Liz and Carrol Say It Is AFACT

Chuck Zimmerman

AFACTIt is a fact according to AFACT, American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology. And that’s their web domain too. Liz Doornink and Carrol Campbell want to talk to you at this week’s NAMA Convention. They’re exhibiting at the Connection Point – Booth 318.

American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology (AFACT) was organized by farmers frustrated by the loss of safe and valuable management tools with no scientific justification and no economic compensation.

As the organization’s name implies, AFACT is dedicated to conserving existing safe management practices and supporting the advancement of new technologies with collaborative ties to all commodity segments and allied industries.

AFACT’s Mission

* Safeguard the image of modern agriculture products in the market place
* Provide consumers safe, valuable and wholesome products
* Advocate for producers’ freedom to choose production technologies and practices for the benefit of all
* Support the development of agricultural technological advances required to feed a growing global population
* Educate all in the food chain that “sustainable” agriculture utilizes technologies to produce safe, nutritious and affordable foods with minimal environmental impact and maximum consumer value

Ag Groups

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • John Deere announces an agreement with IRON Solutions to align and integrate product offerings to assist John Deere agricultural equipment dealers in evaluating and pricing used equipment. This collaboration will facilitate and streamline the machine listing process and enhance the accuracy of equipment valuations. The UsedXpress and www.machinefinder.com remarketing systems will be able to integrate broad equipment market intelligence data available in the IRON Solutions Official Guides.
  • Bayer CropScience LP and Monsanto Company entered into an exclusive agreement on a new cutting-edge fungicide seed treatment for corn. The treatment, which is expected to be commercialized in conjunction with the planned launch of Monsanto’s SmartStax™ seed offering in 2010, will provide corn farmers with a significant improvement in early-season protection against seedling diseases and insects.
  • Crossbow Technology, Inc., announced it has begun customer shipments of eKo Pro Series. eKo Pro Series represents the next generation in crop monitoring and precision agriculture techniques, employing a self-powered, self configuring mesh network of wireless sensors that provide vital live data about crop health, vigor and growth progress via a simple internet browser.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Podcast Audience Grows Significantly

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ArbitronFor those of you who are continuing to ponder the wonder of new media and are maybe waiting out this “fad” then you might want to take notice of a recent Arbitron-Edison Media Research study titled, “The Infinite Dial 2008: Radio’s Digital Platforms.” You will find that there continues to be huge growth in the number of people with iPods and who are listening to podcasts. That growth percentage is 40 percent. Here’s some nuggets from the study:

    • iPod/Portable MP3 player ownership continues dramatic growth. Nearly four in ten
      (37 percent) own an iPod or other brand of portable MP3 player; up from 30 percent in
      2007 and more than two and a half times the number in 2005 (14 percent). Nearly three-
      quarters (73 percent) of those age 12-17 own a digital audio player.
    • Audio podcasting usage continues to increase along side the proliferation of
      iPod/MP3 player ownership. Eighteen percent have ever listened to an audio podcast;
      up from 13 percent in 2007. Nine percent have listened to an audio podcast in the past
      month (an estimated 23 million).

    The study also found out how important mobile phones are to people today:

    More than one in five (21 percent) consumers said radio has a big impact on their lives; ranking second only to mobile phones (33 percent) as the audio platform/device that has the biggest impact on people’s lives.

    Podcasts

    Blogging Alltech’s Symposium

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The Alltech Symposium BlogLast year I got to attend part of the Alltech International Animal Health & Nutrition Symposium. This year it’s going to be the whole enchilada as I will be the Symposium blogger for their new Symposium blog. Right now you can find just one post with the following interview with Dr. Pearse Lyons. He’s got a fascinating concept of “marketing by education” with this event being the hallmark of it. This will be the 24th annual Symposium

    Listen to Dr. Lyons talk about the Symposium: alltech-symposium-08-lyons-preview.mp3

    You’ll also be finding great content from the Symposium right here on AgWired. It all kicks off starting next Sunday.

    Alltech, Audio

    Commodity Update Is Key To NAMA

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Commodity UpdateHere’s another in the “What Companies Are Doing At NAMA” series. Our good friends at Commodity Update are sponsoring the hotel room keys. This is the image you’ll see on your keys when you check in at the Hyatt this week.

    They’re also announcing that they’re now being represented by Bock and Associates.

    Commodity Update today announced they have entered into an exclusive representation agreement with Minneapolis-based Bock & Associates. The firm will represent Commodity Update and its services to leading Agricultural companies and advertising agencies throughout the U.S. marketplace.

    “When we started our business, the sales of our services were primarily direct to producers,” says Joel Jaeger, President and founder of Commodity Update. “As our business has evolved, we have increasingly been approached by companies who seek to provide our services to their customers as part of their overall marketing efforts. It’s a great fit for us to expand our high end sales function by partnering with Bock & Associates.”

    “We are excited to be working with Joel and everyone at Commodity Update,” says Bock and Associates principal Tom Bock. “This service is a powerful mobile marketing tool for Ag companies and has great value for the producer.” Bock & Associates can be contacted at (800) 284-6020.

