Computer Modeling to Minimize Emissions

Chuck Zimmerman September 5, 2006

Researchers at the University of Manitoba are confident sophisticated computer modeling will help ensure the emissions from biomass fuelled heating systems meet acceptable environmental standards. The two-stage greenhouse gas displacement system, developed by Vidir Biomass Systems, uses large straw bales as fuel and relies on primary combustion followed by secondary combustion to get a complete burn.

As part of 620 thousand dollar Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council sponsored project, researchers will be developing computer models designed to evaluate emissions from the unit. University of Manitoba industrial research chair Dr. Eric Bibeau says the goal is to create an automated system to maintain optimal conditions during operation to minimize gaseous emissions. Renewable CO2 is not an emission. Read More

International

The PR Pitch and the Result

Chuck Zimmerman September 4, 2006

My sponsor for my coverage of the Farm Progress Show last week was Monsanto and while sitting in the media tent there I had an idea for this week’s program that you might find interesting.

I’ve got 2 interviews for you. The first one is with Carly Kaufmann, Public Relations Account Exectuve for Osborn & Barr Communications. Carly’s job was to obtain interviews for her client (Monsanto) and develop relationships with the media (me). She was doing a great job so I asked her if I could interview her.

Before my interview with Carly though I had already interviewed Monsanto’s Director of Marketing, Jim Zimmer. I interviewed him about the big picture for the company. Jim makes sure farmers know of Monsanto’s committment to agriculture now and in the future.

I thought the juxtaposition of these two interviews would be interesting. The PR pitch and the result. I hope you like it.

You can listen here: ZimmCast 83 (9 min 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.

Audio, Farm Progress Show, ZimmCast

Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Chuck Zimmerman September 3, 2006

It’s Farm Progress Show photo album time. I have a few pictures uploaded from the show for your viewing pleasure.

You can find them in this online photo album: 2006 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

If you use any of them, please credit ZimmComm New Media.

Farm Progress Show

KKOW New Farm Director

Chuck Zimmerman September 2, 2006

Say hello to Emily Zwahlen, new Farm Director for KKOW, Pittsburg, KS. According to an email from former farm director, Suzanne Hubbard, Emily just graduated with honors from Oklahoma State University with a degree in communications.

Suzanne is moving on to a position as director of the Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau which she says is much closer to home.

Media

Record Number of Visitors To AgWired

Chuck Zimmerman September 1, 2006

I’ve had 3 meetings in 3 different cities today but that doesn’t mean you don’t get a post from me. It may be the only one you get from me today though since it’s late, we’re going into a holiday weekend and I’m just plain whupped.

Here’s the big news though.

In August AgWired had 10,368 unique visitors.

Yep. We broke the 10K mark and that’s a milestone. Our highest month before that was June with less than 7,000. So we must be doing something right.

So who are those 10,000 plus unique people? Well, who do you think they are? This is a pretty niche topic website. The number of visitors has climbed steadily since I started it. I haven’t really advertised it. Most of that traffic is coming from word of mouth (finest kind).

If you know who my visitors are would you write to me and tell me? Tell me how you would determine who they are. I keep getting asked, “Do you have some demographic information on who your visitors are?” Not really. I guess they’re just people with a high level of interest in agricultural marketing. That would include farmers, marketing/communications people at agribusiness companies and commodity groups, advertising agency personnel in media and public affairs/relations and ag media representatives in sales and editorial. That’s who I think they are because that’s who I write about.

I’m going to be doing some catch up posting over the weekend so check back during the times when you’re checking email or just browsing around. And before I forget, Thanks for visiting!!!!

Uncategorized

Final Thoughts!

Kelcy September 1, 2006

Now, as I’m all recuperated from the Farm Progress Show, I’m back writing again. I was going to write my final thoughts after the show but after my drive back to Ames, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until this morning for class!

I had a wonderful experience at the Farm Progress Show. I met some wonderful people, especially thanks to Monsanto, Tami, Mica, Chuck, and many others. You guys were welcoming, friendly, and were willing to help me with anything I needed. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I took the internship and now I’m pleased to have taken the job.

I hope all of you readers enjoyed my writings/posts because I sure enjoyed writing them for you. This was my first experience doing interviews, taking pictures, and writing with the purpose to be published on the Internet. I tried to cover stories that I thought you would think was interesting and really give you the inside of what was happening at the Farm Progress Show.

I just want to thank everybody again, it really meant a lot to me to come to the Farm Progress Show. I hope to being writing blogs again sometime in the future and I hope that everybody I met and who influenced me here, I will see again!

Thanks so much!!

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Monsanto:

Farm Progress Show

Your AgWired Show Team

Chuck Zimmerman August 31, 2006

It’s nice to be home and have the dust showered off. Before leaving the Farm Progress Show today I remembered to have a picture taken of Kelcy and me.

Somehow, with all the pictures we took, we never got around to it.

So here’s your agriblogging team. We had a lot of fun covering the show and want to thank Monsanto for their sponsorship of AgWired coverage and their Future Ag Journalist Fellowship which allowed Kelcy to be a part of the team.

I’ll get all my photos put into an online album for you over the weekend.

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Monsanto:

Farm Progress Show

FlexFuel Motors

Chuck Zimmerman August 31, 2006

A new exhibit out here at the Farm Progress Show was put together in just the last 45 days by FlexFuel Motors.

The man who’s the inspiration and work horse behind it is Tad Whitten, Motor Sports Management, Inc. Besides having a variety of vehicles on display that utilize ethanol or biodiesel, he built a replica of the first ethanol filling station which was in Nebraska. As you can see in the picture he’s found pumps and other original equipment and even built the building as close to as possible to the original as he could.

There’s a skit that runs every little while with volunteer actors reliving what a typical fill up would have been like. They talk about ethanol and then it ends with a speech about renewable fuels and why they’re doing this.

I interviewed Tad and you can listen here: Tad Whitten Interview (5 min. MP3)

I didn’t videotape the show but I did record it as best I could so you can hear the audio here: Ethanol Show (5 min. MP3)

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Monsanto:

Audio, Biodiesel, Ethanol, Farm Progress Show