An interesting story on Reuters was brought to my attention that shows how much attention blogs are getting from advertisers who understand the niche audience they serve. It says that “as many as 64 percent of marketers are interested in advertising on blogs, according to a Forrester Research study, though their investment would still be a fraction of the $14.7 billion expected to be spent on Internet ads this year. Another 57 percent are looking to include marketing messages on RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds which allow a viewer to see instantly updating headlines from news, Web logs and other sites via a simple Internet browser.”
Beef Industry Scholarships Available
I always want to help promote programs that help youth in agriculture. Listen up students. Scholarships available. As a parent with college-age children I can easily say, “Scholarships = Good.”
Students Encouraged to Apply for Beef Industry Scholarships
DENVER (May 6, 2005) – Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 Beef Industry Scholarship program, sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). All entries must be postmarked by September 30, 2005.
Twenty scholarships of $1500 will be awarded to youths pursuing careers in the beef industry. The program identifies and encourages talented and thoughtful students that have demonstrated a commitment to a career in the beef industry, either through classes, internships or life experience. Graduating high school seniors or full-time undergraduate students enrolled at a two-year or four-year college for the 2006-2007 school year are encouraged to apply.
For more information contact Paula Waggoner.
GUNDZIK JOINS BADER RUTTER & ASSOCIATES
A new hire at Bader Rutter & Associates.
GUNDZIK JOINS BADER RUTTER & ASSOCIATES
MILWAUKEE — Denise Gundzik has joined Bader Rutter & Associates as an assistant media planner/buyer in the agency’s media group.
Prior to joining Bader Rutter, Gundzik worked as a closing/escrow agent for Metropolitan Title Company. She has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Bader Rutter & Associates is an integrated marketing services agency headquartered in Milwaukee with additional offices in Lincoln, Neb.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Minneapolis.
For more information contact Greg Nickerson, President, (262) 784-7200
Cleaner Boating On East Coast
The United Soybean Board and their agency, Osborn-Barr, hired ZimmComm to produce and distribute a Talking News Release about today’s biodiesel announcement. You can see the full version of the release here: USB Biodiesel Release
Soy-Based Biodiesel Kicks Off Cleaner Boating Season on East Coast
ST. LOUIS (May 9, 2005) – More boaters on the East Coast now have the opportunity to fill their diesel tanks with cleaner burning fuel, and at a more competitive price. Thanks in part to efforts by the soybean checkoff and Delaware Soybean Board, the Indian River Marina in Delaware Seashore State Park is the first marina in the mid-Atlantic region to offer soy biodiesel to government and commercial marine fleets, as well as to private boat owners.
United Soybean Board Treasurer Eric Niemann (nee-man), a Kansas soybean producer, says soy biodiesel is a smart choice for marine users of all kinds.
For more information contact Chris Toebben.
Charleston|Orwig A BtoB Magazine Leader
I only learned this today but thought it was good news from Charleston|Orwig. I found the announcement on their website. They deserve a big congratulations.
Charleston|Orwig has been ranked the number two agency in its category in BtoB magazine’s 2005 Top 50 Agencies in the United States. This is the first time C|O has earned the Top 50 ranking from BtoB, the leading business-to-business marketing publication in the country. The Top 50 ‘Special Report’ appears in the March 14 issue of BtoB, and on its web site, www.btobonline.com.
C|O is named in the small agency category, based on business-to-business revenue of $6.1 million in 2004. The agencies in the Top 50 are divided by small (revenue up to $10.9 million), mid-size ($11 million to $99 million) and large ($100 million and up) categories, with a winner, runner-up and honorable mention in each category.
“Earning national recognition from BtoB is a credit to the talented professionals who work for this agency, and our clients who challenge us with their marketing needs,” said Lynn Balinas, president of Charleston|Orwig. BtoB selected its Top 50 winners based on overall performance in 2004, including new clients, new campaigns, creative execution and growth of the business, among other factors.
FAPRI Outlook For Agriculture
The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri analyzes U. S. and world agricultural policies and makes predictions. FAPRI program directors, Scott Brown and Patrick Westhoff made a presentation summarizing many of their commodity outlooks at today’s Gateway NAMA chapter meeting which was held in conjunction with the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club.
Pictured (l to r) are Patrick Westhoff, St. Louis Ag Club outgoing president, Dave Drennan and Scott Brown. Patrick was kind enough to email me his slides from the presentation today. You can view them (PowerPoint) here: FAPRI Crops Presentation
This was the last meeting until the fall for both organizations.
