Tony’s Tractors

I interviewed two of my favorite people at the Ag Media Summit and have saved those interviews for this week’s program. First up, you’ll find Jerry Harrington, Pioneer Hi-Bred. He talks about how he helps agricultural journalists connect with agronomists so they can get the word out and help producers, “grow more corn and soybeans.”

Then I talk with U. S. Under Secretary of Rural Development, Tom Dorr, about the latest in his world. It includes the development of a major biorefinery loan program. He says they’re working to make loans available by the end of the year. He also speaks about the re-authorization of the broadband loan program. Tom says that they’ve already loaned nearly $7 billion to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. That’s fueling a lot of competition which should just increase the pace of development.

The program this week ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. Since we’re talking about broadband you get to listen to “Outside The Internet” from Messian Dread. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 182 (16 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:Download audio file (zimmcast182-8-11-08.mp3)

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

I don’t know about all of you who attended last week’s Ag Media Summit but I’m still recovering. I’ve got one little project left to complete and then I’m almost caught up. Of course Cindy’s on the road today to Purdy, MO for a Kip Cullers field day and I’ll be heading north tomorrow for a Monsanto Technology Showcase event and Laura is on her way to learn about agriculture in Honduras!

In this week’s program I sat down with Cindy to get her impressions of her first Ag Media Summit. One of the main things that struck her was the engagement of college students. There were over 80 students attending since the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow also hold their annual meeting at AMS. Cindy and think that really helps energize us “old timers.” It also gives us a chance to interact with the people we’ll hire in the future too.

Since Cindy and I have been to NAFB conventions since the early 1980’s it was natural to draw some comparisons. One of the things that also strikes me as a big difference in the two is the amount of professional development. AMS is all about that and we both think that farm broadcasters would benefit from and be interested in the types of sessions offered at AMS. There were a couple of farm broadcasters attending by the way.

I want to say a special thank you to BASF and Successful Farming for sponsoring our coverage of this year’s Ag Media Summit. I’d say it was one of the best I’ve been to but then I’ve been saying that every year.

The program this week ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. Since we’re talking about media you get to listen to “The Theme of Audiomedia, Inc.” from meganesan. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 181 (19 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:Download audio file (zimmcast181-8-4-08.mp3)

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

During the AMS InfoExpo session, one of the people I spoke with was John Deere’s Barry Nelson. Cindy was right near by to take a picture.

Barry says that we’re starting to transition to 360 degree media. He says that editors used to write for just magazines but some are now producing video which means they’re now farm broadcasters. He says he can see a day where the AMS combines all the elements of the farm media in one big convention.

Barry says that companies are still trying to figure out the new social media mechanisms and meetings like this help them do that.

You can listen to my interview with Barry here: Download audio file (ams-08-nelson-media.mp3)

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

The planning committee for the IFAJ Congress 2009 met this morning for several hours. The event will be held in conjunction with next year’s AMS in Ft. Worth, TX.

Today’s meeting was very well attended. Mike Wilson, Greg Lamp and Diane Johnson have this thing well organized. We had quite a few people who had not been assigned to a committee but that got corrected and I’m happy to say that my marketing and communications committee now has more than two members and we came up with some great ideas that included incorporating some new social networking tools in our efforts.

If you haven’t had a chance to get involved then let one of the folks mentioned above know. I’m sure we could still use more volunteers. This is going to be a great place to showcase American agriculture to a world audience.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

Popularity: 36% [?]

At this morning’s AMS finale meeting of the IFAJ/AMS 2009 Planning Committee the World Ag Expo held a drawing for a Canon EOS Rebel xTi with extra lens and bag. That’s a very cool giveaway! A lot of the InfoExpo exhibitors had drawings but I don’t know the results of those.

The winner of the camera was Janice Keene, McCormick Company, pictured in the center between, Stacey Beachey and Steve Knudsen, World Ag Expo.

We’ll be expecting to see some high quality digital photography Janice. Send me some examples sometime.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

The Ag Media Summit 10th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday night was an evening of fond memories and awards for achievement and service.

Among the awards presented were the AAEA Lifetime Achievement Award to Claude Gifford, long time associate editor of Farm Journal and USDA director of information, and to the late Larry Harper, editor of the Missouri Ruralist.

The AAEA Distinguished Service Award went to Dwayne Best of SD State University’s Dakota Lakes Research Farm. LPC’s Headliner Award was presented to Bud Snidow, Jr., with American Hereford Association for 32 years and currently serving at the organization historian at the age of 90.

LPC’s Hall of Fame award was given to Greg Henderson of Drovers, the first chairman of AMS in 1999. And the Andy Markwart Horizon Award winner was Corey Geiger, Hoards Dairyman.

A power point presentation showed 10 years of memories, some of them bittersweet, and a salute to American agriculture. We hope to get that posted here at some point.

Well the party is over. For most people anyway.

Tonight we had the 10th Anniversary Celebration for AMS and joint awards ceremonies for AAEA and LPC. The photo album has been updated.

Tomorrow morning (this morning) we’ll finish things up here with a planning meeting for next year’s combined AMS and IFAJ Congress. I’ll be there somehow.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

There are over 80 students in attendance at the Ag Media Summit this week with high hopes of making a career in this fabulous field.

Being Gator alumni ourselves, we have a special affection for the contingent from the University of Florida. I think they said there are 15 or 16 of them here and I did get most of them lined up for this photo. Most of these young people are majoring in Ag Journalism. Chuck and I actually majored in Broadcasting many moons ago (1980), and it was purely fate that we ended up in this field. But, we are more than happy that our lives took us in this direction because these are some of the greatest people in the world and they love to mentor the future of our industry, as these kids will attest.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

Popularity: 21% [?]

“Caddy Shack” was the feature film at the Ag Media Summit party by the pool Monday night.

For those of you who have seen the movie, you will likely recall the classic “doodie” in the pool scene. Organizer Diane Johnson, however, had never seen the flick - so when someone asked her yesterday if there would be Baby Ruth candy bars in the pool, she had no idea what they were talking about. That someone did see to it that there were candy bars in the pool - and Diane had the courage to actually play Bill Murray and take a bite.

Fun for all - until the hotel personnel told us to keep the food out of the pool!

Post Update: Diane informs me that the hotel people actually didn’t tell us to keep the food out of the pool - they just wanted to know how long to keep the bars open. Not being “party poopers” after all!

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and

Popularity: 15% [?]

My Advanced Blogging presentation is about to begin in the Royal Palm West room. The chairs are starting to fill up. (sort of)

This post is just being done in the moments before we get started to provide a live demo for those wonderful souls who are here early to get a front row seat.

I’ll be doing some more demo posting probably so stay tuned here and on Twitter.

Ag Media Summit Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the Agricultural Media Summit is sponsored by:
and