Dairy Carrie is Social Media Farmer of Year

Chuck Zimmerman August 22, 2014

Big time congratulations to Carrie Mess, known as Dairy Carrie, for receiving the first ever Social Media Farmer of the Year Award. The award is presented by Food Nutrition & Science and AgWired is one of the sponsors of this award. Carrie received her award at this weeks AgChat Cultivate & Connect Conference in Austin, TX. Her award includes a $2,500 donation to a charity of her choice.

Sponsored by leading food industry publication Food Nutrition & Science, this award recognizes farmers who have incorporated social media, digital media and internet strategies to achieve their business objectives including growing revenue, sharing information for more effective farming practices, and promoting positive awareness of the industry.

“Carrie has clearly used social media as a tool to help promote her farm, the industry and also as a platform for social change,” says Phil Lempert, editor of Food Nutrition & Science. “This is our first award and she’s a stellar example of how farmers can use social media to educate the industry and consumers and make change.”

Mess and her family run Mesa Dairy, a Lake Mills, Wisconsin-based dairy and crops farm with 100 milking cows, 120 young stock and 300 acres of crops. She initially began using social media to connect with other farmers around the country. Today, she posts three times daily promoting her business and sharing snapshots of farm life. She also uses social media for social initiatives. In 2011 during a drought, Mess solicited donations from Wisconsin farmers to fund seven semi-loads of donated hay to farmers in Oklahoma and Texas.

In addition, after an open letter to a corporate restaurant chain in her blog, The Adventures of Dairy Carrie (www.DairyCarrie.com), the company removed a marketing campaign that many farmers found offensive and now has aligned with an agricultural organization. Her blog has grown from 55,000 page views in 2012 to more than 1.1 million in 2013 and articles have been picked up by Huffington Post, The Guardian and local news stations.

The Social Media Farmer of the Year Award also is being sponsored by Monsanto, Bolthouse Farms, AgChat Foundation, Inc., and AgWired.com.

Ag Groups, Farming, Social Media

Yamaha Outdoors Partners with ACT Again

sara August 21, 2014

To learn more about the partnership between Yamaha Outdoors and the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow, I spoke with Van Holmes, a Yamaha Outdoors representative at Ag Media Summit. For several years, Yamaha Outdoors has sponsored a scholarship to help cover costs for college students to attend Ag Media Summit.

“This year we received a number of great applications from five different chapters, and to show our appreciation to those chapters we’ve created these custom made helmets that we’ve presented to the chapters here at Ag Media Summit. One of the conversations we always have here at Ag Media Summit is how to continue to promote and raise awareness for safe, responsible use of vehicles. So, we thought hey, let’s make some really cool helmets and let the students help us talk about these cool helmets in a very positive way online.”

In addition to the five custom made college themed helmets, Yamaha Outdoors also had their brand new Viking VI outdoor vehicle on display. The six passenger vehicle was newly released in June and features many components that make it unlike any other model on the market.

To learn more, you can listen to my interview with Van here: Interview with Van Holmes

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

Ag Media Summit, transportation

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes August 21, 2014

Zoetis welcomes Cheryl Marti as senior marketing manager for U.S. Dairy Genetics and Reproductives.
DuPont Crop Protection announced an agreement with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui) for DuPont to sell its global Kocide® and ManKocide® copper fungicide business assets to Mitsui.
The USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System has launched Cervid 2014, the first-ever national study of the U.S. farmed cervid industry, and the North American Deer Farmers Association welcomes the effort to expand knowledge and understanding about the deer industry.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, together with the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Global Social Enterprise Initiative, announces the second in a series of free online business training webinars for rural entrepreneurs and Farm Bureau members.

Zimfo Bytes

New Brand Launches Coming Soon for Koch Agronomics

Jamie Johansen August 21, 2014

At the 2014 Ag Media Summit, Koch Agronomic Services was there to share with the media their new brand launches that will be formally announced at next week’s Farm Progress Show. Chuck spoke with Koch’s Wayne Jellinek during the event.

“Through our R&D and agronomy team we spend a fair amount of time listening to our customers in terms of product advances from both the product standpoint and innovative technologies across the entire nutrient platform. We will be talking about some brand launches as well as finalization of the market research we are looking at in terms of other services that could be offered.”

Chuck also asked Wayne to share how Koch is working with farmers in the conservation area. Wayne said their products help manage against various forms of nitrogen loss and different coding technologies they have recently acquired in the turf and ornamental business. He said conservation practices are common pressing questions they continue address and are fortunate to have the tools and technologies to help support those nutrient solutions.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Wayne here: Interview with Wayne Jellinek, Kock Agronomic Services

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, Koch Agronomic Services

FMC Talks Pre-Emergent Herbicides at AMS

Jamie Johansen August 21, 2014

At the recent Ag Media Summit Chuck spoke with FMC’s, Len Dobbins, about the importance of pre-emergent herbicide technology when looking ahead to next year’s growing season.

“FMC has really developed a number of herbicides to be used pre-emergently for soybeans and corn. The interest in pre-emergence has developed because of weed resistance. When we look back a number of years, pre-emergent application on herbicides were kind of the basis growers started their weed control program on. In more recent years it became more singularly focused on post-emergent weed control, but now we are learning we really need to go back and use that foundation product to keep the weed populations down. This allows for our post-emergent herbicides to do a better job when applied.”

Len goes on to share FMC’s products for both soybeans and corn that do just that. During this time of the year, Len said many growers out there are asking what insecticide products FMC offers and he addresses that as well.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Len here: Interview with Len Dobbins, FMC

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by

Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, FMC, Herbicide, Soybean

John Deere Introduces New Commercial Series of Tractors

Jamie Johansen August 21, 2014

Besides having the media in for John Deere’s product launch, dealers and others came for information and training on all their new equipment rolling out. Chuck’s first interview for the event was with Dave Guetterman who specializes in John Deere’s 9R and 9RT.

