Beef Board Members Will Be BUSY

Chuck Zimmerman

Executive Committee LunchThe executive committee of the Beef Board is already at work here in Denver. They get together to make sure everything is in order before everyone else arrives at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference. At their lunch meeting I spoke with CBB chairman, Ken Stielow. He provides us with an overview of the conference from the Checkoff perspective.

Ken says that they’re going to be BUSY. For one thing he says they’ll get to see a new set of creative advertising that’s being proposed. That’s going to take some time and thought. Although it’s fun to see the new ideas he says they take it very seriously since there is a big responsibility to spend Checkoff dollars wisely.

Ken says that while the Beef Board is meeting the dairy checkoff organization will also be meeting. He says this will provide an opportunity for better support and understanding on the part of dairy producers. He’s also hoping that by meeting together they’ll find some synergy in some of the promotional efforts each organization is working on.

Listen to my interview with Ken here (4 min.): cisc-07-stielow.mp3

2007 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

The Cattle Industry Media Room Masters

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe Schuele and Grace WebbThe masters of the media room are Joe Schuele and Grace Webb. Once again they’re setting up for the media. This time at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference.

Things don’t really get cranked up until tomorrow but us bloggers are on the scene early (actually I’m the only one here at the moment). I interviewed Joe and Grace as they were working. You can tell that they’ve already lost too much sleep and we’ve got a long way to go. However, I did get some serious comments out of them during the interview.

Joe says that some of the issues being discussed here this week include the farm bill and energy bill since both will have an impact on the pocket books of cattlemen of which he expects about 1,000 to be here during the conference. Grace says they’re expecting about 35 to 40 media representatives.

Here’s my interview with the media room masters: cisc-07-media-room.mp3

2007 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Downloadable Media Organization Formed

Chuck Zimmerman

Association for Downloadable MediaHere’s some evidence to show how serious podcasting is becoming. It’s a new group that’s just being formed to address standards with downloadable media like podcasts. It’s the Association for Downloadable Media. The initial mission statement is:

To provide leadership in and organization of advertising and audience measurement standards, research, education and advocacy to all those involved in portable media (Podcasts/ATOM/RSS media enclosures) across the Internet, iPods, MP3 players, mobile devices, P2P and other upcoming platforms.

Here’s an excerpt from their news release earlier today:

Industry leaders from the podcasting community announced today the formation of the Association for Downloadable Media (ADM). The goal of the ADM is to develop standardization of audience measurement and advertising for downloadable media. The ADM will focus primarily on the world of podcasting, downloadable media and portable content monetized by advertising and sponsorship. The ADM will create a landscape that facilitates the commercialization of this growing audience.

The purview of the ADM includes revenue generation from advertising and sponsorships of podcasts, vodcasts (aka vidcasts, video podcasts, or vlogs), and other audio/video digital content distributed via RSS, ATOM, peer-to-peer, mobile devices, downloads from Web sites and other platforms to come.

The organization has been formed to focus specifically on any content downloaded by consumers, and will work in collaboration with related industry organizations, publishers and agencies such as the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA).

Great idea and I’ve already submitted my name to be one of the first to join as soon as membership is available. Now do you think we could have a committee or offshoot organization called the Association of Downloadable Farm Media?

Podcasts

Precision Ag by Croplife

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-128 - Croplife Precision AgricultureAt the 2007 InfoAg Expo I had a nice conversation with Paul Schrimpf, editor, CropLife Media Group. His company was one of the key organizers of the event and the Precision Ag Awards from the Precision Ag Institute. In the photo he was announcing the award winners.

Paul SchrimpfWhile talking with Paul he explains how they are involved with the conference. We also talked about how technology is changing the way we communicate as much as the way we farm. For example, he says that they’ve surveyed precision ag farmers and they’re likely to have high speed internet so that’s making his publication company pay more attention to what they’re doing online. For one thing, they’ve kind of re-launched PrecisionAg.com and Paul’s even making blog entries.

