The U. S. Census Bureau puts out some interesting stats each day like these about the Houston Stock Show in an audio report called “Profile America” (mp3).
The largest show of its kind will wind up this weekend. Before it’s over, the 77th annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is expected to have drawn nearly 2 million people to Reliant Park. To show how big the event is, it takes 20,000 volunteers to stage the three weeks of activities. The show will feature 30,000 entries from young farmers and ranchers, and will award almost $11 million in scholarships. The youngsters will compete in contests ranging from public speaking to plant identification. There are just over 2 million farms in the U.S. Texas has the largest number at 230,000, more than twice the second ranked state, Missouri. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.
Internet Use News
Here’s a couple of internet-related tidbits for you on a Wednesday morning.
According to comScore, YouTube surpassed 100 million visits in January with the average viewer watching 62.5 videos. This is from an eMarketer story.
YouTube owes much of its growth to the users who generate the majority of content on the site. eMarketer estimates that 9.1% of Internet users, or 18.1 million people, will create user-generated videos in 2009.
Also of interest is a new PEW study that says that between 2005 and 2008 the biggest growth in internet use was people 70 years old and older.
The biggest increase in internet use since 2005 can be seen in the 70-75 year-old age group. While just over one-fourth (26%) of 70-75 year olds were online in 2005, 45% of that age group is currently online. Much as we watch demographic and age groups move up in “degrees of access” on our “thermometers,” we can probably expect to see these bars become more level as time goes on. For now, though, young people dominate the online population.
I think these things imply that we’re just going to continue to see growth in internet use and by all age demographics. You may not think of YouTube as a social networking site but just think about how many comments are left on videos and how often people forward links around to friends and family or post on their own website. Of course farmers are doing the same.
Here’s one more from Forrester via Podcasting News. Sounds like a great lead-in to my social media breakout session at the NAMA Convention!
During a recession, marketers are often forced to reduce budgets, in fact, it’s often one of the first buckets to get trimmed. In our latest research: Social Media Playtime is Over, we found that 53% of marketers are determined to increase their social media budget during a recession, and 42% will keep it the same, a total of 95% of marketers bullish on social media marketing. Why? The reasons are obvious to some, it’s inexpensive and the opportunity to benefit from cost-effective word-of-mouth, are promising.
Farm Field Work
It’s a beautiful day in mid Missouri so I got out on the Katy Trail and found that there’s some field work going on.
As Jeff Caldwell put it on Twitter, “Man, is that a beautiful sight to see!” #farm.
Amen. I hope we have a great spring planting season and thanks to all farmers for what they do. Picture is from my iPhone off a Schwinn.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day From Alltech
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you.
Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech, sent me a special holiday card which you can view online.
Enjoy some happy Irish music and get a “See you at Symposium” message.
I will see him at this year’s 25th Alltech International Animal Health and Nutrition Industry Symposium – “The Sustainability Principle.”
The Ag Network
I got an update from John Jenkinson about his jump starting The Ag Network next month. So keep an eye out for him since it looks like we’ll be seeing him out and about.
The first official full day of programming will be April 6th. We currently have affiliates in Colorado and Oklahoma, and we are in negotiations with more affiliates in Kansas, and we hope to have those on board by the 6th also. The website is under construction as we speak, and will be fully functional by the first air date also.
We will offer 7 programs initially, consisting of both market updates, and agribusiness news. In some of our programming, we are catering to big and popular music intense FM stations with very progressive, “outside the box” style programs. These will be geared toward consumers, rural lifestylers, as well as full time agribusiness listeners. The balance of programs will still fill the needs of the “Full service” legendary AM audience. Also, we are negotiating for a syndicated daily television show, here again aimed at the rural lifestyle, without alienating the serious producer.
We are fortunate to be based in the heart of protein and grain production in Kansas, Colorado, and the Oklahoma/Texas panhandles. Because of that fact, we intend to set ourselves apart and be a very involved as a “hands on” ag network, by originating our broadcasts from the areas we serve. We will be attending many events with extensive travel in our own aircraft, as well as our continued partnership with Machinery Link.
