The Appaloosa Blog Spot

Chuck Zimmerman

Appaloosa Blog SpotSay hello to one of the newest blogs in the agricultural world. The Appaloosa Blog Spot is the official blog of the Appaloosa Horse Club. This is the international breed association and the blog is for the CEO of the organization, Steve Taylor.

Steve has just started his horse breed blogging career out there in Moscow, Idaho. He learned right away that having a “blog policy” might be a good thing.

This is the newest example of a ZimmComm New Media project. You may ask why Steve wanted a blog. He says it best in his blog policy, “Our goal is to provide an informal resource for Appaloosa Horse Club news and information. A primary reason for establishing this news channel is to give technically challenged staff people (like me) the opportunity to post from events, meetings and activities without shuffling information and waiting in line to have items posted on the website.” For those of you who don’t get it, Appaloosa horses are spotted. That’s where the name comes from. Duh.

Contact me for a free consultation on your next new media project (blog or podcast).

Horses

Go The Extra Yard For Beef

Chuck Zimmerman

Grace WebbThe ever so lovely Grace Webb and Joe Schuele (not picture and not as lovely as Grace) would like all the farm media to get their registrations in for the Cattle Industry Convention. Like now okay?

Today and tomorrow (Dec. 21) are also the final days that Grace will be available to submit your registration form for you. Please call her at 303-850-3338 or e-mail her at gwebb@beef.org, if you would like her to do so.

From Dec. 22 to Jan. 5, you will need to pre-register by fax or mail, as indicated on the form. If you do not have a registration form, you can find one at: http://www.beefusa.org/convregistration.aspx. Just be sure to indicate on the form that you are registering as media. When you arrive in Nashville, you can come straight to the Media Room and bypass the general registration desk.

If you miss the pre-registration deadline, you may still register on-site beginning January 30. But pre-registration is very helpful for planning Media Room meals, work space, and facilities. (If we don’t have an accurate head count for meals, Grace might have to serve Yard-O-Beef.)

Hey Grace I like the idea of some slices of summer sausage in the media room but can we still have chocolate too?

Beef, Cattle Industry Conference

A Little Luv Music from BASF

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmComm With a BASF iLuvI just mentioned the BASF farm journalist iLuv late last week and guess what showed up today.

It’s an iLuv and just in time for Christmas. Thank you Pat and Joy and Dan and Amanda (all the rest of the people at BASF and Quarry Communications too).

It just goes to show you that a little Luv goes a long way.

weLuv BASF and Quarry.

Agribusiness

Santa Rock From Lallemand

Chuck Zimmerman

Lallemand Animal NutritionSince we’re getting into the holiday spirit let’s spread a little more of it around.

This time it’s Lallemand Animal Nutrition with their emailed card and this link to the animated online version with The Santa Claus Rock.

Thanks Kerri.

If you’d like to have your “holiday” card featured here on AgWired make sure I’m on your email list.

Agribusiness

Happy Holidays From FarmAssist.com

Chuck Zimmerman

Holiday Greeting From FarmAssistThe holiday cards have been rolling in here at the ZimmComm New Media office. I like getting them via smail but as a virtual business that’s using the internet to communicate it sure makes sense to send one online.

Syngenta’s FarmAssist.com isn’t the only company doing so but I thought you’d enjoy seeing this one.

Besides getting a nice html email card you can see the animated one online.

Agribusiness

2,600 Podcast Downloads

Chuck Zimmerman

I just got a little update on that Blog Business Success podcast I was the guest on recently. Wayne Hurlbert sent an email saying, “I just wanted to let you know that your show segment is very popular with the listeners. So far, your episode has received over 2600 downloads. As I expected, your topic would be very hot with the listeners.”

Wayne, I think it was the picture that went with the post don’t you think?

I know you’re thinking, “Who are those 2,600 downloads?” Admit it. If you are you’re possibly still not getting this whole new media thing. Possibly . . .

Podcasts

New Business Units at Becker Underwood

Chuck Zimmerman

Paul HollidayUsing AgNewsWire.AgWired.com today, Becker Underwood announced two new business units. One of them will be headed up by Paul Holliday, pictured here.

