Social Networking in Minnesota

Chuck Zimmerman

North Central NAMA Mtg.Well we had a very successful North Central Chapter NAMA meeting here in Minneapolis and I’m now connected with more of my NAMA peeps. That’s what I like about NAMA the most – connecting with other people. Pictured here is chapter president, Josh Krenz, Land O’Lakes, getting us started.

I interviewed Josh before we got started. I am very impressed with how the chapter has invited in students for this session and is giving them time on the program, an opportunity to circulate resumes and interact socially with us professionals. You can listen to my interview with Josh here: nama-krenz.mp3

We started out our meeting tonight with a discussion, including live examples, of online social networking. I was impressed with how many are using LinkedIn and Facebook. However, when it came to Twitter, the number dropped significantly. Keep in mind that you can use Twitter to update your blog and Facebook profile!

North Central NAMA Mtg. - Speed NetworkingAfter we worked through the online version we moved to a face to face speed networking session.

I led a session like this at NAMA Boot Camp earlier this year. Basically, everyone sits around tables and when I say “go” they introduce themselves to the person across the table and get to know each other. Then after a couple minutes one side of the table rotates to the next one. At the end of the session everyone has met at least a few new people.

Here’s what it sounds like: nama-speed-networking.mp3

North Central NAMA Mtg. - Univ. of MN studentsI mentioned students above. Here’s me with the students attending from the University of Minnesota.

I highly encourage all NAMA chapters to involve students in their meetings. It will seriously pay dividends for everyone involved.

So that’s what’s going on in the “great white north” (8 degrees tonight!). I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for networking.

Audio, NAMA

North Central NAMA Setup

Chuck Zimmerman

North Central NAMA Mtg. SetupHello from Minneapolis and the North Central NAMA Chapter meeting. We’re in the cafeteria/meeting room at Colle+McVoy.

This is actually setup time. The tables being set up here are for our speed networking session which will follow my presentation on social networking. We’re going to get to know each other very well by the end of the evening.

I think we’ve got at least 40 people reserved so far. That’s great for a chapter meeting. As I understand it we’ll have students here too for the first time so that’s exciting too.

I’ll update you with more later on, but for now we’re going to finish getting ready.

NAMA

Mobile NRCS Offices

Chuck Zimmerman

California Resource DistrictHigh speed mobile internet access is changing the way that NRCS offices look and work. Now they’re coming to farmers so farmers don’t have to come to them!

For more than 70 years, NRCS has delivered conservation assistance to farmers, ranchers and other landowners. Now they are taking “conservation delivery” to a whole new level using kiosks in business locations and mobile field offices that can drive the full range of technical services right up to a customer’s farm or ranch.

The kiosk and a fully equipped mobile office are on display this week at the annual conference of California’s Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) and Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils at the Riverside Convention Center. This conference is the first time the two conservation partners have held a joint annual conference, allowing the groups to share resources and opportunities, facilitating future collaborations.

“It’s very appropriate that we unveil these potential new services at this historic conference with our close partners,” said Ed Burton, State Conservationist for NRCS in California. “The future is now and new technology and new partnerships are what is going to position conservation to grapple with modern challenges.”

The Mobile Field Office is a pilot project that equips a truck with broadband network connections and remote access to NRCS conservation data and planning systems. With the Mobile Field Office, NRCS conservation planners can print information on soils, practices and technical specifications from field locations. The approach allows clients to take less time out of their busy schedules for office visits or additional meetings to get the information they need.

Internet

Social Networking In Minneapolis

Chuck Zimmerman

National Agri-Marketing AssociationYou know I can never get enough NAMA so I’m looking forward to the North Central Chapter meeting tomorrow at Colle+McVoy offices. Here’s the details:

Social Networking:
The next North Central NAMA chapter meeting will be held November 20, 4-6 p.m. at Colle+McVoy. It will include a presentation on social networking by Chuck Zimmerman of ZimmComm New Media LLC, as well as a group networking exercise.

Job/Intern Networking:
In addition, the North Central NAMA chapter will be hosting its first Intern Networking social along with the workshop. Area businesses looking to hire an intern are welcome to participate as potential intern candidates from over 10 local Universities have been invited to attend, including students majoring in Ag Business, Ag Marketing, Ag Economics, Finance, etc. HR Managers and Marketing individuals are encouraged to attend. Please bring business cards for this informal social networking opportunity.

WHEN:
November 20, 2008
4:00 pm – Registration
4:30 pm – Chuck Zimmerman of ZimmComm New Media – Social Networking
5:15 pm – Job and Internship Networking *Drinks and hors d’oeuvre served*

Maybe I’ll see you there.

NAMA

Vermeer Cob Harvester

Chuck Zimmerman

Vermeer Corn Cob HarvesterI saw one of these bad boys at the POET Project LIBERTY field day recently although I didn’t get to speak with anyone at Vermeer about it. It is the Vermeer CCX770 Cob Harvester, a wagon-style corn cob collection system which enables farmers to harvest corn and cobs simultaneously.

