Alltech International Animal Health & Nutrition Symposium

Chuck Zimmerman

Alltech Symposium BlogThe Alltech 25th International Animal Health and Nutrition Symposium is about to kick off in Lexington, KY and I’ll be there once again with coverage starting late tomorrow night. I’d like to thank the great folks at Alltech for bringing me. On Tuesday I’ll be conducting a lunch time social media training session for media attending the event. Here’s a little bit of advance information about the Symposuim:

Due to the current economic crisis gripping the globe, the theme for the 2009 Symposium is ‘The Sustainability Principle.’ Because Alltech has Bioscience Centres in the US, Ireland and Thailand; offices and distributors in 113 countries; and strategically located production facilities (14 to date) around the globe, it’s quite possible that over 1,000 agribusiness professionals may attend this year’s Symposium. Those who do will be able to witness presentations by respected speakers and personally network with peers to exchange ideas and strategies that will increase profitability during these challenging economic times.

Alltech has built a new Symposium Blog on which the company will also be posting multimedia content during the event. I’ll be working right along side their blogger.

You can listen to the Symposium invitation here: alltech-symposium-invite-09.mp3

Alltech

New Media Opportunities for Beef Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

Kendal FrazierKendal Frazier with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is on the road this year meeting with beef cattle organizations around the country to help them take an objective look at the challenges and opportunities facing their industry. Last week, Kendal spent a day with the board members and staff of the Missouri Beef Industry Council (MBIC).

Not surprisingly, the top threat identified by the beef producers was animal activism, specifically HSUS. To fight that threat, they decided that the number one opportunity for the industry to tell its story is NEW MEDIA.

MBICKendal says there are two ways the industry can use new media tools such as blogging, podcasting, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. “Number one is to deliver a proactive message through a different channel. The other way is to correct misinformation that is out there. We have to be participating on the Internet and we can do that on both a proactive and a reactive basis,” Kendal said.

The Missouri Beef Industry Council was the first state agricultural organization to use new media, because they were one of ZimmComm’s very first clients five years ago. We helped them build a blog, MissouriBeefCouncil.com, which is in the process of now getting a facelift and some new direction because they discovered that a significant segment of their visitors are consumers, not producers. They were also the first to have a podcast, which grew out of their weekly farm broadcaster interviews that ZimmComm began conducting and distributing five years ago. MBIC Executive Director John Kleiboeker told me this week that other state beef councils are now looking to them to move forward in the new media world. As of today, MBIC now has its own Twitter feed as well!

Here is this week’s Missouri Beef Checkoff Chat podcast, which features an interview with Kendal:
mbic-report-5-13-09.mp3

Audio, Beef, NCBA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Syngenta announced that the yield average of acreage enrolled in the 2008 AgriEdge Soybean Program exceeded the 2008 USDA national average by 38 percent. More than 3 million acres in 15 states were enrolled in the program, a 50 percent increase over 2007 AgriEdge program enrollment.
  • Church & Dwight Co., Inc.’s Specialty Product Division announced the addition of Michael Cain, Ph.D., as Senior Business Manager of the Animal Nutrition business.
  • AGCO Corporation and Dakota Micro, Inc. have partnered together to sell AgCam, the most comprehensive, user friendly and versatile rear view and monitoring system available.
  • Osborne Industries, Inc. and PigCHAMP, Inc. are pleased to announce a strategic alliance that will ultimately allow pork producers to improve management of their sow herds.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Podcast Audience Keeps Growing

    Chuck Zimmerman

    I’m on the way back to ZimmComm World Headquarters after spending quality time with web guru Robert and a day with John Deere in Fresno. I’m ready for some of this warm, sunny weather to hit our area.

    I just thought I’d point you to an article on Podcasting News that brings together several sources of data on podcasting growth. It looks like the American audience for podcasting has grown significantly in the last year (22%) but that advertising revenue hasn’t grown as fast. I’m wondering if that might be because many podcasts are being produced by companies or outsourced for production with existing producers.

    I think we’ve demonstrated that there are more ways to monetize media today than just banner ads or radio spots. Farm podcasting is just one of those options. If you work for an advertising agency have you recommended podcasting or at least advertising in a podcast? If not, why?

    Uncategorized

    The Fresno Drive Green Event

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Fresno EquipmentFresno Equipment is right down this way as you can see from the sign.

    I’m on location once again with the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show. This time in Fresno, CA. We couldn’t have more perfect weather conditions here. I hope we have a nice crowd out today, riding and driving the new John Deere equipment. Of course I’ll be posting onto DriveGreenTractors.com but I just thought you’d want to know where the agriblogger is today.

    Feel free to follow along with my adventures online.

