Wichita Residents Embrace Ethanol

Chuck Zimmerman January 13, 2006

The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council has some promotion results to be proud of. This relatively new organization headed by Tom Slunecka just moved their offices to Omaha, NE. That hasn’t slowed them down any. The results of their promotional campaign in Wichita were just released today in the form of a Talking News Release on AgNewsWire.AgWired.com.

OMAHA, NE. (January 13, 2006 – AgNewsWire.AgWired.com) – Wichita, Kansas residents turned to ethanol-enriched fuel in record numbers this fall, according to recently released market data from a partnership promotion between Kwik Shop stores and the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council (EPIC).

According to Tom Slunecka (suh-Len-icka), EPIC executive director, the promotion first started by giving ethanol information to key leaders within the city, such as mechanics, auto dealers, politicians and community leaders. The information explained why ethanol is important to the city and how it would work in their automobiles and how it would clean the air. “This program was far more than just an advertising campaign, it was an integral part of the thought process within that town about how to maximize their economics from a regional basis as well as how to help their air quality there within their city.” (:16 ) ( epic-wichita-slunecka-cut3 (Full Release) (Word Doc)

Ag Groups, Audio, Ethanol

Technology Updates On Growing Point

Chuck Zimmerman January 13, 2006

I just love it when an agribusiness site uses audio (and promotes it). That’s why it’s worth noting that the Pioneer, Growing Point, website has new audio file. I’m going to use their link to one so you can hear what it sounds like. This one is a technology update on “gene shuffling” by Bart Baudler.

You’ll need to subscribe to get into the Growing Point website if you haven’t already.

Agribusiness, Audio

Who’s Listening To Podcasts

Chuck Zimmerman January 12, 2006

Here’s an interesting story on eMarketer on podcasting (via Sundog). They have a nice graph showing how there were only 1 million radio listeners who downloaded a podcast in 2004, 5 million in 2005 and it’s projected to be 9.3 million in 2006. They project on up to 62.8 million in 2010.

Interestingly they also quote some recent research (by Podtrac) that shows that although 78 percent of those who have downloaded podcasts are men, women are more likely to have listened to a podcast in the last week. I guess that means that us men do the work and the women do the listening. Sundog blogger Greg says in his post:

My wife and I recently took a thousand-mile car trip. About 80 percent of the time we listened to audio books or podcasts that had been downloaded to my iPod. Many of my friends listen to satellite radio when they travel. Right now we’re a minority, but as we see above, that minority is growing rapidly. The world is changing. Marketers had better change and adapt with it.

This year, 30 percent of all new cars will offer iPod integration. I predict this will rapidly approach 100 percent.

I couldn’t agree more.

Media, Podcasts

Charlene Finck New Farm Journal Editor

Chuck Zimmerman January 12, 2006

Farm Journal just named Charlene Finck as their new editor. She will replace Karen Freiberg, who is retiring in March.

In making the announcement, Farm Journal Media Senior Vice President of Editorial, Sonja Hillgren, stated, “Charlene’s leadership in initiating both the Farm Journal Test Plots and definitive machinery coverage over the past 16 years show that she is the kind of creative editor who can help farmers deal strategically with the technological challenges of the 21st century.”

. . . Freiberg retires after 23 distinguished years at FARM JOURNAL, including 16 years as managing editor and the last two years as editor.

Media, Publication

New NAWG Communications Director

Chuck Zimmerman January 12, 2006

The National Association of Wheat Growers has a new communications director just in time for the North American Grain Congress. She’s Melissa George.

Melissa is a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in political science. She has extensive experience in newspaper work as a reporter and stringer with the Oklahoman, Tulsa World and the Oklahoma Daily newspapers. She interned with NAWG in the summer of 2005, providing valuable assistance with organizing Rail Customer Day and our newsletter and web site. She has also participated in a summer Political Science Institute program at Georgetown University in Washington. Melissa’s job duties will include all of NAWG’s communications functions, organizing and supporting special projects (such as Foundation leadership programs sponsored by industry partners), and first point of contact with news reporters.

