Mycogen Seeds Forage Superbowl Winner

Chuck Zimmerman

Mycogen SeedsMycogen Seeds has the bragging rights when it comes to silage and alfalfa. The World’s Forage Analysis Superbowl was held at World Dairy Expo.

Mycogen Seeds corn silage hybrids dominated competition at the World’s Forage Analysis Superbowl, earning 18 of 20 possible placings in two corn silage categories. In the BMR Corn Silage category, Mycogen Seeds hybrids swept the entire category. In addition, a Mycogen Seeds grower was named the Grand Champion First-Time Entrant. In the Standard Corn Silage category, Mycogen hybrids earned eight of 10 possible placings.

In addition to that they also:

Mycogen Seeds alfalfa varieties had a strong showing in three separate divisions: dairy hay, dairy haylage and commercial hay at the World’s Forage Analysis Superbowl. A Mycogen Seeds grower was named Grand Champion of the Dairy Hay category.

The Grand Champion Dairy Hay division was won by Mike Beun, Waterloo, Wis., who planted Mycogen 4A421.

Agribusiness

RuralAds Offering Free State Ads

Chuck Zimmerman

Rural AdsIt’s just one more sign that rural America is “wired!” Are you familiar with RuralAds? They’ve got a lot of stuff listed already.

RuralAds.com, serving those who live on farms and ranches and in towns across Rural America, is now offering those residents an opportunity to place a free ad on any of its state pages. Each ad runs for 90 days and is updateable at any time. Users can renew a free ad without cost when it expires at 90 days, or place a new free ad. For users needing more marketing exposure, RuralAds.com offers additional state and national ads for a minor charge. National ads appear in one category in 48 states.
A few examples of the fifty ad categories offered are livestock, real estate, seed, eqiupment and employment. The site attracts both buyers and sellers through its unique services to rural residents and pass-along readership from those users.

A related website, BullShop.com, is built to meet the buying and selling needs of the US Cow/Calf Industry.

Agribusiness

World Food Day On The 16th

Chuck Zimmerman

World Food DayWorld Food Day will be celebrated October 16. The big ceremonies will take place at FAO headquarters in Rome. I got to observe them a few years ago and it’s a very interesting event as they bring in people from so many countries. They have to have good interpreters so you can listen to all the speeches. It all seems to work though.

More than 150 countries around the world will observe the day with special events, seminars, conferences, contests and media campaigns. World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16 to mark the anniversary of the founding of FAO in 1945. The World Food Day theme this year, “Agriculture and intercultural dialogue”, recalls the contribution of different cultures to world agriculture. Civilization is founded on agriculture. Throughout history, the intercultural movement of crops and livestock breeds revolutionized diets, improved nutrition and reduced poverty.

Uncategorized

Wisconsin Chicken Farmers Battle The Corporate Chicken

Chuck Zimmerman

Gold'n Plump ChickenThis is worth checking out just to watch and listen to the corporate chicken protest song! It’s a Gold’n Plump-sponsored site which you can find here.

Wisconsin chicken farmers are fighting back. A statewide public education campaign kicks-off this month to rally public support for the local chicken cause. The movement includes a modest-budget radio ad featuring a folk singer who performs a tongue-in-cheek protest song telling corporate chicken to get stuffed.

Wisconsin chicken farmers are getting a raw deal at the grocery store. More than one hundred local farm families who make their livings raising all natural Wisconsin chicken for Gold’n Plump are seeing their products squeezed off store shelves by out-of-state corporations. Unless Wisconsin residents take action, the situation could hurt consumers and the state economy. Today, Wisconsin farm families are banding together to fight back.

You can watch the protest video here.

Agribusiness

Nice Things Said To Us

Chuck Zimmerman

“I really enjoy reading your blog. Great job. I really enjoy the racing coverage.
Keep up the good work. By the way, are you ever home long enough to get clean clothes? Man, you’re on the road more than rock stars.’

“It has been 10 years since I attended a national NAMA convention. I just finished your Convention Blog Summary, and it was great to see faces I still recognized and read about the activities of the convention. Great Job. Thanks.”

“Great seeing you at NAMA. I love what you are working on!!“

“Man, you have done a hell of a job with your site. Your images are very well done. Your content is dead-on and plentiful. I think you have one of the best ag related websites online. I’m convinced that what you’re doing is the future of communications and marketing. I’m delighted to have a front-row seat.”

“I think what you’re doing is great. And there is a need for this innovative electronic schooling in our industry.”

“Very well done, Chuck. Thanks for the opportunity to speak my opinions!”

