New BASF Leadership

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF leadershipBASF Corporation this week announced the appointment of Markus Heldt as President, Crop Protection, BASF. Heldt, who held the position of Group Vice President, North America for the past three years, will relocate to the company’s global headquarters in Limburgerhof, Germany.

Heldt is pictured here (right) with Michael Heinz, the man he is succeeding as president of crop protection, during a 2007 BASF media tour to Germany. Heinz has been promoted higher up on the BASF corporate ladder.

BASF leadershipIn turn, taking Markus’ previous role as BASF group VP for crop protection is Nevin McDougall. Most recently, McDougall was Vice President, US Business Operations, Crop Protection. McDougall has spent the last 16 years with BASF and its legacy company (American Cyanamid) working in Canada, Asia and the United States, where he has served in a variety of sales, marketing and management roles. McDougall has also led BASF operations in the Asia Pacific region as Group Vice President for Agricultural Products.

We look forward to working with Nevin and hopefully seeing him at Commodity Classic in a few weeks. Congratulations to all!

BASF

Weed Sciences Going Web

Chuck Zimmerman

Weed Science Society of AmericaThe agriblogging highway runs to Orlando, FL next week and the Weed Science Society of America annual meeting. I’ll be speaking on the subject of “Agricultural Communications in a New Media World.” Here’s part of my program abstract:

What do today’s web savvy growers do when in need of information? Just like most anyone else they go online and search for it with services like Google. So how do you join the online conversation so your message gets through the clutter? One of the best ways is with frequently updated topical blogs and podcasts and participating in online social networks. The investment in creating your own blog or podcast is minimal other than your time. If you’re passionate about your subject and like to write or talk then let your inner voice out through new media tools.

Yes, we’ll be letting our inner voices out in the Sunshine State.

Ag Groups

AgWired Live TV Brings You Drive Green Show

Chuck Zimmerman

AgWired Live TV On LocationWe were broadcasting live earlier this evening from the Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in Watt Arena. Here’s the setup. I really didn’t know we’d have fairly good internet access but thought I’d give it a try.

So, while my Mac was broadcasting live, I was recording the show with a video camera and also an audio recorder. I also shot about 150 still photos too. I guess I should count the 7 interviews I did, mostly after the show.

I’m just finishing uploading photos to the show photo album and then it’s time to call it a night before traveling back to ZimmComm World Headquarters early in the morning.

John Deere

2007 Census of Agriculture Release Day

Chuck Zimmerman

2007 Census of AgricultureThis is the big day for all you agriculture statistics fanatics. USDA will be releasing the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Yep. Old data.

The Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and many other areas. For America’s farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future and their responsibility.

Now I’m just wondering about this in today’s information technology world. How has this data already changed? Can you really use it to make good business decisions? What do you think it’s most useful for?

Post Update: The 2007 Census of Agriculture has been released. Here’s an excerpt from the release:

The number of farms in the United States has grown 4 percent and the operators of those farms have become more diverse in the past five years, according to results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS).

The 2007 Census counted 2,204,792 farms in the United States, a net increase of 75,810 farms. Nearly 300,000 new farms have begun operation since the last census in 2002. Compared to all farms nationwide, these new farms tend to have more diversified production, fewer acres, lower sales and younger operators who also work off-farm.

USDA

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

    Do you iGoogle? I do!

    Amanda Nolz

    When I was working as an intern in Minneapolis this past summer, one of my co-workers would always stop by my office to share her latest techno-gadget love. I will admit that I’m not often at the front of the pack when it comes to technology, and I often avoid trying something new if I’m not sure of the benefits. However, when my co-worker introduced me to iGoogle, I’m sure glad I jumped on the bandwagon!

    You can easily make your own page in 30 seconds. You can add different tabs for the areas that you are interested in. For example, my iGoogle account holds tabs for my favorite blogs, politics, news headlines, cooking, photography, international publications and more! My homepage offers Map Quest, YouTube, weather updates, quotes of the day and a space for taking notes. I have RSS feeds for everything that I like to read and see on a normal basis, and it all lands in one location. The best part is decorating your iGoogle account. I feature different artists on every tab, and it really perks up my day.

