AgraGate Picks Meyocks Group

Chuck Zimmerman

Meyocks GroupThe brave folks at The Meyocks Group have been selected as the agency of record for AgragGate Climate Credits Corporation, my sponsor here at the Ag Media Summit. You can count on the fact that we’re going to be learning more about carbon credit offsets!

AgraGate is a subsidiary of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, which has been involved in the emerging market for carbon offsets since 2003. AgraGate has contracted with farmers, ranchers and private landowners in 16 states for more than a million acres of carbon offsets. The credits are traded on the Chicago Climate Exchange.

The Meyocks Group helped create the AgraGate brand and will handle ongoing public relations and advertising responsibilities for the company.

“We’re pleased to have the services of the experienced team at The Meyocks Group,” said Dave Krog, AgraGate chief executive. “Our plan is to expand what’s been a successful regional program and take it nationwide in a relatively short time, so the agency’s brand-building expertise is important.”

Agencies, Agribusiness

Meet the Hubers

Chuck Zimmerman

Huber Winery TourThe farm tour at the Huber Winery Opening Reception was a little more sedate than the one we went on Saturday. Although I’m sure the end result for some people might have been the same (at least from what I’ve heard). Me, I was a good boy going home on the early bus.

While we were at the Huber farm I met with owners Greg and Jan Huber. They walked me through a description of how they’ve built up this agritourist destination over many years. One of the biggest pieces of advice they offer to farmers who might think about this is patience and “don’t try to do everything at once.” Here on the farm they’ve got a winery, fresh produce market, u-pick operation, ice cream shop, kids park and petting zoo and conference facility and it’s all beautiful.

Meet the Hubers in this interview: ams-07-huber.mp3

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit, Audio, Farming

Promoting IFAJ 2009 Congress

Chuck Zimmerman

Churchill DownsWe had multiple receptions yesterday starting with one to generate interest and support for the 2009 IFAJ Congress which will be held in conjunction with the Ag Media Summit.

So, the organizing committee took many sponsors to Churchill Downs where we watched a video on the conference and had a short presentation by the Committee Co-Chairs Greg Lamp and Mike Wilson.

Greg LampGreg explained where things stand at this point in the planning process during a short interview I did with him afterward.

He wasn’t bashful about saying that they’re asking AMS sponsors to increase their investment in 2009 and sponsor both.

Many of our sponsors are international companies and hopefully the interaction with agricultural journalists from around the world will be attractive and beneficial for them: ams-07-lamp.mp3

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit, Audio, IFAJ

New Bayer CropScience Team Members at R&K

Chuck Zimmerman

Rhea & KaiserThere are some new team members at Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications.

Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications has hired agribusiness communications professional Eileen Crosby as a management supervisor to lead the Southern row crop business for client Bayer CropScience, overseeing activities for the cotton, rice and peanut markets.

To further develop the Bayer CropScience team, Rhea & Kaiser also recently hired Bill McLain and Stacy Mayo, senior account executive and assistant account executive, public relations, respectively.

Crosby brings nearly 20 years of experience to the position. Prior to joining Rhea & Kaiser, she led the cotton account team at Bader Rutter & Associates in Brookfield, Wis., and served as manager of consumer and business-to-business products and services for DMC Advertising Inc. of Pawaukee, Wis.

McLain, who previously managed PR programs for Dow AgroSciences’ Southern crops division at Bader Rutter, will lead day-to-day PR efforts on the FiberMax cotton business. Mayo, a recent graduate of Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and journalism, will provide support to the portfolio of Bayer corn and soybean products.

The agency also promoted Jeff Walter, a seven-year veteran of the Bayer CropScience business, to management supervisor from account supervisor. In his new role, Walter will manage all branding efforts for the Bayer CropScience corn, soybean and sorghum portfolios.

Agencies

Stacked Traits For Breakfast

Chuck Zimmerman

Pancake ChefThis morning Syngenta hosted a pancake breakfast for us and distributed memory sticks containing all the information we need including logos, product info, etc.

They used pancake stacks to emphasize their Agrisure stacked traits for corn. Nice tie in folks.

I’m in my morning session room getting ready to discuss “Blogging for Business.” The early comers are seeing blogging in action. Shortly you’ll get to see them.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit

Opening Reception Fun

Chuck Zimmerman

BCS CommunicationsEven though I took the first bus back from the opening reception at Huber Winery it’s still too late for this agriblogger to get much done tonight. I’ll try to get some new pics added to the photo album though.

Gary, Leigh Ann and Kelly are having fun at the opening reception which is still going on I assume. We had the AMS American Idol contest and I’ll have the results for you tomorrow.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit

Registration and Media Room Are Open

Chuck Zimmerman

BASF Media RoomRegistration is open and so is the BASF Media Room.

I started out working from my room today but will switch to downstairs this afternoon. It’s going to be a busy one. We’ve got sessions starting at 1pm and receptions starting as early as 3:45pm before the big one which will take place at Huber Farms starting at 6pm.

Keep an eye of the photo album which has grown to 130 pictures so far and counting. See anyone you know? How about yourself?

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit

Talking Tobacco

Chuck Zimmerman

Tobacco FlowerIn case you’ve never seen a tobacco flower they are very pretty.

I’m not sure if they have any use and I didn’t ask.

If you’d like to learn a little bit about tobacco then watch this video clip from our farm tour stop.

In it our host shows us the difference in tobacco quality that you get from leaves on different parts of the plant. He also talks about how important immigration reform is to farmers like himself.

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit, Video

Tobbacco Farm Stop

Chuck Zimmerman

Harlan PersingerOne of our stops on the Saturday tour was a tobacco farm. I’m no expert but his crop looked to be in great shape and you can see pictures of it in the photo album. Here’s Harlan Persinger sniffing some dried tobacco that was on display. We didn’t get to chew or smoke any though.

The farmer gave the group a talk about growing tobacco and had several representatives on hand who also provided comments about farming in Kentucky.

Our bus driver, affectionately know as Beanie, did a great job taking care of us as we made our way around the beautiful countryside. I interviewed him during our last leg back to the hotel and he talks about the horse business in particular. He says that people come from all over the world to buy horses just based on their blood lines and before they’ve even been proven on the track: ams-07-beanie.mp3

2007 Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Ag Media Summit
is being sponsored by: AgraGate Climate Credits Corporation

Ag Media Summit