Inventors Challenged by Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

2007 Farm Progress ShowI’ve got my media registration submitted and a hotel room somewhat near the 2007 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL. It doesn’t hurt to plan ahead.

If you’re an inventor and want a shot at some significant publicity then you might want to consider entering the Farm Progress Show Inventors Challenge.

Farmers have a chance to enter their original inventions and win cash prizes in the Inventors Challenge sponsored by Farm Progress Companies and Roundup herbicides, developed by Monsanto. The contest’s top three winners tap into $5,250 in cash prizes and the top 10 finalist inventions will be displayed at the 2007 Farm Progress Show held at Decatur, Ill., Aug. 28-30. Entries must be original creations and should be a concept that could easily be incorporated into any farming operation. Entry deadline is June 1, 2007. Full entry information is available on the Farm Progress Show Web site, www.FarmProgressShow.com.

Farm Progress Show

Earth Day Comments From The President

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s an excerpt from President Bush’s comments on Earth Day.

As we observe the 38th Earth Day this Sunday, we celebrate the rich blessings of our Nation’s natural resources, and we renew our commitment to protecting our environment so we leave our children and grandchildren a flourishing land.

By encouraging cooperative conservation, innovation, and new technologies, my Administration has compiled a strong environmental record. This Earth Day, harmful air pollutant levels are down more than ten percent since 2001. Millions more Americans are drinking cleaner, safer water. We have removed hazardous fuels from more than 19 million acres of federal land. We have created, restored, or protected more than 2.5 million acres of wetlands, and we have conserved almost 200 million of acres of habitat through Farm Bill conservation programs. And we are taking positive steps to confront the important challenge of climate change. Our work is not done. We also have a responsibility to pass on to future generations our commitment to the environment.

If you’re farming I hope you had a nice Earth Day out in the field!

Farming

A Nice Day in the Field

Chuck Zimmerman

Working the Missour River BottomsHere’s what I saw a lot of returning from my weekend retreat near Herman, MO.

The weather has improved a lot from the extremely cold spring we’ve been having. It was very windy this afternoon and the dust was flying.

Judging from all the stories you can find on Google right now the cold and wet spring has created havoc all over the place.

Farming

Finding New Media Savvy Employees

Chuck Zimmerman

ABM With Paul ConleyThis is probably my last post until the end of the weekend. I was catching up on my news feeds and found this one on American Business Media’s blog, Mediapace. It’s a video with Paul Conley, who I’ve linked you to before and who I’ve never met personally. We’ve traded emails. Now I know what he looks like. Good job Paul.

You can find the post with the video here.

This takes place at their “Digital Velocity” conference and Paul talks about how you get people in your media organization to embrace new media tactics, or rather, where you find them. I thought this might be of interest for you publishers especially who are thinking about how to enhance your digital offerings.

Uncategorized

It’s Corn Month in Missouri

Chuck Zimmerman

MCGA LogoIn case you didn’t know it, April is Corn Month in Missouri. The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council has PSA’s made.

You can listen to one of them here (60 sec. MP3):corn-month-psa.mp3


Last week Governor Matt Blunt signed a proclamation celebrating this great grain and the important role Missouri’s corn farmers play in our daily lives. With the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day activities, we often take for granted all the time, hard work and vigilance that it takes to produce food, feed and now fuel for the world. Now is a perfect time to inform your listeners of the importance and power harnessed within one small kernel.

To help get this message out, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council has launched a radio public service announcement campaign highlighting corn’s many uses. Titled “In the Driver’s Seat,” the PSA is available in 60-second and 30-second versions and can be downloaded at www.mocorn.org/psa.htm.

The first person to leave a comment with the correct guess of the voice in the psa will receive a pair of ZimmComm retractable ear buds.

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn

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