tools

Taking Online Dairy Advocacy to the Next Level

Truffle Media Networks — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:25:08 +0000

How can you utilize social media in agriculture? What steps should you take when general media portrays farming operations in a negative light? This webinar offers some guidance, tools, and resources to help. Webinar from Dairy Management Inc. and myDairyToolkit.com, December 14, 2011.

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Digital: What Do Farmers, Ranchers, and Marketers Expect?

Truffle Media Networks — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:35:35 +0000

With respect to new and social media, here are some things we have observed: across beef, dairy, poultry, swine, and crop farmers, 30% of the people spent at least 10% of their week reading watching, or listening to industry information. 50% of the people spent 20% or more of their week reading, watching, or listening to industry information. This is from a survey series conducted Q1 2010.

In a survey conducted Q2 2011, 87% of swine producers listed email as their most valuable communications tool today, with newsletters and magazine at 39% and 25%.

Amongst agriculture communicators, when asked what they believed the most valuable communications tool is today, email still was at top, but web sites, social media, and smart phones passed newsletters and magazines.

When those same agriculture communicators were asked what they believed the most valuable communications tool will be in a few years, social media and smart phones passed email as the most valuable tool.

While many agriculture communicators are familiar with webinars, online media consumption, and using a smart phone, 62% feel they are beginners or have no expertise in search engine optimization (SEO).

This information is from a survey Truffle Media conducted in August 2011 (PDF).

AgChat discussion on New Tech Tips and Tricks

Truffle Media Networks — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:55:59 +0000

New Tech Tricks & Tips Staying up on technology is sometimes a job by itself! This AgChat conversation highlights some tools, ideas, and resources to stay ahead. Special Guest Gina Schreck brings perspective on approaches to technology use.

AMC 0055 - Josh St. Peters, Pioneer Hi-Bred, engages customers much quicker with digital catalogs

Ag Media Conversations — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:13:00 +0000

Josh St. Peters ( @jstpeters) explains some of the approaches Pioneer Hi-Bred uses to connect with customers, partners, and interested groups. Mobile devices are key to shortening the cycle to get information to customers and educate FFA students. Josh also talks about the ever changing hardware/tools and how to work through those changes.

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Josh St. Peters on connecting to farmers and students with mobile devices.

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Agchat Discussion on Social Media Tip/Tricks

Truffle Media Networks — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:30:01 +0000

Ag Shares Social Media Ideas What are great tools for Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn? I have a beef operation by day, how should I spend my time on social media? These and other topics are discussed in the AgCgat right off the heals of the Agvocacy 2.0 Conference.

AgVocate With X Social Media Tips

Truffle Media Networks — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:24:50 +0000

I was asked to bring to the Agvocacy 2.0 Training five social media tips. On reflection (and a quick Google search) I found that tips are everywhere and they vary greatly according to their context. My tip to you may be worthless to someone else. So instead of Five Social Media Tips (or ten or twenty), here are things Truffle uses day to day and why we use them.

Why Social Media? Let me address this with a question: Why use a pen or a pencil? Because it is the tool by which I can discover and share information with other people, ideally to help improve someone's life.

Before I list tools and methods, I need to clarify some of the "why". Truffle Media is a digital media company. We capture agriculture conversations and make them available on the Internet as audio, video, text, images, and what ever else is digital.

Our work flow centers around capturing, creating, and sharing data and information. So the tools and methods below are focused on our point of view as a media company.

In a nutshell: we use tools to create digital media; we use tools to discover, capture, store, and organize digital media; and we use tools to share digital media. And along the way we have to coordinate, measure, rinse and repeat.

What do we use?

For digital creation

Audacity and GarageBand for audio; iMovie HD and iShowU HD for video; GIMP (Photoshop like tool), Easy Batch Photo, OmniGraffle Pro, and MS Office tools for image creation.
Why? Most of these tools are standards (MS Office, Audacity). Several were on the computer and easy to use (GarageBand, iMovie). Some just give us superpowers (OmniGraffle Pro)!.

For digital discovery, capture, storing, and organizing

Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Products, This Week In Tech, IT Conversations for discovery.
Amplify, Clipmarks, Delicious, Bit.ly, Drupal, Libsyn, Skype, Blip.tv, and Flickr for capture, storing, and organizing.
Why? This is one area where there are more discovery and organization tools than is possible to use daily. So this list is about what we have found to work today. We will find new tools and try them out; If they solve a real problem then we will use them. FYI, Libsyn and Blip.tv are key for us as a media company; they handle the bandwidth for delivering all our audio and video. Doing this ourselves would be insane.

For digital sharing

Twitter, LinkedIn, MailChimp, Facebook, and Truffle Media Networks for sharing.
Why? Twitter is the main quick share channel, MailChimp is our trusted email service provider, Truffle Media Networks is our base of content storage, LinkedIn is the professional network development tool, and Facebook ... because half a billion people are there (?).

