Iowa FarmIndex Directory of Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman January 25, 2006

Sounds like a phone book for farmers only more. This is the FarmIndex Directory for Iowa, which was just recently released. It claims to provide complete statewide producer and crop information.

Prepared and published as a joint venture of NewCentury Marketing Services and Cole Information Services, the Iowa FarmIndex Directory includes crop and livestock allocations and volumes, organized by county and then by production volume.

“The Cole-NCMS FarmIndex Directory provides a vast amount of information about crop and livestock producers,” says Claus Thiles, President, NCMS. “The FarmIndex provides a clear connection for the Iowa agricultural community, from individual operator to multi-crop farm enterprises. If you want to talk to corn producers in a specific county, the FarmIndex tells you who they are, how much crop they grow, and how to contact them.” The new Iowa FarmIndex Directory is designed to provide a single information resource for research and marketing projects. More states will be available in the near future.

“We developed this FarmIndex Directory as an entirely new tool for the ag business professional,” explains Jim Eggleston, Vice President & Publisher, Cole Information Services. “By bringing these multiple sources of information into a single volume, we provide an easy way for businesses to connect with new customers.”

Agribusiness

Ag Relations Council In Graceland

Chuck Zimmerman January 25, 2006

Here’s a reminder for all you agricultural public relations professionals. The Agricultural Relations Council is holding a meeting in Memphis (one of my favorite towns) March 23 – 25. Can you say “Ribs & Blues?” Yeah, there’s the professional improvement thing too.

Join the Agricultural Relations Council as it goes to Memphis March 23-25 for Public Relations 101-404 with a full day and a half of professional education programming, PLUS the Making and Management of a Legend.

Registration — $300.00 for ARC Members, $350.00 for nonmembers, which includes the Thursday evening Graceland tours and reception, Friday speaker program as well as breakfast, breaks and luncheon, and Saturday program, breakfast and luncheon. Check www.agrelationscouncil.org for more detailed program information as it develops.

ARC

Green Hired To Lead O&B’s DMG

Chuck Zimmerman January 25, 2006

He looks like a computer guy. Those eyes have stared at a computer screen for a long time I’m guessing. He’s Mark Green and Osborn & Barr Communications’ newest hire to lead their new Digital Marketing Group. That would the the group that handles “Web-based initiatives and customer relationship management.”

Leading the new group is Mark Green, vice president, director of digital marketing. Mark is a technology-based business strategist with experience in interactive product development, e-commerce, co-op marketing tools and online promotional marketing. At Osborn & Barr, Mark is responsible for the development and implementation of interactive branding strategies, web-based promotions and CRM initiatives including interactive training, customized promotions to distribution networks and segmentation and analysis of customer information for the development of personalized services and marketing communications. Under his direction, Osborn & Barr is developing a multi-faceted digital marketing team.

Green was previously vice president at Brighton Agency where he built an interactive division serving clients such as BASF, Charter Communications and International Paper.

Agencies

Quirky Hispanic “Drink Milk” Ads

Chuck Zimmerman January 25, 2006

If you’re sitting there wishing you had something interesting to watch, try these new Got Milk hispanic ads. They’re set to begin airing January 30. I think Adrants describes these spots right with the word “quirky.” You can see a couple of them here: Amazing Hair Goddesses and Contortionist.

If you don’t understand spanish, don’t worry, they have english titles. I think they’re great. How about you? It’s nice to see good creative.

The hispanic campaign has run for many years and this is a pretty significant change in approach. The ads were produced by Grupo Gallegos.

Ag Groups, Dairy

Maximize Your Multimedia ROI

Chuck Zimmerman January 24, 2006

A big announcement was made today and I think agricultural communicators should take notice. I really think you need to check this out.

A company that has a long standing tradition of delivering news items to reporters is PR Newswire. Today, their Multi Vu division announced that it was “re-inventing” the video news release and other forms of multi-media communication vehicles. Why?

New products extend reach to media and your target audiences… comprehensive multimedia communications packages help ensure success

In other words, so that you don’t have to depend on the radio and tv stations to deliver your message to your customers and members anymore! They’re offering audio and video podcasting services and specifically so you can communicate directly to your target audience. Where have I heard this concept before?

MultiVu has a new approach to VNRs, B-roll and SMTs that helps ensure success. Our Electronic Multimedia Kits (EMK) and Broadcast Multimedia Briefings (BMB) reach television, radio, print and online media and allow you to communicate directly to consumers and other target audiences over the Internet. They also feature audio and video podcasts. And, they help you get your message directly to your target audiences without having to depend solely on broadcast TV.

Wow. I’m sorry but I think this just validates the idea of using “new media” in your campaigns. Notice they don’t say you shouldn’t continue to distribute information to traditional media outlets. I wouldn’t say that either. However, you now have the tools to “go direct.” Why not?

