Not Paying Close Attention

Chuck Zimmerman

Me and SteveOur presenter here at the appleJAC Mac Users Group meeting is going through the different types of digital cameras there are available. He hasn’t mentioned the iSight built in to most Macs today.

So while he’s talking my buddy Steve Mays here and I are doing digital photography and I’m posting to AgWired.

I know this doesn’t have anything to do with agricultural marketing but we’re having fun. I hope that I’m also showing you how quick and easy it is to post onto your website (if you’ve got a blog) and from anywhere.

Steve has told me that I can do everything on my PC that I can do on my Mac but, and this is key, it will be a lot more fun doing it. I agree.

Uncategorized

Meeting Some Fellow Mac Users

Chuck Zimmerman

Jefferson City Apple User Group MeetingHere’s a new/next step in my Mac conversion experience. I’m attending my first appleJAC Mac Users Group meeting.

“Hello, my name is Chuck Zimmerman and I’m a Macaholic.”

Actually we’re getting a presentation on digital photography right now. There’s about 25 of us in attendance. I’m hoping for some time to meet with and ask some questions of these folks who have been Mac users for a long time.

On my way out of the house Cindy told my daughter, “Dad’s going to his Apple support group.” Wrong. It’s an Apple “User” group. There’s a difference.

I know you can’t tell here on the website but everything I’ve posted onto AgWired in the last couple weeks has come off my Mac. However, today I fired up and used my PC for a couple of things. Gotta keep in touch with my other side you know.

Uncategorized

NALC Attendees Get Agency Exposure

Chuck Zimmerman

Mike OrsoAt the National Agriculture Leadership Conference, sponsored by Alpha Zeta, that was held in St. Louis recently, Osborn & Barr Communications made a presentation to the students participating.

The conference’s workshops focused on ethics in agribusiness, shaping the image of agriculture and developing sound public policy. 6sborn & Barr and approximately 20 other employers met students and discussed career opportunities during the NALC’s career and internship fair. “Strong agribusiness education programs and organizations like Alpha Zeta are so valuable to our clients and our agency,” said Steve Barr, CEO of Osborn & Barr.

Mike Orso (pictured), associate director at Osborn & Barr, spoke to the nearly 200 college and university students in attendance about effective ways to promote agriculture to the media and in partnership with the media. During his training sessions, Orso explained how to approach diverging views of agriculture and work with the media to convey the value of American agriculture.

Agencies

American Egg Board Appointees

Chuck Zimmerman

American Egg BoardThe American Egg Board members and alternates have been appointed by Ag Secretary Johanns.

Reappointed members and alternates, by region, are:

North Atlantic states – Paul D. Sauder, Lititz, Pa., member; Christopher M. Pierce, Annville, Pa., member; James L. Adams, Mount Joy, Pa., alternate. South Atlantic states – Adolphus (Dolph) B. Baker, Jackson, Miss., member; Michael H. Bynum, Fayetteville, Ark., alternate. East North Central states – Thomas E. Hertzfeld, I, Waterville, Ohio, member. West North Central states – Brian S. Hayward, Warsaw, Ind., member; Loren E. Asche, Lake Mills, Wis., member; Ruth Ann Hendrix, Seymour, Ind., alternate; Alfred J. Schimpf, Dousman, Wis., alternate. South Central states – Bruce L. Dooyema, Sioux Center, Iowa, member; Blair J. Van Zetten, Oskaloosa, Iowa, alternate. Western states – V. Wayne Mooney, Garland, Texas, member; David W. Elbel, College Station, Texas, alternate.

Newly appointed members and alternates, by region, are:

North Atlantic states – John L. Sperry, Atlantic, Pa., alternate. East North Central states – Ronald L. (Tad) Gross, St. Henry, Ohio, member; Brian J. Winner, New Weston, Ohio, alternate; Robert F. Gornichec, Centerburg, Ohio, alternate.

The Secretary also named Timothy J. Bebee, Wakefield, Neb., member; Loren W. Bosma, Sibley, Iowa, member; Richard R. Hall, Massena, Iowa, alternate; and Gregory B. Nelson, Manhattan, Kan., alternate, to fill vacancies in the South Central states. These appointments will complete vacant board member terms expiring December 31, 2007.

Ag Groups

NIAA Distributing Virtual Newsroom via AgNewsWire.AgWired.com

Chuck Zimmerman

National Institute For Animal AgricultureThe National Institute For Animal Agriculture is offering a virtual news room for reporters who can’t attend their annual meeting taking place in Sacramento. This isn’t the first time the organization has used this mechanism and it’s because they’ve received such positive feedback from the first time they tried it. The focus of the meeting on Monday was animal agriculture and biofuels production. NIAA used our AgNewsWire.AgWired.com service to produce and distribute the document which you can find a link to below. It contains links to interviews that Cindy did with the presenters as well as their documents and images.

