The National Agricultural Statistics Service just released their newest Farm Computer Usage report but don’t start using it just yet. It’s being re-released next week! I wondered why I couldn’t find it on their website and here’s what it says – “The Farm Computer Usage and Ownership report released on July 29, 2005 by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be reissued on August 12, 2005 due to corrections in the data.’
I was going to report on how it shows that for the first time farmer internet access is over 51%. There’s lots of interesting information in the report but now I wonder what will change. The stories I’ve seen so far seem to be focusing on the fact that the increase in internet access is a smaller percentage than previously seen in earlier reports and that this might mean that farmer’s use of computers and the internet is levelling off. I don’t think I’d jump to that conclusion just yet. For one thing you have to dig into the data and there’s quite a bit of it.
For example if you just look at the total overall numbers you have to realize who was surveyed and basically that’s anyone farming that makes over $1,000 from farming. There are income breakouts that you should look at because the numbers are very different at different income levels.
Unfortunately I can’t point some of them out since I don’t know what’s going to change. I also can’t link to the report but I will when the release is available.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. It’s nice to know who won those trade show booth contests you enter even if it isn’t you.
The latest news release from 
Those folks at Osborn & Barr are still adding to the fold. They also like to send out releases announcing a whole bunch of new folks (or ones getting promoted). So I’ll try to cover them all in one post.
Sarah Robinett comes to Osborn & Barr as a public relations senior account executive with experience in corporate and nonprofit environments. Her skills in strategic planning, project management and multimedia campaign development will serve clients in agriculture, rural lifestyles, government and associations.
Keith Warden has joined Osborn & Barr as contact relations assistant account executive to work with the agency’s industry-funded clients such as the United Soybean Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Prior to joining Osborn & Barr, Keith provided advertising and public relations for corporate clients in Hawaii.
In addition, Osborn & Barr promoted Jaime Jonesmith to account supervisor and Karen Pfautsch and Chris Toebben to account executive. Jaime serves as the liaison between the client and the agency team on the Monsanto account and is responsible for communications for Monsanto’s corn traits products under the Roundup Ready and YieldGard brands.
With his strong understanding of soy technology and media communications expertise, account executive Chris Toebben has been appointed the project manager of USB’s industrial new uses communications and co-manager of USB’s agricultural media relations efforts.
It’s the 
New on 
This is definitely one of the more creative ideas I’ve seen lately. Motorcycles are cool right now so 
Barry Nelson, 
In this week’s 