The Changing Face of Media

Chuck Zimmerman

Alltech PanelOne of the primary seminar tracks here at the Alltech REBELation is titled, “Marketing for Business Growth.” In this track I was a panelist yesterday to talk about The Changing Face of Media. With me were moderator, Frank Mulrennan, Celtic Media Group; Peter Baniak, Lexington Herald-Leader; Matt Jones, Kentucky Sports Radio; Brian Hughes RFD-TV/Rural Media Group and Trent Loos, Loos Tales. We each had 3 minutes to make some points on this subject from our perspective. That was followed by some panel interaction and Q&A. Here’s my initial comments:

My company is ZimmComm NEW MEDIA. Why? Because we’re not old, traditional or big media. You know, radio, tv, magazines, newspapers. Anachronisms. We’re new media – blogs, podcasts, Flickr photos, YouTube videos, social media – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.

Let’s face it, these traditional media gents look with longing wonder at how a young new media guy like me is thriving. I don’t broadcast via terrestrial transmitter. I don’t publish anything printed. We’re online and mobile only. I carry more transmitting power in my bag here than when I owned a radio station in Florida once upon a time.

How many of you have a smart phone? Use it every day? Check news or information on it? Got the free AgWired App? Get it.

Here’s are a few statistics:

From Pew 2015

2/3 of Americans own a smartphone – was 1/3 in 2011
19% rely on on them for accessing online services and information
Almost 10% of Americans don’t have broadband service at home
Majority of smartphone owners use their phones to follow breaking news and share it 67%

DMR – digital marketing stats

1.44 billion on Facebook as of 4/22/15
Daily users 936 million
31% of seniors use Facebook

Today, WE ARE ALL MEDIA. How many times is a breaking story told first on Twitter by people on the ground at the right moment?

And for you business owners, the Internet has powered public relations. I hope you have more than a website. I hope you have social media accounts and are actively using them to engage directly with your customer. It’s the disintermediation of the old media and it’s moving at a historically rapid pace.

My Apple Watch is on order. I look forward to getting news updates on my wrist without even having to take my phone out of my pocket.

And let’s not forget: Search engine optimization – You heard today that there are 4 billion searches on Google daily My blogs are highly search engine optimized. We’re the media you need to be working with. Think transparently sponsored story posts, paid tweet campaigns. There is a new media in town.

Guys? Your Turn.

We had a pretty spirited discussion but in the end I think we all agreed on more things than disagreed. During the session Matt mentioned the Twitter Periscope App. I have it and started Periscoping live. I have the recording and will upload to YouTube to add here later.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts on this subject? Do publications, television and radio still have relevance? How about 5 years from now?

2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Media

Kentucky Night of Fun

Chuck Zimmerman

Kentucky NightAfter yesterday afternoon’s Alltech REBELation sessions it was time to relax and have a little fun. That fun included good food, beverage, music and dancing in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Many delegations from countries represented here got together on what they were wearing and for photos like this one of the Brazil folks.

Jamie and I collected lots of photos yesterday and have them all uploaded for you viewing/sharing pleasure. We’re collecting interviews to share with you here and on our Animal.AgWired.com website.

2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech

Jeanne Bernick joins K•Coe Isom

Cindy Zimmerman

bernickOur congratulations to former Top Producer Editor Jeanne Bernick who has joined K•Coe Isom as Ag Consultant.

In this newly created position, Bernick matches the needs of large commercial producers with K•Coe Isom’s resources in farm financial management, wealth management, sustainability, and food and ag policy. She also spearheads K•Coe Isom events that bring business tools and resources to commercial ag producers.
Bernick draws on 20+ years of industry insights, having seen producers through economic volatility, land price escalation, and multi-generational business succession. During her distinguished career at Farm Journal Media, Bernick developed long-standing relationships with large commercial ag producers and their families. Traveling throughout the country and the world, she developed authoritative industry content and wrote thousands of stories that covered every aspect of agriculture.

“Privileged over her career to sit around hundreds of kitchen tables with producers’ families, Jeanne’s been able to listen and learn while watching farm families grow, kids take over the operations, and countless businesses fail or succeed,” said Michelle Golden, K•Coe Isom’s Growth Leader. “She knows what they care about, and what matters most to them.”

Growing up on a cattle ranch in southern Missouri, Bernick started her career in Philadelphia, becoming one of the top editors in ag journalism. She grew Top Producer magazine into a multimedia CEO-focused brand, doubled the size of the Top Producer Seminar, and helped develop Top Producer Executive Network™ (TPEN)—the first, national, farmer peer network. Bernick graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in agricultural journalism and has won numerous writing and business media awards, including being named Writer of Merit for the American Ag Editors Association (AAEA).

Congrats, Jeanne!

ACN, Media

Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Heidi Heitkamp

John Davis

Agri-Pulse Open Mic this week features U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp.

open-micThe North Dakota Democrat was instrumental in crafting the 2014 farm bill and now has proposed legislation to address uncertainty over renewable fuels and waters of the US as well as expanding trade with Cuba. In this interview Senator Heitkamp shares her thoughts on food labeling and outlines senate debate over Trade Promotion Authority for President Obama. While trade dominates the legislative agenda this week, Heitkamp hopes for timely action on the highway trust fund, the export-import bank and national security issues.

Click here to listen to Agri-Pulse Open Mic with U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp.

