I just noticed in Broadcasting & Cable magazine that Jonathan Adelstein has been nominated by the Prez to head up USDA’s Rural Utilities Service. He’s an FCC Commissioner currently.
Adelstein would be administrator of the RUS program. The White House gave Adelstein props for “efforts to improve rural telecommunication s and broadband” while at the commission.
The story says RUS has $2.5 billion in broadband stimulus grants to hand out.
JIF Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich
A lot of people might have stopped eating peanut butter recently but I’m sure not one of them. I’m glad to see that Smuckers continued it’s annual Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest. Somehow in all the excitement of Ag Day and spring I missed the fact that they announced the winner of this year’s contest. This sounds like a recipe worth trying.
Today, the makers of Jif(R) peanut butter announced Jordyn Boyer, 10, of Lebanon, PA, as the winner of the Seventh Annual “Jif(R) Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest(TM).” Jordyn was inspired by an authentic Louisiana sandwich to create her Po’ Boy Peanut Butter Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwich. Her sandwich is made with Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, chicken, peppers, onions and mozzarella cheese. For added flavor, she created a dipping sauce of Jif peanut butter, Worcestershire sauce, honey and honey mustard. Jif, the trusted pantry staple for more than 50 years, awarded Jordyn with a $25,000 scholarship fund, a Jif gift basket and the title of the nation’s most creative peanut butter sandwich.
NE Pork Talking About Ag Day
The latest edition of the Pork Industry Report from the Nebraska Pork Producers Association is all about National Agriculture Day.
You can listen to Dee explain things in this week’s program here: ne-pork-03-20-09.mp3
Quarry Integrates Ag Day
Quarry is taking the celebration of agriculture across the border.
Quarry Integrated Communications is using National Ag Day in the U.S. and National Agriculture Awareness Day in Canada (Jan. 28) as a platform to increase awareness and appreciation for one of North America’s largest and most significant industries among its non-agricultural teammates.
Through a series of unique workplace initiatives, including presentations about the economic impact of agriculture in Canada and the United States, Quarry is seeking to make each of its teammates ambassadors for agriculture in the communities where Quarry has offices – Raleigh-Durham, N.C., San Jose, Calif., and Waterloo and Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
“The January and March Ag Day commemorations were introduced in Canada and the U.S. because agriculture is an industry that increasingly many people don’t know much about – particularly those living in urban areas,” says Bob Wilbur, Senior Vice-President, Agri-Food at Quarry. “We want to do our part as an organization that’s committed to agriculture to raise awareness for its vital role in our society. Typically, people think of farming as a relatively homogeneous, simple way of life. But it’s actually quite the opposite – a diverse, complex and technologically-advanced industry. We are seeking to educate our non-ag Q-mates on the important role agriculture plays in the global economy and in the everyday lives of consumers like them.”
ASFMRA Directory Advertising
The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers wants to remind you that you’ve got another week to get your ad in their annual directory.
Whatever it takes, don’t miss this chance. Reach new customers, grow your business and stretch your advertising dollars.
Simply click here, fill out the order form and click to submit. If you don’t have an ad ready, just let us know and we’ll design it for you!
The ASFMRA member directory will be mailed directly to 2,500+ members, suppliers, organizations, educators and other decision makers. This is the perfect chance to tell your customers the benefits of doing business with you – stand out from the crowd and jump from the page!
Ad deadline is Friday, March 27. Simply click here, fill out the order form and click to submit.
Zimfo Bytes
- QUALISOY has announced its board members and yearly objectives for 2009. Pioneer VP of Crop Product Development Dennis Byron, PhD, a member of the board since its start in 2004, was elected as Chairman of the Board for 2009.
- LPC Critique Contest entries must be received by March 20 at 5 pm. Awards will be presented on Aug. 3 in Fort Worth, Texas, during the Ag Media Summit. Click here for more information on this year’s Ag Media Summit.
- Farmers are ready to slash corn acreage this spring, fueling a record switch to soybeans, according to new Farm Futures research. The magazine’s annual planting intentions survey puts U.S. corn acreage at 82.46 million this spring, down 4% from the 86 million put in a year ago. Soybean acreage would soar to a record 80.73 million, up more than 6% from last year’s 75.7 million.
