Legendary Grilled Cheese at World Dairy Expo

carly

WDXThe theme of of World Dairy Expo this year is “Legendary” and the experience of having a Badger Dairy Club grilled cheese sandwich is a legendary expeirience. Today I took a moment to try one of their famous grilled cheeses and after just one bite you can tell they have grilled cheese sandwich making down to an art.

The Badger Dairy Club, a student organization on the UW-Madison campus, has become famous for their legendary grilled cheeses they bring to the World Dairy Expo. Every year members of the Badger Dairy Club come to the expo and prepare thousands of grilled cheeses to sell to hungry expo goers. This is one of the club’s biggest fundraisers. Members also put countless of hours before, during and after the expo making the sandwiches as well as setting up show ring displays, picking up milk, and cleaning up the barns.

Take a look at a video below of my experience.

World Dairy Expo Photo Album

Dairy, World Dairy Expo

Blog Action Day ’09

Chuck Zimmerman

BAD BadgeI just signed up for Blog Action Day ’09 which is October 15. Sign up here.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices.

This year the topic is climate change. It doesn’t matter where you stand on the issue, the idea is to add your voice to the mix. So I would challenge you farmer bloggers in particular to sign up and make your voice heard. That’s what it’s all about.

BTW. I believe we have climate change. It’s called the “seasons.” I also believe our climate does change. We have things called “ice ages” for example. Is man causing change? I don’t think so and I really don’t think we can do much about it. However, I believe we should all be good stewards of the resources God has blessed us with. That’s why I’m such an advocate for renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Unfortunately, I think we have politicians and extremists who are trying to alarm the world public in order to advance their own social agendas. So I’m signed up and will right about this on “the day.” I hope you will too.

You can find the BAD Blog here.

Energy, Environment

Why You Should Attend NAFB Convention

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s why you should attend this year’s NAFB convention:

EARLY REGISTRATION ENDS SOON!

Get your registration in now to receive the favored rate! Rates will go up after October 16. Click here to register today!

The group rate ($135+ tax) at the Westin expires October 25, so be sure to get your room booked soon. Click here to go directly to our group reservation page.

NAFB, Video

Blogging In The Air

Chuck Zimmerman

ChuckI’m on a flight to San Francisco right now and using in-flight wifi for the first time. Works great. I’m getting some email work done among other things.

I’m also continuing to read “Six Pixels of Separation.” I hope you are too. One of the first points Mitch Joel hits on is the idea that providing free content can make you money. I think the question I get asked most often is, “How do you make money doing this?” Well, Cindy and I have built our whole business via new media using blogs, podcasts and social networking. As Mitch says, we’re all connected now. We can instantly connect with almost anyone. This has fundamentally changed the way business is conducted. For example, your brand is no longer what you say it is. It’s what Google says it is. Why? Because people are searching and finding lots of information about you and your brand. What are you doing to make sure those top results are links or information to you?

I’ll keep pointing out some interesting ideas as I come across them in this book but so far I think it’s the best one I’ve read that puts what we’re doing in language that business people can understand. If I was an agency, I’d buy this book for my client. Unless of course you’re a “traditional” marketer and still think these social media mechanisms are just wastes of time.

Internet, Social Networking

Introducing Fluidigm

Chuck Zimmerman

Fluidigm LogoLet me introduce you to Fluidigm. This company develops and distributes systems based on integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs). During the coming weeks we’ll learn more about them and how their products and systems can benefit the agribusiness sector.

I’ll be visiting Fluidigm headquarters this week to learn more about the company and their products and conduct interviews which will be featured here on AgWired. I know we’ll be dealing with some complex technology but yours truly will work to help make it understandable since it seems clear that what Fluidigm has to offer agriculture, especially from the biotechnology standpoint, is very important.

