The media room is supervised by Joe Schuele and Grace Webb. Here they are hard at work making sure the agribloggers and farm podcasters and other media types are getting what they need.
Actually it’s been a quiet media day for the most part. I’m sure that will change tomorrow
It sure doesn’t look very busy here at the registration desk in Reno.
However, I didn’t stop by for a picture until the meetings were all underway. I’m sure it was busy early.
The ZimmCast is coming to you this week from Reno, Nevada and the Cattle Industry Summer Conference. For your listening pleasure I interviewed the Chairman of the Beef Board, Jay O’Brien. Jay is a cattle producer from Texas.
I asked Jay to explain what the Beef Board hopes to accomplish at this meeting. He says the budget is one of the main jobs they get done. Looking ahead to the new year he says that reaching young people with a message about beef is a priority since research has shown that their awareness level isn’t as high as adults.
Listen here: 
ZimmCast 75 (14 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.
I just noticed that I’ve posted over 2,000 times on AgWired. It’s a milestone! That’s a lot of pictures, interviews, links, notices and other types of information on the business of agrimarketing.
The very first version of AgWired was installed in August of 2004 but I didn’t get in the blogging groove until March of 2005. I think my daily posting average works out to around 4 posts a day, 7 days a week.
Ahh, those beginning days. Not only did I wonder what I’d gotten myself into, I can’t count how many of you wondered too and often said so! Well, hopefully the picture is getting clearer.
I know I’ve said it before but I want to thank everyone who has supported me. Your encouragement and all the ways you’ve found to provide support mean more than I can say. I do promise to continue developing AgWired and the agricultural use of the new media tools. As my good friend from Colorado likes to say, “Onward and upward.”
Here’s a lot of what you see around town here in Reno. I came in a day early for the Cattle Industry Summer Conference because of flight availability and cost. So, it’s been nice to relax a little.
I have not spent a dime on any slots or tables and really don’t have any intention to. Not my thing. It’s interesting to watch others doing it though. I was up and around early this morning and there were people all over the casino, tied to the machines with their little charge cards on lanyards. Strange if you ask me.
The Brew Blog is where you can find out news and information about the alcohol beverage industry. I think this is a fantastic idea. Listen up agrimarketers. Take a look at what Miller is doing here. They’ve hired or contracted with a reporter who is covering their industry. I know you purists out there will be shocked. How can this have any credibility you might ask? I say, look at what’s being posted by Jim Arndorfer. He’s certainly going to be an example I’ll be using in my workshop at the Ag Media Summit!
If I was in this business the Brew Blog would be one of my news feeds that I’d be checking on a regular basis. Do I care if it’s sponsored or owned by Miller Brewing? Not if it’s good timely, topical information that I can’t get in this convenient a format.
So why not have a farm equipment news blog that’s owned by John Deere, AGCO or New Holland? How about a seed news blog owned by Pioneer or Monsanto? Let’s have an ag chem news blog owned by Syngenta or BASF. Think about it. There’s a lot of reporters out here who might be able to make the transition to the internet. I say, “might,” with good reason. Even news blogging requires a talent and dedication that not every traditional media reporter may have.
Our Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner announced one importer alternate to serve on the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, for a term of office beginning immediately and ending on Dec. 31, 2006.
The newly appointed importer alternate is Keith D. Mixon from Haines City, Fla.
We used to go to blueberry u-picks in north central Florida. Mmm, mmm. Now I want some vanilla ice cream topped with a pile of blueberries.
Hello from Reno. Tomorrow I’ll start blogging the Cattle Industry Summer Conference so stay tuned. After checking in and unpacking I realized I didn’t bring my computer’s power supply.
Hard to believe and I was thinking, “Now what am I going to do?” Actually I used some additional words that are not fit for print here. A road warrior needs to have 2 power supplies for his notebook for this very reason.
So I called the audio/visual department and Dave told me there was nothing he could do. Right before hanging up though he mentioned that he had a box with a bunch of adapters, cables and some power supplies from people who have left them here. I eagerly asked him to let me bring my Dell down and see what was in the box. What did I have to lose? When he pulled this box off the shelf the very top power supply was the exact duplicate of mine. The only one even close to what I needed.
I’m charging and Dave has my eternal thanks. That’s the kind of customer service I like.
If you’re involved in agricultural public relations are you involved in ARC? If not, why not? If not, then maybe you should learn more about the Agricultural Relations Council. You can do this by attending the ARC breakfast at the Ag Media Summit.
For the first time, the Agricultural Relations Council will be recognized as a participating organization at this year’s Agricultural Media Summit, July 23-26 in Portland. The recognition comes following unanimous approval from the steering committee of the Agricultural Media Summit LLC. “We’re excited to obtain this recognition and formally strengthen our ties with this premier agricultural communications event,” said Jeri Omernik, president of ARC, a service organization founded in 1954 to serve the unique needs of professionals in agricultural public relations. Omernik noted that as a result of the partnership, ARC members will be able to attend the event at Ag Media Summit member rates. In addition, ARC is being asked to provide one or more representatives to serve on the three Summit committees: Program, Sponsorship and InfoExpo. Read More
A “Country Swing” evening event with Joni Harms is just one of the activities on the agenda for the Cattle Industry Summer Conference that gets kicked off this weekend in Reno. I’m heading back to the city I just drove through for a few days of event blogging here on AgWired and on Beef Board Meeting.
Looking forward to bringing you all the action from the “biggest little city in the world.”