Included in this release are links to audio interviews, photos and presentations in document or power point files from the main presenters at the annual meeting on Monday. All audio interviews are 96 kpbs mp3 files and can be downloaded from the link. If you would prefer to have the file emailed directly to you, please contact us.

Dave Miller with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation introduced the General Session with some statistics and general information about biofuels and animal agriculture, the main point of which can be garnered from his Power Point presentation.
NIAA-07-Gen-Session.ppt.

Full Release

Ag Groups, Public Relations

NAMA Party Time

Chuck Zimmerman

Colle+McVoy TogaIt’s going to be party time next week in Dallas, TX at the NAMA Convention. Take this special invitation I got in the mail today from Colle+McVoy. It’s a Togafication Kit for their 5th annual party. I looks like a sheet with instructions on how to wear either as the traditional way, a headband or as a cape. The party will take place after the Best of NAMA awards and Trade Show open.

Brownfield Size MatterThe next night it’s Brownfield party time. Many of you know that I used to be involved and I’ve been going to these as long as I’ve been in agricultural marketing. That’s a few more than 5 years btw.

This year the Brownfield party invite came in a very big cardboard box. Inside was a very tiny invite which says “Size matter.” Fits in with the Think Big theme. This party will feature local Dallas rock band, Crawfish. Sounds like a good one.

Sorry for me in the picture but I was using my built-in iSight on my Mac with Photo Booth. It’s so easy to do.

So what does your company have planned for NAMA? Send me some information and I’ll be happy to feature it here. I’m wearing a blue Florida Gator t-shirt in case you’re wondering.

NAMA

Got Championships?

Chuck Zimmerman

University of FloridaHow ’bout them Gators? I know I’ve posted this before but . . . How about a three-peat in aGainesville!

If you AgWired Gator fans haven’t done it yet, take a break right now and check out the following:

Gainesville Sun Coverage

I Google searched for you.

Order your official Gator Gear. My order is in.

From YouTube:

This video may be from right after the football championship but I guarantee you this is what the streets looked like last night too.

If you missed the game you can already re-live the final 23 seconds here. In case you’re wondering if anyone would watch something like this. I have. In fact, I think I’ll watch it again.

Here’s one that’s definitely out there on the edge. Do not do this unless your team has won at least 3 national championships.

Okay AgWired fans. It’s time to get back to work.

University

Rodeo Toughness on the ZimmCast

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-113 - Rodeo is Tough EnoughI found out that I’m tough enough to wear pink last week. That’s because the Three Hills Rodeo I attended in Green Bay, WI held a Tough Enough to Wear Pink night on Friday to raise awareness for breast cancer. They tied this in with the Deanna Favre (Brett Favre’s wife) Foundation. So I got to wear a pink shirt to the rodeo that night.

Me Interviewing Steve GanderThis week on the ZimmCast you get to learn a little bit about rodeo, especially indoor traveling rodeo. First up in the program is an interview with Steve Gander. He started the World’s Toughest Rodeo and after selling the business he still stays involved with the marketing side of things.

Me Interviewing Marla MooreheadSteve sold his business to Dave and Marla Moorehead. The program also contains an interview with Marla who talks about the causes they support and how they set things up with local media in Green Bay. Marla says that they split their time between rodeo and farming since they have a large beef cattle operation in Iowa where they’re based.

I was in Green Bay attending the rodeo to actually follow around country music star, Michael Peterson, for New Holland who sponsored my trip.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 113 (16 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast113-4-2-07.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, New Holland, Rodeo, ZimmCast

Geri Berdak in Monsanto Public Affairs

Chuck Zimmerman

Geri BerdakMonsanto has a new public affairs director. She’s Geri Berdak and she’ll be heading up the Oilseeds and Chemistry business.

Berdak brings over 16 years experience in marketing and strategic communications and has used this skill to benefit companies in differing sectors of the agriculture industry including producer organizations, food companies, ingredient companies and retailers. Most recently, Ms. Berdak was the Global Director of Corporate Communications for The Solae Company where she made significant contributions building and leading the company’s global strategic communications and industry affairs programs. Prior to Solae, Berdak was the director of the United Soybean Board’s edible oil and soyfoods program where she handled projects in the areas of health research, regulatory monitoring, public affairs and issues management, and was a member of USB’s biotech task force and better bean initiative. Ms. Berdak holds both a bachelor’s degree of science in food and nutrition from Missouri State University and an M.B.A. from the New York Institute of Technology.

Agribusiness