Agribusiness, Biotech

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Farm audits for the second herd retirement implemented by Cooperatives Working Together in 2009 have been completed, and the majority of the 74,114 cows that produced 1.5 billion pounds of milk have been sent to processing plants.
  • CHS Inc., and Agrico Group have formed a joint venture company named ACG to manage origination, logistics, export and worldwide marketing of Russian wheat, feed grains and potentially oilseeds.
  • DuPont reports that its new patented Seed Production Technology will reduce the cost of the mechanical and labor-intensive process for creating its high-yielding hybrid seed corn by more than 20 percent in the field, while increasing product quality at the same time.
  • Tickets to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 are now on sale.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Soybean Harvesting

    Chuck Zimmerman

    MO Soybean harvestSoybeans are being harvested in the Missouri River bottom. This was the scene I passed while working out this afternoon.

    It’s that time of year.

    A little further down the road however, there was a real contrast of soybeans quite ready for harvest next to fields that are in full leafy green. Kind of shows how mixed the season has been this year in many places in the Midwest.

    Farming, Soybean

    Getting Social with Dairy

    carly

    WDX“Using Popular Media to Tell Dairy Farming’s Story” was the topic of a Tuesday morning seminar at World Dairy Expo conducted by Jolene Griffin of Dairy Management Inc. (pictured on the left) and Polly Ligon O’Grady of Weber Shandwick (right).

    Who would have imagined even just a few years ago that things with funny names like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube would allow individual agricultural producers to communicate with people all over the world? And, as Jolene told the group on hand, it has never been more important for them to do so. “Other people are actually out there telling our story and they’re telling the wrong story,” Jolene said. “There’s so much misinformation about the dairy industry out there that we need to mobilize dairy producers and the dairy industry to counter that misinformation and to give consumers the correct information about dairy farming and the dairy products that they enjoy.”

    Jolene says they launched the MyDairy program earlier this year to help producers learn more about using the various social media platforms and providing key messages to help them communicate effectively. “Since that time we have had over 600 dairy producers sign on for the MyDairy program and they’ve really embraced social media to tell their story,” Jolene said. Producers can sign up for the program by emailing mydairy@rosedmi.com.

    World Dairy Expo Photo Album

    Audio, Novus International, World Dairy Expo

    Getting Social With Beef

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Beef Checkoff is getting social online. In case you aren’t following here’s the appropriate links:

    MyBeefCheckoff Facebook
    MyBeefCheckoff Twitter
    MyBeefCheckoff YouTube
    MyBeefCheckoff Blog

    Here’s why the Beef Checkoff is getting social:

    Studies show that Internet usage among farmers and ranchers is increasing; cell phones are no longer just used to call home before supper; and, producers are staying connected to industry information via social networking sites. This provided an excellent opportunity for the checkoff to deliver important messages about how producer dollars are being invested.

    Ag Groups, Beef, Social Networking

    Paulsen Marketing Adds Three

    Chuck Zimmerman

    PaulsenitesPaulsen Marketing has added three new faces to the team. The new Paulsenites are (l-r) Tara, Lisa and Jordin:

    Lisa Leuning, Digital Project Manager

    Large Web sites can become full-time jobs unto themselves. Lisa is the project owner for large digital projects at Paulsen. It’s safe to say that we’ll be keeping her busy with site research, competitive analysis, content management, programming, usability testing, resource identification, internal project management and more.

    Jordin Mueller, Account Coordinator

    Jordin began working with Paulsen in January 2009 as an intern, and with her strong work ethic and enthusiasm, she earned a full-time position in May. As account coordinator, she works closely with our president, Greg Guse, learning the ropes, working with clients, juggling multiple projects, and helping to keep her assigned teams organized and on track. Previously, Jordin worked with SDN Communications in Sioux Falls. She holds a B.A. in business administration from Augustana College.

    Tara Young, Digital Services Coordinator

    As digital services coordinator, Tara bridges the divide between the distinctly different worlds of Web programmers, account executives, creative teams and accounting. In short, she’s the glue that keeps our Web projects together! Tara’s responsibilities include scheduling for all Paulsen Web projects and ensuring everyone stays on deadline every day. She also assists with site usability testing, proofing, quality assurance and online media invoicing.

    Agencies