Because you think farmers don’t have broadband internet access and aren’t sure if they use it right? Good thing to question. The facts show that of $100,000 plus farmers, over 20 percent do have broadband. That’s a pretty significant percentage. Looking back historically into the early days of internet access, farmers adopted and used it at higher percentage than the general public. The only reason they’ve lagged behind of late is the whole broadband access issue and that’s being addressed and is changing rapidly.

I’ll be writing more about this over the next couple weeks and have some information to share so you can see the facts for yourself. In the meantime, be a pioneer and get started with your use of new media. We have the tools and “time’s a wastin’.” I like the way Multi Vu says it and I echo it for the agribusiness community, “By adapting your message for multiple audiences on a variety of platforms, our goal is to help you maximize your multimedia ROI. “

Media, Podcasts

Blogging Delivered By AT&T

Chuck Zimmerman January 24, 2006

I’ve seen this billboard in a couple of cities lately and had a chance to take a picture of it today in Chicago. I guess I think it’s interesting that AT&T is advertising that they deliver blogging. I think I also saw somewhere that they may be delivering it but they aren’t “doing it.”

So they’re delivering broadband is what this is really saying. Of course not out in rural America where the farmers are. But there is one company that is doing that and I’ll have a lot more information about what they’re doing and how, soon. Right now I’ve got some other web work to do so I’ll be back later this evening with some more of the latest from the world of agricultural marketing.

Uncategorized

Farm Bureau Mutual Crop1 Acquisition Complete

Chuck Zimmerman January 24, 2006

I just stopped off at a Holiday Inn here in Chicago for a quick email check with their lobby wi-fi and found out that the Farm Bureau Mutual acquisition of Crop1 Insurance is final as announced today (one AgNewsWire.AgWired.com).

“This acquisition will help us to expand service to our farmer market,” said Bruce Trost, Farm Bureau Mutual Executive Vice President. “Crop1’s technology and proven savings will help us provide innovative and affordable crop insurance to meet the unique needs of crop producers throughout our marketing territory – we’re a winning combination that’s great for agriculture,” he added.

Billy Rose, Chief Executive Officer for Crop1 Insurance, says “We’re delighted that this transaction allows Crop1 to offer a savings to more crop producers across a broader geography.” (Full Release)

Ag Groups, Agribusiness

New WTO Publication Releases

Chuck Zimmerman January 24, 2006

Since Keith Good won’t be posting today I thought I’d give you a taste of some world trade information from the WTO. They just released the latest edition of the World Trade Review. You can download the publication here in pdf format. In this issue you’ll find articles on:

Multilateralism compromised: the mysterious origins of GATT Article XXIV – KERRY CHASE

Reviewing dispute settlement at the World Trade Organization: a time to reconsider the role/s of compensation? – ARWEL DAVIES

Participation of NGOs before the WTO and EC tribunals: which court is the better friend? – MARCO M. SLOTBOOM

The WTO decision-making process and internal transparency – PETER NØRGAARD PEDERSEN

European Communities – Anti-Dumping Duties on Imports of Cotton-Type Bed Linen from India: Recourse to Article 21.5 of the DSU by India – GENE M. GROSSMAN AND ALAN O. SYKES

International

Angus Carcass Challenge Winner Announced

Chuck Zimmerman January 24, 2006

You have seriously got to be “into” beef for this story. A real steak lover would like a good carcass challenge though. I don’t think I’d do very good at this competition. Heck, I didn’t do a great job on a roast I cooked in the crock pot this weekend. The family units said that eating it was a real challenge.

Basically, the National Angus Carcass Challenge is “an annual beef value contest, sponsored in 2005 by Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB), Drovers magazine, Merial SureHealth, Farnam Co., Alltech and the American Angus Association’s AngusSourceSM program.” The awards for the competition were presented at the National Western Stock Show. If you want to know more about what all is involved you’ll have to contact the folks at CAB. They do take pictures though and I like that.

GG Genetics, Ida Grove, Iowa, owned and fed the top entry in the 2005 National Angus Carcass Challenge. The 40 heifers set a NACC contest grid record of $108.18 with 100% Prime and Choice and 62.5% Certified Angus Beef® with no Yield Grade 4 and 5 discounts. Pictured left to right: Jim Riemann, Certified Angus Beef LLC; Tina Richards, Alltech; Kathy LaScala, Drovers; Diane and Mason Fleenor, GG Genetics; Jeff Schoen, Merial; and Ty Groshans, American Angus Association.

Ag Groups, Beef

A Yogurt Smoothie For Your Teeth

Chuck Zimmerman January 23, 2006

I thought this was just too weird to be true until I saw the story in USA Today. Have you ever considered brushing your teeth with yogurt? Me either. But you can. With some fancy toothpaste from Breath Palette. Try the Smoothie Toothpaste Kit which comes in these flavors: Fresh Yogurt, Monkey Banana, Kiwi Fruit, Strawberry, Blueberry

See this story – “Yogurt cultivating unprecedented popularity.” The story also points to a bunch of other products containing yogurt from cereals to makeup.

Me, I think I’ll stick to some more traditional uses of yogurt for now. Besides, Cindy would think it weird if I started using yogurt makeup.

Food

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