Landec Ag Acquires Heartland Hybrids

Chuck Zimmerman

Landec AgHot off the presses is today’s talking news release from Landec Ag.

LANDEC AG, INC. ACQUIRES SECOND LARGEST DIRECT MARKETER OF SEED CORN
HEARTLAND HYBRIDS TO JOIN FORCES WITH FIELDER’S CHOICE DIRECT

MENLO PARK, CA – June 30, 2005 – Landec Corporation (Nasdaq: LNDC), a developer and marketer of technology-based polymer products for food, agricultural and licensed partner applications, announced today that its agricultural seed subsidiary, Landec Ag, Inc., has acquired Heartland Hybrids, Inc., the second largest direct marketer of seed corn. Landec Ag, through its Fielder’s Choice Direct® brand, is the leading direct marketer of seed corn.

Under the agreement, Landec Ag will acquire the assets of Heartland Hybrids, which is based in Dassel, Minnesota. The agreement is expected to close before the end of August 2005.

Tom Crowley, Landec Ag’s President and Chief Executive Officer, says the acquisition of Heartland Hybrids solidifies Landec Ag’s market position in the direct-to-the-farm sales channel for agricultural seeds. . .

Heartland Hybrids . . . Heartland Hybrid’s President, Jay Asplin, agrees that the agreement will be a great benefit for farmers. “We really believe the acquisition of Heartland Hybrids by Landec Ag is only going to enhance our ability to bring greater value to our customers. By combining both of our brands together, both of our companies, under the Landec Ag ownership, we’re really going to strengthen our ability to bring farmers across the country the opportunity to buy seed at a great value.” (full release)

For more information contact Bill Gass, Vice President of Marketing, (574) 583-2741 ext.107.

Agribusiness, Audio

FEW Seminars Offered

Chuck Zimmerman

Fuel Ethanol Workshop SeminarLest you think the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo is mostly Expo, think again. They don’t always make for pretty pictures but there was a whole lot of educating going on.

Besides a keynote address to kick things off by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, the FEW offered numerous seminars on topics and issue important to anyone in the ethanol business.

Ethanol

Shuttlewagon Moves Railroad Cars

Chuck Zimmerman

ShuttlewagonIt’s not unusual to see big iron at a farm show but the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo had exhibits by a lot of engineering, accouting and consulting firms. That’s why you bring in the big rig if you’ve got it!

In this case it’s the Shuttlewagon. This is a portable railroad car mover. It certainly got your attention.

Agribusiness, Ethanol

Checking Email Between Sessions At FEW

Chuck Zimmerman

Fuel Ethanol Workshop Internet CafeThis is becoming a standard feature of trade shows everywhere. I like the idea of having an internet “cafe” in the trade show so people have to go there for their free periodic email check. Each time I walked by the internet cafe the work stations were filled and even had people waiting. The 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo set up a very nice one.

It’s an internet world and we gotta get our fix!

Ethanol

Turning Corn Oil Into Biodiesel Fuel

Chuck Zimmerman

Greenshift CorporationThis release came out just in time to be mentioned while an ethanol conference is going on in Kansas City. I guess corn can also be made into biodiesel. You just don’t hear as much about it. There’s certainaly a lot going on in the renewable fuels sector right now. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have a champion in the White House either.

GreenShift Acquires Stake in Ethanol Oil Recovery Systems
Breakthrough Green Technology Efficiently Converts Corn Oil Into Biodiesel Fuel

MOUNT ARLINGTON, N.J., GreenShift Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: GSHF) today announced the completion of its investment in Ethanol Oil Recovery Systems, LLC (“EORS”).

EORS, a green technology development company, is the inventor of a new patent-pending breakthrough technology for the cost-effective conversion of corn oil into biodiesel fuels. EORS has agreed to transfer its technology to a new development partnership called SunSource BioEnergy, LLC, that is comprised of and managed by some of the ethanol industry’s leading producers, including VeraSun Energy, Glacial Lakes Energy, KAAPA Ethanol, Golden Grain Energy. EORS owns an 18% stake in the SunSource BioEnergy partnership.

“Our technology is an innovative and unique approach. After considerable research, development and testing, we are pleased to contribute the technology to the SunSource BioEnergy industry partnership,” stated David Cantrell, chairman and founder of EORS.