Ag Groups

Learfield Adds Two

Chuck Zimmerman January 12, 2006

It’s been a long day on the road but I’m back and the announcements and news items have been coming in all day. As easy as blogging is you can’t blog and drive (yet). So I’ll get started and try to work through these as soon as I can. Let’s start with announcements from Learfield.

As we reported earlier this month, Kim Lang has joined Learfield Communications as an account executive for its News Division in Nebraska as well as representing Brownfield, America’s Ag News Source.

They also added Tom Hopfensperger as an account executive for the company’s News Division in Wisconsin. Tom will also represent Brownfield in Wisconsin.

Media

Preview of Cattle Industry Convention

Chuck Zimmerman January 12, 2006

The Missouri Beef Industry Council’s weekly MBIC Report this week is with David Dick who is the chairman. David provides a preview of the upcoming Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. I’ll be blogging the conference right here and on a new blog that will be announced soon!

You can listen to this week’s MBIC Report here:

The MBIC Report is an AgWired podcast which you can subscribe to using the link you’ll find on our “Blogs & Podcasts” page or on the MBIC website.

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Podcasts

Bunge Continues China Growth

Chuck Zimmerman January 11, 2006

The global aspect of agriculture just keeps on happening. It’s going to be interesting to see how things play out as companies invest in other countries. Like Bunge which made a big announcement today.

Bunge Limited today announced an agreement to purchase an integrated soybean crushing and refining plant in the port city of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, from Dalian Huanong Group Ltd. The plant, Bunge’s second in the country, will link the company directly to customers in the expanding soybean meal and oil markets in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces and other Yangtze River regions.

Agribusiness

Wilco & Agriliance Joint Venture

Chuck Zimmerman January 11, 2006

The latest ePreview from CHS and Land O’Lakes, Inc. announces that Wilco Farmers, Mt. Angel, Ore., and Agriliance have formed “an agronomy marketing joint venture. The partnership will allow the two companies to pool resources and to more efficiently manage both wholesale and retail agronomy businesses in the joint trade area.”

Through the joint venture, Agriliance will supply all of the joint venture’s crop nutrients and crop protection products, and will continue to pursue wholesale crop nutrients and crop protection product business with farm supply dealers surrounding the joint venture trade area. Wilco Farmers will maintain grower relationships and service.

Bill Hubbell has been named general manager of the agronomy joint venture. Hubbell was previously owner and operator of a privately held company in Cleveland, Ohio. Hubbell has also held various executive sales management positions with Lesco, Inc., a landscape supply distributor, and was a Farm and Home Store manager for Agway, Inc., Southold, New York.

Agribusiness

Is That An iPod In Your Jeans

Chuck Zimmerman January 11, 2006

The iPod revolution continues. Levi Strauss & Co. is going to make farm podcasting that much easier later this year when you can purchase Levi’s® RedWire™ DLX Jeans. They’re due out in the fall.

Designed for both men and women, the jeans seamlessly integrate iPod plug and play technology giving music enthusiasts the most innovative and fashionable way to enjoy music on the go. The jean is designed to be compatible with most iPod systems and features include a special joystick incorporated into the jeans’ watch pocket to enable easy operation of the iPod.

I’m sure they meant to add “farm podcasting” in there along with music.

Design features include:

Easy Pocket Storage – An iPod docking cradle is built into the jeans and is “invisibly” housed within a side pocket. The Levi’s® design team took special care to ensure the iPod unit remains neatly and securely stored in the jean, while the iPod “bump” in the pocket is virtually eliminated. The cradle is equipped with sophisticated technology housed in a red conductive ribbon that allows users to quickly and easily remove their iPod from the pocket to view its screen while staying connected. The jean is machine washable once the iPod is removed.

“Hip” Controls – A special joystick remote control is externally designed into the jeans’ watch pocket to enable operation of the iPod. Four-way controls allow the wearer to easily play/pause, track forward, track back and adjust the volume control without ever removing the iPod from the pocket.

Handy Wire Retractor – A handy retractable headphone unit has been built directly into the jean to help prevent tangles and efficiently manage the iPod earphone wires.

Oh and there’s one other thing. They’re still going to be a “great-fitting jean.”

Podcasts

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