United Soybean Board Surveys Producers About Rust Readiness

Chuck Zimmerman

The United Soybean Board has released the results of a producer survey about soybean rust. It shows that the efforts to inform producers about the disease and what to do about it have paid off.

Survey Shows Soybean Farmers in Step with Awareness and Preparation for Soybean Rust

ST. LOUIS (April 14, 2005) – When Asian soybean rust appears, most U.S. soybean farmers will be ready. Results from a recent soybean checkoff-funded producer attitude survey reveal that farmers are clearly concerned about the effects the disease may have on their crop. But most farmers also have the knowledge to effectively manage the disease.

The biannual, nationwide survey of 1,000 soybean farmers was recently conducted on behalf of the United Soybean Board (USB). It shows that 77 percent of farmers are aware of what can be done to manage rust. The disease was discovered in the southern United States last fall.

For more information contact Chris Toebben.

Ag Groups

MBIC Report Discusses Nutrition Efforts

Chuck Zimmerman

In this week’s MBIC Report, the weekly program from the Missouri Beef Industry Council, I talk with Steve Taylor, Executive Director, about the pending food guide and Teri Jo Oetting, Nutrition Education Director, about their exhibit at the Missouri League for Nursing convention at Osage Beach, MO.

You can listen to the report here: MBIC Report

The most recent MBIC Report is always available in our “Audio Programming” sidebar. It’s set up as a podcast too, so you can subscribe to it. For more information on how, look at our FAQ’s page.

Ag Groups, Audio, Podcasts

Do We Accept Advertising?

Chuck Zimmerman

No.

Pretty simple answer. We love agrimarketing and want to make AgriMarketing Pros a very credible source of news and information about our profession. After all, that’s why we call ourselves agrimarketing professionals, right? Besides, don’t you get more than enough advertising from a gazillion other websites?

But this doesn’t mean you can’t help out financially. More on this in a moment.

Although we don’t accept advertising I am open to a “sponsorship” of a series of reports on a particular topic. Especially if that topic is a trip I’d like to take to write about a meeting like my upcoming IFAJ Congress trip to Thun, Switzerland. Hint, hint. A sponsorship won’t include website advertising though. I would provide a clear reference to the sponsorhip, it’s purpose (help with expenses) and a tagline in the reports.

Not accepting advertising doesn’t mean we’re independently wealthy though. We have expenses like hosting, domain registration, software, hardware, promotion (our booth at the NAMA convention) and I want to have some fun contests too!

As we’ve received a growing amount of material to look through I’ve been asked if we “charge” to post stories or releases. We don’t and don’t intend to. However you can:




Yes, you can donate. You decide how much. Any amount will help us continue and develop the only blog devoted to the business of agrimarketing. Your donation will be greatly appreciated too. In fact, send us a donation and I’ll send you an email telling you so. Your donation will be used to help cover the expenses I listed above.

If you don’t want to make a donation now you can always do so with the “Donate” button in the “About ZimmComm” sidebar.

Thanks for your consideration and keep reading AgriMarketing Pros. Spread the word!

NAMA

CAFTA Campaign Kicked Off

Chuck Zimmerman

I thought we’d be able to bring you information about yesterday’s CAFTA-DR press conference that included ag group representatives and Sec. of Ag Mike Johannes but we got too busy and weren’t on the call.

So . . . I’m going to paste a note about it from the latest Agri-Pulse sent in by Sara Wyant (publisher). She would be happy to have you subscribe to her e-publication by the way.

Farm groups kickoff CAFTA campaign

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Ag leaders representing more than 50 organizations
rallied behind the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic
(CAFTA-DR) yesterday afternoon. In a press conference held at the Ronald Reagan
International Trade Center, the groups touted benefits of the
proposed agreement and downplayed opposition by the sugar
industry. A new coalition study demonstrates that the free trade
agreement provides overwhelming benefits for American agriculture.
In an attempt to sway key members, the study examined the benefits of
CAFTA-DR on a local basis for 40 congressional districts with
significant agricultural production. The study is available at
http://www.nppc.org/hot_topics/40districts.html “At a time when
many key export markets are still closed to U.S. cattle producers,
CAFTA will provide some very welcome new trade opportunities,”
says John Queen, a North Carolina cattleman who serves as vice president of the National
Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “This is why cattle producers across the U.S. are rallying for
final passage of CAFTA-DR, and we hope this will be accomplished by year’s end.”

Dr. CAFTA

She even had this cool image in her newsletter. I just had to add it.

So what does this have to do with agrimarketing? Just think about how things have changed as international trade has grown and expanded. Decisions about marketing will be affected significantly by the decisions made on the trade level. It affects companies, agencies, organizations and growers! It’s important stuff.

Let me know your thoughts on how trade affects agrimarketing.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness

Another Online Blogging For Business Poll

Chuck Zimmerman

Although I don’t know any of the numbers behind the numbers you can vote and see the results of another online poll about blogging and business. It’s on the American Business Media website.

