500 Million Is A Lot Of Hits

Chuck Zimmerman

MyPyramid LogoI’ve been wondering about how this food guidance sytem was doing. The release leaves a lot of question marks like how many “unique” visitors have there been? That’s a lot of hits but almost half of them were in the first week and the rest are in the almost 2 months since then. AgWired isn’t quite that high yet but we’re climbing!

I think the new pyramid is pretty confusing and wonder what the average American thinks. I wonder if they’ll do any research on that besides just monitoring the activity level of the hit meter.

USDA’S MYPYRAMID REACHES 500 MILLION CONSUMER HITS

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2005-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that USDA’s new web-based interactive food guidance system, MyPyramid.gov, has reached a new milestone with 500 million hits.

“We are thrilled by the public’s overwhelming response to MyPyramid.gov, especially as the average visitor spends 20 to 30 minutes viewing the food guidance system,” said Johanns. “The on-line interactive tools allow us to reach a broader spectrum of Americans than ever before to assist them in developing a healthier lifestyle that balances nutrition and exercise.”

For more information contact Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623 or John Webster (703) 605-4266.

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A New Name To Go With A New Look

Chuck Zimmerman

With the new design of our blog we’ve given it a new name. You know it takes a lot of caffeine to put in the hours a website like this takes. Sometimes you get a little “wired.” So we’re AgWired! We’re wired about ag. Whoo aahh! (Thanks Steve for the inspiration).

From AgWired, you can expect to get more information and commentary than ever – including all segments of agribusiness, marketing, communications, and more. We’re still going to be all about agricultural marketing. You can count on that. But we’re going to be more than that.

We’ll be sending out an announcement next week about the big change and prepared to watch the hit meter crank away. Each of the last three months we’ve seen great increases in activity. Heck, I even got a call from Canada today asking me for more information about blogging!

Thank you to everyone who’s watching and offered their support. We’ve got a lot of great ideas still to come so stay tuned. (Can you “tune” in to a blog? shows where I come from).

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BASF Headline – Rust Beware

Chuck Zimmerman

HeadlineThere’s a new weapon in the producer arsenal to take on soybean rust. This one’s from BASF and you can find out more at their rust website.

Headline SBR granted Section 18 exemptions
Twenty five states approve fungicide for use on Asian soybean rust
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (June 1, 2005) – Soybean
growers in twenty five states so far have an effective new tool to
control Asian soybean rust. Headline® SBR fungicide has been
granted Section 18 exemptions in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware,
Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

For more information contact Kay Iftner.

Agribusiness

Ethanol Stories On This Week’s CornTalk

Chuck Zimmerman

MCGA LogoIt’s time once again for the weekly interview program from the Missouri Corn Growers Association.

Ethanol is the topic of this week’s CornTalk. Cindy Zimmerman interviews MCGA/MCMC CEO Gary Marshall about the grand opening of the Mid Missouri Energy ethanol plant in Malta Bend on Friday, a new promotional vehicle that GM is providing for the corn growers and his thoughts on ethanol at the Indy 500.

You can listen to the report now Download MP3 File

You can also subscribe to the MCGA CornTalk podcast using the link in our “Interviews” sidebar.

Ag Groups, Audio, Podcasts

New Pork Board Members

Chuck Zimmerman

USDAI’m a little behind on this. I meant to post it last week but then that little race in Indianapolis got in the way.

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2005–Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced five appointments to the 15-member National Pork Board. The five appointees will serve 3-year terms.

The five were chosen from among eight pork producers nominated by the National Pork Producers Delegate Body during its meeting in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in March.

The appointees to serve are: Wayne R. Peugh, Edelstein, Ill.; Brian D. Zimmerman, Beatrice, Neb.; Deborah M. Johnson, Clinton, N.C.; Carol E. Hein, Spickard, Mo.; and Lynn E. Harrison, Elk Mound, Wis.

For more information contact Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623 or Melanee Farrah (202) 720-8998.

Ag Groups

Ephron Analyzes Radio

Chuck Zimmerman

Ephron On MediaI have only started to delve into what is archived in the Ephron On Media archive site. As Erwin Ephron says on his bio page “He writes things down.” He’s a media planner kind of guy who writes interesting stuff about the media. His latest cover story is titled “REACH TRUMPS FREQUENCY How Radio Can Build Business in A PPM World.”

You might want to check it out and get his perspective on media and how it can and should be used and evaluated. For an example, his latest article on radio starts out: Whenever I hear “Radio is a frequency medium” I shudder. It implies two things, neither good. Either Radio messages don’t communicate very well, so you need say it again and again just to be sure. Or Radio’s reach is so limited that any typical schedule soon runs out of new listeners. I won’t argue with that. You can register on his website and download the full article.

Media

NAFB’s NFBS Makes Changes

Chuck Zimmerman

NFBS LiveThe latest NAFB eChats announced some big changes in their NFBS service.

NAFB Debuts Next-Generation NFBS

A new era begins for the National Farm Broadcast Service (NFBS) on June 1st, and for farm broadcasters and news partners, that means change for the better. Starting in June, the NFBS web site will have new hosting and content providers, and each will add significant new value, while actually reducing NAFB’s current overall costs.

For more information contact the NAFB office.

NAFB

Missouri Educational Farm Gets Boost From Pioneer

Chuck Zimmerman

Pioneer Hi-Bred LogoThe Thomas Jefferson Institute’s Educational Farm will be receiving a big gift from Pioneer Hi-Bred. It’s just up the road from yours truly. I hope to visit when it opens (or before) and bring you some pictures. Read on, visit their website and learn more.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International Supports New Educational Farm

DES MOINES, Iowa, June 1, 2005 — Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., today announced a $50,000 contribution to the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute in Columbia, Mo. The donation will be used to help fund the teaching greenhouse and adjoining plant preparation and lab facilities at the Institute’s Jefferson Educational Farm. The Educational Farm will demonstrate crops and their uses to students and other groups.
“Pioneer supports organizations that make a difference in agriculture, benefit youth and impact education,” said John Soper, Pioneer soybean research director. “The Jefferson Educational Farm will provide students and the general public with a more in-depth look at the role agriculture and emerging technology will play in meeting the food, fuel and fiber needs of a growing world population.”
Opening to the public in spring 2006, the Jefferson Educational Farm includes a visitor center, classrooms, office and meeting rooms, a teaching greenhouse, a children’s garden and demonstration gardens. Up to 10,000 students and other visitors are expected to tour the farm each year.

For more information contact Jerry Harrington.

Agribusiness

Elect Your Missour Beef Council Reps

Chuck Zimmerman

MBIC LogoMissouri’s cattle producers are urged to take part in elections for representatives to the Missouri Beef Industry Council. That’s the message in this week’s MBIC Report in which Cindy interviews executive director Steve Taylor.

You can listen to the MBIC Report now Download MP3 File

You can also subscribe to the MBIC Report podcast using the link which is always in our “Interviews” sidebar.

Ag Groups, Audio

Are You Born To Blog?

Chuck Zimmerman

Association Management Magazine CoverMany of our readers belong to the American Society of Association Executives and one of them brought the cover story of their latest magazine to my attention. You have to be a member to get it and I’m not but at least you can see that blogging is getting the attention of associations!

It really is a great communications tool for associations. What faster, easier way can you have to communicate to members and get their immediate feedback?

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