Successful Farming[R] celebrates century milestone.Imagine life at the beginning of the 1900s when Edwin T. Meredith launched Successful Farming magazine. The average life expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. was 47 years. Only 8 percent of U.S. households had a telephone, and a three-minute phone call from Denver to New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of cost $11. Only 14 percent of the U.S. homes had a bathtub. There were only 8,000 cars and 144 miles of paved pave tr.v. paved, pav·ing, paves 1. To cover with a pavement. 2. To cover uniformly, as if with pavement. 3. To be or compose the pavement of. roads. The population of Iowa was greater than California. It was a world without electricity or indoor plumbing plumbing, piping systems inside buildings for water supply and sewage. The Romans had a highly developed plumbing system; water was brought to Rome by aqueducts and distributed to homes in lead pipes—hence the name plumbing from the Latin word plumbum , and farm work was done by hand and with horses. It was a time much different from today, with demand for a magazine that, as Meredith stated in the masthead mast·head n. 1. Nautical The top of a mast. 2. The listing in a newspaper or periodical of information about its staff, operation, and circulation. 3. of his first issue, "would stand for successful farming in the truest sense of the word...." A magazine "for the best farmers, or those who aspired to be the best farmers." A DEVOTION Devotion may refer to:
From that first 16-page issue printed on newsprint newsprint low grade paper used for newspapers. Old newspapers are fed to cattle as an alternative roughage and may occasionally be ingested by dogs. Significant amounts of lead are accumulated in tissues; no cases of poisoning have been recorded in cattle, though it has been by the young Meredith in October 1902, Successful Farming became the foundation of a multimedia and publishing empire Noun 1. publishing empire - a conglomerate of publishing companies publishing conglomerate conglomerate, empire - a group of diverse companies under common ownership and run as a single organization . Twenty years TWENTY YEARS. The lapse of twenty years raises a presumption of certain facts, and after such a time, the party against whom the presumption has been raised, will be required to prove a negative to establish his rights. 2. later, the staff of Successful Farming created Fruit, Garden and Home, a home and family service magazine that became known as Better Homes and Gardens in 1924. Today, the Meredith stable of publications includes such noted brands as Ladies Home Journal, Country Home, Traditional Home, WOOD and Midwest Living, in addition to Successful Farming and Better Homes and Gardens. Each continues E.T. Meredith's vision of providing practical and concise information "as to be helpful in carrying out the many duties of the farm and in the home." In addition, the company produces 14 monthly titles, more than 120 special interest magazines, nearly 300 consumer book titles, including the third all-time best-selling best·sell·er also best seller n. A product, such as a book, that is among those sold in the largest numbers. best book, the red-plaid Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (programming) cookbook - (From amateur electronics and radio) A book of small code segments that the reader can use to do various magic things in programs. One current example is the "PostScript Language Tutorial and Cookbook" by Adobe Systems, Inc (Addison-Wesley, ISBN ; owns 11 television stations; maintains 23 Web sites, including Agriculture Online, and maintains a database of 65 million names. E.T. Meredith was not only a visionary publisher of his day, but an effective politician and innovative philanthropist. He established a $250,000 fund from which farm boys and girls boys and girls mercurialisannua. could borrow money to start 4-H projects and helped found the National 4-H Club Congress. Meredith also served as secretary of agriculture for one year in the Wilson administration, was president of the Agricultural Publishers Association and president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World (later known as the International Advertising Association) and served as a director of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank. Meredith believed so strongly in the reputation of his farm magazine and the trust readers put into its content that he personally guaranteed the goods and services In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility (unless the "good" is a "bad"). It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax. of the companies that advertised in his magazine. AN INDUSTRY OF CHANGE While Successful Farming magazine in the 21st century looks much different from the early issues, its mission remains much the same, says Tom Davis, the magazine's current publisher, who's seen significant changes in the farm publishing business since he started with Meredith in 1978. "As agriculture publishing has evolved, especially in the past 20 years, we've developed new ways to better serve our readers, our advertisers and our company," notes Davis. He says one of the most significant recent developments in publishing, and communications in general, is that of the Internet. Successful Farming was an early entree into the World Wide Web in May 1995 