Facebook on Oprah
As much as I dislike Oprah for her animosity towards agriculture and food production, I took note of her show last Friday the 13th. The segment was titled, “The Face Behind Facebook,” and Oprah interviewed founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the social networking site’s success. With 175 million users, this project that started in a Harvard dormitory, has quickly spun into a tool used by anyone that wants to stay in touch.
According to Oprah’s website, If there were a Facebook nation, it would be the world’s 6th largest country! People around the world are reconnecting with long-lost friends and relatives, uniting on common ground from politics to Chia pets. Every day, half a million people join the social network.
Zuckerberg said that the fastest growing members are 30+. Individuals can even use this network to keep updated with President Obama, who has 6 million friends! So, what is it about Facebook that’s so addicting? Why do I check it everyday? How can professionals utilize Facebook effectively? How can we incorporate our various media tools into one effective, dynamic marketing campaign? To check out the entire text on the Oprah segment, link to “The Face Behind Facebook.”
Marketing Techniques, Past and Present
I was on the road last week for Spring Break, and I spent some time in the secluded Black Hills in Western South Dakota. If you have never vacationed there, I highly recommend it. You will have the opportunity to explore the Badlands, Black Hills and Spearfish Canyon. Test your luck at Deadwood, hike to see Roughlock Falls, salute our presidents at Mount Rushmore and feel the spirit of prairie at Crazy Horse.
As I played tourist for a few days, I read something at Mount Rushmore that had me thinking. Sculptor Gutzom Borglum had a vision to engrave the faces of four great American faces into a granite rock in the legendary Black Hills. The museum exhibit explained Borglum’s efforts to gain public support for this privately funded project. To help earn popularity with the nation’s people, Borglum made posters to advertise the dynamite blasts. Everyone was invited to watch the explosions.
Today, we don’t use homemade posters and dynamite to reach our audiences. Instead, we focus on utilizing social networking tools to enhance our brand, spread the word about our causes and promote our work. I’m wondering what your favorite marketing tools are? In comparing the techniques of the past to the methods of today, it’s quite an impressive change.
USDA Recovery Act Website
Here’s where you can find information on how USDA is involved in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
USDA was appropriated $28 billion (3.5 percent) of the package. The Act:
* Provides $19.7 billion to increase the monthly amount of nutrition assistance to 31.8 million people.
* Enables expanded opportunities for broadband loans and grants to rural communities.
* Expands funding opportunities to develop water and waste facilities.
* Provides funding to protect and conserve the nation’s forests and farm land.
To report fraud, waste, and abuse on Stimulus spending or fraud, waste, and abuse within any USDA programs or operations, please contact the OIG Hotline.
Secretary Vilsack Agriculture Week PSA
Our Secretary of Agriculture has recorded a public service message to highlight National Agriculture Week.
You can listen to it here: vilsack-agweek-psa.mp3
The picture is Secretary Vilsack with Cookie Monster and Broccoli at the National WIC Association and Sesame Workshop Partnership conference. I like it.
Agriculture Week According To The Chairman
Welcome to Ag Week and the ZimmCast. This week we’re all about celebrating American agriculture and thanking our farmers and ranchers who feed and fuel the world.
In this week’s program I spoke with Greg Webb, ADM, who is currently Chairman of the Agriculture Council of America. He says the purpose of this week and National Agriculture Day on March 20 is to raise awareness of the role that agriculture plays in our economy and it’s indirect impact on our lives through food, fuel and fiber. Although he says we’ve only got just over 2 million farmers, they’re each feeding almost 150 other people and when you look at all the people working directly in ag, including outside of production, there are over 20 million people involved.
Agriculture provides almost everything we eat, use and wear on a daily basis. But too few people truly understand this contribution. This is particularly the case in our schools, where students may only be exposed to agriculture if they enroll in related vocational training.
By building awareness, the Agriculture Council of America is encouraging young people to consider career opportunities in agriculture.
Each American farmer feeds more than 144 people … a dramatic increase from 25 people in the 1960s. Quite simply, American agriculture is doing more – and doing it better. As the world population soars, there is an even greater demand for the food and fiber produced in the United States.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: 
ZimmCast 212 (9 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:Interview with Greg Webb - ZimmCast 212
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