It’s CornTalk time and this week Cindy interviews Missouri Corn Growers Associaton CEO Gary Marshall about Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt’s commitment to getting legislation passed next session that would call for all gasoline sold in the state to be blended with ethanol. Missouri wouldn’t be the first state to pass this legislation and many feel it’s time!
You can listen to CornTalk here 
CornTalk is a weekly AgWired podcast which you can subscribe to using the file in our sidebar.
You may have seen this before but I still think it’s cool. Maybe AgWired should get a webcam too. I’m just not sure you want to see our work in progress.
Speaking of progress, you can see from the picture, which updates constantly, how things are developing at the the Farm Progress Show. Here’s the link to the Progress Cam. AgWired is planning on getting a little help in covering the dialy activities of the show this year since we’ll be in Switzerland! But never fear, we’ll have some info for you.
I’m sure there are other farm or show cams out there. Point them out to us if you know of them.
According to a post on MediaBuyerPlanner, Arbitron will be reporting satellite radio listening (Sirius and XM) beginning this fall. Next spring they’ll also begin to add a radio station’s internet feed audience to the station’s audience totals. This report comes from Mediaweek.
I like the way the story says that this is because “more consumers are turning to alternative distribution platforms for their radio listening.” I’d substitute satellite, internet and podcasting for “alternative distribution platforms!”
I wonder when Arbitron will begin reporting podcasting ratings? If you think podcasting is as silly a sounding thing as blogging then why do we have more and more events like the Duke University Podcasting Symposium?
Agricultural Research is published by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. In this month’s issue the results are in for a peanut taste test and the United States wins! The competition was China and Argentina. Let me hear you, “We will, we will, rock you!”
Okay. So why’s this here? Because . . . Timothy Sanders conducted this project to use the results as a “marketing tool for U.S. peanut exporters.” The project was simply titled “European Peanut Consumer Research Study” which could also be called the EPCRS.
A consumer panel of 300 European peanut consumers was used. See the report for the full criteria on how they conducted the study. The findings are being used by peanut exporters and Sanders presented them personally at SNACKEX, the largest European snack and peanut food show. Do we have a snack show here in the U-S? That sounds like one to have to blog through!
After 2 days of taste testing the results were clear. “The data showed that there would be virtually no likelihood of consumer complaints about the flavor of U.S. peanuts,” said Sanders. But European consumers would likely identify about 70 percent of Chinese lots and 40 percent of Argentine lots as problematic, the data showed.
I think I’ll go get a Snickers bar.
The overall winner in the Livestock Publications Council, Best of the Bunch photo contest was Kelly Toledo, Trailhead Designs, with this picture – “Running Horses.” I think you’ll be able to find all of the winners on their website soon. This was in the August issue of their “Actiongram.” You’ve got to be a member to get it but I just wanted to share a good photo!
Let’s see who’s paying attention at NCGA. This is an interesting story they put out today. It quotes the recent National Ag Statistics Service study on Farmer Computer Ownership and Usage. I’m telling you, we need to embrace the computer and make it our tool. That’s what the biggest farmers are doing. Read on . . .
NCGA Urges Farmers to Adopt Use of Computers in Operations
Release of data by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) indicating that 51 percent of farmers now have Internet access points out how important computers and technology are to a farming operations, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) notes.
Computer technology allows farmers to keep financial records on disks instead of several stacks of paper; the Internet allows farmers to search for farming topics or participate in online farming discussions; and sophisticated technologies such as global positioning satellites (GPS) let farmers have autosteering tractors that can save time on planting.
“Technology is definitely moving forward,” said Darren Ihnen, a South Dakota corn grower who has been using computers in the field and in his office since 1990. “The Internet, in particular, has been a tremendous tool for farmers. The flow of information is key to maintaining an efficient and profitable business.”
“As an organization, we need to look toward the future and embrace technology,” said Leon Corzine, NCGA president and an Illinois grower. “A computer and the Internet are tools you absolutely need to use in today’s global society.”
Amen, brother Leon!
Stoned cows. That’s what this story is about. Actually Cindy alerted me to the full story which you need to read, including the comments. It’s on Muley’s World. The picture was one of the best parts and it’s not the only one you’ll find.
This is what I love about the blogosphere. There’s just a lot of good stories floating around. Cindy found this one on Catholic Pillow Fight.
I just wonder what a barbeque of steaks from these cows would be like.
I always thought the corner convenience store was really just an American thing but after travelling in other countries you realize that’s not the case. I just came across a story on China Daily about the huge growth in convenience stores in Shanghai. According to the story there are now over 5,000 of them! That’s since they got started about 10 years ago.
The story quotes a representative of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association saying that the stores have become a part of everyday life in Shanghai. According to the story over 5o percent claimed to be have a profit last year
This message just came in from Steve Mercer. When you grow sometimes you gotta go!
Hello Friends:
AdFarm is relocating our Kansas City office. We have outgrown our original KC space and are moving a block or so south from our current location. We’re really excited about the move, the new space and the reason for it. As of Monday August 29th, our new address will be as follows:
AdFarm, 100 East 7th Street, Suite 301, Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone numbers will not change (main number is 816-842-5983; fax is 816-221-5833), but please be advised that our phones will temporarily be turned off starting at noon central time Friday, August 26 then be active again starting the following Monday.
It looks like the GoE Summer Roadtrip is over (at least for this year). I’ve been following them on their blog (have you?). They took a lot of pictures which you can see on their photo album.
What do you think of this use of a blog in a marketing campaign? Post your comments. Come on now. That’s what the blog thing is all about you know.
I wonder how you measure the success of this campaign. Are more people buying ethanol blended gas in North Dakota? Is it how many stories got published about the campaign? These guys not only personally interacted with people throughout the state but online through their blog. If I can find out any statistics I’ll pass them along.
I think it was a great idea and pretty well executed. I would have like to have seen more consistent posting on their blog though. There were some big gaps of inactivity for example. This is due to just conducting a few multi-day trips but for subscribers it meant we could almost forget about it before anything new comes along. They took a lot of pictures and should have featured them on the blog. I liked their humorous writing style including the typos which really didn’t bother me considering who was writing (although no typos is always better).
On the GoE website there’s a link to “GoE Guys In The News” that only shows their press release. I know they had news coverage and links to it would be appropriate and expected here.
It is a good looking promotion overall though. I’ll see what else I can find out and report.
