New Big Balers From New Holland

Chuck Zimmerman

Colin SkoronskiSmall square balers aren’t the only new balers from New Holland. How about those big square balers?

I spoke with Colin Skoronski in the New Holland exhibit about this big BB9060. New Holland is certainly making some style changes which you can see in the rounded edges for example. Colin says they’ve made a lot of improvements in this line of balers. One of them is an increase of about 5% in bale density.

When I asked him about feedback he says, “The guys are excited. The hay industry is going well. More and more guys are looking at the productivity of the big square bales.” When it comes to service he says, “Top Service is a program that commits to the customer that we will take care of his problem. New Holland is committed to keeping that customer running.”

You can listen to my interview with Colin here: fp-08-colin-skoronski.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, Hay, New Holland

New Small Square Baler From New Holland

Chuck Zimmerman

Mark LongNew Holland had a lot of new equipment on display. One item getting a lot of attention was their new small square baler. One of the reasons is a retro-vintage logo on the side.

I spoke with Mark Long, Marketing Specialist in the Hay and Forage group. He says they just introduced the new small square baler and that it’s been about 15 years since they’ve made this many improvements. To let growers see where those improvements have been made, they’ve made little cards on magnets at each spot on the unit. They’re handing out number coded flyers with information about each location of an improvement. That makes it very easy to see what’s new.

Mark says their focus is on serviceability and durability. They’ll be celebrating their 700,000th small square baler this October. He says that over the years the market for the small square balers has backed off but the company hasn’t forgotten what got them here.

You can listen to my interview with Mark here: fp-08-mark-long.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, Hay, New Holland

Farm Progress Show Stars

Chuck Zimmerman

Susie DeckerI have a lot of photos from the Farm Progress Show that I really like. Of course, taking them with my new Nikon D300 is a big part of why I like taking them. Laura and I have almost 400 in the photo album so far. I think she’s still got some to add to it.

This is one of my favorites though. It was just one of those instantaneous opportunities. What do you think? It’s in the album if you want a bigger version.

I know Susie Decker on the right but I didn’t get the names of the movie stars to her left. Anyone know? If so, please post in comments. Thanks.

BTW. All of the Farm Progress Show staff, like Susie-Q here, were extremely helpful and always smiling and happy. How do they do it?

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

Golf Car Mania at Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Chris MillerSince I started renting a golf car at shows like the Farm Progress Show, I’ve wondered why I ever did without. The golf car man at the Farm Progress Show was Chris Miller, M & M Golf Cars.

They rent 2, 4, 6 seat cars as well as other vehicles. He says people started registering to rent cars the first of June. The company had over 400 rentals booked prior to show time.

I know they were busy and he says, “This morning (first day) at 7am, everybody wanted their car by 7:05am, which was impossible.” Although things got chaotic he says they got them all out and everybody seemed to be enjoying the show.

You can listen to my interview with Chris here: fp-08-miller.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

Broadhead + Co. is Middle of Country

Chuck Zimmerman

Broadhead+CoI’m hoping to see my good friends at Broadhead + Co. next week when Cindy and I attend and cover AgNite. It looks like the agency has been busy with the RNC coming to town.

Delegates to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul will enjoy a red carpet welcome campaign at the MSP airport, and throughout the Twin Cities, highlighted by more than 600 banners designed by local agency Broadhead + Co.

Named the “fastest growing agency” by AgriMarketing magazine in 2007, the Minneapolis-based marketing communications agency developed the creative for the Minneapolis St. Paul 2008 Host Committee. The banners will also hang throughout the Xcel Energy Center, the site of the Republican National Convention.

“This was an exciting opportunity for us to display our creative work at one of the most high profile events in the country,” said Dean Broadhead, President and Founder. “We’re looking forward to showing off to the delegates all the Twin Cities has to offer.”

The agency has also provided a link in cyberspace to some of the Twin Cities entertainment hot spots by creating a website for the delegate experience: http://www.msp2008delegates.com/.

“From arts and entertainment to parks and recreation, we’re showing that the Twin Cities may be middle of the country but hardly middle of the road,” said Broadhead.

