Southern Peanut Growers Conference Blog

Chuck Zimmerman

Southern Peanut Farmers FederationAnother ZimmComm-developed website is now online. This time it’s the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and the blog is for their annual conference. You’ll be able to follow all the nutty action in Panama City when Cindy gets there this weekend.

All the proceedings with pictures, audio interviews and more from the 10th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference July 13-15 in Panama City Beach, Fla., can be found on the site. The conference coverage is sponsored by Trimble Agriculture/Ag Technologies, LLC.

Over 500 peanut producers and industry representatives are expected to attend the conference, which includes educational sessions focusing on legislative issues, peanut grading, marketing peanuts, and research. One highlight of the conference is a Congressional simulation program, where participants play the role of a Congressman to obtain an idea of how Washington works.

The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation contracted ZimmComm New Media of Missouri to design and develop the site and provide on-site coverage of the convention.

Pre-conference information has already been posted and continuous content will be added starting with the kickoff of the convention on Sunday, July 13. Audio interviews from the convention will be posted for immediate playback and as a special series of podcasts that will allow people to download and listen to them on personal audio players. The interviews can also be used by radio stations or other media outlets.

Ag Groups, Peanuts

Mullen is New Integrated Marcomm Agency for BASF

Chuck Zimmerman

MullenIt looks like we’ll be getting to work with a new agency for BASF.

Mullen has won integrated marketing communications duties for BASF U.S. Crop Protection to enhance awareness and sales of the company’s herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, plant regulators and seed treatment technologies that offer the highest level of crop protection solutions to growers across the U.S.

“Mullen’s team went to exceptional lengths to understand the complexity of our business and the impact our innovations and technologies have on the U.S. agricultural market,” said Ray Gilmer, BASF Crop Protection Division group communications manager. “We were impressed by the team’s passion and insights into the category and the integrated campaign that flowed from both.”

The agency’s work will include branding, advertising, public relations, digital strategy, direct marketing and media planning and buying for the U.S. Crop business.

Agencies, Agribusiness, BASF

NAFB Media Use Study Webinar

Chuck Zimmerman

National Association of Farm BroadcastingI’m participating in a live NAFB webinar, first look at the combined results of the first two waves of their 2008 National Producer Media-Use Wave Study. There’s one more to go.

We’ve got people on the webinar from all over the U.S. listening to Mike Parry go though his slides. I’m not sure how much is for public release yet. NAFB will probably release some information publicly soon. Update: A full release of the Study will be done at the NAFB convention this fall after the third wave of survey is completed. Very interesting information!

NAFB

Talking AMS With BASF

Chuck Zimmerman

BASFOne of our sponsors for AgWired coverage of this year’s Agricultural Media Summit is BASF. I spoke on the phone to Allegra Sinclair about what we’re going to be doing. This is going to be fun and she’s excited. By the way, I learned that Allegra is an experienced podcaster and recent Mac convert.

So, what’s up with BASF and AgWired? To start with, BASF is sponsoring the media room for the third year in a row. They’ll be supplying computers, wi-fi and all the things we need to do our jobs. To go along with that, we’re teaming up with BASF and our AgNewsWire.AgWired.com service to be the official online media room for AMS. This is a first. What this means is that ag journalists will have an online location to find media releases that AMS exhibitors/sponsors want to distribute during the conference. We’ll also send those releases to our ag journalist list as well. These AMS supporting companies will be receiving notification shortly that they can send a release at no charge during the conference.

Then on AgWired you’ll find our patented online event coverage with pictures, interviews and video. Cindy will be there with me so this could get interesting. We’ll be posting our interviews so that they can be downloaded and ag journalists are welcome to use them. Same goes with pictures. So if you can’t be there and want to know what’s going on, well, you know where to go online.

We’re also planning to use AgWired Live TV to webcast the BASF press conference. I’ll have more details on that later.

Allegra says that one of the most important things about AMS for them is the relationship building with ag journalists and I sure echo that. The InfoExpo and other activities provides a great venue for social networking and I’ve seen lots of positive results of it from my own experiences.

Listen to Allegra and me talk about this year’s event: Interview With Allegra Sinclair - AMS Interview

Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, BASF

Jean Hiller is PICA Award Winner

Chuck Zimmerman

Jean HillerJean Hiller, Two Rivers Marketing, has received a big award from AEM’s Publications in Construction and Agriculture subgroup. She’s their 2008 Public Relations Person of the Year.

PICA honored Hiller at AEM’s annual Marketing Council Seminar, held recently in Portland, Ore.

“Everyone at Two Rivers Marketing is very proud of Jean,” said Brian Jones, president. “Jean has a magnanimous spirit which not only makes her a natural leader but also the best kind of mentor. PICA couldn’t have chosen a more deserving recipient.”

PICAThe PICA Public Relations Person of the Year award is presented annually to an equipment manufacturing industry marketing communications professional whom the PICA editors believe exemplifies “best practices” in media relations with the trade press. Candidates are rated in the following categories: accuracy, knowledge of company/products (and ability to provide access to proper company officials), knowledge of industry publications, trustworthiness, professionalism, producer of press events, kits, materials etc. that are of high quality, value and completeness, and ability to represent company interests and respect trade press integrity and independence.

