Rural Broadband Discussion

Chuck Zimmerman

Tim GanshchowThe presentation here at the NAMA/Ag Club meeting is now underway. Our presenter is Tim Ganschow, VP of Agristar Global Networks. He started out with some great statistics about overall U. S. households that have internet access and compared that to farmers using USDA’s every other year national study.

He took us through a little bit of history of the internet starting with how a little company called Netscape really changed the way we can interact with and use the internet.

Now he’s talking about rural broadband and what the options are, especially when it comes to farmers.

BTW. I’m recording this so I can bring you the audio of his full presentation later.

NAMA

AgWired Live From St. Louis

Chuck Zimmerman

St. Louis Ag Club BoardHere we are just prior to the NAMA Gateway/St. Louis Ag Club meeting at the Westport Sheraton. The St. Louis Ag Club is currently holding their board meeting. They were kind enough to pause for the photo op.

We’ll begin the meeting with a reception at 11:30 and then have lunch with our keynote speaker. More to come.

NAMA

Blogging In St. Louis Today

Chuck Zimmerman

Today I’ll be in St. Louis to conduct a blogging seminar for the combined Gateway NAMA chapter and St. Louis Agribusiness Club meeting. Actually, my seminar follows the lunch meeting to be absolutely correct. We’ve got a great lunch speaker. I’ll record Kip Pendleton, AgriStar Global Networks, and hope to post his talk if I have permission. I will certainly try to interview him for a future ZimmCast.

So count on seeing something here from the seminar/luncheon and later when I’m back. If you’re in the St. Louis area with nothing to do then come on out.

I’ll show how to blog and also get into podcasting too. Live demonstrations are the only way to go so it’ll be a live online type of event. Call me if you’d like a seminar for your organization or company.

NAMA

Carnival Blogs

Chuck Zimmerman

I’ve been wondering for a while what exactly a “carnival blog” is since I see it referred to a lot by a blogger I subscribe to. He writes about the Carnival of the Capitalist in particular. Then this morning I noticed a comment on a recent post of mine that’s from one of these blogs. I can’t tell who is producing this blog but what it looks like is a blog that doesn’t produce any original content. They just take images and content from other people’s blogs. Like in this case, mine. They’re topical and as far as I can tell are only in business to create traffic and revenue. But for who? Somehow the idea of someone else using my content to create traffic for themselves isn’t right. I don’t feel good about that. If I’m mis-judging this I would be happy to know how and have someone explain it to me. If I’m not, then maybe I should delete their comment. Anyone have any more information on this or suggestions?

Uncategorized

Those High Priced Veggies Causing Problems

Chuck Zimmerman

USDA ERS Report“You have got to be kidding me.” That’s the first thing that came to mind when I saw the tease for a new report by USDA’s Economic Research Service titled, “Metropolitan Area Food Prices and Children’s Weight Gain.” Basically it was conducted to see if there’s a link between high priced fruits and vegetables and fat kids. Let’s get rid of the term “overweight” please. Here’s one finding of the study:

Children who lived in metropolitan areas where fruits and vegetables were relatively expensive gained significantly more weight than children—matched for otherwise-similar characteristics and standard of living—who lived where fruits and vegetables were cheaper.

There’s no way you’re going to convince me that the reason these kids in the area studied are fat is because they can’t afford fruits and vegetables. At least the report ends with:

Lacking longitudinal data on consumption and price changes, we cannot confirm the causal relationship between higher prices and the purchase and use of fresh produce. However, the findings suggest the need for more research to determine the impact prices may have on the consumption of fruits and vegetables by children.

I can tell you that the “longitudinal” data they need to look at is how much time those kids are lying down on the couch watching tv or playing video games!

USDA

Tolman Re-elected Chairman of MARC2000

Chuck Zimmerman

MARC 2000MARC 2000 (Midwest Area Rivers Coalition) has re-elected NCGA CEO, Rick Tolman, as their chairman for 2006. Rick, I guess you’re doing a good job.

“Under Mr. Tolman’s leadership, our coalition achieved what was unthinkable just a year ago – walking the halls of Capitol Hill with leading environmental advocates as our allies,” said Paul C. Rohde, President of MARC 2000.

Ag Groups

Perfecting The Soybean

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast50- Kent GronlieThis week’s ZimmCast is my last interview from the fall NAFB convention. It’s with Kent Gronlie, soybean farmer and member of the United Soybean Board and Qualisoy. In my interview Kent talks about the work that Qualisoy has been doing and what he sees for the future for soybeans.

You can listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: Download MP3 File

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also now find the ZimmCast on CoolCast Radio or subscribe in iTunes.

Ag Groups, Audio, Podcasts, ZimmCast

Market Probe Acquires Marketing Horizons

Chuck Zimmerman

Market ProbeThis just in . . .

Market Probe has acquired Marketing Horizons, Inc., a mid-sized marketing research company located in St. Louis, Missouri that specializes in agricultural market research. For nearly 20 years, Marketing Horizons has been a leading provider of full-service marketing research and business consulting services. Earl Wims, co-founder of Marketing Horizons, retired from the company effective December 15, 2005. Co-founder Robert Jasper will assume the title of Senior Vice President at Market Probe and will continue to oversee the day-to-day management of the operations. The Marketing Horizons staff of about 30, located in two St. Louis offices, will remain in place and become employees of Marketing Horizons, Inc. – A Division of Market Probe.

Agribusiness

ACDC Has New Ag Media Terms

Chuck Zimmerman

Agricultural Communications Documentation CenterJim Evans, who manages the ACDC (not the rock group), liked my new agricultural communications terms. Check out the June issue of ACDC News for my definition of “agriblogging” and “farm podcasting.”

BTW. ACDC stands for Agricultural Communications Documentation Center. They now have over 27,000 documents in their collection. The ACDC is: “a unique literature collection and information service developed by agricultural communications faculty members at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is offered as a service to students, teachers, researchers, professional communicators and others who are interested in communications related broadly to agriculture, food, natural resources and rural affairs. The Center is housed within the Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences Funk Library.”

Podcasts, University

AFBF Leader – The Bridge Is Sagging

Chuck Zimmerman

American Farm Bureau FederationThe American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention got kicked off today. Boy are they cranking out the news releases. Here’s a couple items from them you might be interested in:

1. The American Farm Bureau today gave its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Barry Flinchbaugh, Kansas State University agricultural economist.

2. America’s farmers and ranchers have an obligation to provide input on farm program changes before outside forces do it for them, American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said today during his address at AFBF’s 87th annual meeting.

“For decades, agriculture has relied on our farm program as a sturdy bridge that gets us to the other side of the river and moves us on down our country road,” Stallman said. “Today that bridge is beginning to sag under the weight of change. We cannot afford to wait until that old bridge collapses, and we end up swimming for our lives.”

3. Government support for agriculture will look very different — the farm bills of the future will be nothing like the farm bills of recent years.

Global trade will drive agricultural profitability, because more than 96 percent of the world’s population will be outside the U.S.

Farmers will be more dependent on nearby rural communities, but these communities will be less dependent on agriculture for their economic stability.

America will have fewer farms producing a larger percentage of U.S. food and fiber, but there will be more small farms than today.

More farmers and ranchers will have learned to produce what they can sell and not simply sell what they produce.

Market forces will drive the implementation of environmental practices.

Research and technology will be global in scope rather than focused nationally.

This last one is a list of trends that will most affect agriculture in the next 15 years that was part of a new report from the AFBF, Making American Agriculture Productive and Profitable Committee.

I’m sure a lot more will come out of Nashville this week.

Ag Groups