with Agriculture Online as a separate business unit of Meredith Corporation Meredith Corporation NYSE: MDP is based in Des Moines, Iowa. The company has two divisions, publishing and broadcasting. Edwin Thomas Meredith founded the company in 1902 when he began publishing Successful Farming magazine. (see "GOING ONLINE WITG WITG Wittener Industrie und Technologie Park (Germany) WitG Who Is This Guy? WITG Western International Trade Group AG" article). "The Internet's impact on traditional publishing is tremendous as the medium continues to grow and evolve," he explains. "There are great marketing synergies that exist between print and the Internet, and these opportunities are especially exciting with our two prominent brands of Successful Farming and Agriculture Online." A second major development that Davis believes has changed the industry is selectronic binding and the challenges it creates in managing more than 3,000 versions of an issue. "This puts tremendous stress on publishing economics, editorial and distribution in a market that doesn't always want to pay a premium for customization of content and advertising for highly targeted messages. Yet, it allows us the opportunity to give readers and advertisers a more relevant and effective product." Another recent change in the industry in the past two decades, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Davis, has been the proliferation proliferation /pro·lif·er·a·tion/ (pro-lif?er-a´shun) the reproduction or multiplication of similar forms, especially of cells.prolif´erativeprolif´erous pro·lif·er·a·tion n. of free farm publications and other information providers. "We are the only major national farm publication that invests in paid circulation. We know farmers will pay for value, even though they have access to more free information today than ever before." Why do farmers continue to buy Successful Farming with all the free information? "In a word--preference," he says. "It's about reaching the right audience and reader preference. And what better indicator of customer preference than farmers purchasing our magazine." CONNECTING WITH FARMERS Ask a publisher what makes his magazine unique and he cites the numbers. Ask an editor the same question and you will get a much different answer. Loren Kruse, editor-in-chief of Successful Farming, and his editorial staff make no bones about it--it's having a direct and personal relationship with farmers and knowing what information they need and will pay for. "Our editorial philosophy has not changed since E.T. Meredith's first issues," says Kruse. "Successful Farming is published for the farm family looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. ideas and solutions that save them time, make them money and add value to their farms and lives." Kruse, who has studied the history of E.T. Meredith and the early years of Successful Farming, says the success of the magazine, then as now, is built on the trust of readers. "Historically, farm families trusted magazines to interpret the news and information of the day. Even now, the greatest value we provide our agrimarketing customers is the trust of our readers and the time they spend within our pages and on our Web site." Kruse adds that tied to that trust is sharing highly useful business and production information to help producers make decisions. "We recognize that farmers are in the business of farming and we share that same passion with them. We write for the mind by going through the heart. The fact that farmers pay us proves that we are living up to our mission, which is very gratifying grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. today in light of all the free information that exists." With the 100th anniversary issue in October, Kruse says the magazine will be sporting an updated look, which includes a stronger, bolder cover treatment and new features that expand the magazine's unique blend of encouragement and instruction. AG SERVICE BEYOND PUBLISHING While not the first national farm magazine, Successful Farming has been instrumental in initiating numerous nationally prominent programs and special projects such as Farm Family Enrichment enrichment Food industry The addition of vitamins or minerals to a food–eg, wheat, which may have been lost during processing. See White flour; Cf Whole grains. Conferences, The MAX Program, Barn Again, Pork pork, flesh of swine prepared as food, one of the principal commodities of the meatpacking industry. Pork has long been a staple food in most of the world, although religious taboos have limited its use, especially among Jews and Muslims. Powerhouses, the SF Farm Index and Ageless Iron, to name a few. In the late 1980s, the company played a key role in helping launch Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. And in keeping with the tradition that E.T. Meredith started in the early 1900s, Successful Farming has co-sponsored a national ag scholarship program the past five years, awarding 30 college scholarships each year to young men and women wishing to pursue careers in farming and agribusiness agribusiness Agriculture operated by business; specifically, that part of a modern national economy devoted to the production, processing, and distribution of food and fibre products and byproducts. . Also, Meredith and Successful Farming continue to be major annual sponsors of 4-H and FFA FFA free fatty acids. . "These