Agritourism has become a valuable additional way for many farms to make more money. In this week’s ZimmCast I interview Jane Eckert, Eckert Agrimarketing, about her business. Jane is a professional direct marketing consultant with a passion for agritourism. I think you’ll enjoy hearing what she’s got to say.
You can listen to the interview here 
You can also subscribe to our weekly podcast (ZimmCast) using the file in our sidebar.
ZimmComm is teaming up with the World Dairy Expo to publish the first ever World Dairy Expo blog! The Expo will be held October 4-8. Between now and then we’ll begin publishing news and information about the activities that you can expect to see. Then during the Expo we’ll be onsite to provide pictures, interviews and news as it happens each day.
There’s lots of information on the World Dairy Expo website if you haven’t visited it yet. It’s not too early to be making your plans if you wish to attend. However, even if you can’t you can always log onto the blog! We’ll also post information about the Expo right here on AgWired too.
Please feel free to visit and offer your thoughts and opinions as we blaze new trails in the web world. If you like what you see think about having ZimmComm team up with you for your event too!
This is a test of a streaming audio file that I’m trying out. Please ignore. Thanks.
Here’s something new to me. Just got this information on a press conference on the new coalition. I really don’t have any more information than this so we’ll see what comes out of their press conference. If they have any websites for CCMP or the USA RAISED BEEF program I haven’t found any yet. The closest I can find it this.
D E T A I L S : Stakeholder organizations in CCMP have developed a national initiative to promote USA RAISED BEEF. This press
conference will mark the national unveiling of the USA RAISED BEEF logo and publicity campaign. It will underscore the fact that the USDA grade stamp of approval does not guarantee consumers are purchasing USA RAISED BEEF. Retailers participating in the USA RAISED BEEF initiative will be present to discuss how the program is being used in their retail
outlets to educate consumers and enhance demand for USA RAISED BEEF.
A B O U T C C M P : The Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project (CCMP) is a voluntary producer contribution program
developed by producers to support fair, open and competitive markets; realistic international trade policies; mandatory country of origin labeling and promotion of USA RAISED BEEF.
B A C K G R O U N D : The Cattlemen’s Competitive Market Project (CCMP) will launch nationally its USA RAISED BEEF “Ask
For It” campaign on June 28, 2005 at 12:30 p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The event will showcase the new
promotional initiative for domestically grown beef and how the logo is already being displayed in retail stores, livestock auction markets and ranches throughout the Midwest and West.
For More Information:
Chase Carter, OCM Executive Director, 402.817.4443
Carrie Longwood, SDSGA Executive Director, 605.342.0429
John Lockie, MCA Executive Director, 406.628.2230
Chris Abbott, ICON President, 308.282.2826
Danni Beer, R-CALF USA COOL, Committee Chair, 605.524.3383
By now I’m sure everyone and their brother has heard about the USDA announcement on the BSE test. You can read the full transcript of remarks at the USDA press conference here.
This has certainly generated the need for organizations to respond so we’ll have more after we evaluate the information we receive.
This is why you need a client in Florida when you live in the midwest. After yesterday’s blogging seminar we re-located to an undisclosed west coast of Florida location to spend the night. We got there just in time for the sunset! My picture doesn’t do it justice but at least I thought to take one.
Today’s going to be a “day off” for the most part but then it’ll be time to get back into the action for AgWired.
The folks at Global Animal Management have done a consumer survey to find out what the move to a national animal id system will mean to confidence in food safety. That’s the topic of their latest talking news release.
CONSUMER POLL: FOOD SAFETY CONFIDENCE WILL IMPROVE
WITH MANDATORY NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM
KENILWORTH, N.J. June 24, 2005 – A recent poll shows that consumers will become even more confident in the safety and security of the nation’s meat and poultry supply if a mandatory National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is implemented. Under the national animal ID system, authorities would be able to quickly locate specific animals to prevent the spread of livestock diseases, such as mad cow disease. The consumer survey was sponsored by Global Animal Management Inc., a leading provider of animal and premise identification systems.
The poll of one thousand U.S. consumers was conducted in mid-May. It shows that consumers already have considerable confidence in the nation’s meat and poultry supply with more than thirty-seven percent saying their current meat safety confidence is high and only ten percent rating their confidence as low.
Jim Heinle (Hine-lee), president of Global Animal Management, says that the survey shows that consumer cofidence would increase significantly with the implementation of a national animal identification system. Nearly 55 percent of those polled said their confidence would then be high, and those who said their confidence will remain low declined to less than 4 percent. (Full Release)
For more information contact Julie Lux, (908) 298-4774.
I’m still conducting the Southeast AgNet/Citrus Industry Magazine blogging seminar. See how excited these folks look?
This post is being done to demonstrate “live” how easy it is to post pictures and information to your blog (website).
Live blogging session in Ocala, Florida with Southeast AgNet staff.
We’re posting live during our presentation. More to come.
I don’t think I qualify for membership but I like food and I like to write. These people make a living at it! They’ve got a great resource too called “FOODSPELL.” It’s a guide to spelling those difficult food words like “Szechuan,” which can be spelled several different way. You can order it from their website. They’ve also got an annual conference coming up in San Francisco in September.
The Association of Food Journalists, Inc., is a networking system especially created for journalists who devote most of their working time to planning and writing food copy for news media worldwide.
AFJ’s primary goal is to encourage communication among food journalists. In addition, AFJ tries to increase members’ knowledge of food and to sharpen their writing, design and broadcast skills. The group also strives to foster professional standards among its members and other members of the media.
BEGINNINGS
AFJ was formed in 1974 as the Newspaper Food Editors and Writers Association, Inc. At that time, many food editors voiced a desire for a professional association that addressed the common needs and goals of food journalists. The organization grew quickly.
The group changed its name to the Association of Food Journalists, Inc., in 1994 to better reflect its diverse membership.
Today, AFJ has more than 275 members from the United States and Canada as well as other countries. There are members from most metropolitan and smaller daily newspapers, magazines, broadcast companies and online services in the United States and Canada. In addition, free-lance food writers, cookbook authors and syndicated columnists are also members.
