza Zaden, Seed Quality Control.

You can find Fluidigm in booth 126, featuring the Fluidigm EP1™ system for high throughput SNP genotyping and digital PCR. If you’ve been following our interviews with Fluidigm, you’ll know what all this means by now! You can find stories about how Fluidigm is assisting in ag biotech by clicking here and here.

I spoke with Fluidigm’s Product Manager, Yong Yi, about the PAG Conference and the company’s involvement with it since its inception. He says the PAG is an opportunity for people doing plant and animal research to get together and share information. Genetic research is one of the top areas of focus and that’s where the Fluidigm System really has an application. Yong says their exhibit will help demonstrate their technology and their workshop will feature three of their customers who will discuss real world examples of how they use it.

Download the Fluidigm PAG Workshop invite here (pdf) and listen to my interview with Yong below:

Audio, Biotech, Farm Shows, Technology

Alltech Angus

Chuck Zimmerman

alltech-angusAlltech is now marketing its own line of Angus beef. I think my grill needs some of this!

Alltech Angus represents a Kentucky Proud partnership between Alltech and Critchfield Meats that brings you home-grown goodness in every bite. This high-quality Angus beef is raised on Kentucky family farms to deliver a tender, delicious beef choice for you and your family. Critchfield Meats and Alltech are both family-owned operations working together to serve Central Kentucky the highest quality meat products. Feel good about the food you feed your family.

You can order online via Critchfield. It’s also a Kentucky Proud Product.

Agribusiness, Alltech, Beef, Food

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Wish Milt Bliss a Happy Century!

    Cindy Zimmerman

    nafbThis pioneer farm broadcaster will be celebrating his 100th birthday on January 21.

    Milton E. Bliss was inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame in 1994, the same year that Dix Harper took this photo of him. Milt’s career in radio dates back to the early 1930’s when he took a job at WHA in Madison, Wisconsin to help work his way through the University of Wisconsin. He later joined NBC in Chicago as producer of the “National Farm and Home Hour.” He also started radio and television programs on WFIL in Philadelphia. After that, Milt traveled extensively as a member of the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization, serving in Brazil, Rome, Saudi Arabia and India helping to develop farm broadcasting in other countries.

    Congratulatory letters and greetings are being compiled in a keepsake book for him and can be sent to:
    Jennifer Guenther
    7530 Roosevelt Road
    Hartford, WI 53027-9730

    Or you may send him a message directly:
    Milton E. Bliss
    N1324 Highway O
    Hartford, WI 53027

    NAFB

    AG CONNECT Expo iPhone App

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ag-connect-appAG CONNECT Expo now has an iPhone app available. Working with Core-Apps, LLC, and their Follow Me application, you can navigate the show floor like a pro. The app has interactive maps, lets you search the exhibitor directory or create your own schedule by choosing the sessions you want to attend and speakers you want to hear.

    It’s on my phone even though it does cost $1.99. As we get closer to the show I’m sure there will be more data available. It’s got a download function that lets you download exhibitor handouts for example.

    You can download the app via iTunes here.

    AEM

    ZimmComm Had a Busy 2009

    Cindy Zimmerman

    2009 was a busy year for ZimmComm New Media.

    zimmcomm new mediaBetween the two of us and our hardworking freelancers, we did 4310 posts on all websites, including Agwired, Domestic Fuel, Precision Pays and World Dairy Diary. We also did 176 podcasts and too many audio interviews to count.

    We uploaded 11,282 photos to 48 Flickr photo albums and 88 YouTube videos.

    The most popular YouTube videos on our channel in 2009 were Daryl Hannah at NBB with 6854 views, the new John Deere planter with 5876, the New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race 4557 and the tractor pull at National Farm Machinery Show 2872. Top stories on Agwired included:
    John Deere Unveils Largest Planter
    HSUS Challenges American Agriculture
    HSUS in Nebraska (tops in comments)
    Record Phone Calls on iPhone
    Get a Rustler from New Holland

    We visited over 60 different cities, from Panama City to Portland, San Antonio to Minnetonka, and San Diego to Boston – and internationally from Morocco to Egypt to Jordan. Read our travelogue here.

    Best of all – our readership was up significantly on all websites:
    Agwired – up 45% to 158,400 unique visitors
    Domestic Fuel – up 15% to 269,000 unique visitors
    Precision Pays – up 166% to 29,000 unique visitors
    World Dairy Diary – up 68% to 110,000 unique visitors

    Thanks to our of our wonderful friends in the industry for making 2009 a great year for ZimmComm. We look forward to continuing our relationships in the new decade.

    Happy New Year!

    ZimmComm Announcement