For measuring the effects

Twitter, Delicious, Bit.ly, Drupal, Libsyn, Google Analytics / Web Master Tools, MailChimp, Facebook, SurveyMonkey.
Why? All these core tools provide some data source that we assemble on a regular basis. This assembly is what we use to paint a picture of what our audience looks and acts like. And this picture helps steer us to where we need to be.

For managing the chaos

Basecamp, QuickBooks, Gmail, cell phones, YouSendIt, and good old fashion in person meetings.
Why? Because we just do. Basecamp and QuickBooks are critical in coordinating with vendors, partners, employees, etc. Gmail (and Google docs too) allows for flexibility in information sharing, and cell phones... who operates without a cell phone?

In addition to the tools, there is an overall working thesis and set of principles Truffle uses to effectively build and sustain an interested audience. This thesis gets evaluated almost every week; we may not change it right then but we look at the metrics / responses, think about what is working or not, and plan accordingly.

Some of these general principles include:

Honest: Be up front about what we do. This is in the "Be yourself" or "Be Human" tip.
Limits: We can't do everything.
Evolve: We must strive to evolve to meet the audience expectations.
Know When to Fold Em: We must admin our failures and move onward.
Be the Bar Fly: We build a base on which our media sits and take it to where our audience lives.
Meet Real People: Social media means interacting with real people. Get off line and get out!

Truffle Media Update for July 23, 2010, Pre-Ag Media Summit

John Blue — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:17:49 +0000

Truffle Media Networks brings focused agricultural conversations to agri-business professionals across the beef, dairy, poultry, swine, and crop industries. Learn more how Truffle Media Networks can help you connect with agri-professionals.

Marketing Posts To Help You

Ag Media Summit - The Ag Media Summit is July 24 - 28, 2010 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Several social/new media channels are available for those not attending or those that can't see it all!
- The Twitter hash tag for the event is #AgMS,
- Several presentations will be streamed via Ustream,
- Of course there is an Ag Media Summit Facebook page,
- You can follow the Ag Media Summit Twitter account,
- Set your phone to receive SMS text message updates, and
- Read the Ag Media Summit blog page.
- Did I miss anything?
- FYI, the Truffle team will be in St. Paul for the event. Let's have a Coke or a beer: Send us a note via Twitter @TruffleMedia or post a note on TruffleMedia.com.
I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream… - Cause Matters is challenging all those in agriculture to share their favorite scoop of advocacy with each other. "Your flavor could be a great recipe, food tips, a quick example of how you tell your farm story, an idea of how we can better 'agvocate' in the future, ways you’ve used social media to talk about food/fuel/feed/fiber, programs on food literacy, photos of educational events, a great blog – whatever you’d like to share that’s connected to food or farm." Michele Payn-Knoper has even offered a $25 gift certificate to a local ice cream shop and an hour of phone time to chat about agvocacy ideas with the person with the most flavorful scoop.
Generating Ideas - The Aspen Ideas Festival just wrapped up a week of thinking and shared the many thoughts and ideas with the world with through its web site. Some of the world's most inspired and provocative thinkers, writers, artists, business people, teachers, and leaders were gathered for the event. Each day, they taught, spoke, and interacted with a lively audience.
Integration of Mobile Marketing Into Email and Online Programs is Still Low - Though the adoption of sophisticated mobile devices continues to climb, the integration of mobile marketing into email and online programs is still low: Less than one-third of marketers say mobile-optimized experiences are relevant to their email audiences, but nearly two-thirds say they are integrating social technologies into their email efforts, according to a survey from eROI.
Will Using Social Media for Non-Profit Campaigns Muddy the Outcome? - Chris Brogan highlights a concern about using social media to promote non-profit / charity giving campaigns. "The problems with using social channels heavily for things like vote-raising events like this is that it floods one’s channel with that kind of promotion."

Truffle Media is looking for your input on where you see improvements in how businesses engage customers. What are your thoughts on how digital tools can connect your business to customers? Are you satisfied with how you connect with customers?

We would appreciate your input on communications, engagement, and product creation. Please take our quick 2-minute survey. Plus, by completing the survey, you will be entered to win a $100 Target gift card.

Survey link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/media-and-marketing

You Need To Know: Agricultural Stories Being Told

Agriculture Sustainability - What does it mean to be 'sustainable' in agriculture? How do biodiversity and water issues play a part in ag sustainability? This Agchat discussion provides information, resource links, and discussion on agriculture sustainability.
Moving The Farm Bill 2012 Forward - The design and development of the USA Farm Bill 2012 has already started. What is needed to get from here to there? How will the issues of Cap and Trade affect the process? Will agricultural subsidy policy and implementation be changed? This Farm Bill 2012 resource page will keep you updated on developments and conversations.
What Are Consumer Attitudes Toward Food, Health, and Nutrition? - The International Food Information Council Foundation’s 2010 Food & Health Survey was the conversation starter for a Foodchat discussion.
Looking For A Job In Agriculture? - The outlook for agriculture employment is good. Several resources and tools can assist you in discovering agriculture job and career opportunities.