programs continue E.T. Meredith's legacy of reinvesting in the industry from which we earn our livelihood," adds Loren Kruse. "It's the magazine's direct involvement with these types of programs that helps set us apart in ag publishing." THE TRADITION CONTINUES In fact, the Meredith family influence is still very much evident in Successful Farming and elsewhere around the company, according to Bill Reed, vice president and publishing director, who notes that third- and fourth-generation family members remain actively involved in the business. "E.T. Meredith III serves as chairman of the executive committee and Mell Meredith is director of corporate planning for the company and serves on the board of directors," Reed explains. "And while both agriculture and this company have changed greatly over the past century, the fact isn't lost that Successful Farming is the original farm and home publication at Meredith. That's something that we take great pride in as we continue the tradition of communicating and building relationships with farm families." With all of the uncertainties in publishing these days, Tom Davis concludes that there's one thing the industry can be certain of--Successful Farming will stay true to its mission of being relevant to farmers and agrimarketers. "The second century of Successful Farming is continuing the growth we've experienced in recent years. Our September 2002 issue broke a four-year ad sales record, Agriculture Online is setting new records in revenue and traffic and Living the Country Life was a financial and reader success coming out of the starting gate starting gate n. Sports 1. A series of stalls with interconnected doors that open simultaneously at the beginning of a race. 2. . We will continue to earn the trust that farmers and agrimarketers have invested in this 100-year-old brand by bringing products to the marketplace that are right for readers and right for advertisers." 100 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL FARMING Following is a brief overview by decade of the major events and subscription rates throughout the history of Successful Farming. 1902-1909 The first issue is published October 1902 during a period of rapid growth in commercial farms when mechanical equipment was still a novelty Novelty is the quality of being new. Although it may be said to have an objective dimension (e.g. a new style of art coming into being, such as abstract art or impressionism) it essentially exists in the subjective perceptions of individuals. . Subscription price: 50 cents a year or 5 cents per copy [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1910-1919 The expanding economy and World War I bring boom times for U.S. farmers, perhaps the best of the century. Subscription price: 35 cents for two years [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1920-1929 Europe's farmers get back on their feet, and U.S. surpluses build. Boom turns to bust for farmers nearly a decade before the Great Depression. Meredith launches new magazine, Fruit, Garden and Home, later named Better Homes & Gardens. Founder E.T. Meredith dies June 17,1928. Subscription price: $1 for five years [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1930-1939 The bust turns to dust as the Great Depression and two major droughts hit rural America. Subscription price: $1.50 for five years [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1940-1949 Another world war brings prosperity back to farmers. The increased popularity of hybrid seed In agriculture and gardening, hybrid seed is seed produced by artificially cross-pollinated plants. Hybrids are bred to improve the characteristics of the resulting plants, such as better yield, greater uniformity, improved color, disease resistance, and so forth. corn and mechanization mechanization Use of machines, either wholly or in part, to replace human or animal labour. Unlike automation, which may not depend at all on a human operator, mechanization requires human participation to provide information or instruction. change the face of Midwest agriculture. Subscription price: 50 cents for one year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1950-1959 Crop surpluses again grow as the world recovers from World War II. The school lunch program, Food for Peace and the soil bank are all government programs that attempt to deal with excess farm production. Subscription price: $1.50 for one year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1960-1969 Science and technology and the adoption of better genetics genetics, scientific study of the mechanism of heredity. While Gregor Mendel first presented his findings on the statistical laws governing the transmission of certain traits from generation to generation in 1856, it was not until the discovery and detailed study of , improved chemicals and bigger machines overcome government attempts to reduce farm surpluses. Subscription price: $1.00 for one year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1970-1979 The historic grain deal with the Russians leads to the second boom period of the century. Inflation and high land values don't seem to matter. Subscription price: $2 for one year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1980-1989 Inflated costs, deflated de·flate v. de·flat·ed, de·flat·ing, de·flates v.tr. 1. a. To release contained air or gas from. b. To collapse by releasing