Medwick joins Learfield

Melissa Sandfort

Learfield Communications, Inc. announces Kelly Medwick is joining Nebraska Radio Network and Brownfield, Ag News for America as the new Account Executive in Lincoln, Neb.

“Kelly is a great addition to our team,” said Stan Koenigsfeld, President, Learfield News. �Her enthusiasm and Director of Marketing experience make her a great asset to our team and clients in Nebraska.�

As Account Executive for Nebraska Radio Network and Brownfield, Ag News for America, Medwick will help marketers develop and implement effective campaigns to achieve their organizational goals.

Before joining Learfield, she was the Associate VP of Communications for Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, where she developed strategic marketing, branding and public awareness campaigns. Medwick also worked with multiple state and non-profit entities on collaborative outreach programs.

Media

Milk Money for Mom

Laura McNamara

A new Got Milk? campaign wants to reward moms. Moms that excel as the family’s ‘Chief Health Officer’ can win $100,000 just in time for Mother’s Day.

Mothers have always had a lot on their plates — from carpool queen to coach, counselor to chef. It’s all been part of a day’s work. However, with the growing concerns over childhood obesity and inadequate nutrition, many moms have taken on yet another important role — that of Chief Health Officer for the family.

In most households, moms are the nutritional gatekeeper and largely determine what foods and beverages their families consume. This “job description” has become increasingly important with the country’s rising rate of childhood obesity, which has tripled in the last 30 years. To recognize this vital role, America’s milk processors are joining forces with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Project M.O.M. to salute moms nationwide for helping to keep their families healthy and fit.

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Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Penton Media and Western Farm Press® will be the publisher of the official World Ag Expo magazine and show guide in 2009. The official magazine is distributed to thousands of farmers and ranchers preceding the opening of the worldwide event in February in Tulare, Calif. The magazine is the primary news source for all official Expo details and events. World Ag Expo 2009 is scheduled for Feb. 10-12.
  • AgraQuest, Inc., announced that Ashish Malik has been hired as the Senior VP of Global Marketing. Malik joins the AgraQuest executive management team and will begin his new duties effective immediately. Malik will oversee product development, regulatory and marketing functions for AgraQuest, focusing his efforts on creating and implementing efficient and effective strategies that bring value to its customers and builds brand portfolio value.
  • The North Dakota Grain Growers Association and the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers were given the word that Tebuconazole, also known as Folicur, has been given a full Section 3 label by the EPA for use on wheat and barley for the 2008 growing season.
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    There’s a New Marketing Firm in Town

    Laura McNamara

    Hondo Ribbon CuttingThe Hondo Group, a marketing communications company, is moving to new ground. The Fort Worth-based firm has announced the grand opening of a new location in Darlington, WI. The Wisconsin office will serve as the company’s hub for Midwest operations. Pictured (l-r) are Patricia Lawson, account supervisor at The Hondo Group; Kim Jones, vice president of The Hondo Group; Lynn Balinas, president of The Hondo Group; Mayor David Breunig, City of Darlington and Suzi Osterday, City of Darlington.

    “As our client base expands, so must our operations,” said Kim Jones, vice president of The Hondo Group. “We are pleased to now have a location in Darlington that will focus on our ever-expanding list of agriculture and dairy clients.”

    As The Hondo Group continues to expand, the company will provide clients with business solutions such as strategic branding processes and procedures, new products and new technologies. The company has made investments in several additional staff members to ensure that exceptional customer service and results continue.

    The Hondo Group has offered marketing services both on the national and international level. The firm focuses on agribusiness, real estate, professional services and western lifestyle.

    Agribusiness, Public Relations

    Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty on Grills

    Laura McNamara

    A Consumer Reports Poll confirms it. It’s what we’ve known all along: Americans love their grills. The poll found that 41 percent of outdoor grillers grill all year and 68 percent even grill in the rain. Twenty-six percent have even grilled in the snow, sleet or hail. Nearly a third have grilled in below freezing temperatures. When you think of tender, juicy American beef thought, it’s really no wonder why Americans love their grills. Consumer Reports has some tips on finding the best grills:

    Consumer Reports’ tests of 37 gas grills, in sizes from portable or small to large, revealed that a premium price doesn’t guarantee a better grill: Some mid-priced grills outperformed grills costing hundreds more. Consumer Reports’ tests also found that a higher Btu level (British thermal unit) – once touted by manufacturers – doesn’t guarantee faster heating or better cooking. Shoppers will also find that many grill makers have turned to infrared technology to create buzz. But, CR notes that infrared is just another way of saying indirect cooking with heat, and that when it comes to grills, there are several ways to generate it. Consumer Reports’ tests revealed little difference between infrared technologies. It also found that infrared cooking was no better than regular grilling.

    Three midsized grills have been designated as CR Best Buys: the Blue Ember by Fiesta FG50069-U401, $450, available at Home Depot; the Brinkmann 810-8410S, $200, also available at Home Depot; and the Char-Broil Commercial Series 463268008, $300, available at Lowe’s. The Blue Ember shined for cooking food evenly. The Brinkmann combined fine cooking, a side burner, and lots of shelf space at a lower price. The stainless-steel Char-Broil offers excellent grilling, a side burner, and an abundance of shelf space.

    People grilling for a crowd should consider these CR Best Buys: the Kenmore 16315, $570, available at Sears; and the Char-Broil Quantum 463248208, $500, available at Lowe’s, are both stainless steel. The Kenmore provides very good performance with five main burners and a 10-year warranty. It also has a rotisserie and side burners, and plenty of shelf space. The Char-Broil excels in grilling, provides infrared heat, and a lifetime warranty on its burners.