Agri-Pulse, Audio

Colin Powell Addresses REBELation

Chuck Zimmerman

General Colin PowellFormer U.S. Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell took the stage today to talk about becoming a REBEL. He offered the international audience some insights into what it means to be an American and why people want to come to our country.

Since the conference is mostly educational sessions on food and the business of animal agriculture he offered thoughts on the importance of feeding the growing world population. Powell drew on his military background to talk about managing people. I thought is was interesting that he has never said the words, “That is an order,” in his career. He says soldiers don’t respond to that. It’s much better to explain things to them so they understand what they have to do. I am able to offer a short piece of his presentation from the beginning of his speech.

Listen to an excerpt from Colin Powell’s remarks here: Colin Powell Remarks at Alltech Rebelation

2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio

Ronan Wraps Up 1st Opening Plenary

Jamie Johansen

Ronan Tynan graced the stage once again at the opening plenary session at Alltech REBELation. This time surrounded by a choir and singing U2’s, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”


2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Video

Dr. Pearse Lyons – An Alltech REBEL

Chuck Zimmerman

Dr. Pearse LyonsDuring the morning plenary session of the 2015 Alltech REBELation Dr. Mark Lyons introduced his Dad, Dr. Pearse Lyons. Mark says Pearse has always been a REBEL and it is his innate curiosity that has driven the growth of his business. Mark says you can never tell him, “It can’t be done.”

Then Dr. Pearse Lyons took the stage to energize and motivate the 3,000 attendees here in Lexington, KY. This is the 31st Symposium. That first one started with just a handful of people. Alltech has plants and offices all over the world now. He empowers people to make things happen. And a lot has happened. Listen to Dr. Lyons for some great ideas for how you can live your dream.

Listen to Dr. Lyons remarks here: Dr. Pearse Lyons Remarks

2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio

Alltech International Dinner Entertainment

Chuck Zimmerman

Dr. Everett McCorveyWorld class singers graced the stage at the 2015 Alltech REBELation International Dinner. Of course Ronan Tynan really wowed the crowd.

But let’s also enjoy the fantastic Dr. Everett McCorvey and his amazing students at the University of Kentucky. A tradition here at the Symposium is to sing My Old Kentucky Home. Dr. McCorvey did so, backed up by his students. Listen in below to hear what you missed.

Listen to My Old Kentucky Home here: Dr. Everett McCorvey & Students

2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio

Final WTO COOL Ruling Goes Against U.S.

Cindy Zimmerman

wtoAs expected, the World Trade Organization today issued a final ruling against the United States over Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for livestock and meat products.

The final ruling maintained previous conclusions that “the amended COOL measure increases the record-keeping burden for imported livestock entailed by the original COOL measure.”

The Appellate Body agreed with the panel that the recordkeeping and verification requirements of the amended COOL measure impose a disproportionate burden on producers and processors of livestock that cannot be explained by the need to provide origin information to consumers, and that the exemptions under the amended COOL measure support a conclusion that the detrimental impact of that measure on imported livestock does not stem exclusively from legitimate regulatory distinctions.

cool-reform-1In response to the ruling, the COOL Reform Coalition is calling for “immediate congressional intervention” to bring the U.S. into compliance with its trade obligations and avoid the threat of retaliatory action on the part of Mexico and Canada.

“We flaunt our country’s obligations under the rules-based trading system at our peril,” said U.S. Chamber Senior Vice President for International Policy John Murphy and Co-Chair of the COOL Reform Coalition. “American farmers, workers, and companies will not be able to sell their goods and services to those consumers if we fail to live up to these rules ourselves. Congress must take action now to repeal the COOL rule for meat before retaliation hits as soon as late summer.” Canada has already issued a preliminary retaliation list targeting a broad spectrum of commodities and manufactured products that would affect every state in the country. Mexico has not yet announced a preliminary retaliation list but has implemented retaliatory tariffs in the past which may be indicative of future tariff actions.

House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) has already prepared to announce legislation this week to repeal COOL, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) says he will “consider any solution – including repeal regarding meat – that will allow the United States to be WTO-compliant and avoid retaliation from Canada and Mexico.”

Livestock, Trade

Colin Powell Receives Alltech Medal of Excellence

Chuck Zimmerman

Colin Powell Alltech Medal of ExcellenceThis morning Dr. Pearse Lyons presented the Alltech Medal of Excellence during the Alltech REBELation, a conference exploring innovation, inspiration and world-changing ideas in Lexington. The Medal of Excellence is Alltech’s highest distinction, awarded annually to someone of great achievement and character. Previous honorees include scientists such as Dr. Eugenia Wang for her pioneering work in microRNA and agricultural leaders such as Norman Borlaug, the “father of the Green Revolution.”

A four-star general who served four U.S. presidents in various roles, including national security advisor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the United States’ 65th secretary of state, Colin Powell is a strategist, diplomat and leader. On Monday, May 18, Powell will be sharing his insights on leadership with the international attendees at the official opening session of the Alltech REBELation.

“What is the number one thing missing from agriculture and business today? Leadership, and when I think of leadership, General Powell comes first to mind,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “He is decisive, courageous and a ‘force multiplier of perpetual optimism.’ He broke down barriers as the first African-American chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and brought stability to tumultuous situations through his ability to build trust and develop alliances. For inspirational leadership, we need not look any further than General Powell, and, for this reason, he is the ideal recipient of our 2015 Medal of Excellence.”

2015 Alltech REBELation Photo Album

Ag Groups, Alltech