The program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network and Andrew Pfaff. The song is “Information Technology.” After all that’s what we’re talking about!

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 128 (17 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast128-7-15-07.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, Media, Precision Agriculture, ZimmCast

Beef Board Blogging Once Again

Chuck Zimmerman

Cattle Industry Summer ConferenceThis week I’ll be the Beef Board Blogger once again in Denver. It’s time for the Cattle Industry Summer Conference.

I’ll be posting here and on Beef Board Meeting.com. That’s the Cattlemen’s Beef Board blog which is used to archive committee meeting agendas, notes and minutes. This will be the 4th meeting that I’ve blogged for CBB. The site is now becoming a meaningful and searchable archive of CBB activities.

If you’re interested to see what’s on the agenda you can find it here. Interested in going? Here’s a downloadable brochure.

Ag Groups, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Clark Brook Farm Blog

Chuck Zimmerman

Clark Brook FarmNot to put any pressure on Mandi or anything but since she brought my attention to her blog then you know I’m going to let people know about it. Her blog is Clark Brook Farm and here’s how she describes what they’re doing.

Sorry to say, but Clark Brook Farm doesn’t exist. Not yet anyway. This blog is about a farm that is still in the making. I am Amanda. My husband Ben and I have three daughters, Bethany age three, Abigail age two, and Kathleen age one. We live on a 100 acres in a mobile home in Maine. We plan to build a cordwood house and start a farm to be self sufficient within the next few years. We don’t expect to make a big profit but we do hope to grow enough food to feed our family.

Sounds like a challenge Mandi but one that can be very rewarding. A lot of people are doing what you’re doing or at least in part.

Farming

Zimmerman White Corn to Hoegemeyer Hybrids

Chuck Zimmerman

Hoegemeyer HybridsI didn’t even know there was a white corn named Zimmerman until Syngenta announced that it had granted exclusive right for sales and distribution of the hybrids to Hoegemeyer Hybrids in the U. S. A corn hybrid named after me. Well not me but it has my name so it’s got to be good.

Included in the agreement are Zimmerman white corn hybrids: 1713W, 1714W and 1863W. A separate research and development agreement for the Syngenta white corn breeding program allows Dr. Tom Hoegemeyer to expand and diversify his proprietary breeding efforts in white corn.

As Syngenta focuses its product development resources on becoming the leading customer choice for high-yielding germplasm and traits and strengthens its commitment to renewable fuels, this arrangement enables continuing availability of Zimmerman white corn products to food manufactures through the Hoegemeyer brand.

Agribusiness, Corn

Ag Media Summit Shatters Records

Chuck Zimmerman

2007 Ag Media SummitThe Agricultural Media Summit is shaping up to be an awesome event this year. It’s only 2 weeks away! This year’s event is record shattering because we already have the most attendees, most exhibitors and most sponsors ever. The coolest thing is that I made the highlight list.

AMS – which began in 1999 – is a partnership of the American Agricultural Editors Association (AAEA) , American Business Media AgriCouncil (ABM) and the Livestock Publications Council (LPC). It also hosts the annual meetings of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) and Agricultural Relations Council (ARC). AMS focuses on professional education and networking for reporters, editors, designers, sales staff, publishers, public relations professionals, corporate communications practitioners and students involved in media and communications within the agricultural community.

Attendance will be at an all-time high of nearly 550, according to Diane Johnson, AMS registration coordinator. The attendees are coming from 33 states and three countries. This year’s attendees include a 17-member delegation from Mali, Africa. They are exchange students at Oklahoma State University. A record 75 exhibitors will be at the AMS Info-Expo according to Den Gardner, AMS exhibitor coordinator. This is the third successive year the trade show has sold out.

Dan Glickman, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, will keynote the conference at an 11:30 a.m. luncheon on Monday, July 30. And country singer performer Michael Peterson will entertain and motivate conference attendees at lunch on Tuesday, July 31.