contained air or gas. 2. land values and huge surpluses challenge farmers and bring about the Payment in Kind Program, 1985 Food Security Act and the Conservation Reserve Program. Subscription price: $10 for one year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1990-1999 The end of the 20th century brings biotechnology, the Internet and better times for farmers who survived the '80s. Consolidation of agribusiness and vertical integration finally impacts agriculture. Subscription price: $15 for one year [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2000-2002 Successful Farming marks 100th anniversary serving America's farmers. Beginning a new millennium, new Farm Bill takes effect restoring hope in ag and farm life; 9/11 tragedy and a weak economy greet the new century. Subscription price: $15.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE PEOPLE BEHIND 100 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL FARMING E.T. Meredith, founder, publisher and editor--1902-1928 Editors: Alson Secor, 1928-1929 Kirk Fox, 1929-1958 Dick Hanson, 1957-1982 Rich Krumme, 1982-1989 Loren Kruse, 1989-present Publishers: E.T. Meredith II, 1928-1965 George H. Allen, 1965-1966 Fred Stines, 1966-1973 Bruce Boyle, 1973-1981 Jim Cornick, 1981-2001 Tom Davis, 2001-present GOING ONLINE WITH AG Developed in 1994 and launched in 1995, Agriculture Online was Meredith Corporation's, and the ag publishing industry's, first Internet Web site. Many at Meredith credit John Walter
John Walter (1738/9 - November 17, 1812), founder of , Agriculture Online editor, with having the foresight (graphics, tool) Foresight - A software product from Nu Thena providing graphical modelling tools for high level system design and simulation. to obtain the name and create a site that enables farmers to build online communities and share information in ways never before available. "Initially, our goal was to discover the essence of the medium and do more than just put the magazine online," explains Walter. "Remember there was no programming code for writing discussion groups on the Web in 1994, so we had to write our own code. It's been very rewarding to see online communities come together since those early days." Walter adds that the company learned what information would make the medium successful and strived not to make it a rehash re·hash tr.v. re·hashed, re·hash·ing, re·hash·es 1. To bring forth again in another form without significant alteration: rehashing old ideas. 2. To discuss again. of magazine content. "Having great news, weather and markets information is the bare minimum for entry. Our strength is that our content is penned by Successful Farming editors with lots of cross-pollination between both editorial staffs." Walter believes it's a combination of the unique online editorial, online research and community features that set the brand apart from other sites, "The Internet and Agriculture Online gave us instant news reporting capabilities that enhanced the interchange An interchange is a location where two things meet, usually perform some kind of exchange, and possibly go on their ways again. It is most commonly used in four contexts:
Successful Farming publisher, Tom Davis, who oversees both brands, says Agriculture Online has grown steadily over recent years, with usage up more than 25 percent in the past year alone. "We'll continue to measure the success of Agriculture Online based on profitability and its ability to solve problems and provide information to customers while offering value to advertisers." A NEW MAGAZINE FOR A GROWING MARKET Conceived and developed by the staff of Successful Farming is another new magazine brand that's targeted to the affluent and fast-growing rural suburban audience. The publication, Living the Country Life, launched earlier this year and will continue with three issues in 2003. "This is one of the fastest growing audiences in the country," notes Tom Davis, publisher. "They have high, disposable incomes disposable income Portion of an individual's income over which the recipient has complete discretion. To assess disposable income, it is necessary to determine total income, including not only wages and salaries, interest and dividend payments, and business profits, but also , live on two to 40 acres in rural areas outside cities and are passionate about the country lifestyle. It's an ideal audience for Meredith to target and a great market for advertisers." According to Betsy Freese, who serves as editor of Living the Country Life, content for me new publication is a collaborative effort between editors and photographers of several Meredith magazines. "This is not a country decorating magazine, but a publication that addresses the out-of-doors living, building and lifestyle issues of country life," Freese explains. "It's an audience that has very significant and unique information needs." Response to the first two issues has been overwhelmingly positive, notes Freese, with more than 95 percent of readers indicating they like the publication and would like to continue to receive it on a regular basis. Recipients of the first issues were selected from the 65 million people in the Meredith database using PRIZM PRIZM Potential Rating Index for Zip Marketers (Claritas, Inc.) PRIZM Primal Zoo Machine (band) profiling, a proprietary segmentation methodology. |
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