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

More Global Warming Wacko-ism

Chuck Zimmerman

Let’s see, it seems like last year I heard that the greatest threat to the livestock industry wasn’t input costs, ethanol or market prices but wacko animal rights activists. Yeah. There are a lot of them and they sure seem to have lots of money behind them. The latest, besides the post I did this morning, is from LetsActNow.org. These people are seriously drinking some weird koolaid. Who are they? I dunno. All it says on their website is that they’re “a group of people.” That explains it.

So here’s their new “national psa.” Should I leave it in the post or take it out?

Their news release quotes some idiotic NASA scientist named Dr. James Hansen. Here’s an excerpt:

“Because if you eat further down on the food chain rather than animals which have produced many greenhouse gases, and used much energy in the process of growing that meat, you can actually make a bigger contribution in that way than just about anything. So in terms of individual actions, it is the best thing you can do.”

Animal agriculture, including “sustainable,” locally-raised animals, is a huge cause of global warming, creating nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. It also uses up most of our water, is responsible for the majority of rainforest destruction in the Amazon, and is a direct cause of global hunger. Changing our diet to a meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free vegan diet can significantly and rapidly reverse global warming, lower emissions, reduce deforestation, avoid drought, and help feed the hungry.

Global warming? Yeah, right. Cows causing it? Okay . . . It’s time to get these folks some straight jackets and get them back on their medication.

Environment, Livestock, Wackos

A Texas Moon and Daryl Hannah

Chuck Zimmerman

Texas MoonHere’s one of the photos from this afternoon’s end of day photo shoot along the river bank near my hotel. I shot a lot of birds too (digital photos) and there’s a couple of them that came out okay. I really didn’t have all my gear here and I was shooting hand held too so it could have gone better.

It’s a nice Texas moon and was shot when the sun was still above the horizon.

I’ll do better tomorrow at the Stock Show so you can count on seeing more photos then. I just got off the phone with Cindy. She’s biodiesel blogging away and just posted this video with Daryl Hannah showing off her biodiesel powered El Camino.

Video

Super Bowl Ads

Amanda Nolz

evg_1218637303Whether or not you’re a fan of football, I’m sure that many of you took part in a Super Bowl party last night. I met up with some college friends to watch the game, laugh at the commercials and eat lots of food! Although I’m not an avid football guru (I always cheer for the underdog), I LOVE watching the commercials because I feel there is something to learn from corporate business that have millions of dollars to utilize their creativity and market their products. I heard that one commercial during the Super Bowl costs $3 million for 30 seconds! Amazingly, I heard that Budweiser had seven minutes of commercials.

Fox Sports on MSN provided the Top 10 Best and Top 10 Worst commercials of the evening. If you missed the event, let me recap: Budlight, Doritos, Bridgestone, Monster, Career Builder, Coke Zero, Cash4Gold and Hulu took the top spots. Be sure to take some time to view these advertisements.

When thinking about marketing, it’s important to remember brand enhancement. Some of the commercials were funny, creative and artistic, but I didn’t remember the brand name after it was over. Some of the best marketing strategies are simple and clean. You don’t need $3 million to be successful in your own marketing efforts, but you do have to be smart and creative. So what are your best and worst marketing experiences? Have you ever flopped? Did your product take off after a certain campaign? Curious minds want to know…

Advertising

NCBA’s New Youth Focus

Amanda Nolz

grosetaandy5b15d_lg_vert1After spending a week at the 2009 Cattle Industry Convention, I’m pretty excited about the new focus on the youth in agriculture. 2008 NCBA President Andy Groseta was incredibly driven to invest in the cattle industry’s youth, and he accomplished those goals in three ways: NCBA’s Young Producers Council (YPC) and NCBA Youth Public Speaking Contest and the Team Marketing Contest.

The average age of an NCBA member is 60 years old, and Groseta thinks now is the time to engage in the beef industry and make an investment in the future of this industry. During the YPC meeting, Dustin Dean from Texas was named as the chairman, and Steve Yardley from Utah was elected the vice chairman. Committee chairs were elected for various positions to sit in during meetings and serve as YPC’s vote. Without a doubt, the meeting was charged with energy and passion as young people stood up to give speeches. There is a definite need for a voice in this generation, and I think NCBA nailed it right on the head with this one.

In addition, the public speaking and team marketing contests were a great way to take advantage of our generation’s competitive edge. 18 contestants, ages 9-19 were involved in the speaking portion. I listened in on the 10 and under division of the public speaking contest, and I was thoroughly impressed with the topics including: the benefits of the beef checkoff, antibiotics, downer cattle and the life of a rancher. One little boy from New Mexico got up and said, “The best part in the life of the rancher is riding in the pastures with my dad; the worst part is scooping all the crap.” Too cute for words!

My hat goes off to the NCBA leadership for investing in agriculture’s youth. Congrats to the young people for taking part in these growing organizations and contests.

Beef

Ft. Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Chuck Zimmerman

Ft. Worth Stock Show RodeoThis is rodeo action at its best. It’s the Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. I got checked in this afternoon in time for the matinee show. If I ever tried this I would wind up being a broken mess of bones. It sure provides a good opportunity to practice shooting photos in extreme conditions though.

I got checked in at the media center with some very nice people and am looking forward to an opportunity to interview show manager Brad Barnes tomorrow.

I’m just getting my bearings for the main activity that I’m here for which will start tomorrow. I just tested the great working wireless in the Watt Arena which will be the site of Wednesday evening’s Drive Green Utility Tractor Show.

It’s a beautiful day in Ft. Worth.

Farm Shows, Livestock