Agencies

Manage the Markets with DTN

Laura McNamara

Teri Thiele with DTNThere were a LOT of reasons about 1,000 Farm Progress Show visitors visited the DTN exhibit in Boone, Iowa this week. But, the biggest reason was probably the chance to win $25,000. Aside from scoring the dough, though, visitors also had the chance to score some valuable marketing and weather tips from DTN experts. DTN representative Teri Thiele says visitors could get advice on how to understand markets and commodities so farmers could understand and make decisions about them on a daily basis.

DTN was also showcasing its new market space product that Teri says offers farmers inventory management system control. She says farmers can then buy and sell their grain and other commodities online. Young farmers she says are really embracing mobile technology.

I spoke with Teri about the technology DTN is bringing to farmers in the office or in the field and what trends farmers seem to follow with mobile technology. You can listen to my interview with Teri here: fp-08-thiele.mp3

You can also download the interview with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Markets, Technology

BASF From Brazil

Chuck Zimmerman

BASF BrazilThe Farm Progress Show had a lot of international visitors like these guys from Brazil.

I just happened to walk in to the BASF tent and met them. Several of their group actually work for BASF in Brazil. Their tour leader is Fernando Dellazari (3rd from right). He says they had 17 guys on this trip. I asked him what he thought of the Farm Progress Show. “So beautiful. We can see what is the best I think today in the world.” He says they also have big farm shows in Brazil but lag behind in getting the latest technology compared to the United States.

You can listen to my interview with Fernando here: fp-08-basf-brazil.mp3

You can also download the audio file with this link.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

Audio, BASF, Farm Progress Show, International, New Holland

Post FPS Stress Syndrome

Chuck Zimmerman

AgWired At Farm Progress ShowI feel a little like I’m suffering from Post Farm Progress Show Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PFPSTSS). Even a cup of homemade Rocket Fuel hasn’t gotten me moving too fast yet. How about you?

While I was packing up yesterday Gene Hemphill, New Holland Media Room Sponsor Extraordinaire, noted that we have a lot of “gadgets.” I prefer the T-word (tools). So between Laura and me, we had multiple still and video cameras (8), audio recorders (3), computers(3), tripods (2), and a variety of other things (power strips, cleaning supplies, cords, fans, etc. We needed those tools to take about 900 still photos, shoot 10 video clips, conduct over 40 audio interviews not counting press conferences and have a live webcam/cast going for most of the show from our media tent table. I think I’ve still got about 9 interviews to edit and post.

If we didn’t get to your exhibit and get an interview done, we are sorry. It was a busy 3 days for a couple of agribloggers. The rain on Wed and internet access issues kind of slowed us down too. I know there were a lot of you public relations professionals out there working hard to get us to stop by but we Leah Guffeycouldn’t get to everyone. Don’t stop trying though. You can see Laura at work at the AgWired table in the top photo.

Leah Guffey, WFMB, is in the background of the top picture but here’s a better one. She’s got a new gig as reported here earlier. You can read more about it at SF-R.com (scroll down the article).

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show

NAMA Boot Camp Presentations Available

Chuck Zimmerman

Those fine folks at Truffle Media Networks have worked with NAMA to make some of the Boot Camp sessions available for you to listen to and/or download.

Podcast sessions include:

Producer Panel
Food & Fuel
Text Book Marketing and Real World Examples
Creative In Agriculture
Client/Agency Panel

To download and listen to the podcasts, please visit http://www.trufflemedia.com/home/content/2008-nama-boot-camp-selected-presentations.

Thank you and we hope to see you at the Trends In Agriculture program, November 11-12, in Kansas City!

Audio, NAMA

So Long From Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Progress ShowSo long from the Farm Progress Show. Laura and I have a lot more to offer in the coming days.

We’re packing up and getting ready to hit the agriblogging highway. Actually, we’re running behind and we might actually be in the media tent when Secretary Schafer arrives. If so, we’ll do a short interview for posting later.

So, thank you to BASF and New Holland for once again sponsoring our coverage of the Farm Progress Show.

Check out our Farm Progress Show 2008 Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the 2008 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: BASF and New Holland

BASF, Farm Progress Show, New Holland