Honoring Monte Reese

Chuck Zimmerman

Monte Plaque PresentationAt the joint business meetings this morning, retiring Beef Board COO, Monte Reese was presented with a plaque in appreciation for his service to the organization.

Presenting the award are Ken Stielow, new chairman of the Beef Board and Vice chairman, David Bateman and immediate past chairman, Jay O’Brien.

I’m sure Monte will be receiving some more awards. In fact, later in the meeting NCBA presented him with a recognition plaque as well.

I have known Monte since he started in this position and will offer my personal thought that he’s been one of the most enjoyable people I’ve ever worked with in the industry. I don’t know of anyone who has been more passionate about the industry and who can more clearly discuss the Checkoff and its activities. I’ll miss him and I’m sure I’m not alone saying that. Good luck Monte and I hope to see you many more times in the future.

Ag Groups, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

NCBA Media Room Mania

Chuck Zimmerman

Cattle Industry Convention - Grace & JoeIt’s near the end of the Cattle Industry Convention here in Nashville.

Grace (Yard-O-Beef Spokesmodel) and Joe Schuele are starting to pack things up.

To see how much progress they’ve made you’ll need to watch the video.

We may not have been able to sample Grace’s Yard-O-Beef but it’s not like we haven’t been well fed here in the media room. Breakfast this morning was a kind of tamale/burrito/omelet sort of thing. Very good. Please note that media are in a better mood if you provide them with something to eat. We often don’t have time to do it otherwise.

Thanks a lot Grace and Joe for running one of the best commodity organization media rooms I’ve ever worked out of.

Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Video

Showing the Blog to the Secretary

Chuck Zimmerman

Mike Johanns & MeBefore he got started with the speech and press conference, Secretary Johanns toured through the media room.

I figured that since he’s the head of USDA and it oversees the Beef Checkoff that he should know about the Beef Board Meeting.com blog.

So when he got over to my work area we took a little tour of the website and he liked what he saw.

It’s helping with producer communications and being transparent with the activities of the organization and I think he’s all for that. By the way, traffic on the Beef Board blog is 5 times higher so far than it was last year when we started it!

Ag Groups, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, USDA

Mike Johanns Press Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Mike JohannsAfter Secretary Johanns gave his speech during this morning’s general session here at the Cattle Industry Convention he held a press conference.

My recording starts while he’s talking about the issue of ethanol and high feed prices. He describes how the administration is working to promote and develop alternative sources of biomass to create ethanol.

He also answers questions on a number of other issues.

Download and listen to Sec. Johanns here: Mike Johanns Press Conference (20 min. MP3 File)

Or listen here now:

cic-07-16-press-conference.mp3
Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, USDA

Speech by Secretary Johanns

Chuck Zimmerman

Mike JohannsU. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns was on hand here in Nashville today.

He’s been on the road since announcing the administration farm bill proposal. I was able to obtain a copy of his speech this morning if you would like to listen.

I was in the media room posting onto Beef Board Meeting.com so I’m afraid I can’t summarize what he had to say.

Download and listen to Sec. Johanns here: Mike Johanns Speech (32 min. MP3 File)

Or listen here now:

cic-07-12-johanns-speech.mp3
Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, USDA

The John John Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Mike John & John QueenMike John is on the left and John Queen is on the right. Mike’s the outgoing president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and John is the incoming. The changeover takes place tomorrow.

I interviewed them together this morning and asked them about the challenges they faced and will face in the cattle business.

I think Mike has a future in podcasting with his voice. Mike says that the policy process that comes from the grass roots of cattle producers who are members of the NCBA has worked very well during his tenure and John says that he will make sure that continues.

Download and listen to my interview with them here: John-John Interview (4 min. MP3 File)

Or listen here now:

cic-07-18-john-john.mp3
Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

Steak at the Stock-Yard

Chuck Zimmerman

Alltech DinnerI want to thank Billy Frey, Alltech, for taking us out to dinner last night.

I was told that the best place to get a steak in Nashville is the Stock-Yard Restaurant, one of the top ten steak restaurants in the U. S. That’s where we went and it was all I had heard.

Pictured are left to right, Jorge Arias, Alltech, Me, Laura Hadley, Alltech, Billy Frey, Sarah Muirhead, Feedstuffs and Kevin McBride, Alltech.

Agribusiness, Cattle Industry Conference

NAFB at NCBA

Chuck Zimmerman

NAFB at NCBAThe National Association of Farm Broadcasting is on display again this year at the NCBA Trade Show.

Here’s executive director Bill O’Neill and Jeremy Povenmire helping tell the story of farm broadcasting and handing out information.

There are a lot of farm broadcasters here at the convention this year. In fact, I’ve been told that it’s one of the highest numbers of media in attendance ever.

Cattle Industry Conference, NAFB

Cattlemen Getting iPods

Chuck Zimmerman

Elanco BoothHere’s the Elanco Animal Health 40 iPods in 40 hours promotion in action at the trade show in Nashville.

If you’re going to support new media efforts in your communications strategies there’s not a better giveaway is there. Elanco sponsors all the Truffe Media Networks “AnimalCasts,” which are regular bi-weekly long form commodity-specific podcasts. ZimmComm has teamed up with Truffle to help market these programs and provide custom new media solutions to agribusiness companies.

If you’re using new media in your campaigns or if you’re planning to can you let me know? I’d like to feature how companies like Elanco are using new media channels like podcasting to connect with customers or members.

Cattle Industry Conference

USDA Beef Checkoff Survey Results

Chuck Zimmerman

Donna KholpakThe USDA recently announced the results of a nationwide Beef Checkoff survey that they had done by the Gallup Organization. At the Beef Checkoff update session yesterday Gallup representative, Donna Kholpak, pictured here with Kenny Payne, USDA, gave a summary of the survey and answered questions.

I interviewed her right before the session. She said she was personally surprised with how open cattle producers were when they took the survey. She shares some of the findings with me in the interview like the the fact that 72 percent of those surveyed either strongly approve or somewhat approve of the Beef Checkoff program.

This was a survey that was required by the settlement of the lawsuit between the Livestock Marketing Association and the Beef Board. I think it’s interesting that the results of this very large sample size survey are pretty close to the results of the much smaller annual survey the Checkoff has done on its own. In fact, on some questions the USDA survey found higher producer approval!

Download and listen to Donna here: Donna Kholpak Interview (4 min. MP3 File)

Or listen here now:

cic-07-10-khlopak.mp3
Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference