Jim Offner Doing Public Relations for AdFarm

Chuck Zimmerman

Jim OffnerPublic relations professionals with actual journalism experience is a desirable thing. People can endlessly discuss the line between the two but they sure work hand in hand.

AdFarm has added Jim Offner, a long-time agriculture journalist, corporate communications specialist and teacher, as Senior Public Relations Specialist in its Kansas City office. “Jim brings a diverse portfolio to our public relations team that is rare in this business,” said Laura Laing, AdFarm’s Director of Public Relations. “With more than 20 years in the media, including the last 10 as the lead writer for one of agriculture’s top business publications, Jim brings a media perspective that will be invaluable to AdFarm’s work on behalf of our clients.”

Offner, a native of St. Louis, came to AdFarm from Vance Publishing Corp., where for 10 years he was a writer – the last eight, as Senior Writer – for The Packer, the business publication of the produce industry. Prior to that, he directed communications programs for a military school and a national athletic association.

Agencies

Green Podcasts and Earth Day Responses

Chuck Zimmerman

Earth Day PodcastsMy Earth Day Post has generated a couple responses. They’re posted below. Additionally, the latest edition of the iTunes New Music Tuesday newsletter links you to a number of “Earth Day Podcasts.” The link will open your iTunes, or ask for it, take you to a search page that lists them for you so that you can easily subscribe to them.

From Fred Stemme at the National Corn Growers Association: “Chuck, here’s a link to an Op-Ed from Rick Tolman, NCGA CEO, that ran in today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch. We expect other media outlets to pick up as well. Yes indeed, for farmers EVERY day is Earth Day!”

Earth Day Stat from Tolga Sakman with TANDBERG: “If in honor of Earth Day no one boarded a commercial flight on Sunday, the atmosphere would be spared approximately 90 million pounds—or 41,000 metric tons—of carbon dioxide emissions, according to calculations performed by TANDBERG.” He says that you can calculate the environmental impact of business travel here.

From FFA: “FFA chapters around the United States are developing and implementing reforestation and conservation projects in their communities and engaging local volunteers to help. Their projects are part of the National FFA Organization’s first-ever Earth Day Service Challenge in partnership with Timberland PRO.”

Ag Groups, Podcasts

Taking a Weekend Retreat

Chuck Zimmerman

If you’re a long time AgWired reader then you’ll know that I go on a weekend retreat once a year. It’s something I highly recommend to everyone. I’ll be heading there tomorrow morning and back on Sunday late. I just thought I’d give you a heads up so you’ll know why there won’t be any new posts after tomorrow morning through Sunday evening. I am looking forward to this time away from everything, including phone and computer.

Aaron Gilbertie, Truffle Media Networkd, and I are completing a week of presentations around the mid-west. It has been great. Two years ago I was making presentations in some of these same companies and explaining what a blog and a podcast is. Now we’re talking about measurement, sponsorships, custom design, production and editorial content. This is Aaron and my first trip together and we have been asked quite often about the relationship between our two separate companies.

To start with, Ned Arthur at Truffle has been a long time friend in the industry since we were in farm broadcasting. We’ve been following each other’s move into new media and have had many discussions about it. Together we believe we can offer more resources to our clients as we grow (and we are growing fast). We are also providing content to the online media outlets each of us own which includes the Truffle Media Networks, “Animalcasts” and ZimmComm’s blogs like AgWired. If any company or agency enters into a project agreement with us we plan that one or the other company will be the lead with the other providing support. Make sense? Is it confusing? I’d like your feedback on this if you have any.

Uncategorized

K-State Wins NAMA Student Marketing Competition

Chuck Zimmerman

K-State Student Winning TeamI sure don’t want to forget to let you know that Kansas State University won the NAMA Student Marketing Competition again this year.

Just in case you’re wondering. Yes, Florida did take third, placing higher than Ohio State. Sorry, but it had to be said. The other finalists included, University of Florida, Sam Houston, Ohio State, Univ of Wisconsin-Platteville and the University of Guelph.

You can get a complete list of all the Student Awards and Scholarship Winners here.

Visit the 2007 NAMA Convention Photo Album.

NAMA, University

What Are You Doing For Earth Day?

Chuck Zimmerman

Earth Day.govWhat’s your company or organization doing about Earth Day, 2007? It’s coming up on April 22. I’d like to know if you’ve got any plans or events you’d like to have featured here on AgWired. I’m interested in agricultural related ones in case you don’t know that. Farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists and environmentalists no matter what the wackos would like everyone to believe.

If you’re not real familiar with Earth Day you might want to check out Earth Day.gov. It’s got quite a bit of information and ideas.

Uncategorized

Search For America’s Worst Cook

Chuck Zimmerman

The Search for America's Worst CookForward this to the person you love but just can’t bring yourself to tell them how you really feel about their cooking.

