A Revolutionary Cotton Picker

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere Cotton PickerJohn Deere says that their new 7760 Cotton Picker will revolutionize harvesting the crop.

This machine was on display in action at last week’s Sunbelt Ag Expo. Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman was on hand to obtain interviews for me. He spoke with Jamie Flood, Deere’s Cotton Marketing Manager, who worked with the 7760 development in Iowa. You can listen to Randall’s interview here: 10-17-07%20John%20Deere-Jamie%20Flood.mp3

John Deere Cotton PickerHere’s what makes the machine special:

The 7760 Picker will build a round module on the machine while harvesting cotton. Then it will wrap the cotton module in a protective film to preserve fiber and seed quality, and minimize any crop loss during handling and transport. Without ever stopping the machine during picking, the operator can then carry the module to the end of the field to be transported later to the gin. This efficient, non-stop harvesting system eliminates unloading into a boll buggy and processing in a module builder. Ultimately, the producer saves time, fuel and manpower when harvesting and processing the cotton.

Besides Jamie, Randall also spoke with Barry Nelson, Deere’s Manager of Public Relations.

You can listen to Randall’s interview with Barry here: 10-17-07%20John%20Deere-Barry%20Nelson.mp3

Agribusiness, Audio, Cotton, John Deere

Train Employees to Service The Rural Lifestyle Market

Chuck Zimmerman

Kelly LoganbillAt the Country Living Outlook Conference one of the speakers on our program was country lifestyler, Kelly Loganbill. Kelly works in town and makes an 80 plus mile round trip each day from her home.

She wants companies servicing the rural lifestyle market to know that they separate their work and personal lives and that they need information and supplies to complete their home projects. She says that the marketers in attendance at the conference asked a lot of questions about the kind of research they do, how/where/why they make purchases and how they use mail. She says that although she doesn’t have high speed internet access on at their home that she and her husband use it a lot where they can like at work.

Kelly says that she thinks there’s a real need for companies to train their employees to work with rural lifestyle people. She says that often they’ll be trained to work with large scale farmers but her needs are very different.

You can listen to my interview with Kelly here: cla-07-loganbill.mp3

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

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Elanco Animal Health Launches Beefcast

Laura McNamara

Cotton Inc.Beef isn’t just what’s for dinner anymore. It’s what’s for your ipod… or itunes, or any mp3 compatible gadget for that matter. Elanco Animal Health is now offering producers, veterinarians and nutritionists expert advice through its sponsorship of Truffle Media Network’s BeefCast(TM).

Each week, three 10- to 15-minute programs, which feature experts’ comments on beef production, industry issues and other wide-ranging topics, are produced. BeefCast podcasts are sponsored exclusively by Elanco Animal Health, hosted by Ned Arthur of Truffle Media Networks and made available free to listeners.

More than 80 previously recorded programs already are available, including discussions of beef-production subjects such as storm-related nutrition recovery, Johne’s Disease and tips for when to call/not call your veterinarian. Experts also have shared perspectives on personnel management, how to maintain consumer trust, factors affecting meat quality and agro-terrorism.

Ag Groups, Beef, Podcasts

Corn Guy to the Rescue

Chuck Zimmerman

Will Corn Guy.tv say the day for corn growers everywhere? Who is Corn Guy? You’ll have to watch the series to find out. It’s all part of a new program being conducted by the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest’s Minnesota E85 Team.

America, meet a new superhero: Corn Guy, now seen on his own website: www.cornguy.tv.

The Minnesota E85 Team asked Chuck Olsen, a well-known filmmaker and video blogger (“vlogger”) from Minneapolis to create the Corn Guy series as part of its viral video campaign. These are a series of short, YouTube-style video clips, designed to be shared on the Internet. The public-private Team, directed by the American Lung Association of Minnesota, is using the humorous and unconventional method to reach those who now use the Web as a primary source of news, information and entertainment.

Bob Moffitt, Communications Director says, “We’ve had success in the past using blogs, podcasts and live webchats to promote issues important to the American Lung Association, so we decided to use these to share the truth about E85 and biodiesel, two cleaner fuels we strongly supports.”

Here’s the first video in the series:

You can subscribe to Corn Guy.tv in iTunes so you won’t miss an episode. I have.

Corn, Ethanol, Video

Cotton Highlights It’s ‘Natural’ Quality

Laura McNamara

Cotton Inc.The “green” trend that’s picking up steam in the U.S. is giving the cotton industry an incentive to promote its “natural” quality. Cotton Incorporated is making some small, but significant changes to its add campaign in an effort to let consumers know that cotton meets the criteria for being “green”.

Cotton Incorporated announced the timely return of an American favorite: the touch the feel of cotton, THE FABRIC OF OUR LIVES(R). The familiar words and music, the hallmark of the company’s television campaign for nearly fifteen years, is being brought back as part of a larger marketing initiative that presents cotton as a natural choice. The commercial, as well as television and Internet billboards, will conclude with a variation of the well-known Seal of Cotton trademark that includes the addition of the word “Natural.”

“Our research shows that there is considerable confusion in consumer minds surrounding green marketing,” says Cotton Incorporated President and Chief Executive Officer J. Berrye Worsham. “The introduction of the Natural(TM) trademark in conjunction with the now-iconic THE FABRIC OF OUR LIVES words and music, reminds consumers that cotton is, indeed, natural and an ideal choice for the environmentally-minded consumer.”

