This isn’t the first year they’ve done it but they’re doing it a little differently this year. That is they’re using ZimmComm to pre-record interviews with growers and technical representatives for a series of radio reports. They’re Osborn & Barr for their client, Monsanto, and the reports are about YieldGard Plus with a focus on corn plant root conditions.
This is kind of an adaptation of our Talking News Releases. We interview the grower and edit the sound bites. I upload them to our server. Then I create a document that contains the questions, followed by a hyperlink to those mp3 sound files on our server. The broadcaster is emailed the document. Then they can download the audio files and he/she’s got a ready made “live” interview to walk into the studio and record!
I’m sure these are tied into a paid advertising schedule. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. The broadcaster has the flexibility to work with the material we provide to suit their format. They can edit the sound bites further if they need to for example.
Here’s a couple examples of what I’m talking about. Without posting a full document (there’s lots of them from multiple states) the broadcaster will get something like this:
What is the outlook for corn rootworm pressure this year, and why is it important for growers to conduct root digs to assess root damage? 
monsanto-obermeyer-rootdig-cut1
That’s with Dr. John Obermeyer, an entomologist with Perdue University.
Another example would be:
How does your YieldGard Plus corn look at mid-season, and what are your expectations of how it will yield at harvest?
monsanto-russell-cut6
That’s Joe Russell, a grower from Muncie, Indiana. Each interview and document has multiple Q&A which the broadcaster then turns into a “local” report for their listeners.
So you see, there’s lots of creative ways you can work with ZimmComm! Let us be your audio experts and we can help you prepare and distribute information to broadcasters more efficiently and easily for you and them.
Every once in a while you just have to take a break from the computer and “
If you’ve ever used 
TULARE, CA: The International Agri-Center has announced a new partnership with AgCareers.com, an Internet website that does for agriculture what Monster.com does for techies – it links employers seeking staff with prospective employees, all with an agricultural bent. The Agri-Center is located in Tulare, Ca. 
I pointed you to the 
Breakfast this morning in Columbia, MO was at the 
Pictured here is MFA Oil’s David Perkins, special projects manager, who also discussed how MFA Oil is supporting and encouraging the use of renewable fuels. The people attending were from a variety of business interests and many learned a lot about ethanol and biodiesel that they never knew. Judging by the questions asked there’s still a big job to do educating the general public about renewable fuels. For example, one of the speaker said that many consumers who purchase a flexible fuel vehicle (runs on E-85 or regular gas) don’t even know that they can put E-85 in it! I also heard that one of the reasons many gas pumps that contain up to a 10 blend of ethanol don’t even label it as such is because they found that consumers shied away from it thinking it would hurt their car somehow! 
Last week 
You know we advocate podcasting and are just waiting for the ag public relations world to “get it.” Some people already do. Take the folks at Purina. They podcast 
I had not seen this report before seeing a link to it in today’s NCGA News of the Day. It’s the result of NCGA’s Future Structure of Agriculture Task Force II work. It looks like a lot of work went into this document. I wonder how it’s being used and if it will have any impact. Anyone know?
I don’t think I’ve pointed you to the