If you feel like a misfit when it comes to cooking, you are not alone. According to a new survey from the American Egg Board, nearly half of America’s home cooks (44 percent) experience an all-out disaster in the kitchen — whether it’s burning or improperly cooking meals or creating a mess of ingredients and utensils — at least several times a year, and even more (47 percent) know someone who is in desperate need of basic cooking skills.

To help home cooks — whether whizzes or wannabes — learn the basics of egg cooking and prove that even a kitchen klutz can become an eggs-pert, the American Egg Board is launching “The Search for America’s Worst Cook” contest. Entering is easy — just visit http://www.americasworstcook.com/ and tell us in an essay of 200 words or less why you or someone you know is in desperate need of basic cooking skills. In addition, video and/or photographs can be submitted but are not necessary for entry. The winner of the contest will receive a free trip for two to New York City, where he or she will take cooking courses at the Institute of Culinary Education and take in the tastes and sights of one of the hottest culinary destinations in the world. The contest ends on June 30, 2007.

Ag Groups, Food

AgNetwork.com Launches

Chuck Zimmerman

AgNetwork.comThe number of online ag news and information resources just keeps growing. I guess it means that more and more farmers are getting their information online doesn’t it? Or are we all just crazy? I only bring this up because over the last week I’ve still had people question the value of online communications to farmers. My guess is that they just aren’t very savvy themselves and assume everyone else is like them.

Integrated Management Information, Inc., a leading provider of verification and Internet solutions for the agricultural/livestock industry, today announced the launch of AgNetwork.com, a comprehensive new source of news and information for the international agricultural community. The launch was accompanied by AgNetwork’s first email newsletter, a periodic feature available to visitors to the site.

“Business dynamics within agriculture are increasingly multifaceted, global and interactive,” said Dr. Nevil Speer, Professor, Western Kentucky University. “Within that environment decision making needs to be quick and accurate — it requires access to the most up-to-date developments. Agnetwork facilitates the need for a one-stop, comprehensive and customizable outlet providing stakeholders with a continual stream of news and information.”

The AgNetwork Web site is based on IMI Global’s successful CattleNetwork.com model, which has grown steadily and rapidly into one of the nation’s leading sources of news and information on the cattle industry. In 2006, CattleNetwork had 1.2 million unique visitors, up 108% over 2005, and reported strong growth in other traffic categories as well as advertisers and revenue.

Internet, Media

United Country Real Estate Picks Osborn & Barr

Chuck Zimmerman

United Country Real EstateI guess when an agency has ag experience it helps get some non-ag business. That makes sense.

United Country Real Estate, the only national real estate franchise system specializing in country properties such as small city and town residential, second home, vacation, recreational, retirement, ranch, farm and commercial across America, has selected Osborn & Barr as its agency of record for public relations.

“We selected Osborn & Barr based on the agency’s expertise in communicating with the millions of people living in and desiring to live in the country across America, their successful track record with highly recognizable brand names in the agricultural and rural marketplace, and its staff’s commitment to delivering measurable results,” said Dan Duffy, chief executive officer and chairman of the Board of Directors for United Country. “The agency also shares our passion for the country lifestyle, and this was the determining factor in selecting a strategic partner.”

Osborn & Barr will partner with United Country to develop and implement public relations initiatives that support the real estate company’s franchise growth efforts and increase the level of brand awareness among target audiences as the real estate specialists in country property. The agency’s unique experience and strong reputation in helping shape and deliver its clients’ brands throughout rural America will assist in increasing awareness of the organization and the country real estate market.

Agencies

U. S. Wheat Associates Calendar Contest

Chuck Zimmerman

U. S. Wheat Associates 2007 CalendarGot pictures of wheat? Want to earn a few bucks and have your picture immortalized? Then enter the U. S. Wheat Associates calendar contest.

U.S. Wheat Associates invites anyone who is part of the U.S. wheat industry to submit photographs for possible use in its 2008 calendar. The 12 winning photographers will receive $100 each from USW. Any noncommercial images that show wheat being planted, grown, managed, harvested, shipped or processed will be considered as long as they are submitted to USW by August 1, 2007.

“We love to share the American experience of producing wheat with our overseas customers,” says Steve Mercer, director of communications at USW. “By featuring U.S. wheat production, our calendars help us do that while educating buyers about the quality, advantages and reliability of our crop.” Read More

Ag Groups

Phil Johnson Be Comin’ Round The Mountain

Chuck Zimmerman

This was too good an opportunity to pass up, sorry Phil. As you know, Phil Johnson is the NAMA Marketer of the Year. His company held a very nice reception at the NAMA convention to honor him and I was lucky enough to be invited and toast him in his golden toga.

One of the things they also did for Phil was memorialize him in video. As you can guess this is a very serious look at his life and career. Thanks to Colle+McVoy for sharing so that I can share with you.

Here’s where you can find it on YouTube.

Agencies, NAMA