For more information contact Jim Grainer, President and Chief Financial Officer of GreenShift Corporation, +1-973-398-8183.

Corn, Ethanol

ABM Agri Council Webcast Available

Chuck Zimmerman

American Business Media AgriCouncilThe Agri Council of American Business Media held an audio webcast today to announce the results of their study on agricultural media usage by farmers and ranchers. I haven’t had time to listen to it yet but will post more information when I do.

You can listen to the recording of the webcast here: Agri Council Webcast

Audio, Media

Crop 1 PRP Subject of Senate Testimony This Week

Chuck Zimmerman

Crop 1 InsuranceIt looks like there’s a lot of pressure being put on congress as it relates to crop insurance this year. Crop 1 Insurance sent out a talking news release today with sound bites from their president’s testimony on capitol hill on Tuesday.

CROP1 INSURANCE SAVES FARMERS ESTIMATED $2.4 MILLION THIS YEAR
Premium Reduction Plan Benefits Small Farmers

Des Moines, Iowa — The Crop1 Insurance Premium Reduction Plan (PRP), targeted for elimination in the agriculture appropriations bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last month, will save farmers an estimated $2.4 million in premiums this year and benefits many small farmers, according to new figures released by Crop1 Insurance in testimony before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday. Crop 1 Insurance president and CEO Billy Rose testified that the company has already saved farmers millions of dollars through the PRP.

“To kill PRP sends a simple message – insurance company profits and agents’ commission checks are more important than helping farmers save money. Since the inception and approval of our program, we have saved the American farmer, out of our pocket, over four million dollars – no cost to the American taxpayer.” (full release)

For more information contact Greg Ehm.

Audio

Chillin With Corn Cob Bob At The FEW

Chuck Zimmerman

Corn Cob BobThis dude from Toronto was wandering around the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo today. He didn’t say much. Just waved a lot and was hangin with the ethanol home boys.

Canadian Renewable Fuels AssociationCorn Cob was escorted by Melissa Armstrong, public relations manager for the Canadia Renewable Fuels Association, CRFA. They were promoting the Canadian Renewable Fuels Summit which is scheduled for December 13-15.

While browsing the CRFA website I found a couple of radio commercials you might want to check out:

The ABC’s of Ethanol Download MP3 File
Leaving Home Download MP3 File

Audio, Ethanol

Popcorn At An Ethanol Trade Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Burns & McDonnell BoothI only got to spend a little time at the 2005 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo today but there were photo opportunities. Since a lot of ethanol is made out of corn I had to take a picture of the Burns & McDonnell booth where they were making fresh popcorn! That’s the idea. Be creative. Top it off with some iced down bottled root beer and free coffee travel mugs made out of corn and I think someone was thinking ahead. They knew they’d be in Kansas City so the booth even had a cowtown motif.

Ethanol

Tracking News Releases Chapter 2

Chuck Zimmerman

I’ve been involved in more discussions about how to “track” news releases in the last few weeks than I can remember. That reminded me that it’s time for chapter 2 in this series, “Tracking News Releases.” In this chapter we’ll discuss how reporters use news releases, especially radio reporters since that’s our specialty.

Chapter 2

ZimmComm, Marketing & CommunicationsWhy didn’t anyone use my release right away? How do reporters decide to use my release? When will they use my release? Did they use the audio I sent?

In the first chapter I wrote about the news value of a release, which is the most important aspect of a release. I’m finding that a lot of public relations people don’t understand how a release is used by the reporter though. Many assume that the release is used immediately or not at all. They don’t realize that unless the story is time sensitive it can often be archived for future use. I’ve seen releases used months after they were received. I’ve done it myself!

Even a well written release that has a news angle to it (we don’t want written commercials!) won’t get used immediately unless the reporter has room in their publication or program and needs to fill space or time. These releases may often be placed in a folder or file for use when the reporter needs some “news.”

Many reporters I know won’t just cut and paste the release either. They will often re-write it to fit their style and medium. The end result may not even resemble the original release. Then it’s even harder to know if the release was used.

Most releases contain quotes from company representatives like the CEO or a technician and reporters often like to call a local contact for a quote, especially radio reporters. When this happens it also makes it hard to tell if they used the release you sent out. They may get a local customer or representative to say the very same thing but then they make the story more interesting to their listeners while feeling more in control of the news. . . (full article)

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