    Want a way to simplify your life? Try out iGoogle. You will thank me for it! Oh and by the way, don’t forget to feed AgWired into your favorites!

    Technology

    Register Now For Farmland Investment Fair

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Chicago FarmersI just spoke with Jeff Martin, Co-Chair for the Chicago Farmers Farmland Investment Fair and he encourages everyone interested in how to use social media marketing to attend. Speaking at one of the seminars will be Jeff Korhan, green industry speaker, video blogger, Internet marketer, and the founder of True Nature.

    Jeff gave me background on the organization and fair and this year’s program which includes seminar topics on:

    1031 Exchanges
    Farmland Values
    Wind Energy
    Farm Bill Update
    Small Acreage Farming – Is This the Future?
    Recreational Ground – How to Make it Pay
    Green Farming – Options for Putting Some Green in Your Farm Portfolio
    Organic Farming: What Landlords Should Know
    Genetics – Present & Future Goals
    International Investing in Farmland – Legal Points, Pitfalls & Possibilities

    The Fair will be held from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. The registration fee of $50.00 includes access to the hall, all breakout sessions, continental breakfast and lunch. To register for the Farmland Investment Fair call 312-388-FARM (3276) or register online with a credit card at www.chicagofarmers.org Registrations received after February 5th will be $75.00 per person.

    You can listen to my interview with Jeff (by Skype from Ft. Worth Stock Show) here: chicago-farmers-fair-martin-09.mp3

    Ag Groups, Audio

    Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo President Bob Watt

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Bob WattThe President of the Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is Bob Watt. He also used to be the General Manager but that position is now being done by Brad Barnes who I hope to meet while I’m here.

    I sat down with Bob in his office this morning to learn all about him and this big show. Bob has been connected with the show for over 40 years.

    He says that total attendance is getting near the million mark and expects this year to be a record. Weather plays a big factor and it has been cooperating. The show runs for 24 days now which is over twice the original show in 1896. The show now has over 22,000 animals that will be exhibited. He says it’s the oldest livestock show of its kind in the country. Today is also going to be the biggest day of animals on site and the line of trucks/trailers has been backed up since before I got here this morning.

    I think you’ll enjoy listening to Bob and you can do so here: fwss-09-watt.mp3

    I’m here for the John Deere Drive Green Utility Tractor Show stop and am updating the show blog and of course there’s an event photo album.

    Audio, Farm Shows, Livestock

    We’re Supporting Downloadable Media Standards

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Association for Downloadable Media has released a list of members who are in voluntary support of the preliminary standards and guidelines that have been created as a step toward helping companies become more comfortable utilitizing web-delivered programming. ZimmComm New Media is a charter member and on the list! We hope that this will continue to grow a major segment of the new media channels that companies have available now to target their customers and members.

    Association for Downloadable Media Members

    The members endorsing this set of measurments and ad standards come from across the podcast and new media industry, and include marketers and ad agency people, podcast networks, individual content creators, and non profit organizations.

    Both the advertising standards and audience measurement guidelines were created by open committees, then offered for public comment and feedback, and finally edited and ratified by the organization. Many of the organization’s members had already been following these formats. Now the member organizations advocate that these standards be adopted more widely across the podcast/new media industry. They argue that this will ease the creation of an organized market for advertisers to launch campaigns and/or become sponsors of episodic podcasts and video series. Read More

    Podcasts

    Farm Equipment Legend Passes

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Gary VermeerThe founder of Vermeer Corporation passed away today in Pella, Iowa.

    Gary Vermeer started the business with a cousin in 1948, after inventing a wagon hoist five years earlier, which made it easier to unload corn. From that small operation, the company has grown over the past 60 years to an international organization that manufactures agricultural, construction, environmental, and industrial equipment. Today, Vermeer Corporation has industrial dealerships in over 60 countries and on every continent except Antarctica, in addition to hundreds of agricultural equipment dealers throughout the US. Vermeer’s business philosophy was, “Find a need. Fill that need with a product built to last. And simply build the best!”

    A website has been established in honor of Gary and his lifetime of contributions – www.garyvermeer.com – that includes more information, including funeral arrangements and memorials for this farm machinery legend.

    Farm Machinery