State of Barbeque Industry
The first day of Spring gets the outdoor griller’s heart all pumped up. Many of us are “year-rounders” but it is nice to have warmer temperatures. The Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association has released their annual State of the Barbeque Industry Report which you can read below.
I also thought I’d point you to a company I recently became familiar with that makes barbeque accessories. Raggitty Ass Redneck Equipment make some great quality stuff you won’t find anywhere else. Here’s an interesting story about them that involves ZimmComm client, Southeast AgNet. RARE doesn’t have a website and so, thinking creatively, Southeast AgNet’s Gary Cooper just did an extended post on his website for them and voila, they have a website. Granted it’s just a page for now but I think it shows one way you can creatively use the tools we now have in this new media world.
State of the Barbecue Industry Report
The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) has conducted the HPBA Barbecue
Lifestyle, Usage & Attitude Study* on a biennial basis since 1983. The following is
select information from that study for the State of the Barbecue Industry Report.
A Sizzling Industry
• More than 16.7 million grills and smokers were shipped in 2008, marking an 18
percent increase since 2003.
• Nine out of 10 (95 percent) grill owners used their grill in the past year, an
increase of 4 percent over 2003.
• Nearly eight out of 10 (77 percent) households own an outdoor barbecue grill or
smoker, a 5 percent increase from 2003.
• Sixty-eight percent of households own a gas grill, followed by charcoal (37
percent) and electric (2 percent).
• LP gas grills continue to be the most widely owned type of grill, with 94 percent of
all gas grill owners owning an LP gas grill.
Grill Usage
• The majority of grill owners use their grills year-round (58 percent), and 45
percent use their grills one to two times per week during the peak grilling season
(May through September). Read More
Osborn & Barr Acquires Elasticity
Since I just did a post on Osborn & Barr why not another one. I learned on a phone call with the company this week that they’ve acquired a social media company, Elasticity, which is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the agency. They’re looking for a summer intern for the new division too.
Key Responsibilities:
Update, promote and publicize social networking sites for clients;
Develop and participate in blogs;
Manage content and increase supporter numbers on social networking properties such as Digg, Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, YouTube, Second Life, Care2, MySpace, Wikipedia, external blogs and more;
Online and database research and reporting responsibilities;
Adapting appearance of social networking presences to be more visually appealing;
Communicating with members and supporters of social sites and networks by using frequent bulletins and messages;
Researching and assisting in the creation of new applications;
Identifying new opportunities for engagement in social networking spaces.
These sound like the responsibilities every company needs to have in their staff.
Ag Day Activities
I’m sure a lot of you are doing what you can to thank American farmers on National Agriculture Day. Feel free to share what you’re doing and include pictures if you have them. Here’s what Osborn & Barr is doing in St. Louis. Post Update: The photo is of the tractor described below mid day on Ag Day.
Tractor display and food drive at Kiener plaza fights hunger and champions regional agribusiness
Kiener Plaza may play host to some of St. Louis’ most vibrant urban businesses, but it still sprawls under the shadow of the Arch – the Gateway to the West and a dramatic symbol of this city’s ties to a passionate, inquisitive and agrarian foundation.
National Agriculture Day recognizes and celebrates the abundance provided by agriculture. Food production is an importation part of agriculture, and during a time of economic instability, the need for affordable and healthful food is in high demand.
In recognition of National Agriculture Day, food donations are being accepted at Kiener Plaza. Look for the red tractor – the quintessential symbol of agriculture – on display. The goal is to fill the tractor’s loader (bucket) with food to benefit the St. Louis Food Bank. The event is sponsored by Osborn & Barr Communications, the nation’s leading agriculture and rural marketing agency. Many of its professional staff of more than 100 grew up on farms or still farm. Members will be onsite to assist with the food drive.
Date and Location:
Friday, March 20, 2009
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Donations will be accepted during this time)
Kiener Plaza, 500 Pine St.