    Uncategorized

    Virtual Agronomy Down Under

    Chuck Zimmerman

    BCGI think virtual agronomy is a great idea and term for using the internet for a virtual field day. That’s what the BCG (Birchip Cropping Group and Wimmera Farming Systems) is doing in Australia.

    Virtual Agronomy allows the BCG to provide a more detailed, current and interactive service to its members without replacing any existing extension tools. It is user-friendly for members and allows for slow dial-up connections. Administration users (ie. BCG staff) can easily and rapidly enter trial details from any computer with internet access. This is a cost-effective way of instantly providing BCG members with information.

    Virtual Agronomy has allowed BCG members to:

    * follow the progress of current trials from sowing through to harvest,
    * learn more about “Hot Topics” as they arise during the season (eg. disease outbreak) with text, images, and video or audio recordings from invited experts
    * search through a database of historical BCG trial results from 1993 to the present
    * contribute to different discussion forums or post a question to BCG staff or technical consultants,
    * receive the full application on CD-Rom at the end of alternate years.

    Read a summary here. Thanks to Jim Evans at the Agricultural Communications Documentation Center for the information.

    International, Internet

    Farms.com Professional Services NAMA Bound

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Farms.comHere’s another post in my series on what companies are doing at next week’s NAMA Convention. This time it’s Farms.com Professional Services.

    Farms.com Professional Services will be at booth #112 during the NAMA Conference and we hope to see you there.

    What?s in Your Web Strategy?

    In 2007, of US farms with 250,000+ in sales, 80% had computer access and 75% had Internet access ? does your online marketing plan take this new reality into account?

    If you need online solutions, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss your challenges with you to help you to find the solutions you need.

    If you already have an online marketing strategy, but are having difficulty implementing the tactics, we can help.

    Or, if you don?t have an online strategy, we can get you started.

    Our team has the web expertise in agriculture and food you need to get the answers!

    So stop by and see them and make sure to say hello at the ZimmComm Booth while you’re there!

    NAMA

    Green Wine

    Laura McNamara

    No, not the color green. Environmentally green. Parducci Wine Cellars says its the first winery to go carbon neutral. And, the winery is now operating on 100 percent solar and wind power.

    Parducci effectively transferred all of its energy needs to non-polluting, renewable sources by supplementing its on-site solar power with Green-E(R) certified wind energy purchased from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. The annual positive environmental impact of the winery’s 100% green power use is equivalent to:

    — removing 172 cars from the road for a year, or
    — planting 242 acres of trees, or
    — not driving a passenger vehicle 2,171,450 miles.

    The oldest family-owned winery in Northern California’s Mendocino County, Parducci Wine Cellars is committed to responsible land stewardship, sustainable viticulture and green business practices that yield superior wines while protecting the environment.

    In 2007 Parducci received the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, California’s highest environmental honor, for the company’s efforts to combat climate change. In addition to buying grapes from local family farmers, Parducci uses sustainable farming practices including bio-diesel tractors in the vineyards and 100% green power as well as earth friendly packaging at the winery. Parducci’s respect for the land yields quality wines as evident by recent 90+ point scores in several national wine publications.

    Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Energy, Environment, Food, Technology

    Teens With Culinary Talent Compete Coast to Coast

    Laura McNamara

    The pursuit of the next Best Teen Chef is kicking off. The International Culinary Schools and The Art Institutes nationwide are hosting local cook-off competitions to find teens who can turn food into culinary masterpieces.

    Who will be the Best Teen Chef 2008? Hundreds of high school seniors and budding chefs will get one step closer to learning the answer on Saturday, April 12 as they head to The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef 2008 Local Cook-off Competitions.

    Coast-to-coast, Best Teen Chef Local Cook-off Competitions will be held at participating The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes locations across the U.S. and Canada.

    Following the Local Cook-off Competitions, local winners will head to The Art Institute of Las Vegas for the Best Teen Chef Final Round Competition on May 17.

    Top prize winners in the Competition can win a full-tuition scholarship toward an associate’s degree, certificate or diploma program to study Culinary Arts at one of the more than 30 participating Art Institutes locations.Read More

    Food

    Call for Entries: Markwart Horizon Award

    Laura McNamara

    AAEAMembers of the American Agricultural Economics Association, active or affiliate, who are 35 years of age or younger are eligible for this year’s Andy Markwart Horizon Award. And, interested applicants have a little extra time on their hands. The application deadline has been extended to May 15. So get those apps in!

    Winner will be recognized at the 2008 Ag Media Summit, July 26-28, 2008, at Tampa, Florida, and awarded a $2,500 stipend to be used to attend a class, seminar or workshop to improve his or herself as an agricultural communicator. Examples include attending the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) annual congress, or the Ag Media Summit. Last year’s recipient, Progressive Farmer’s Jamie Cole, sought the stipend to attend a three-day, professional Web publishing course offered by Stanford University. The class/seminar/workshop must be approved by the AAEA Professional Improvement Foundation.

    Award Criteria: Award will be made to an AAEA member who embodies the youthful vigor, energy, passion, dedication and creativity shown by Andy Markwart in his volunteer work for AAEA for many years.Read More

    ACN, Ag Groups, Education