The Agri-Pulse On This Week’s ZimmCast
In our ZimmCast this week I interview Sara Wyant, editor of Agri-Pulse, a weekly publication about what’s happening in our nation’s capitol. Many of you may remember that Sara published a newsletter, Agri-Pulse, from 1985-1995. She also wrote about farm policy for Farm Progress publications. As was mentioned in the ZimmCast last week, Sara points out how what happens in Washington affects everyone in agrimarketing.
You can listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast
The current edition of ZimmCast is always available in our “Audio Programming” sidebar.
Big Brother Ready To Watch More Than Animals
We’ve been hearing a lot about animal id. It’s not a new issue, although the debate about a mandatory national animal id program is certainly cranking up with the release last week by Sec. of Ag Johanns’ “thinking paper.” Just what the heck is a thinking paper anyway? Could somebody define that? You’ve gotta love the language that comes out of Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2005–Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today unveiled a thinking paper and timeline on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and called on agriculture producers, leaders, and industry partners to provide feedback. Both documents are available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s NAIS Web site at http://www.usda.gov/nais and will be published in the Federal Register.
Here’s an example of how what happens in Washington has an impact on agrimarketing. You’ve got all these companies, organizations and state and federal agencies creating and marketing their versions of an id program. What ultimately gets decided in Washington and turned into law will directly affect them. Maybe their system doesn’t meet the requirements for example.
But even beyond the impact a legislated animal id program will have on the companies and organizations who market the products and services that will implement such a program is a bigger question in my mind.
If you’ve participated in any farmer discussion on this topic you know a big concern is information privacy. How much of it are we willing to give up to become “safer?” We’re being told a system like this is necessary to prevent or contain disease outbreaks which will surely happen. To properly implement it though a lot of new information will potentially be put into the hands of government. But it’s only animals you say. Wrong. Read on.
Are you familiar with the Real ID Act? You should be. It passed the House this week in Washington. One of the goals of this bill is to make it more difficult for illegal aliens to obtain a driver’s license. Sounds good on the surface. It’s all in the name of safety after all. But look at a little segment from the bill:
(b) Minimum Document Requirements- To meet the requirements of this section, a State shall include, at a minimum, the following information and features on each driver’s license and identification card issued to a person by the State:
(1) The person’s full legal name.
(2) The person’s date of birth.
(3) The person’s gender.
(4) The person’s driver’s license or identification card number.
(5) A digital photograph of the person.
(6) The person’s address of principle residence.
(7) The person’s signature.
(8) Physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes.
(9) A common machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements.
The key phrase is “common machine-readable technology.” That could very well be RFID chips! I’m sure the Department of Homeland Security will have some input on this. This is from House Bill H.R. 418, which is now going to the senate and President, where it’s expected to pass, possibly this week.
States are required by the law to make sure all their data is released to the federal government. There are provisions to allow for federal funding to states to help implement the new requirements within 3 years.
Although I can see many uses for this in animals besides just safety issues, I’m not real excited about this for us humans. I certainly don’t want one hanging from my ear!
What do you think? I’d love to see your comments.
American Angus Welcomes Groshans
When you include pictures it has a much better chance of being posted!
Ty Groshans Joins American Angus Association Commercial Programs Department
Ty Groshans, a Colorado native, has been named assistant director of commercial programs for the American Angus Association, with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo. Groshans will earn a bachelor’s of science degree from Colorado State University this May, with dual majors in Animal Science and Agriculture Business. He begins his position May 23.
“We are excited for Ty to join the Angus team,” says Jim Shirley, vice president of industry relations and director of commercial programs for the American Angus Association. “He will do a great job of interacting with producers to promote ways that our members can work with their commercial bull buyers to enhance profitability in the cattle business.”
For more information contact Shelia Stannard.
Something’s Brewing In Milwaukee
I’ve mentioned it before but it’s getting nearer. It’s the Agricultural Media Summit. AgriMarketing Pros will be blogging it’s way through the meeting so if you can’t make it just keep an eye on us for all the action from one of the premier meeting in the agricultural communications world. Go here to register: AMS Registration
Mark your calendars now to “Come see what’s brewin’ in ag media at AMS” in Milwaukee.
Agricultural Media Summit
July 31 to August 3, 2005
Milwaukee Hilton City Center
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Mission of the Agricultural Media Summit
The AMS mission establishes four specific elements:
1. To provide professional development and educations opportunities for all of our members.
2. To provide networking opportunities for members of AAEA, LPC and ABM and other organizations in the ag industry.
3. To promote, support and enhance the the viability of ag media as an effective and efficient communications medium.
4. To showcase the ag media industry through seminars and trade shows.
If you’d like to exhibit keep the May 13 early exhibitor deadline in mind.