    John Deere, Tractor

    Association of California Egg Farmers Formed

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Association of California Egg FarmersProposition 2 in California has created some serious dilemmas for farmers. Egg farmers have had to form a new organization just to deal with policies and implementation regulations from this legislation.

    The state’s egg producers today announced the creation of the Association of California Egg Farmers (ACEF), a nonprofit statewide trade association to serve as their advocate on state policies affecting the industry and to ensure the continued production of fresh and affordable eggs that meet the food safety and animal care standards consumers expect.

    The nonprofit association will serve as the voice for California egg farmers and an industry that is critical to the state’s economy and food supply. The state’s egg farmers produce 4.9 billion eggs a year, providing a fresh, affordable source of food and making California the fifth largest egg producer in the country. Most of the state’s egg farms are family owned, and they generate thousands of jobs for Californians, especially in economically hard-hit rural areas.

    “The state’s egg farmers have a long history of providing a safe, healthy and nutritious source of food for California’s families,” said ACEF Executive Director Debbie Murdock. “The egg farmers are establishing the Association of California Egg Farmers to ensure they can continue to meet consumer expectations for fresh and affordable eggs that meet food safety and animal care standards.”

    One of the association’s first tasks will be addressing the implementation of Proposition 2, a ballot measure California voters approved in November 2008. The ballot measure imposes new mandates on how the state’s egg producers house their egg-laying hens.

    “California egg farmers respect the voters’ decision and want to comply with Proposition 2, but the initiative’s language is so vague that producers don’t know what they need to do to meet the new mandates and avoid jail sentences,” said Ms. Murdock.

    The initiative provides no clear standards or guidelines for determining the amount of space the hens need to meet the new mandates. The new law doesn’t say whether the enclosures – including cage-free enclosures – currently used by California egg producers will comply with the law. It also does not say how – or if – farmers can modify the existing enclosures to meet the mandates. ACEF will be seeking avenues to obtain clarification on the requirements of Proposition 2.

    Ag Groups, Poultry

    AgChat Summary

    Chuck Zimmerman

    AgChatI missed AgChat last night but like you, I can review the discussion via Twitter Search. The subject was animal welfare and what agriculture can do to team up with allied industries and groups to create better understanding in the public and combat misinformation campaigns by extremist animal rights groups. Questions included:

    Q1: How can #agriculture work with groups such as @RaisingVoices & collaborate against animal rights activists?
    Q2: What specific message can both #agriculture & animal research carry that will make the most impact against misinformation?

    I solicited comments from participants since I couldn’t and got responses like:

    I was impressed; almost to the point of being overwhelmed. Had Tweetie, Tweetdeck, and Tweetchat all running to keep up!

    Our AgChat moderator is Michele Payn-Knoper who did a great job of participating while moderating once again and posted this stats summary from the discussion:

    1100+ tweets on #agchat last night with 100+ unique contributors. Great discussion around animal rights & #ag.

    I know there’s more to add here but I invite comments from those who did participate to help AgWired readers better understand the discussion.

    Uncategorized

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

      Bakersfield Sunset

      Chuck Zimmerman

      Bakersfield, CA SunsetThis was the scene when I got off the plane in Bakersfield, CA this evening. Pretty cool looking I think. I love sunrises and sunsets. There is an artist who is a lot better than any of us human ones.

      I missed out on #AgChat tonight on Twitter but hope to have a review of it tomorrow morning if my sources come through. I’ve already skimmed over some of the posts and I think you would find them very interesting. I especially like the humor that gets thrown in. We need to laugh even when discussing serious topics. I made it through about 23 pages so far but think it’s time to stop for the day. There’s always tomorrow.

      Uncategorized

      WEPC.com Offers Blog Tips

      Amanda Nolz

      744383034_255a3539eb One of the blogs that I visited daily, okay several times per day, is The Pioneer Woman. Blogger Ree Drummond was a college student going to school in Los Angeles, when she met and fell in love with an Oklahoma cattle rancher. She quickly ditched the black pumps, sushi and Starbucks for cowboy boots, horses and cattle manure when she married her authentic cowboy. Today, she blogs about the adventures of living and working on a cattle ranch, homeschooling her kids and maintaining a very successful blog that includes photos, great writing, recipes, tutorials and prizes. Maybe that’s why WEPC.com asked Ree to write her tips on their site for a successful blog. Here are Ree’s 8 tips…

      1. Photos
      2. Variety
      3. Longterm, get your own Domain
      4. Make it easy for visitors to comment
      5. Steer clear of the F-bombs
      6. Involve readers
      7. Don’t try to be the end authority on any topic
      8. Laugh. And make others laugh

      To read the entire article, link here. In the meantime, I’m wondering what do YOU like about blogs? What makes you stop by and want to read more?

      Uncategorized