Turn Your Tractor Into A Wi-Fi Hotspot?

Chuck Zimmerman

AutoNet MobileI wonder if they’ve thought of a category sub product called “TractorNet Mobile.” Probably not. But then I’m guessing you can put one of these in any kind of vehicle and that includes a tractor. How about checking your email while you’re spending a long day in the field? Or syncing your iPod to your favorite farm podcasts? Or checking the markets online without having to wait to get back to the home office? Actually you can do most of this now with a smart phone as long as you’ve got good service but getting to use your notebook computer is very attractive if you’ve ever spent much time looking at tiny little screen.

AutoNet says that it’s going to unveil this new product/service that turns your vehicle into an internet wi-fi hotspot this coming Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show. They expect to begin shipping them by the spring. It’s expected that the AutoNet Mobile Router will retail at $399 with a monthly service charge of $49. For those of you who spend a lot of time on the road like I do it’s certainly an option.

How much do you want to bet that this will be built into cars, trucks and tractors within the next year or so and come as standard equipment? Yowser!

In designing our service we also knew it was important to enable a wide array of wireless electronics devices to get connected. Since most electronics devices use Wi-Fi, we decided to turn the car into a Wi-Fi hotspot, just like at the local Starbucks. By doing this we can connect devices ranging from laptop computers to mobile media players like the Fujitsu P1610, from Wi-Fi cameras to Wi-Fi phones like the VoIP Skype Phone, and from stationary videogame consoles to handheld gaming units like the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS.

Internet

Lusty Promotion at Bader Rutter

Chuck Zimmerman

Cathy LustyCathy Lusty has been promoted to senior account executive at Bader Rutter & Associates in the agency’s relationship markteting group.

Lusty joined the agency in 2001 as an account executive. In her new position, she will continue to work closely with Merial, the agency’s animal health client, providing strategic planning, audience development, sales analysis and database marketing. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Agencies

FarmWebDesigners

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Web DesignI don’t think I’ve ever done a post on FarmWebDesign although Jane Eckert mentioned it in a ZimmCast interview. Jane is the agritourism expert and she’s now been in the web design business for a while with a focus on farms.

FarmWebDesign was formed by Jane Eckert specifically to develop websites for American farms and ranches. Jane grew up on a farm, and today is one of the nation’s leading consultants on AgriMarketing. The senior marketing director for Eckert AgriMarketing, responsible for writing and creating your website, is Bill Mauk. Bill brings more than 30 years of communication experience to FarmWebDesign, and began creating websites soon after the World Wide Web was made available to the public.

Here’s where you can find examples of their work.

Farming, Internet

Siemens Travels South to Talk Canada

Chuck Zimmerman

Harry SiemensFrom February 12 to 16, I will travel in Minnesota, speaking five times to farmer meetings as part of the Linder Farm Network Marketing and Management Series of meetings. I’m looking forward to this trip because I know listening to the Linder Farm Network has become a Minnesota tradition with farmers across the state. For almost 30 years, the Linder Farm Network has been the Voice of Agriculture in the state with information that farmers need to know to run their business successfully.

I have known Lynn Ketelsen since about 1980 when I was a full member of the NAFB in the USA attending the annual conventions in Kansas City from 1978 through 1984. Linda Brekke interviewed me recently in preparation for my speaking tour. My tentative topic, “Hands Across the Border” will cover the diversification in Canadian agriculture, issues between the two countries, and how my goal has been, and will continue to be, to foster even better relations between farmers on both sides of the border. I give a broader perspective because I don’t only know the Canadian scene, but have a good handle US agricultural polices.

You can catch my interview with Linda broken into four parts on www.SiemensSays.com and go to the heading Siemens Travels South…..

Siemens Says

International

Ventura Foods Serving Low-Lin Oil

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast100 - Kelly Brintle - Ventura FoodsSince we’re all worrying about our weight after the holidays and resolving to eat right in the new year I’m offering you an interview with Kelly Brintle, Ventura Foods who talks about low-linolenic soybeans, specifically Monsanto’s VISTIVE soybeans that can reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids in processed soybean oil. He talks about how high the demand is for this healthy oil product and what that means for his company and farmers.

This is episode 100 of the ZimmCast. Can you believe it? We’ve been doing this for quite a while now. Time flies when you’re having fun. Please email me your suggestions for topics and people to interview and I’ll try to get it done.

To listen to my complete interview with Kelly you can download the ZimmCast: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 100 (7 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast100-1-3-07.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.

Agribusiness, Audio, Food, Soybean, ZimmCast

Applications Open For Andy Markwart Horizon Award

Chuck Zimmerman

AAEAApplications are now being accepted for the Andy Markwart Horizon Award that’s being offered by AAEA and its Professional Improvement Foundation. It honors Andy Markwart, a member and leader of AAEA who died suddenly from heart complications last year.

