Hello ZimmComm Fans:
It’s time to look ahead to the 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference, “Acres of Innovation.” ZimmComm will be taking up a very small portion of that acreage with a booth in the Connection Point once again. We hope you’ll stop by. The conference is April 18-20 in Kansas City. Get yourself registered!
We are looking for the right person (or people) to become a ZimmComm producer. The right person would be very self-motivated and passionate about agriculture, as well as having most or all of the following skills (listed in order of importance):
1. Computer savvy – Mac or PC
2. Flexible work schedule for on-site assignments
3. Digital photography – composing, shooting, editing
4. Audio production – conducting interviews, editing
5. Short format writing skills
6. Social Networking experience – Blog, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
7. Video production (web style) – shooting, editing
8. WordPress experience
Please contact chuck@zimmcomm.biz for more information.
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Is maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard more important to agriculture than the farm bill?” The statement was made during a recent meeting I attended that the Renewable Fuel Standard was more important to agriculture than the Farm Bill. In a show of how important it is 38% each of respondents said Yes and Both are important. Only 24% said No. What do you think? Many people seem to think the RFS only benefits corn/soybean growers but they don’t take into account that all farmers receive benefit from lower fuel costs just like the general public.
Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Is “Organic” food healthier than “Conventional” food?” During Tuesday’s AgChat this topic received a fair amount of discussion. Even though there is a USDA Certified Organic Program it appears that the term is not widely understood. We haven’t seen any evidence that the public in general really cares that much either and are pretty sure that most would not want to pay more for food that has to conform to the certified standards. What do you think? We’ve already received feedback asking for definitions and saying that these aren’t simple terms to ask a yes/no answer of. Sorry but that’s the way it is. We believe one of the problems with this whole issue is a lack of common definitions that are accepted by everyone. We want the poll to come from individual perceptions. Should be interesting!
Here are some interviews you might have missed this week:
• John Chism, Pioneer Hi-Bred Senior Marketing Manager talks about FIT®
• April Hemmes, Monsanto Farm Mom of the Year 2011 Midwest Region Winner
• BASF Personality Profile – Neil Bentley, Director of Marketing, U.S. Crop Business
• National Outstanding Young Farmers – Chad & Danielle Budy at National Ag Day Activities
• Dr. John Patience, Iowa State University, talks about hog feed choices at BIVI Swine Health Seminar
• vanderBroek, Bayer CropScience Global COO, on increasing productivity through innovation
• Greg Schwab, Koch Agronomic Services, on stabilized nitrogen
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