“The new 9 family of tractors was designed around three customer values: performance, up-time and cost of operation. The way we have addressed those needs is with increased horsepower, increased comfort and increased capability to the customer through these machines.”

Dave shared that the target market for the 9 series of tractors is the commercial ag grower and producer. This event marks the first time the public has seen this new machine and it will hit the marketplace later this fall. Each class Dave is teaching consists of a 40-minute presentation including video, animations, graphics and demonstrations.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Dave here: Interview with Dave Guetterman

2015 John Deere Product Launch Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, John Deere, Tractor

State Fairs – A Family Affair

Jamie Johansen August 21, 2014

I literally grew up at the Missouri State Fair. I was just a little one when I first attended the fair with my dad and I haven’t missed a year since. My dad worked for the Missouri FFA and ran the FFA Building during the two-week event. I remember hanging out with the State FFA Officers while running through displays of corn and soybean seeds, flowers of all shapes and sizes and thinking all the ag mechanics projects were my own personal playground.

The Missouri State Fair brings back so many great memories for me. We ate meals in the youth building, slept in the administration building and when my sister and I were lucky, we even got to ride some rides. But the best memories come from exhibiting Hereford cattle year after year. Whether we walked away with a blue ribbon or not, we did it as a family. I actually met my, now husband, at the fair. The 2014 Missouri State Fair marked our 10 year anniversary of dating. How many of you can say you met the love of your life at the fair?

Now we stay in a camper and eat our meals around a grill with our friends and family, but we still show cattle at the fair. However, my family has grown. This past year we had the privilege of welcoming a new member to our family. Miss Harper James Johansen attended her first state fair this year. When we pushed her stroller up and down the aisles of the barn or carried her as we tailed one to the ring, I have never seen my husband so excited and proud.

State fairs across the country are a family affair. My daughter’s state fair moments have already begun, even though she won’t quite remember them herself. I look forward to watching her grow up exhibiting livestock, eating corn dogs and creating friendships that will last a lifetime. Thanks dad for instilling a love of fairs in me and all the hard work and good times that go along with them.

Beef, Farming, Livestock

What Skill Set is Most Important for Ag Comm Students?

Jamie Johansen August 21, 2014

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What do you think of Right to Farm laws?”

This ZimmPoll struck very close to home for me. As a Missouri farmer, I did what I could to help educate everyone I knew on the truths about the Right to Farm amendment that took a narrow victory earlier this month. I was excited to see that the majority of pollers thought laws such as these were needed to ensure the right to farm for generations to come. I believe we will see more and more states taking action to protect farmers. In my opinion it is a necessity.

Here are the poll results:

Necessary to save farming – 47%
Not necessary – 16%
Too dangerous – 14%
Maybe some states- 5%
Should be federal law – 8%
no opinion – 10%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What’s the most important skill set for ag communications?

College campuses across the country are flooded with students heading to class. With that in mind, we want to know what you feel is the most important skill agriculture communications students need to have mastered when they enter the workforce. Is it still the traditional writing/editing skills or more current social media/blogging skills that employees are seeking?

ZimmPoll

2015 John Deere Products Are Launched

Chuck Zimmerman August 21, 2014

The new John Deere products are launched. Now it’s on to the field and fall farm shows and time to take orders.

However, you can’t order this machine which someone on Twitter last night dubbed the AgriTerminator. It’s a prototype Model 9RX with four tracks! The machine charged onto the show floor last night and was an example of how John Deere is being transparent with its dealers about the products the company is working on. That’s according to John Lagemann, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, United States/Canada/Australia/New Zealand, Agriculture and Turf Division who was on hand for the product reveal.

I spoke with John who says the theme of the show is “Committed to Lead.” We saw a full range of products from turf and utility to full size combines and new high horsepower 9 series tractors. John says that this is not only a product launch that addresses all types of equipment but also all segments of customers. It is also the biggest launch into the hay and forage business with products like a new large square baler.

Interview with John Lagemann

Now, if you’d like to see the new equipment in action then check out this video. I’ve compiled all the equipment that came out on the floor along with some entertainment for you to enjoy. That entertainment includes The Bella Electric Strings who are awesome. I hope you like it and share it.

2015 John Deere Product Launch Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, John Deere, Video

Give A Man A Fish…Give A Child A Book…

Melissa Sandfort August 21, 2014

Today Aunt Jeanette writes:

You probably have heard the saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

As my sister-in-law and I put up our third Little Free Library, that was the thought that went through my head. Only my thinking went something more like this, “Give a child a book, teach him to read, and he will learn for a lifetime.” Whether you enjoy reading or not, which I realize some people just don’t, everyone uses reading every day. It is one of life’s necessities. Whether you are reading for sheer pleasure, reading instruction manuals, figuring out the directions for a new piece of farm equipment, finding the correct formula for spraying those nasty weeds, or googling something on the internet, everyone reads. It just makes life easier…and better.

We are so excited to have our third Little Free Library up and running! It has been a wonderful experience – not only for us, but for everyone, young and old, who has taken advantage of the opportunity to read our books. It is thrilling to see someone stop at the library, select a book, and ride off on their bike. My sister-in-law and I probably have enough of our own books to start a complete library, but the generosity of community members has added to our supply.

So, if you live in the Edgar, Neb., area, stop by and visit our Little Free Libraries! We’d love to share our books with you.

Happy Reading!

Until we walk again …

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