Adults Networking Online Socially

Chuck Zimmerman

PEW InternetThere’s an interesting new report out from the PEW folks. This time on a comparison of young and old users of social networking sites. The bold sections are added by me.

The share of adult internet users who have a profile on an online social network site has more than quadrupled in the past four years — from 8% in 2005 to 35% now, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s December 2008 tracking survey.

While media coverage and policy attention focus heavily on how children and young adults use social network sites, adults still make up the bulk of the users of these websites. Adults make up a larger portion of the US population than teens, which is why the 35% number represents a larger number of users than the 65% of online teens who also use online social networks.

You should read the whole thing to get the complete perspective. While I’m at it I had to post this excerpt from a recent post on “The View From The Tractor.”

I have spent an inordinate amount of time alone. I farm around 4000 acres by myself, so I spend a lot of time alone. Most of that time is with an ipod or talk radio sending me good vibrations. But now, with a blackberry, facebook, twitter, blogs, and a computer, the world has shrunk. Frankly, I love it. I test as an introvert, but I live as an extrovert. I know, it doesn’t make sense.

Internet

Country Lifestyle Connection

Chuck Zimmerman

Country Living AssociationIf you’re trying to reach the rural lifestyle market, the Country Living Association has your Country Connection.

Country Living Association (CLA) now offers a low-cost way for companies and organizations to assist local dealers and representatives in order to reach the rural lifestyle audience. Research continues to show that members of this audience want specific, local information, and if local representatives can provide this information they will remain in the “inner circle” of that particular customer’s decision making process.

CLA will be hosting a webinar on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009, 2:00 p.m. CST to demonstrate the new “Country Connections” program. Contact Courtney Yuskis at 636-449-5088 or yuskis@drakeco.com to reserve a spot. Space is limited to the first 10 organizations to respond.

“Country Connections” is affordable and effective. The program combines monthly e-mails and direct mail pieces to help local dealers and representatives promote events, special offers and promotions, pricing incentives and more to Country Living Association members in their area.

Uncategorized

IFAJ Meets In Berlin

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJ Berlin MeetingThanks to on-the-scene-reporter Greg Lamp, Corn & Soybean Digest, I’ve got some information to share from Green Week and the IFAJ meeting taking place in Berlin. Here’s Greg’s report, along with photos. This one is of Mariann Fisher Boel (EU Commission of Agriculture), Michael Mann (seated) and Mike Wilson, Farm Futures.

Nearly 1,000 journalists began their reporting today at Messe Berlin, billed as one of the largest consumer food shows in the world. It is also part of what the Germans call Green Week.

As part of that event, the International Federation of Ag Journalists (IFAJ) assembled their executive committee to hammer out objectives for the coming year.

Fortunately, the EU Commissioner of Agriculture, Mariann Fischer Boel, was able to meet with the IFAJ group for a special Q&A session. Although many of the questions revolved around a change in a European dairy policy, she did comment on biotechnology issues.

IFAJ Berlin MeetingWhen asked about the zero tolerance rules for genetically modified (GM) crops, she said she has “launched a discussion to have an adventitious presence,” or minimum acceptable threshold level. Right now, she says, “Zero tolerance means zero, not even .0001%. We don’t want GM food causing damage to humans, but GM is here and here to stay. We can’t do without them.”

The dilemma, however, according to Ilse Aigner, German Minister of Agriculture, is that “Consumers don’t want biotech in their foods, but we also don’t want our farmers to lose out on the technology.”

Post Update: Janet Kanters has provided an update too, via her Facebook page and with permission to post here:

Greetings from the IFAJ executive committee to IFAJ members.

We are currently meeting in Berlin, during International Green Week. For those of you not familiar with this event, the International Green Week (IGW) is a one-of-a-kind international exhibition for the food, agricultural and horticultural industries. Established in 1926, it invites producers from all over the world to test-market food and luxury items and establish a brand image. Exhibitors often organize around national, regional or product themes. Presentations feature fresh produce, fish, meats and dairy products. These combine with a vast selection of international wine, beer and spirits specialties, to satisfy every culinary palate. Right in line with consumer trends, the IGW also includes direct agricultural sales and the BIO MARKT organic products section. The IGW also features commercial and non-commercial agricultural, forestry, and landscaping exhibits.

The IFAJ executive committee has a full schedule while here, meeting in the various sub-committees, providing feedback and ideas for the ongoing IFAJ website development, and connecting with journalists from around the globe.

IFAJ

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The 28th National Beef Cook-Off will come to California in late September. Home cooks nationwide, and local professional restaurant chefs working in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento metropolitan area counties are encouraged to enter their original, newly developed best beef recipes by March 31, 2009.
  • Neogen Corporation has received approval from the FDA and National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments for its quick and easy BetaStar US test for dairy antibiotics in milk.
  • FCStone Group, Inc. announced that it has acquired Elders Risk Management Pty Ltd.
  • Visit Bvents.com, a new business events directory that lists almost 50,000 conferences, trade shows and conventions – worldwide.
  • AutoFarm is introducing a new electro-mechanical GPS assisted steering system. The AutoFarm OnTrac2 will debut at World Ag Expo, National Farm Machinery Show and the Canadian Int’l Farm Show.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Renegade Combine Debuts

    Chuck Zimmerman

    John Deere Machine FinderYou remember the Rock and Roll Buffalo? Well now Machinery Link has the Renegade Combine. Here’s a first look at what they’ve done, working with the Chrome Shop Mafia.

