Monetize That Blog

Chuck Zimmerman

Appaloosa Blog SpotOne of the questions I get asked very often is, “How can you make money with new media?” If you read AgWired often then you probably have a good idea of some of the ways that can happen.

But let’s say you’re a membership organization like the Appaloosa Horse Club and you’ve got a blog. What can you do with it besides use it as one of the most effective communications tools you’ve got? Sell sponsorships!

That’s what the ApHC has done. You can see Featherlite Trailers is one of their sponsors of Appaloosa Blog Spot. Now if that’s not cool then I don’t know what is. We built their blog and did some initial training and they’ve take off with it. It’s got great regular content, including some event content I still produce for them a couple times a year. I’m sure Steve Taylor would be willing to share his experience as a CEO blogger with you.

Ag Groups, Horses

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The brand that revolutionized ice cream celebrates its 20th Birthday in May by offering its customers free ice cream. On the afternoon and evening of May 20, local Dippin’ Dots Franchised locations will offer their customers a free cup of their delicious beads of ice cream. The company has even produced a special flavor the occasion. Birthday Cake flavor is a combination of cake batter and icing flavored ice creams with crunchy cake pieces.
  • The Hondo Group is pleased to announce the addition of Shana Barkley and Patricia Lawson to their team of innovative experts. Barkley and Lawson both have been named account supervisors and will be responsible for strategic planning and managing client relationships. Barkley will work at The Hondo Group headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, focusing on the organization’s professional services clients and emerging media offerings while Lawson will work in the Darlington, Wisc., office on The Hondo Group’s ever-expanding list of agribusiness clients.
  • BNSF Logistics LLC announced that MachineryLink has selected BNSF Logistics to provide equipment utilization services for MachineryLink’s fleet operations and surge capacity management for seasonal demand. MachineryLink will utilize the services of BNSF Logistics to identify and facilitate optimal backhaul movements for its fleet, repositioning the specialized equipment into the company’s key areas of need, while minimizing deadhead miles. BNSF Logistics will also provide MachineryLink with additional specialized capacity to ensure consistent and timely service to its clients.
  • PureSense, the leader in real-time irrigation and water management solutions for agriculture, announced Keith Hartley has joined the team as the company’s VP of Sales & Marketing.
    Zimfo Bytes

    AgCareers.com Video Update

    Chuck Zimmerman

    At the recent National Agri-Marketing Conference we teamed up with AgriMarketing Magazine to produce video presentations with some of the Connection Point exhibitors. I’m going to post their videos here over the next couple days for you starting with AgCareers.com.

    In this video you can learn about AgCareers.com with Eric Spell, Vice President of Farms.com/AgCareers.com. He describes the goal of the company and provides advice to young professionals seeking to advance their career.

    Agribusiness, NAMA, Video

    Jon Scholl New President of American Farmland Trust

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Jon SchollAmerican Farmland Trust has a new President to replace Ralph Grossi who is stepping down after 23 years.

    Scholl, an Illinois farmer, has most recently served as the Counselor to the Administrator for Agricultural Policy at US EPA where he led the development of the first EPA National Agriculture Strategy, agricultural advisory committee, and agency-wide cross media agriculture team. In addition, he helped direct Agency regulations on animal feeding operations, spill prevention, clean air rules and emission reporting requirements; and provided input and counsel to the USDA farm bill team on the conservation provisions of the Administration’s 2007 farm bill proposal.

    Prior to that position, Scholl served for 25 years with the Illinois Farm Bureau as Executive Assistant to the President, and in a variety of other positions including director of public policy, director of national legislation, and director of natural resources. In these roles, Scholl gained extensive public policy and legislative experience at all levels of government. Read More

    Ag Groups

    BASF Turning Science into Innovation

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Dr. Peter EckesDr. Peter Eckes spoke at the BASF Media Summit about how the company is turning science into innovation in the Crop Protection division.

    Dr. Peter Eckes, Senior Vice President Global Research and Development for Crop Protection at BASF, stressed that new active ingredients are key to future success and points to Kixor herbicide as a good example. “Such breakthroughs are providing our customers with the tools they need to improve productivity.” According to Eckes, BASF Crop Protection research and development is fueled by the company’s extensive corporate research platform. As an example, he highlights new product innovations based on BASF’s best-in-class polymer research. “With new polymer technology we can give existing active ingredients, such as Prowl H2O® herbicide, for example, better performance. The new encapsulated formulation provides targeted release and better efficacy. We are also translating these advances in formulation technologies into new product concepts that will provide new benefits to our customers.”

    You can listen to and download his remarks here: Listen To RemarksDr. Peter Eckes Remarks (30 min MP3)

    Or listen to them here now:basf-media-summit-7.mp3

    BASF Media Event Photo Album

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

    Audio, BASF

    BASF Crop Protection Update

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Mike HeinzOne of our speakers at the BASF Media Summit was Michael Heinz, President of BASF’s Crop Protection Division. He focused on the business aspects of how well his division is performing and what the future holds.

    “Today, growers seek to maximize productivity on limited land and to minimize their risk in light of rising input costs,” said Michael Heinz, President of BASF’s Crop Protection division. “For both, they need innovative solutions. As the division’s business results last year and in the first-quarter of 2008 have shown, our long-term strategy of investing in innovative solutions is paying off,” he added. Heinz pointed out that innovation at BASF comes from all facets of the business – from research and development, to new business approaches and value-adding services.

    You can listen to and download Mike’s remarks here: Listen To InterviewMike Heinz Remarks (15 min MP3)

    Or listen to them here now:basf-media-summit-6.mp3

    BASF Media Event Photo Album

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

    Audio, BASF

    Alltech is iCasting About Swine Nutrition

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Alltech NuPro iCastSwine producers are invited to an Alltech iCast on nutrition. It’s “an online video discussion about trial data that was recently conducted by Cape Fear Consulting.” We’re seeing more and more use of video online.

    You are invited to the swine nutrition iCast featuring Dr. Tommy Shipp and Dr. Walter Tibbetts from Cape Fear Consulting. Beginning May 28, 2008 at 1pm CDT, Dr. Shipp and Dr. Tibbetts will share the latest trial data and answer the question does a pig ever get over a good or a bad start.

    After the iCast, stop at the Alltech booth, #217, during World Pork Expo June 6th at 10:00 a.m. to meet Dr. Shipp and Dr. Tibbetts and ask questions about the trial.

    This online iCast is by invitation only. Register now!

    Alltech, Pork

    Getting Real With Michael Peterson

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Michael Peterson's My Real Life TourBefore I had even left Washington, DC I was being asked, “Chuck, where are you going next?” Well, I’m going on a Real Life Tour. In fact, it’s Michael Peterson’s My Real Life Tour.

    Next week I’ll join the tour in Lincoln, NE and follow along to document what the Tour is all about. So, there’s the answer to the question.

    I think you’ll be able to start seeing posts from the road by Wednesday morning. I’m sure you’re going to be inspired and maybe even a little amazed by what Michael is doing with young people around our country.

    Uncategorized

    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