“Thanks so much for doing the great blog on my E & Y award. That was very thoughtful of you.”

“Congratulations, Chuck! AgWired Rocks!”

“Thanks Chuck. I subscribed to AgWired last week and enjoy reading the new posts each morning. I really like the format.”

Uncategorized

South Asia Farmers Need Help Too

Chuck Zimmerman

FAOWhile we’re still seeking ways to help hurricane Katrina victims here in the United States there’s also tremendous need for the victims of the Pakistan earthquake. I don’t know if you’ve seen much coverage of this tragedy but it’s immense.

The Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has just issued a call for $7 million to help farm families in the region.

FAO has launched an appeal for $7 million to help farm families affected by the earthquake in northern Pakistan resume their agricultural activities over the next six months. Following the immediate rescue and relief activities and as soon as conditions permit, FAO will field assessment missions to determine the impact of the earthquake on agriculture and to work with the Government to prepare a plan for reconstruction of the agriculture sector, the U.N. agency said.

There are a number of organizations who are accepting donations for relief efforts for earthquake victims. Please keep them in mind as you consider your charitable giving this fall. If you’re unsure of where you can provide help I recommend a Google search and you’ll find lots of choices.

Update to this post:
Network For GoodIt was just brought to my attention by the folks at U. S. Wheat Associates that there is a very good web resource that provides links to many organizations that are responding to this disaster. It’s called Network For Good.

Uncategorized

Henderson Communications Acquires Agri Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

Agri Marketing MagazineJust a few days ago we asked, “What happens to Agri Marketing magazine?” Like many, we had heard about this but it wasn’t officially announced until today.

Henderson Communications L.L.C., a newly formed agricultural communications company, announces that it has purchased AgriMarketing magazine and its related communications activities from Vance Publishing Corp. Vance Publishing had acquired AgriMarketing as part of their purchase of Doane Agricultural Services of St. Louis, MO, on October 7 and immediately sold it to Henderson Communications.

“I am very pleased to announce this acquisition,” said Henderson Communications LLC President Lynn Henderson. “It has been my honor to have been associated with AgriMarketing since 1977, first serving as its Publisher while I was employed by its founder, Century Communications Inc. (CCI), and later while serving as President of Doane when it acquired it from CCI in 1993.”

Henderson reports there will be few changes in AgriMarketing. “It’s frequency, circulation, and editorial content will remain the same” he said. “Judy Knoll, long-time Ad Sales/Customer Service Manager of AgriMarketing will continue in that role. Also, Audrey Evans who has been affiliated with the magazine for several years will be its Managing Editor.”

I remember receiving my first issue of the publication when I became a NAMA member many years ago. We wish Lynn much success in the future.

BTW. You can read another great article about blogging as a business tool in this month’s issue. Man, that guy can write!

Publication

Over 10,000 Visitors To AgWired & Counting

Chuck Zimmerman

Sleepy Hollow, ILOver 10,000 visitors have made their way to AgWired! It’s a milestone. Hey, some may say it’s a miracle. We say, thank you and stop by again. We’ve now had more visitors than the population of Sleepy Hollow, IL, a suburb of Chicago. Pretty cool, huh? Why did we pick Sleepy Hollow. Absolutely no good reason except they were the first city of that size (10,104, 2004 U.S. Census) I found Googling around.

The exact number of “unique” visitors as of this posting is 10,212. That’s since our launch March 15 of this year. Not bad for a little ole blog about the business of agrimarketing. Who would think that so many people want to know about our business? Who would think that there are that many people in the business? There are and that number grows daily.

Want to know more about our visitors and traffic? Want to promote your company to these people? Just give me a call. You know where.

BTW. The map is courtesy of Expedia.

Uncategorized

Krause Corporation Selects Swanson Russell

Chuck Zimmerman

Krause CorporationKrause Corporation has selected Swanson Russell Associates to develop its marketing and communications services. The work will be handled by the Omaha office.

Krause Corporation manufactures and distributes soil management equipment. That includes tiller, drillers and rippers. Some pretty serious sounding equipment. In fact, if you look at their home page today you’ll see their “Dominator.” And what I find even more interesting is that you can “hear” what growers have to say about it!! Check it out.

Agencies, Agribusiness

Chef’s Chili Challenge Results

Chuck Zimmerman

MBIC Report PodcastThis week’s MBIC report from the Missouri Beef Industy Council is with Marketing Director, Dawn Thurnau. Dawn tells us all about the Chef’s Chili Challenge and fundraiser that was held last week in Columbia, MO.

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 in our sidebar or on the newly designed MBIC website.

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Podcasts