The strategy is changing at Blasdel, Cleaver, Schwalbe Communications. Yes they now have a website as Leigh Ann and Kelly informed me last week.
The three agency principals, Illinois Blasdel, Leigh Ann Cleaver and Kelly Schwalbe, left years in the big-agency world in order to have more direct, day-to-day contact with clients. We strive to have intimate knowledge of each client’s business and market: to become experts. We apply that knowledge to hit strategic home runs that achieve your business objectives.
I say the strategy has changed because Illinois told me sometime last year that not having an agency website was “part of their strategy.” I guess the strategy is working because these folks seem to be doing very well.
Get Rid of Farmer’s Tan
Proving that there’s no limit to the creative ideas people will come up with and the things people will spend money on . . . it’s The Anit-Shirt. Yes, thanks to AgWired fan Steve, this was brought to my attention. I assume he wants to help all the farmers out there who are agonizing over their tan after a long day in the sun with just a regular shirt on. To learn more you need to watch the video:
If you want your Anti-Shirt you just have to visit Kyle Bone’s website and “Get rid of your farmer’s tan.”
Capital Press is Podcasting
How about this? Capital Press is podcasting. You know what I think? That’s COOL!
Current plans call for posting a new podcast about once a week, however additional podcasts could be posted if interest or event warrant. The first episode, which was made available to visitors of the Capital Press blog site, Blogriculture, last month featured audio clips from the newspaper’s endorsement interviews with the candidates for Oregon governor.
The Farmers’ CAP, Capital Press Agriculture Podcast, looks at news and issues of interest to farmers and ranchers in the Western United States. The program is hosted by Gary L. West, associate editor of the Capital Press agriculture newspaper and website covering the states of California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
You know what Gary, once upon a time we’d say you have a future in radio. But guess what? Not anymore. Welcome to the internet. You sound marvelous.
Healthy Sandwich Contest & Podcast
Sandwiches are about my favorite way to eat. For one thing you can be creative and there’s no end to what you can put between two slices of bread. The Grain Foods Foundation partnered with celebrity chef Dave Lieberman to search for the country’s healthiest and best-tasting sandwich with the America’s Healthy Sandwich Showdown. One of the cool things about it was that Lieberman did podcasts while the contest was running. You can hear his last one here.
Pictured is the winner Tracey McCaughey, who was announced yesterday. The Foundation ran this contest in November since it’s National Bread Month (I did not know that).
Tracey McCaughey of Ardmore, Pa. won America’s Healthy Sandwich Showdown with her Grilled Chicken with Pomegranate and Caramelized Onion Reduction and Goat Cheese sandwich recipe. “The combination of sweet and tangy flavors in the pomegranate reduction is rich with antioxidants, and is complementary to the creamy tang of the goat cheese,” explained McCaughey in her submission. “The smoky grilled chicken provides protein while the crisp romaine lettuce and the soft, fiber-rich whole grain Kaiser rolls offer freshness and round out the sandwich.”
Emerging Digital Communication Channel Use
I think the fast pace of the last couple weeks finally caught up to me yesterday after the NAFB Trade Talk session. I came down with the cold a bunch of people seemed to have in Kansas City this week. But I’m back in the home office and raring to plow forward.
After talking agricultural marketing and communications all week I thought this graphic from an eMarketer.com article would be of real interest to you. In the title they use the phrase, “emerging digital channels.” That’s another way of saying new media I think but I like it. We’re riding a wave of emerging media options and it looks like there’s some solid research to show that people are using them. Here’s an excerpt from the article, “According to new report from Bluestreak, “Emerging Digital Channels: Consumer Adoption, Attitudes & Behavior,” which surveyed consumer behavior and attitudes toward emerging technologies — including podcasts, text messages (SMS), RSS, blogs and message boards as well as e-mail — users are not only feeling positive about the new channels, they are increasingly using them.”
The survey also found that the consumers who use these “emerging digital channels” don’t hate ads. They seem to accept advertising in order to get better content.
Is there anyone out there who doubts that farmers are any different in their use of these new channels of communication?
GrainLink To Sell USDA Grain Stocks
Government owned grain stocks now have a new marketing spot on the web. Beginning yesterday you can visit GrainLink.com, although it looks like you’ll have to wait to next week to conduct a transaction.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it has awarded a contract for the online marketing of grain stocks owned by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to Farms Technology, LLC, of Overland Park, Kansas. Candace Thompson, Acting Deputy Administrator for Commodity Operations at USDA’s Farm Service Agency, said CCC’s past sales practice of cataloging, issuing public invitations, and providing sales lists for grain now will be handled electronically. The transition to the new, electronic system will be accomplished in several phases. “We believe the new online marketing platform will bring cost savings, optimize market returns, and provide greater efficiencies in general to the grain trade and to the government,” Thompson said.
Jason Tatge, CEO, Farms Technology, said the new, electronic cash grain marketing platform, called GrainLink.com, will be available for use on November 20, 2006, although the site will display CCC inventory beginning November 16. Initial listings will be limited to CCC’s corn inventory with other commodities to follow. Tatge said FarmsTech invites the grain trade to register to use the new system at the website, www.grainlink.com. He said the process for online marketing of CCC stocks will be quite similar to the process the grain trade has used in the past, but it will now take place in an electronic, largely paperless environment. He said the new electronic platform, which will be open to all qualified buyers and sellers of cash grain, should offer many efficiencies to both grain merchants and the government. Sales that take place on the electronic platform will be guaranteed through FarmTech’s clearing house.
Trade Talking
There was a lot of this going on today at the NAFB Trade Talk session. I conducted 10 interviews and I think Cindy got in 9.
We’ll be using ours here and on our other sites like Domestic Fuel and World Dairy Diary in coming weeks.
I think that it’s interesting to see more booths than ever and yet less broadcasters. This was a comment I heard from several people today. I hope all the people exhibiting were happy with the results. The hours have been extended from previous years but it’s still just not possible to make it around to see and interview everyone.
I’m fighting off a cold and by about lunch time I couldn’t talk very easily anymore. That’s not good for a farm podcaster.
Broadcasters at NAMA/NAFB Overlap Sessions
At the close of the NAMA Agribusiness Forum farm broadcasters were in attendance with an afternoon session that overlapped with the NAFB Convention.
Here’s a few of the broadcasters who showed up at the Hyatt Crown Center. It’s one of the first times I’ve seen a mult box at a NAMA session.
Hopefully we’ll see it again next year? If you attended these sessions how do you think it went? Was it a good idea to have a joint afternoon session?
The Future is Bright For Agribusiness
The NAMA Agribusiness Forum is over and it’s NAFB Convention time. I’m getting ready to head over to today’s Trade Talk session after this post. You can see and hear more from the Forum though over on the NAMA blog.
The last presentation at the Agribusiness Forum yesterday was given by Sano Shimoda, BioScience Securities.
Although the title of the session started out with “The Final Frontier . . . ,” Sano thinks we’re just beginning. He’s very optimistic about the future of American agribusiness. In reference to biofuels, which were a topic of discussion here, he says that we’re going to have to become cost competitive in order to fully develop our capabilities.
Listen to my interview with Sano: forum-06-3.mp3
Anita is Excellent
My former compadre from the Brownfield Network was presented a very deserving award today at the NAMA Agribusiness Forum.
Anita Vanderwert was recognized for her sales efforts with the NAMA Professional Development, Award of Excellence – Sales.
After many years of doing interviews for Anita’s client’s I got to finally interview her.
She talks about what this award means to her.
Listen to my interview with Anita: forum-06-1.mp3