    MachineryLink, Inc., the leading provider of combine leasing programs to agricultural producers in North America, today announced a collaboration with the Chrome Shop Mafia for the creation of the world’s first custom-restored antique combine for the 2009 Smarter Harvest Tour.

    The unprecedented alliance between MachineryLink and the Chrome Shop Mafia (CSM) will produce a dynamic one-of-a-kind machine, combining a vintage heritage with modernized state-of-the-art technology and communication equipment, and finished with the external appearance package that could only be accomplished by the CSM team.

    The 2009 Smarter Harvest Tour will launch at the KNID Agrifest in Enid, Oklahoma. Held January 9 and 10 at the Chisholm Trail Expo Center, Agrifest is the fastest growing agricultural show in Oklahoma. The Tour will make a total of 8 agricultural trade shows in seven states and Western Canada, as well as many regional promotional events.

    Agribusiness, Equipment, Video

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • To encourage and support higher education for relatives of FCS Financial members, FCS Financial will again offer up to 35 scholarships valued at $1,000 each. The scholarship deadline is March 1. Apply here.
    • This summer, FMC Corporation and Crop Production Services sponsored the 2008 Bin Buster tour across the Midwest, hosting technical meetings where crop producers could enjoy a free meal, learn about FMC products such as Hero insecticide, and register to win a new 15,000 BTU Charmglow gas grill.
    • Members of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee elected Mathew Meals as the committee’s chairperson for 2009. He will take over as chair in February, at the end of the committee’s leadership conference, and serve one year.
    • Daniel Prough of LaGrange, Ind., earned the grand prize in the Farmer Idea Exchange competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting. Prough won a year’s use of a New Holland TV-145 bidirectional tractor.
      Zimfo Bytes

      MachineFinder Blog

      Chuck Zimmerman

      John Deere Machine FinderWhat’s new in used farm equipment can be found on the redesigned John Deere MachineFinder. They’ve also announced a blog to go along with it. Interesting . . .

      John Deere announces that it has completely overhauled and redesigned its MachineFinder™ website (www.MachineFinder.com) from the ground up to make it easier for used equipment customers to more quickly find the equipment they’re looking for and to improve the user experience.

      The revamped MachineFinder used equipment website features an enhanced search and browsing system, built-in shipping integration, and the ability to save searches. The changes to the website makes it easier than ever for customers to find and review pre-owned agricultural, construction, forestry, commercial, and residential equipment from the company’s network of authorized dealers.

      “MachineFinder not only provides improved user interfaces, but new functionality that will better assist customers in acquiring used equipment from John Deere dealers,” says Michael Gause, division manager of John Deere Remarketing Services. “Our project team’s goal was to design MachineFinder so that our customers could conduct business with John Deere dealers as easily as possible.” Read More

      Agribusiness, Equipment, John Deere

      Farm Podcaster Temptations

      Chuck Zimmerman

      Hey farm podcasters. Have you been wanting a new digital audio recorder? Marantz is offering some temptations. First of all there’s a rebate program for the very popular PMD620 (Cindy and I each have one). If you purchase it between now and March 31st you get a $100 rebate. That’s a deal. I recommend purchasing from BSW.

      Then to tempt you further there’s the new PMD661:

      Introducing your new product on YouTube. What a concept.

      Equipment, Video

      My Twitter Life

      Chuck Zimmerman

      TwitterA new milestone in my Twitter life is just about to be reached. I have 199 followers on Twitter. Who will be #200?

      Will it be you?

      If you’re tweeting let me know what you think about it. Do you like it? Is it useful (personally, professionally)?

      Post Update: Follower 200 is Livable Future, the blog of The Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

      Uncategorized

      USDA Closes Broadband Loan Agreement

      Chuck Zimmerman

      USDALet’s hope we see continued commitment to rural development in the new administration in Washington, DC. The outgoing one has sure done a lot in this area, especially to develop broadband which is providing new opportunities in our rural and farm communities.

      Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced today that Open Range Communications has finalized a $267 million loan agreement with USDA Rural Development to provide broadband service to 518 rural communities in 17 states.

      “The completed agreement brings millions of rural Americans closer to having access to broadband and other cutting-edge communications technologies,” Schafer said. “This kind of high-speed internet connectivity will lead to increased investment and business opportunities in rural communities.”

      The loan closing executes an agreement USDA Rural Development announced on March 25, 2008, when it approved a $267 million loan to Open Range. In addition to the USDA Rural Development loan, Open Range has secured $100 million in financing from One Equity Partners, the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

      Internet, USDA