FCC Update from #NAFB15

Jamie Johansen November 16, 2015

Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) commissioner, Ajit Pai, made a trip to Kansas City, MO to address attendees of the 2015 National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s (NAFB) annual convention.

Commissioner Pai’s has been focused on creating a regulatory environment in which competition and innovation will benefit the American consumer. The FCC is committed to adopting policies that will give private firms the strongest incentive to raise and invest capital, develop new products and services, and to compete in established and new markets.

Specifically, Commissioner Pai is working to remove uncertainty that can deter businesses and investors from taking risks, to revisit outdated regulations, and to set clear, modernized rules for the road. These steps will result in consumers enjoying better products at lower prices and the communications industry contributing.

Listen to the complete press conference and Q and A with NAFB members here: FCC Press Conference

View and download photos from the event here: NAFB Convention Photo Album

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Ag Groups, Audio, NAFB

AgroTourism is Hot Topic at #NAFB15

Kelly Marshall November 16, 2015

Steve Peterson of the Wisconsin AgroTourism Association recently spoke at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters conference about the amazing growth of ag tourism in his state. Taylor Truckey had a chance to speak with him for a few moments about this trending movement.

Peterson believes the reason for the excitement surrounding a visit to the farm is linked to several factors. First, it’s a multi-generational activities that families can come and enjoy together. The farm to table movement is another strong factor. People want to have an experience on the farm; they want to take a picture and post it to Facebook, Peterson believes.

Whatever is behind it, the industry is growing quickly. Last year Wisconsin boasted 42 event barns for things like weddings, reunions, and retreats. Now they have more than 200 such sites in the state.

“I think its going to be around for the long haul because people are just going to these barns constantly. I’ve got two barns that are in my backyard where I live that have weddings booked all the way through 2017, and they are getting major, major money for an event just on a Saturday. I don’t see this slowing down at all.”

Hear the rest of the interview to hear more about the growth and growing pains of agrotourism. Interview with NAFB presenter Steve Peterson

NAFB Convention Photo Album

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NAFB

#NAFB15 Awards Luncheon

Cindy Zimmerman November 16, 2015

Farm broadcasters were recognized for excellence during the final luncheon at the 72nd annual NAFB convention in Kansas City on Friday.

Gary Truitt of Indiana’s Hoosier Ag Today network became the only member to ever be awarded Farm Broadcaster of the Year twice. Truitt first received the honor back in 1988. So, that’s kind of weird, since it’s always been assumed this is a one time only award. Even Orion Samuelson has only received the award once in its history dating back to 1969. Truitt has been delivering agricultural news to the state of Indiana since 1981 and founded Hoosier Ag Today in 2006.

The 2015 Horizon Award winner is Jesse Harding with KRVN Radio Network in Lexington, Nebraska. A recent University of Illinois graduate, with a degree in Agriculture Communications and Advertising, she had the opportunity to intern with Gale Cunningham at WYXY in Champaign, Illinois who has been a mentor to this talented young lady and helped her on her career path in the exciting world of farm broadcasting!

Other awards presented at the luncheon included:

Marketcast – 1st Place: Ken Root
Newscast – 1st Place: Tom Steever
Video Marketcast – 1st Place: Tyne Morgan
Video Newscast – 1st Place: Tyne Morgan
Editors Choice: Todd Gleason
Editors Choice for Exceptional Merit: Don Molino
Excellence in Ag Reporting: Emery Kleven

Congratulations to all!

NAFB Convention Photo Album

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NAFB

USDA Sec & Deputy on Trade Trips to Japan & Africa

John Davis November 16, 2015

USDA’s top two officials are talking trade this week in two different regions. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is traveling to Japan Nov. 19-21, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden is going to Africa, Nov. 17-20.

Secretary Vilsack will be meeting with Japanese officials to discuss the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership and the strong history of trade between the U.S. and Japan.

“The bilateral U.S.-Japanese relationship is important to the prosperity of both countries, and I look forward to using my time in Japan to strengthen our bond for years to come,” said Vilsack. “This is my first meeting with both Ministers, and I intend to underscore how the TPP will strengthen trade throughout the Pacific Rim region, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in the food and agricultural sectors in the United States and Japan, alike,” Vilsack said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Harden’s delegation will meet with potential customers from more than a dozen countries across sub-Saharan Africa, forging relationships and learning about the market conditions and business environment in the region.

“Sub-Saharan Africa’s strong economic outlook, growing middle class, and surging demand for consumer-oriented foods creates a promising market for U.S. food and agricultural products,” Harden said. “Over the past decade, U.S. agricultural exports to this region increased by more than 50 percent, totaling $2.3 billion in 2014.”

The mission includes 22 U.S. companies and four U.S. agricultural commodity trade associations representing a variety of agricultural products including grains and feeds, peanuts, soybeans, meat and poultry products, agricultural machinery, and more.

International, Trade, USDA

2015 Plambeck Award Winners at #NAFB15

Cindy Zimmerman November 14, 2015

The Plambeck Award, named in honor of NAFB’s second president Herb Plambeck, recognizes the best single and series radio commercials that air on NAFB stations and networks.