Stay connected: send us a note or connect via LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

The Truffle Media Networks team
feedback@TruffleMedia.com

AMC 0044 - Karlie Justus discovers how to connect crop producers with BASF

Ag Media Conversations — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:18:22 +0000

Karlie Justus ( @KarlieJ), PR/social media associate account exec with Howard, Merrell and Partners, talks about how she is working to engage crop producers. What are crop producers using to connect digitally? How can companies like BASF connect to growers? Karlie shares some information on ag media and their use of social media.

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To download an MP3 version to your desktop, right click on link below and save to your local computer.
Karlie Justus shares thoughts on crop growers use of social media tools.

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Agchat on Careers in Agriculture

John Blue — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:39:58 +0000

Careers in Agriculture What is future of the job market for those in agriculture? What should those in agriculture do to advance their career?

Truffle Media update for April 13, 2010, Is print still king?

John Blue — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:13:33 +0000

Agriculture 2.0 aims to bring capital to the agriculture industry to develop and launch out new ideas around ag sustainability, food production, energy, and agri-tech. ... Posts that might be of value to you Rework book 39 Social Media Tools Is print still king Truffle Media hightlights One Health: Implications for Animal Agriculture Presentations from the 2010 NIAA annual conference, held March 15 - 17, 2010, Kansas City, Missouri, are now available.

Agriculture Stories Being Told

How is agriculture using social media? Agri-professionals discuss how social media can help them improve communications between farmers and consumers.
College Aggies Online, a joint venture of the Animal Agriculture Alliance and American National CattleWomen, Inc., announced the winners of the College Aggies Online community contest. U.S. university agriculture-focused clubs from all universities with an agricultural academic program were invited to participate. Student groups earned points by posting blogs, photos and videos to College Aggies Online and by participating in digital outreach activities. The winning team was Western Kentucky University Block and Bridle and the top individual was Celeste Laurent, Western Kentucky University. See the point leader page for details.
The AgChat Foundation formed at the one year anniversary of the start of #AgChat. The AgChat Foundation has four program areas focused on social media: Agvocacy 2.0 Training, Strategic Agvocacy Coordination, Data Analysis, and Technology Scholarships.
What is Agriculture 2.0? Agriculture 2.0 aims to bring capital to the agriculture industry to develop and launch out new ideas around ag sustainability, food production, energy, and agri-tech.

Posts that might be of value to you

Must read: Rework. This book tells it like it is: taking an idea and building a business does not need to be overly complicated yet somehow complications creep in. Rework highlights many of those complication and why they should go away. Some great quotes include "Interruption is the enemy of productivity" and "Start a business, not a startup".
39 Social Media Tools to consider. This is a fast changing space but this list is a great start for those looking to find a few usable tools.
Is print still king? Has online made a move? This is a detailed analysis on the behavior of reading news in a newspaper versus the newspaper's website. Summary: "U.S. newspapers have not pushed much of their audience to their websites, nor have they followed the migration of their readership to the web. Their combined print and online readership metrics, whether measured in pageviews or in time spent, show that there’s been significant attrition since last year in the total audience for newspaper content, and that the fraction of that audience consuming newspaper content online remains in the low-to-mid single digits."

Truffle Media hightlights

From BeefCast: Beef Update on Capital Hill. Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen's Beef Association Executive Director of Legislative Affairs, brings us up to speed on all of the cattle producer issues being considered on capitol hill.
From DairyCast: AI Pregnancy Rate. Dr. Cliff Lamb, University of Florida, provides information on how you can increase your artificial insemination pregnancy rates in your cows. Read the transcripts or listen to the audio of Dr. Cliff Lamb.
From PoultryCast: Food Borne Mycotoxins, The Threat To Poultry. Dr. Trevor Smith, University of Guelph, shares his information on Mycotoxins at the Midwest Poultry Federation Convention.
From SwineCast: What are Some Control Options for H1N1?. Dr. Sarah Probst-Miller returns with her Carthage Swine Vet Service colleagues for this most recent P's In A Pod program looking at H1N1, it's impact on the industry last year and control considerations and options.
From CropVillage: One World, One Health: The global food basket. Dr. Corrie Brown, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, talks about the concept of One World, One Health: The global food basket.

Stay connected: send us a note or connect via LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.

The Truffle Media Networks team
feedback@TruffleMedia.com