    Consumers who tailgate or have a tight space will be interested in the $190 Weber Q 200 (396002), a portable grill that is very good at cooking food evenly, an important characteristic. A cart and an adapter for a larger propane tank are available separately for this grill.

    Another tip from Consumer Reports… when shopping for a grill, bring a magnet. The magazine says a magnet will usually stick to cheaper-grade steel. So if the magnet sticks, move on. That grill is more likely to rust.

    Food

    Learn About TOCA

    Chuck Zimmerman

    TOCA MeetingRight after my presentation on new media here at the TOCA meeting the next session featured editors and public relations people. They discussed the relationship dynamics between the two groups.

    My presentation went okay even though I didn’t have internet access. Don’t ask me how but it got done. It’s kind of a challenge though when everything we do and that I wanted to show is online.

    You can find an online photo album with pictures I’ve taken today here: TOCA Photo Album

    This morning before we went out to Hazeltine National Golf Club for the tournament I interviewed TOCA President, Ed Hiscock, Golf Course Management Magazine. Ed says that there are about 200 members of the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association which will be celebrating 20 years next year. He says the organization was formed to bring together editors and public relations people and set standards for how they work together. I asked him about new media and how it’s changing the way we communicate and he says that new technology is allowing us to extend what we’re already doing. You can find his publication’s blog here.

    Listen to my interview with Ed here: toca-08-hiscock.mp3

    I’ve found a lot of similarities between the membership of TOCA and other groups I belong to like AAEA, LPC, IFAJ and NAFB. For one thing we share some of the same advertisers and sponsors. You’ll notice some of the same corporate names represented here in the chemical and equipment business, just different divisions. The media and public relations representatives are no different and facing the same challenges as in other industries. I’ve also seen several people I know who are also doing work on the ag side.

    Audio

    TOCA Presentation

    Chuck Zimmerman

    TOCA MeetingHere’s my audience for my presentation on blogging and podcasting here at the TOCA meeting in Minneapolis.

    As I write this post we’re just about to start. Den Gardner is actually just starting to introduce me so I’ll quit for now and have more to post soon.

    Uncategorized

    Blueberry Juice Tops Antioxidant Charts

    Laura McNamara

    Health-conscious consumers looking to power up on antioxidants should look for blueberry juice. The Wild Blueberry Association of North America says the USDA’s database for antioxidant values in various foods names blueberry juice among the best sources for antioxidants. The juice is compared with others such as pomegranate, apple, prune, cranberry and Concord grape.

    Using the Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) testing procedure, the gold standard of antioxidant measures for detecting the free-radical scavenging ability of foods, blueberry juice had the highest ORAC score of 2,906 umol TE/100g.

    The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends anywhere from 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups or 5 to 13 servings a day of colorful fruit and vegetables depending on age, gender and activity level. According to Davis, a 4-ounce glass of 100% fruit juice equals 1/2 cup of fruit and counts toward daily fruit serving goals. “Try fresh, frozen, canned, juice or dried, because all forms count when you’re trying to add more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Make sure you get a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables, and when it comes to blue, eat at least 1/2 cup of Wild Blueberries or drink 4 ounces of Wild Blueberry juice every day,” said Davis.

    The Wild Blueberry Association adds, that though wild blueberries weren’t taken into account, past studies show that wild blueberries contain more antioxidants that 20 other antioxidant-rich fruits. The ORAC database has become the most referenced source of antioxidant values for food.

    Uncategorized

    Cherries Fight Arthritis Pain

    Laura McNamara

    Forty-six million Americans have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. That’s one in five American adults. With that figure expected to rise more than 40 percent by 2030, it’s certainly not an issue to ignore. That’s where the cherries come in. The Cherry Marketing Institute is highlighting a new study by the University of Michigan that suggests tart cherries might help naturally reduce inflammation and ease pain from arthritis.

    Scientists believe it’s the anthocyanins — also responsible for cherries’ vibrant red color — that are responsible for this anti-inflammatory benefit. Other studies indicate that anthocyanins may be beneficial for a range of inflammatory-related conditions, including arthritis.

    Studies also suggest antioxidant-rich foods, like cherries, may help reduce levels of nitric oxide, a compound associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis currently affects 27 million Americans, with onset typically after 45 years of age.

    Russel Reiter, Ph.D., nutrition researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center, explained that cherries contain antioxidants that function in the same way as some types of pain medication. That’s great news as recent surveys suggest responders are more interested in eating and drinking foods that promote health instead of needing to seek medical treatment or to rely dietary supplements.

    Ag Groups, Food

    Zimfo Bytes

    Melissa Sandfort

      Zimfo Bytes

    • American Butter Institute (ABI) members elected new board representatives from three member companies: Cody Gruwell, United Dairymen of Arizona, in Tempe, AZ; Michael John, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc. in Reston, VA; and Dean Van Tuinen from Darigold, Inc., in Seattle, WA. In addition, John Whetten, ABI’s President from 1999-2001 received the American Dairy Product Institute’s Award of Merit.
    • Research into the success of farm safety education efforts delivered by the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day™ program will help the program become even more successful in the future. Researchers from the University of Kentucky and the University of Alabama have joined forces with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation to conduct this new study in hopes of making a good thing even better. Funding for this work, entitled REACCH (Refinement and Enhancement of Agricultural Safety Curricula for Children) is provided through a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
    • Ag Leader Technology, along with Holland Scientific, a leader in active light reflectance crop sensing technology, announced that Ag Leader has become the exclusive distributor for Holland Scientific’s second generation active light reflectance sensor products for use in production agriculture.
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