We were happy to see our friends with BCS Communications in Kansas City, represented by Kelly Schwalbe, pick up this year’s Plambeck Award for a series of commercials they produced for NovaSource. The single entry award was presented to Martin Williams for a commercial they produced for Syngenta Acuron.

The Plambeck Awards are judged by a panel of producers, agency representatives and past Presidents of NAFB to recognize commercials that are designed to inform, influence, motive and entertain their target audience.

NAFB Convention Photo Album

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NAFB

Perrine Honored for Service at #NAFB15

Cindy Zimmerman November 14, 2015

Congratulations to our friend Mike Perrine who received the 2015 Dix Harper Meritorious Service Award at the NAFB convention in Kansas City.

Mike has done both broadcasting and sales during his long and distinguished career. He has served rural communities from Texas to Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Missouri. Today, Mike owns and operates MP Ag Radio, serving as a station representative for several radio stations, and still provides ag programming for a station in Kankakee, Illinois.

This award is presented annually to an Allied Industry Council or Management & Sales Council member who has demonstrated exemplary and committed service to NAFB. The award was renamed in 2006 to honor legendary NAFB leader and historian Dix Harper.

NAFB Convention Photo Album

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NAFB

New Hall of Fame Members at #NAFB15

Cindy Zimmerman November 14, 2015

Two past presidents of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) became the newest members of the organization’s Hall of Fame at the 72nd annual convention in Kansas City.

Ron Hays of Radio Oklahoma Ag Network served as NAFB president in 1991. During his 45-plus years behind the mic, Ron has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the Year and the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Mike Hergert has been a constant voice of agriculture for farmers in the Red River Valley for almost 30 years and was NAFB president in 2001. Mike was named NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the Year in 2007, and also received his Honorary American FFA Degree in 2012.

Ron and Mike join the ranks of more than 60 other farm broadcasters who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1986.

NAFB Convention Photo Album

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NAFB

#NAFB15 Discusses Crisis Communication

Kelly Marshall November 13, 2015

AgWired’s intern, Kindra Hall recently attended the 2015 National Association of Farm Broadcasters and caught up with Agi Schafer of ASK-Comm Strategies. Schafer presented a crisis communication seminar at the conference and reminded us that consumers are more interested than ever about the food supply.

In a crisis situation farm broadcasters play a very important role. Food information is critical to both consumers and producers. Agi stressed the importance of building strong relationships with those who manage crises, those whose organizations experience them and others in the communications field.

“With the dwindling number of journalists out there win the media we really know that there is an opportunity for ag and food reporters, farm broadcasters to amplify their message and get it to a broader audience,” Schafer reports.

Listen to the full interview to hear more about the presentation. Interview with NAFB presenter Agi Schafer

View and download photos from the event here: NAFB Convention Photo Album

Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Journalism, NAFB

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes November 13, 2015

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) announces the 2015 recipients of its grassroots advocacy awards for companies that have reached the highest level of activity in its I Make America campaign.
Camso, formerly Camoplast Solideal, is introducing its new brand, rubber tracks, Conversion Track Systems (CTS) and Profit from the Ground Up Program to its European audience at Agritechnica 2015 – Hall 3 Booth B05 in Hanover, Germany, November 10-14.
Nominations are now open for the 2016 Borlaug CAST Communication Award, an honor that recognizes professionals actively working in the agricultural, environmental, or food sectors who are promoting agricultural science in the public policy arena.
DuPont Industrial Biosciences (DuPont) has signed an agreement to purchase enzyme and technology assets from Dyadic International, Inc., including Dyadic’s C1 platform, a fungal expression technology for producing enzymes.
Aimpoint Research is strengthening its commitment to the agriculture market it has served for the past 13 years with the launch of its new division, Aimpoint Agriculture.

Zimfo Bytes

The Elephant in the Cornfield

Chuck Zimmerman November 12, 2015

With the title, “The Elephant in the Cornfield,” Chris Clayton’s first book draws you in just to find out what it’s all about. Chris is the policy editor for DTN/The Progressive Farmer and an issue near and dear to his heart is climate change. I share that interest and was able to sit down with him at the NAFB convention to talk about the subject and what he has written.

The Elephant in the Cornfield is an e-book available now on Amazon.com.

Here’s an excerpt of the description of the book:

Midwest journalist Chris Clayton examines the conflict in rural America over climate change, farming and the increasing pressures on food production. Clayton’s reporting highlights the critical nature of agriculture in the country’s struggle over finding direction mitigating greenhouse gases and adapting to a more volatile climate. The Elephant in the Cornfield explains rural perceptions of climate change, resistance to the science and the outright push to fight attempts to deal with greenhouse-gas emissions.

Clayton looks at the pitched lobbying battle over failed climate legislation in 2009 and 2010 and how cap-and-trade became an almost toxic concept for farmers who are increasingly threatened by more extreme weather while also representing one of the few industries able to pull carbon dioxide from the air and sink it into the soil.

The Elephant in the Cornfield also takes the complex science of climate change and breaks it down by detailing research going back 50 years on greenhouse gases.

Listen to this week’s program for more: The Elephant in the Corn Field

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

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