Two Rivers Marketing also received PICA awards for client advertising and marketing initiatives in direct mail campaigns, print advertising and press kit design.

You can view a list of all the winners here.

Ag Groups, Agencies

Canadian Farm Writers Get Together

Chuck Zimmerman

CFWF 2008Just when we’re talking about the U.S. get together of farm writers I noticed that it’s time to look forward to the CFWF 2008.

From the sea bottom to the mountain top, the BC Farm Writers are pleased to introduce you to some of the experiences, people, places, and products that will make up the CFWF 2008 Conference, to be held October 2 to 4, 2008 in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Plans are almost complete and the registration fees, and forms, will be confirmed very shortly. For the latest information, please watch the CFWF website and stay tuned for an announcement about the CFWF 2008
Conference website – coming soon!

I think they need a good agriblogger covering it don’t you?

Uncategorized

Ag Media Summit Preview

Chuck Zimmerman

Agricultural Media SummitYou’re going to be seeing some regular pre-Ag Media Summit posts here like this one since I was talking with Diane Johnson today about how things are looking. She says that it’s going to be a big one since more and more companies are realizing that this is “the place to be.”

Diane says there’s already 75 exhibitors confirmed which matches last year and over 600 attendees are expected. The opening reception already has over 400 people reserved. It used to only have about 150. This is the 10 year anniversary of the AMS so I think there’s some extra special things being planned.

One thing we get to do on Monday evening of the event is a watch Caddyshack on a big screen by the pool. I don’t know about you but floating in the pool with a frosty beverage, watching a movies does sound like fun.

Listen to what Diane has to say about this year’s event: Interview With Diane Johnson - AMS Interview

I’ll have more on AMS soon, including some interesting things we’re doing with our coverage sponsors this year.

Ag Media Summit, Audio

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Asoyia has named George Magers as the company’s Missouri business development manager. Magers will be responsible for developing new alliances with grain elevators, growing the distribution network, contracting more soybean production, building relationships with seed partners and growers, as well as managing regional trade shows throughout Missouri.
  • Renée Norman, Liberty, Penn., has been named an assistant editor of Jersey Journal, the official publication of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc. In this position, Norman will work closely with Jersey Journal editorial and ad design and also on JerseySites, the AJCA’s Web site service for Jersey owners.
  • Accelerated Genetics is pleased to announce the selection for a new President and CEO, Joel Groskreutz, Reedsburg, Wisc., who will assume his new role effective July 15, 2008. In this position, Groskreutz will continue to drive genetic progress for the benefit of cooperative members and all producers around the world by utilizing time-tested and cutting-edge genomic sire selection criteria.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Cow Ends Cause Problems

    Chuck Zimmerman

    E - The Environmental MagazineSince we work with people and organizations that have differing views about biofuels I just thought I’d point something out. (This is because of a news release sent to me today by E – The Environmental Magazine. They’re “mental” all right. I won’t even put a link to them here for you. You can Google it.)

    While it seems like everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon to blame ethanol for everything from Mexican tortilla prices to global warming (a myth), there’s a growing movement to blame livestock and you know who that affects. I hope this gets discussed in Denver next week.

    We’ve already seen this coming but this is a pretty blatant push. Here’s an excerpt from their release:

    Ask most Americans about what causes global warming, and they’ll point to a coal plant smokestack or a car’s tailpipe. But it’s two other images that should be granted similarly iconic status, says the July/August 2008 cover story of E – The Environmental Magazine (now posted at www.emagazine.com): the front and rear ends of a cow.

    According to a little-known 2006 United Nations (UN) report called “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” livestock is a “major player” in climate change, accounting for 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

    That’s more than our entire transportation system.

    Can’t we all just get along? At least in agriculture? We’ve got enough problems with wackos like this out there. By the way, we enjoyed a nice steak dinner tonight. Does that mean I’m helping save the planet?

    Livestock, Wackos

    Be A Sponsor Cowboy

    Chuck Zimmerman

    IFAJ Congress 2009 Sponsor BrochureWe’re looking ahead to next year and you know how you like to plan your budgets. Have you got some money to support IFAJ and AMS?

    If your company or organization would like to help support the IFAJ Congress 2009 then you can find information on how with the all new sponsor brochure (pdf).

    The world’s premier agricultural communicators will ride into Fort Worth, Texas, to catch the spirit of the old West in a combined IFAJ Annual Congress and Agricultural Media summit (AMS). Don’t miss this opportunity to reach more than 150 international ag communications professionals, plus 600 U.S. ag communicators attending AMS. In the first U.S.-hosted IFAJ Congress since 1992, participants will attend workshops and seminars, an agribusiness-focused trade show (InfoExpo), agricultural tours, and networking events.

    Maximum exposure is our goal with our sponsors and trade show exhibitors. Let us help you develop a sponsorship package that meets your needs for reaching influential audiences in north America and around the world. saddle up and catch the cowboy spirit!

    For questions about 2009 IFAJ/AMs sponsorships, please contact:
    Karen McMahon, sponsorships co-chair, (952) 851-4680
    Gregg Hillyer, sponsorships co-chair, (636) 561-4976

    For questions about InfoExpo, please contact:
    Laurie Potter, InfoExpo chair, (515) 284-2853

    Ag Media Summit, IFAJ