The question is, “Do blogs have any use in business to business media?” Current results show:

46.43% Yes, they hold many benefits
3.57% No, too unreliable for business-to-business
3.57% It’s too early to capitalize on the benefits
46.43% A cautionary yes, if the tactic is mastered

This is their “Question of the week” so I would guess the final results will be available by next Monday.

Media

Shroom Burger Time

Chuck Zimmerman

I love a good hamburger. Cindy keeps urging me to enter a contest with one of my recipes but I just like making and eating them. That’s why I like the information sent in by the folks at Certified Angus Beef. It’s called “Certified Angus Beef LLC Foodservice Briefs.” There’s a lot of information in it but here’s what I liked best:

Ultimate Mushroom Burger
Serves 12

Ingredients
• 6 lb. Certified Angus Beef ® ground chuck
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 portabella mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
• Olive oil as needed
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 16 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 2/3 lb. grated smoked Gouda

Instructions

1. Season ground chuck with salt and pepper, portion into 8-ounce patties and grill to desired doneness.

2. Brush both sides of whole portabellas with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and grill about 10 minutes per side.

3. Melt butter in large fry pan. Add sliced mushrooms and sherry, and cook 8-10 minutes over medium heat.

4. To assemble, top each portabella with a burger, mushroom slices and grated Gouda cheese. Move to the top shelf of grill and close lid until cheese is soft and slightly melted.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 597.3 Calories; 40.2g Fat; 17.1g Saturated Fat; 183mg Cholesterol; 7.9g Carbohydrate; 1.8g Dietary Fiber; 53.6g Protein; 561mg Sodium; 33% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

Recipe by Dianna Stoffer, Corporate Chef, Certified Angus Beef LLC

For more information contact Crystal Meier.

Feel free to send in your own recipes and/or e-newsletters. We’ll help spread the word!

Ag Groups

ZimmCast Features Interview With Two Rivers Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

In our ZimmCast this week I interview Greg Ehm, Two Rivers Marketing. Greg talks about the agency, their clients and services and what they think about this whole blogging thing.

Right before interviewing Greg, I gave a Blogging 101 class to a group of people from the agency over a long lunch hour.

You can listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast

The current edition of ZimmCast is always available in our “Audio Programming” sidebar.

Agencies, Audio, ZimmCast

Dow AgroScience Recommends Triazoles For Rust

Chuck Zimmerman

There’s a lot of good information flowing on the soybean rust situation and what growers can do about it. I doubt there’s any country in the world that has as good a support system as America’s farmers and ranchers.

For example, see the latest news from Dow AgroScience with the following Talking News Release.

Triazoles Great Fit for First Application Against Asian Soybean Rust

INDIANAPOLIS, March 1, 2005 – Producers are sorting through volumes of information about Asian soybean rust as they consider management decisions for what soybean rust fungicide to apply – and when, if needed.

While the amount of information available is substantial, the list of fungicide classes comes as a simple trio: triazoles, strobilurins and nitriles. The strobilurins and nitriles provide preventive control only, while the triazoles offer both preventive and curative activity. Bob Gordon, fungicide marketing specialist for Dow AgroSciences, says products should be applied with activity in mind.

You can download the full release here: Dow AgroScience Triazoles

For more information contact Darrell Bruggink.

Agribusiness, Audio

AGCO Suggest Direct Injection Systems To Spray For Rust

Chuck Zimmerman

We have the latest installment from the AGCO series of Talking News Releases. Troy Schroeder lets farmers know how to get ahead of soybean rust.

Direct Injection Systems Can Help Get a Jump on Soybean Rust

DULUTH, GA – April 11, 2005 – Considering the uncertainty about Asian Soybean Rust this growing year – when and where it might hit, if at all – farmers and custom applicators may want to consider a direct injection system for their sprayer units to help them juggle a busier-than-normal spray schedule.

With the added pressure of potentially having to apply herbicides and fungicides in the same spray window, a direct injection system eliminates the downtime needed to rinse and clean tanks between jobs, according to Troy Schroeder (SHRAY-der) marketing manager for AGCO application equipment.

You can download the full release here: AGCO Direct Injection

For more information contact Lisa Sherman

Agribusiness, Audio

MFA’s Health Track Gives Producers Animal ID Edge

Chuck Zimmerman

Here’s the latest from MFA INCORPORATED. They’re a Talking News Release client by the way and when you download the full release you’ll see what I mean.

MFA INCORPORATED’S
“HEALTH TRACK” PROGRAM
GIVES PRODUCERS INSIDE
TRACK FOR ANIMAL ID

(Columbia, MO, March 30, 2005) A beef marketing program originally developed by Missouri-based MFA Incorporated to give cattle producers a competitive edge in the marketplace could also give them an edge when it comes to a national animal identification program.

Use this link for the full release: MFA Health Track

For more information contact Chuck Lay

Agribusiness, Audio