As a result of its rapidly expanding businesses in seed colorants and polymers, seed coating services and inoculants, Becker Underwood has announced major changes to its North American Seed Enhancement Business Unit. Becker Underwood will expand the current business to form two new units, an Inoculants Business Unit and Seed Enhancements Business Unit.

“This business unit will be dedicated to our growing inoculants business and will enable us to arrange our business around our inoculants customers, including distributors, retailers and growers, and emphasize the products and technologies that best fit into this market channel,” says Peter Innes, chief executive officer of Becker Underwood. The Inoculants Business Unit will be headed by seed-industry veteran Paul Holliday, beginning on January 2, 2007. In this newly created post, Holliday will oversee all sales and marketing activities, and all inoculants manufacturing operations in the United States and Canada.

Agribusiness, Seed

New Wranglers For Beefmobile

Chuck Zimmerman

Stephanie AusfahlThink beef. Think Beefmobile Wranglers. Think “new” Beefmobile Wranglers. That’s who Stephanie Ausfahl and Craig Hamilton are. In case you’re wondering, Stephanie is pictured on the right and Craig on the left.

As the Beefmobiles roll out for a fourth year on the road, two new “Wranglers” are at the helm to help beef and dairy producers to better understand how their beef checkoff dollars are being spent. Stephanie Ausfahl and Craig Hamilton, both well-versed in the livestock industry with firsthand experience as beef producers, are taking their industry involvement to new levels as they marshal the Beefmobiles – mini-vans emblazoned with mouth-watering images of sizzling beef, across the United States. They join veteran Wrangler Tracey Orsburn, who is starting her third year with the Beefmobile program, now serving as project coordinator.

Craig HamiltonThe three undertake the lofty task of visiting more than 250 livestock marketing facilities and beef events and 10 consumer venues.

At each location, the checkoff-funded Beefmobiles and their Wranglers reach out to producers throughout the country to provide information – and solicit input – about the Beef Checkoff Program.

I’m sure we’ll get to learn more about the new wranglers at the upcoming Cattle Industry Convention.

Ag Groups, Beef

National Corn Yield Contest Winners

Chuck Zimmerman

National Corn Growers AssociationThe National Corn Growers Association has announced the winners in their annual National Corn Yield Contest.

You know what this means? Bragging rights. Who had the best yielding varieties. In fact, the releases are already coming out. Here’s some details from NCGA.

“This year we had winners from such non-traditional areas as Idaho and Utah,” notes NCGA President Ken McCauley. “That shows that growers can meet the challenge of increasing demand.” This year’s contest drew 3,157 entrants from 44 states.

The 27 winners in nine production categories had verified yields of more than 240 bushels per acre, compared to the national average of 151.2 bushels per acre. Seven winners posted yields of more than 300 bushels per acre. “Poor weather at harvest time lowered yields from some areas in the Midwest, but that’s part of the challenges that all farmers meet,” says McCauley. “The biggest benefit of the NCYC is the opportunity to test production techniques and seed hybrids in real-world conditions.” While there is no overall winner in the NCYC, yields of farmers who placed first, second and third in their production categories ranged from 240.9675 by Tanner Farms of Union City, Tenn., to 347.2698 from Kip Cullers of Purdy, Mo.

Ag Groups, Corn

Rhea & Kaiser On China Business Development

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast98 - Steve Rhea in ChinaThis week on the ZimmCast I spoke with Steve Rhea, president, Rhea & Kaiser Marketing Communications. Steve was in China recently for a business conference and he has some interesting perspective to share.

Steve Rhea in ChinaRhea & Kaiser is affiliated with WorldWide Partners, “the world’s largest network of independent marketing communications companies.” The organization hosted a China Marketing Summit at which you can see Steve speaking.

Steve says that his trip was interesting from both a personal and professional perspective. He says that Rhea & Kaiser has made some great contacts with the Chinese agency, WE Worldwide Partners, which was very involved in the conference. He says that it’s essential to work with a local agency there when developing business in China due to cultural and political considerations.

To listen to my complete interview with Steve and hear about his trip you can download the ZimmCast: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 98 (9 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:

zimmcast98-12-18-06.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.

Agencies, Audio, International, ZimmCast