Watch & Listen To WTO Talks Via Webcasts

Chuck Zimmerman

WTO Hong Kong MinisterialIn case you’re really interested in what’s going on at the WTO talks in Hong Kong they are recording and webcasting many of the public sessions like news conferences and statements. They’re offering them live and archived in video and audio format and even in different languages.

Just go to the WTO Webcasting Page and you’ll find listings of the available audio/video files that they stream from their web server so they play very quickly.

The quality is very good of what I looked at. I didn’t see anything earth-shattering to report on although I can guarantee you that I didn’t spend a lot of time on it today. It was a busy day of presentations in Des Moines for ZimmComm. We also distributed multiple news releases today and worked on the production of two more which will be sent out tomorrow. You can of course see them on AgNewsWire.AgWired.com.

Uncategorized

O & B Kansas City Says “Boo”

Chuck Zimmerman

Boo LarsonIt’s Osborn & Barr announcement time. The agency now has Annabel “Boo” Larsen in the Kansas City office as Managing Director. In her new role, Boo will be responsible for the account service, media, public relations, accounting and creative staff.

Boo joined O&B after 20 years with Geoff Howe Marketing Communications. Beginning her career in Geoff Howe’s London, England, office, Boo gained experience in account management working on brands such as Hellmann’s, PepsiCo, Budweiser and the New Zealand Dairy Board. She transferred to Geoff Howe’s Kansas City office to develop the Hill’s Pet Nutrition account. In addition, Boo spent two years as the group account director for Pfizer Animal Health.

The agency also announced that:

. . . Adam Elwell has joined as art director. Adam will focus primarily on John Deere Credit, RFD-TV and new business efforts. Previously, Adam was an art director at Geoff Howe Marketing Communications in Kansas City where he worked on Hill’s Pet Nutrition which includes Science Diet and Prescription Diet.

Agencies

Johanns Appoints Cotton Board Members

Chuck Zimmerman

Cotton BoardU. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, announced some new Cotton Board members:

The newly appointed board members are: Steve Cantu, Tranquillity, Calif.; Barry Evans, Kress, Tex.; Maureen Gray, Lyndhurst, N.J.; Linda Tipton, Bentonville, Ark.; and William Sheely, Burlington, N.C.

The newly appointed alternate members are: Catherine Fanucchi, Bakersfield, Calif.; David Grant, Garysburg, N.C.; Michael Hubbard, Gastonia, N.C.; David Levey, Menomonee Falls, Wisc.; Debi Gregg, Hunting Beach, Calif.; and Joseph Harris, Anaheim, Calif..

To see the full list, including those who were re-appointed, visit the Cotton Board website.

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FAO Releases State of Food & Agriculture 2005

Chuck Zimmerman

FAORight before the WTO talks got started in Hong Kong the FAO released its “State of Food & Agriculture 2005” report.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2005 (SOFA 2005) examines agricultural trade and poverty, seeking to answer the question: Can trade work for the poor?

According to SOFA 2005, the answer is yes, but trade liberalization alone is not enough. Policies and investments must be put in place to allow the poor to benefit from trade opportunities and to protect the vulnerable against trade-related shocks. “Agricultural trade and further trade liberalization can unlock the potential of the agriculture sector to promote pro-poor growth, but these benefits are not guaranteed.”

You can read the executive summary here. (pdf file)

An excerpt example would be this one where they recommend how trade can work for the poor with a “twin-track approach”. This involves (i) investing in human capital, institutions and infrastructure and (ii) establishing safety nets to protect vulnerable people during the transition to freer trade.”

International

Learn About European Union FarmSubsidy(.org) Payments

Chuck Zimmerman

FarmSubsidy.orglI was saving this for the right time. I think with the WTO talks going on in Hong Kong it’s a good time to point you to FarmSubsidy.org. From their news release earlier this month:

Today, an international network of journalists and activists has launched a new website that will enable European citizens to find out who gets what from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Coordinated from Denmark and the UK, the website is the product of intensive collaborative working across more than ten countries. The website facilitates access data on farm subsidy payments obtained through requests under legislation on public access to information.

In 2004, the CAP paid out €43.5 billion in farm subsidies but unlike most other areas of EU expenditure, the payments have been kept top secret. This began to change in 2004, when DICAR, an organisation of Danish investigative journalists, succeeded in their application for data on farm subsidy payments in Denmark. DICAR has since joined with UK-based non-profit EU Transparency to bring together a network of campaigners in other member states and to build the farmsubsidy.org website.

Farm Policy, International

Missouri Beef Council Is Blogging

Chuck Zimmerman

MBIC Report PodcastThe Missouri Beef Industry Council’s weekly MBIC Report this week is with executive director, Steve Taylor.

MoBeef UpdateMBIC is blogging with MOBeef Update! In our interview Steve describes why he’s chosen to use this tool as a new way to communicate with cattle producers who want to keep up to date on the activities of the organization.

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

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

Enhancing Value For Missouri Corn Growers

Chuck Zimmerman

CornTalk podcastCornTalk is the week’y interview program of the Missouri Corn Growers Association. This week the program features an update on the MCGA Value Enhancement Program. MCGA Director of Market Development, Gary Wheeler, talks about how the organization works to capture value for its members. Additionally, Wheeler discusses the importance to Missouri corn growers of the reopening of the Japanese market to U. S. beef and he offers some advice to growers as they look forward to next year’s crop.

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

CornTalk is a weekly AgWired podcast which you can subscribe to using the link you’ll find on our “Blogs & Podcasts” page.

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, Podcasts

Blogging From The Road In Kansas City

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello from the road. I’m in Kansas City where I’ve had a great presentation with the wonderful folks at AdFarm. Great pizza!

Right now I’m involved in a live in-person training session with Steve Suther and Lance Zimmerman of Certified Angus Beef. They want to start producing their own audio content for news releases and their website.

I’ll be heading up to Des Moines later today and doing presentations over the next couple days. More to come.

Agencies

WTO DG Blogging, Almost

Chuck Zimmerman

WTO Hong Kong MinisterialJust when I thought I was done for the day I realized you should get at least something from Hong Kong. I can at least pretend like I’m there via the internet.

Here’s a pic from today’s press conference with (l-R) the DG, Pascal Lamy, John Tsang and Keith Rockwell.

It looks like DG is trying to “blog.” Actually it really is more like what they call it, “The DG Diary.” But, hey, he’s trying. If the DG of the WTO can do it then . . .

Uncategorized

Gary Schulz Leaves International Agri-Center

Chuck Zimmerman

World Ag ExpoWell I guess I know why Gary hasn’t been getting back to me. I’d been discussing the idea of blogging World Ag Expo with Gary Schulz who even attended the NAMA Boot Camp and my blogging class.

I think it’s interesting when an organization sends out a release to announce that someone has left.

Gary Schulz, general manager of the International Agri-Center, has resigned his position immediately in order to pursue other business interests. In his 15 years as general manager, the Agri-Center’s budget increased from $1 million to $6 million, staff levels increased from 5 to 20, the number of volunteers increased from 250 to 1,200 and World Ag Expo grew to become the largest farm show in the world. In addition, under his leadership, the International Agri-Center introduced the California Antique Farm Equipment Show and Heritage Complex was built.

Good luck Gary. I hope to hear from you soon.

Farm Shows