Other highlights of the professional development program include:

• In addition to talking about interpersonal intelligence, Michael Bugeja, director and professor of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University, will unveil his newest book Living Ethics Across Media Platforms in a session with the same name.

• Bill Luster, Louisville Courier-Journal photographer, will talk about finding the right angle and other challenges facing news photographers.

• Brian Throckmorton, Lexington Herald-Leader, will speak on Creativity in Headlines.

• Chuck Zimmerman, co-owner of ZimmComm New Media, will present two sessions on blogging.

• Sheila Coles of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will focus on listening for better interviews.

• Syndicated cartoonist Leigh Rubin will talk about staying inspired, motivated and creative.

ACN, Ag Media Summit, LPC

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • BASF and Cibus, a US plant breeding technology company, have announced that they have reached a collaborative agreement to develop and commercialize non-GM herbicide tolerance in oilseed rape and canola. Cibus’ proprietary gene conversion technology, known as the Rapid Trait Development System (RTDSTM), will be used to enhance the CLEARFIELD® Production System in oilseed rape and canola. The joint project will enhance the value provided to the market by BASF’s unique herbicide tolerant cropping system, the CLEARFIELD® Production System. The CLEARFIELD Production System combines agronomically advanced seed varieties and custom-designed imidazolinone herbicides to provide extended grass and broadleaf weed control.
  • John Deere Publishing has revised four of its current educational books in the company’s comprehensive line of 2006 textbooks and guides. These books include “Combine Harvesting”, “Hay and Forage Harvesting”, “Tillage” and “Preventive Maintenance”. These educational books cover agribusiness management practices, agricultural machinery operation and adjustments, and equipment servicing and maintenance.
  • Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. (NYSE/Nasdaq: CME) and CBOT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BOT) today announced that they have completed the merger of their companies. The combined company, CME Group Inc., a CME/Chicago Board of Trade Company, will be the world’s largest and most diverse exchange, with all major benchmark asset classes ultimately available on a single trading platform and floor. CME Group stock will trade on the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ under the ticker symbol “CME.” “This is a historic day for both companies, as our two Chicago institutions join to create CME Group,” said CME Group Executive Chairman Terry Duffy.
Zimfo Bytes

USAHA Moves To Midwest

Laura McNamara

The United States Animal Health AssociationThe United States Animal Health Association is trading East coast maritime scenery for rugged, river bluffs in the Midwest. This national animal health forum has relocated its headquarters to St. Joseph, MO from Richmond, VA.

“This is a very exciting time for USAHA,” says USAHA president and Georgia State Veterinarian Lee M. Myers. “We have been pleased with the results of our transition to Missouri, and plan to continue the same valuable contribution to the animal health community.”

Established in 1897, the USAHA aims to protect animal and public health by eliminating live stock disease. Its 1,400 members include state and federal animal health officials, national allied organizations, regional representatives, and individual members.

“St. Joseph has a strong animal health community,” says Ted Allison, president and CEO, St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce. “Both the USAHA and area companies will benefit from this move.”

St. Joseph lies within the KC Animal Health Corridor. The area represent one-third of global animal health industry sales.

“As we looked at the greater Kansas City area for our location, we felt St. Joseph provided our needs to manage the association, with an area that is well-known for its presence in animal health,” says executive director Ben Richey. “We are pleased to call St. Joseph our new home.”

“USAHA will find a collaborative animal health community in the KC Animal Health Corridor,” says Joerg Ohle, chairman, KC Animal Health Corridor Initiative and president and general manager of Bayer Corp.’s Animal Health Division, North America. “We welcome them to the team.”

“The addition of a prominent animal health trade association, such as the USAHA, is an essential element to the Kansas City animal health industry base,” says Bob Marcusse, president and CEO, Kansas City Area Development Council.

Ag Groups, Animal Health