The Vermeer CCX770 Cob Harvester is designed to tow immediately behind select corn harvesting combines to collect and unload the cobs.

“This new patented Vermeer cob harvesting machine is a solution for supplying corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol production,” says Vermeer Product Manager Jay Van Roekel. “It’s easy to attach to the combine, is self-contained and cost-effective. This innovative product can help farms by diversifying their harvest Vermeer Corn Cob Harvesterin collecting bio-mass materials for resale or reuse as well as supporting our country’s efforts to produce home grown energy.”

The cob harvester concept was originally developed by an innovative Midwest farmer who saw a need and acted on it, “much like the founder of Vermeer Corporation, Mr. Gary Vermeer, did 60 years ago in 1948.” According to Van Roekel, test harvesting will be conducted throughout 2008 to evaluate performance and efficiency. Vermeer will then communicate product launch plan and availability for the 2009 harvest season.

Corn, Equipment

Secretary Schafer at Cellulosic Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

Cellulosic Summit Ed SchaferThis may have been the last time I will have the chance to interview the current Secretary of Agriculture – I think this is about the 10th secretary I have been able to report on during my career in ag communications!

Anyway – Secretary Schafer was here at the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit in south Florida Wednesday and had a small press “gaggle” after he spoke to the group. I had a chance to ask him a few questions pertaining to the biofuels industry on several different topics.

Listen to that interview here: cell-summit-08-schafer-press.mp3

Audio, Biodiesel, Ethanol, USDA

Dueling Press Conferences on the Road

Cindy Zimmerman

mini remoteChuck is out hunting with no internet access, I am on location covering the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit and two groups decide to have dueling telephone press conferences. What’s a blogger to do?

What I did was put my cell phone on speaker and record it on to my mini Marantz. Worked out pretty well too – not all broadcast quality, but if I had to, I would use it.

Listen here – a couple of sound bites from each conference: dueling-conferences.mp3

The first press conference, held by a group called “Food Before Fuel” which includes food companies and livestock organizations, called for a repeal of “subsidies for ethanol in light of its harmful effects on the environment, consumers and numerous industries.”

The second group – newly-formed Growth Energy – struck back two hours later. . “The federal government has an important role in supporting programs that promote the common good,” said Dave Vander Griend, President & CEO of ICM, Inc. and board member of Growth Energy. “Whether by funding anti-poverty programs like food stamps or championing renewable energy that will jumpstart our green economy and create jobs, we believe that it is good public policy to make smart investments for our nation’s future.”

Back at the summit today. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer will be here this morning.

Equipment, Ethanol, Food

View At Sunset

Chuck Zimmerman

Deer Woods SunsetI know posting has been light but sometimes the agriblogger has to take a few days off. I’ll be back on the grid by Wednesday evening and ZimmComm will have some exciting news by the end of the week.

Cindy is attending the Cellulosic Ethanol Summit in south Florida this week and may have some news for you from there.

The picture is from my phone on the way out of the woods a couple nights ago. There’s very limited internet access where I’m staying!

Uncategorized

Preliminary Research Suggests Bright Future for Solid Manure Injection

Harry Siemens

Harry Siemens / Farmscape – Research conducted by the University Saskatchewan suggests a promising future for solid and semi-solid livestock manure fertilizer injection technology. Researchers with the university’s Department of Crop Science have released preliminary results of a three year study examining the agronomic and environmental implications of solid manure injection.

Technoloy Advances in Manure Application

The study, which began in the spring of 2007, looks at crops grown on land fertilized with solid cattle manure applied using a prototype sub-surface applicator designed by the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) at Humboldt, Saskatchewan.Read More

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

chelsea

    Zimfo Bytes

  • A Farm Foundation conference on Dec. 4, part of the Food and Agriculture Policy Summit in D.C., will examine the challenges agriculture and the food system face in providing food, fiber and fuel to a growing world over the next 30 years. Highlighting the conference will be release of a new Farm Foundation report, Agriculture’s Strategic Role: Feeding and Fueling a Growing World.
  • The Hondo Group, a Fort Worth-based marketing communications company, recently announced the introduction of green marketing services. The company has developed one of the first quantitative assessment tools for evaluating environmentally sound business practices.
  • Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc. (MANA), announces the hiring of Duane A. Martin, Ph.D., as the company’s new business and product development manager. Martin joins the MANA senior management team to lead all of the company’s new product and inter-business development projects.
  • The members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting have elected Lindsay Hill of the Agri Broadcast Network (ABN) of Ohio to serve as Vice President of the organization at their annual convention in Kansas City this week. Hill, owner and Chief Operating Officer of AdVance Broadcast & Communication is a 10- year veteran of agricultural media and rural news radio.
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