The program is being funded with a $25,000 grant over five years by John Deere (Andy’s employer for many years prior to his death) and matching funds to be raised by PIF. The winner will be an AAEA member 35 and under (affiliate or active). The first winner will be named at the 2007 AMS in Louisville.

The winner will receive a $2,500 stipend. The stipend can be used for attending the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists annual meeting, the AMS meeting or a special class, seminar, workshop, etc., that will be approved by AAEA and John Deere. This stipend will be awarded to an AAEA member who exemplifies the youthful vigor, energy, passion, dedication and creativity shown by Andy in his volunteer work for AAEA for many years. “This is a fitting next step for AAEA to forever honor Andy’s work with our organization,” said Den Gardner, AAEA executive director. “His tireless efforts and enthusiasm will always be remembered and the AAEA member selected each year will typify Andy’s volunteerism and spirit.”

You can find the application here (Word doc).

ACN

COWS Are Carbon Dioxide Emitters

Chuck Zimmerman

CO2WI don’t know if you know Bob McCarty but he does have a sense of humor. In fact, Bob likes to share that sense of humor through some design work he’s done on a variety of subjects. He describes his online shop as the “home of creative, humorous and thought-provoking items.”

For example, take his latest work. Like Bob I don’t believe in global warming and I think his latest design is very funny. There’s certainly been some information floating around about livestock being a major threat to the environment. So what does Bob do? He whips up a great design.

Some scientists say cows emit more carbone dioxide (CO2) than automobiles, according to recent news reports. SO WHAT! We still love cows, and the creative minds at The Bob McCarty Shop™ want the world to know it. If you share our love for things “cow” — such as hamburgers, milk, steaks, etc. — you’re invited to join us by finding an item you can use to share a bovine-positive message with the world!

Livestock

Larry Stoller at RFD-TV The Magazine

Chuck Zimmerman

RFD-TV The MagazineIf you’re an RFD-TV fan then you probably know that they a magazine which is called, RFD-TV The Magazine. Now the publication has a new sales manager and he’s Larry Stoller. According to Larry:

RFD-TV The Magazine is an exciting publication that serves the growing rural lifestyle marketplace. After only three years, its paid circulation has surpassed 116,000…and continues to grow daily at a steady pace. No other publication can match the frequency of readership, as RFD-TV The Magazine serves as a program guide for RFD-TV “Rural America’s Most Important Network.” It is no wonder that advertisers get hooked on RFD-TV The Magazine following their first schedule.

Here are some highlights of a 2005 survey:

87% of our audience lives in rural America with 84% reporting they either own or rent acres
59% raise crops
51% have livestock
39% purchase animal health products
37% own horses
26% either own or plan to purchase an ATV.

If you want to reach this growing demographic, you’ll want to include RFD-TV The Magazine on your media schedule. Please contact me with any questions. I look forward to being of service.

Congratulations Larry and best of luck.

Media, Publication

DTN Acquires The Progressive Farmer

Chuck Zimmerman

The Progressive FarmerThe Progressive Farmer magazine is now owned by DTN. And in case you’re wondering why they would purchase the publication from Time, Inc., their CEO explains.

“The acquisition of The Progressive Farmer supports DTN’s goal of expanding its media presence in a vibrant rural America,” said Robert D. Gordon, CEO of DTN. “The future for rural America is very bright, driven by the economic impetus of new investment in renewable fuels, the expansion of high-speed internet communications and a growing demographic seeking to enjoy the long cherished values of farm life. The Progressive Farmer provides DTN a leading position in meeting the information needs of the farm lifestyle market, allowing us to expand beyond our traditional commercial agricultural information products.

So what kind of media company is DTN? It’s getting harder to put us in a neatly labeled box isn’t it?

Media, Publication

Beef Cook-Off Looking For Family Chefs

Chuck Zimmerman

National Beef Cook-OffI haven’t eaten any beef for at least a day or so. Maybe that little headache I have is from beef withdrawal. That will get corrected with supper tonight. So maybe I should consider entering the National Beef Cook-Off.

This year, the 27th National Beef Cook-Off urges family chefs to send in their original beef recipes that provide a great eating experience while supplying fuel for their family’s active lifestyle. Family chefs are encouraged to enter their original beef recipes by March 31, 2007, for the chance to win the “Best of Beef” $50,000 grand prize. The 2007 Cook-Off, which will be held Sept. 11-13 in Chicago, is presented by the Beef Checkoff Program. Twenty-five national finalists, including five parent/child teams, will compete for nine cash prizes totaling $110,000. In addition to one ‘Best of Beef’ grand prize winner, four category winners and four runner-up winners will be chosen by a panel of judges.

Besides new categories you can enter your recipe online. Well you could if there was an online form there. Oops. It says it’s coming soon though.

Beef, Food