Make Your Website AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello AgWired fans. How would you like to have AgWired news on your website or blog?

Now you can and it’s free. It’s also very easy. We’ve created a widget that allows you to display the latest headlines from the stories and posts on AgWired. All you have to do is paste some code onto your web page. The widget also allows you to choose some display options. Not sure what a widget is? Learn here.

Think that’s cool? There’s more. If you’d like a custom feed to display on your website then just contact me and we’ll work it out. For example, let’s say you’d like a feed of a certain category of our content, we can create that for you and provide you with the code for it. We can also design a custom theme for your AgWired widget if you’d like.

So, if you’re an advertising or public relations agency, media company, farm group, freelancer or farmer you can have fresh daily content of interest to your audience displayed on your homepage (or any page) very easily with the AgWired Widget.

Uncategorized

Local Beef At Your Neighborhood Supermarket

Laura McNamara

Weis Markets says it’s a first. It’s the first time a supermarket chain has offered locally raised beef. But, consumers in Pennsylvania can now find Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef at 23 neighborhood Weis Markets stores.

“Buying local is one of the hottest trends in food today but it’s been a hot trend for us since 1912,” said Norman S. Rich, Company CEO. “Last year alone, we purchased more than 19 million pounds of produce from local Pennsylvania producers. Our Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef is the logical extension of our commitment to buying and selling Pennsylvania’s best products. We are proud to be the first supermarket company in the country to offer a local beef program.”

Pennsylvania Proud Choice Angus Beef is grain fed, hand-carved and aged a minimum of 20 days. The program features a full line of roasts, steaks, tenderloins and ground beef. The PA Angus cattle are supplied from farms in Lancaster, Schuykill and Chester Counties.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Beef

Crystal Egg Award Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

U. S. Poultry and Egg AssociationThe Crystal Egg Award winner have been announced by the U. S. Poultry & Egg Association. They’re designed to “recognize excellence in the production and distribution of marketing materials designed to promote an exhibitor’s participation in the 2008 International Poultry Expo / International Feed Expo.”

The entries were judged by marketing specialists outside the association. “The quality of entries we received this year truly raised the bar for future Crystal Egg competitions,” said Percy Brown, USPOULTRY communications specialist and competition coordinator. “All of the entries were incredibly polished, and made the judging process very difficult.”

The award is based on overall effectiveness, which includes design, communications content, and achievement of predetermined sales or marketing goals. Crystal Egg statues will be presented to the winners; honorable mentions will receive a plaque presented at the 2009 International Poultry Expo / International Feed Expo. Recipients will also be recognized in Expo Flash, promotional materials produced by the association, and on the International Poultry Expo Web site, www.ipe09.org. The 2008 winners are:

Print Advertising Winner: Safe Foods
Honorable Mention: Alltech

Brochure/Flyer/Invitation/Postcard Winner: Hartmann
Honorable Mention: Wirebelt Company of America

Poster Winner: Intralox
Honorable Mention: Alltech

Advertising Specialty Winner: Hartmann
Honorable Mention: Pfizer Animal Health

Press Kit Winner: Char Crust
Honorable Mention: Meyn

Special Event Winner: Poultry Magazine / Plate Magazine / Griffith Laboratories / Solae / Kikkoman / Wynnstarr
Honorable Mention: Alltech

Overall Booth Winner: Hired Hand
Honorable Mentions: Baader-Johnson and Cobb-Vantress

Promotional Campaign Winner: Hired Hand
Honorable Mention: Marel

Ag Groups, Poultry

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., (BIVI) announced that Tim Bettington has been named the senior associate director of swine marketing. Bettington has served the global animal health industry for over a decade.
  • Asoyia has finalized an agreement with two key venture capital firms, securing $4 million to expand marketing, research and development of its ULTRA low linolenic soybean products. St. Louis-based Prolog Ventures led the round and was joined by LSP (Life Science Partners) of Boston.
  • Bill Stovell has joined Farm Journal Media as a National Accounts Manager for Farm Journal Database Strategies. In his new position, Stovell will be responsible for the company’s database (products and services) sales efforts with a focus on the livestock industry.
  • Soyatech announced that it will host Soya & Oilseed Summit 2008 in St. Louis, Mo., on Sept. 17-19 at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel. The conference will explore practical strategies to address the challenges and opportunities that arise as global competition for competing resources continues to escalate. For more information, click here, email soyasummit@soyatech.com, or call 800.424.SOYA (7692), ext. 114. Discounts for early registration apply before July 1, 2008.
Zimfo Bytes