The Natural trademark appearing at the commercial’s conclusion is more than just punctuation. Cotton Incorporated, the research and marketing company funded by U.S. cotton growers and importers, is offering the new trademark as a marketing tool to those retailers and brands wishing to promote their 100% cotton products. The plan also includes promotional and public relations support from Cotton Incorporated. The approach is indicative of the company’s ongoing commitment to reducing the cotton industry’s environmental footprint.

Agribusiness, Cotton

You Can’t iTouch This

Chuck Zimmerman

iTouch ThisI’ll add a picture to this post later. Right now I’m at one of my favorite coffee shops using my new iTouch. It’s more than a new iPod. It’s a computer. Typing on the touchscreen takes a little getting used to but with free wi-fi I’m surfing baby!

The new iTouch synced right up with my iTunes and the coolest thing is being able to watch my YouTube videos and show them off. They look great too. I love my video iPod but this is a whole new experience.

Now you know what to get the farmer or agricultural marketer on your Christmas list.

Post Update: Picture added

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Agrimarketing Magazine Goes Digital

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-142 - Lynn HendersonReaching people who live the country life has been the subject of several articles in Agrimarketing Magazine. That’s why Lynn Henderson, Publisher, was on hand at the Country Living Outlook Conference. Lynn says that the rural lifestyle market presents a significant opportunity for traditional agribusiness companies.

Agrimarketing DigitalBesides talking about country living we also talked about Agrimarketing Magazine going digital. I read my digital edition of Agrimarketing as soon as I got it and it’s now my preferred way to receive the publication. Lynn says there are 4 main reasons why he chose to go to a digital edition.

  • He can get the magazine out 2 weeks before it shows up in the mail.
  • His audience is wired and on high speed internet access and ready for it.
  • His next generation of readers have grown up with the computer.
  • Now subscribers who travel can read the magazine while online.

Of course I had to ask if this means he’ll stop printing the magazine. Lynn says his advisory board asked him immediately, “You’re not going to do away with the magazine are you.” So although it would represent a huge cost savings he has no plans to quit printing the magazine.

One of the things the digital edition does according to Lynn is present some new advertising opportunities since it can contain audio and video and links to online content. He says the response has been tremendous so far and he’s noticed that it’s driving more traffic to the Agrimarketing website.

The program concludes this week with music from the Podsafe Music Network. This week’s song is “Coyotes Song – End of Hunting” by the No Plastic Inside. I’m going to be taking a few days off later this week and again in a few weeks to do some hunting so I thought it worked.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 142 (18 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast142-10-22-07.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

Audio, Publication, ZimmCast

National Beef Ambassador Announced

Melissa Sandfort

Beef Ambassador CompetitorsCaitlin Williams, Tucson, Ariz. (pictured right), won the title of 2008 National Beef Ambassador at the annual competition, held Oct. 18-20 in New Orleans, La. The competition was established on behalf of cattle producers in 1988 and is funded by the beef checkoff. Twenty-one contestants from throughout the country vied for the national title and $5,000 in cash prizes sponsored exclusively by Tyson Foods, Inc.

Williams, a sophomore at the University of Arizona, is pursuing a degree in Agriculture Education. Her favorite thing to do is to work toward her goals, step back and see the rewards of her hard work. She strives to do her best in anything she puts her efforts into and believes that dedication is the key to any success. She devotes her life and time to agriculture and the beef industry and feels that she can make a positive difference in the lives of many through education and promotion.

While preparing for this national speaking competition, youth learn about the importance of the beef industry and beef as an agricultural product. The program highlights the positive impact the cattle industry has on our economy and families. Trained youth ambassadors address industry issues and misconceptions, while they help educate peers and consumers about food safety, nutrition and the Beef Checkoff Program.

Contestants participating in the National Beef Ambassador Competition presented a speech about the promotional aspects of beef, completed interviews with media and beef-industry representatives and attended a checkoff-funded educational workshop titled “Telling the Beef Production Story.”

Ag Groups, Beef

Country Living Olympics Water Bucket Filling

Chuck Zimmerman

Country Living Olympics Water Bucket FillingWater Bucket Filling would not be my favorite chore out on the farm but it’s just one of those things you have to do. I prefer taking pictures of other people doing it for competition.

I can’t even remember the exact details of how this one worked but you had to run back and forth moving water from one tub to another and it was timed event.

You can watch this girl in action on YouTube if you’d like:

By the way, if you want to subscribe to my YouTube videos so you’ll automatically know when I’ve added a new one then use this link. I’ve got 92 videos in my account that have been collectively viewed about 100,000 times so far.

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Behind The Scenes at Drake & Company

Chuck Zimmerman

Steve DrakeIf you know Steve Drake then you know he likes to work in the background. In fact, after taking about 500 pictures at the Country Living Association activities last week none of them have Steve in it.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t get to talk to Steve though. His company, Drake & Company, is an accredited association management firm. Basically they are the staff and headquarters for several national organizations like the National Christmas Tree Association and Alpha Zeta. Of course the Country Living Association is one of those too.

Steve says that everyone is looking at this rural lifestyle market and trying to figure out how to reach it. He said that he saw a need for an organization to bring the community together. So how large is the market? Steve says he hears figures of from 2 to 20 million people. When I asked him how the CLA is marketing itself to reach this market he says that right now they’ve been working with their corporate partners and doing promotions and publicity.

As the CLA grows it’s obvious to me that the organization itself will become a viable way to reach out to the rural lifestyle market. That’s why if you’re not a sponsor now you might want to consider becoming one.

You can listen to my interview with Steve here: cla-07-drake.mp3

Country Living Outlook Conference Photo Album

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