Charlie Cook Talks Presidential Politics With BASF

Chuck Zimmerman

Charlie CookAt this evening’s BASF Media Summit dinner our speaker was political analyst Charlie Cook. Here he is getting interviewed before our meal.

Charlie thinks we’re going to have a very close Presidential race and that there’s an event yet to happen that will have an important effect on the outcome. He says that Hillary is done and coming in for a soft landing.

I started the interview you see still going on in the picture and you can download and listen to it here: Listen To InterviewCharlie Cook Interview (5 min MP3)

Or listen to it here now:basf-media-summit-5.mp3

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF

Audio, BASF

The BASF White House View

Chuck Zimmerman

Me and White HouseI don’t think Ray Gilmer, BASF Group Communications Manager, could have scripted a more perfect evening to close out their Media Summit here in Washington, DC.

We just finished our final dinner on top of the Hay-Adams Hotel right across from the White House which makes a great background for a picture. I’ve got quite a few more in the photo album so check them out. Thank you Tricia Braid Terry, RFD Radio Network, for taking the picture.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF

BASF

BASF Innovating For The Future

Chuck Zimmerman

Dr. Stefan MarcinowskiBefore I get to BASF innovation I just have to let you know this is post # 5,000 on AgWired. Talk about some new media innovation!

Our first speaker this morning at the BASF Media Summit was Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, BASF Executive Board member. His job was to provide us with an overview of the company and a key word in his presentation was “Innovate.” Keeping with the theme of From Research to Reality, he says that BASF invests significantly in R&D which leads to innovation and that fuels the constant re-invention of the company.

I like his remark that the future is the “time zone where we’ll spend the rest of our lives.”

According to Dr. Marcinowski, BASF is the number one chemical company in the world in sales. He says their income has tripled in the last 10 years.

Here’s his remarks so you can download and listen to them: Listen To InterviewRemarks by Dr. Stefan Marcinowski (20 min MP3)

Or listen to them here now:basf-media-summit-4.mp3

Dr. Marcinowski was also on AgWired Live TV this morning as well. I interviewed him after his presentation.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Video

Video Interview With BASF Wine Cellar Hosts

Chuck Zimmerman

I know I already posted an interview with our BASF Wine Cellar hosts but this morning I did one with video while I was broadcasting live.

So for those of you who got to listen to Katja Schweder and Bernhard Wolff, now you can watch them.

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF

BASF, Video

USDA Undersecretary Bruce Knight Speaks at BASF Media Summit

Chuck Zimmerman

Undersecretary Bruce KnightWow. What a morning here at the BASF Media Summit. After doing some live video streaming, interviews, pictures and recordings we got to have lunch with USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Bruce Knight.

Bruce talked about the farm bill of course. He used a description from a story in the Washington Post which called the current proposal “an overstuffed turkey.” When he was asked about so many farm groups coming out in support of the proposal he basically said that if he was a special interest group he’d be pretty pleased with it too. However, he said that just because a lot of groups support it, that doesn’t make it good for Americans.

I recorded his remarks so you can download and listen to them: Listen To InterviewUndersecretary Bruce Knight’s Remarks (30 min MP3)

Or listen to them here now:basf-media-summit-3.mp3

BASF Media Event Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the BASF Media Summit is sponsored by:
BASF

Audio, BASF, Farm Policy, USDA

BASF Media Summit Streaming Live

Chuck Zimmerman

Apparently we’re going to be moving to different rooms this afternoon so this morning’s episode of AgWired Live TV is over but I have several recorded interviews like the following one with Mike Heinz, BASF President, Crop Protection Division.

Thanks to all of you who watched and made it through our internet access disappearing for a few minutes.

BASF, Video