Corn farmers nationwide planted about one third of the corn acreage nationwide in one week last week according to USDA’s latest crop progress report. The phenomenal progress included an increase of 38% in Nebraska and Illinois, 41% more in Missouri, 45% in Minnesota and an additional 54% of the acreage in Iowa. In this interview, Martin Barbre, Chairman of the …
USDA Announces Conservation Partnership Funds
In Colorado today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the availability of up to $235 million to improve conservation efforts through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Vilsack made the announcement in Denver at a ceremony for the Colorado Pressurized Small Hydropower Partnership Project, a 2015-funded project that focuses on water quantity resource concerns in Colorado. Listen to press conference with …
Avian Flu Cases Multiply in Iowa
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declared a state of emergency late Friday in Iowa after four new probable cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) were detected in his state, bringing the total now to 21 farms involving over 16 million birds. That includes one quarter of the number one egg state’s laying hen population, roughly six percent of the national …
Senators Call for Revised WOTUS
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introduced a bill Thursday that calls on EPA to develop a new “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) proposal. The senators, including John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), jointly introduced the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, directing EPA and the U.S. …
GROWMARK Insect and Disease Update
GROWMARK Insect and Plant Disease Technical Manager Tim Laatsch discusses the latest insect and disease conditions right now in Illinois for wheat and newly planted corn. GROWMARK Crop Update –
NAFB 2015 Washington Watch
Thanks to our friends at Agri-Pulse we have some great audio to share from the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual Washington Watch. First Doan Award Presented – ARA Supports Food Labeling Act – RFA CEO Talks RFS with NAFB – Mixed Signals on Biotech from EU –
White House Climate Initiative Announced
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and presidential advisor Brian Deese visited Michigan State University Thursday to announce a comprehensive national strategy to partner with farmers, ranchers and forest land owners to address the threat of climate change. The new initiative, “Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture & Forestry”, will utilize voluntary, incentive-based conservation, forestry, and energy programs to reduce greenhouse gas …
Global Soybean Stakeholders Discuss Biotech
Representatives from U.S. soybean-farmer-led organizations held a telephone press conference Thursday from China where they will be joining their counterparts from several other countries to discuss the biotech-approval process there. United Soybean Board (USB) chairman Bob Haselwood of Kansas, the American Soybean Association (ASA) president Wade Cowan of Texas, and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) chair Laura Foell of …
Biofuels Supporters Meet With Hillary Clinton
During her visit to Iowa this week, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton discussed the Renewable Fuel Standard with farmer leaders and America’s Renewable Future co-chair Patty Judge, former Iowa lieutenant governor and agriculture secretary. America’s Renewable Future, an Iowa-based coalition formed to educate presidential candidates about biofuels and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
AgWorks Software’s New Relationship with CDMS
AgWorks Software, LLC, a leading provider of unified agronomy management software for Agri-Business Retailers, announced a new partnership today with CDMS, Inc. to provide crop protection compliance information within AgWorks’ new unified agronomy software. Greg Duhachek, President of AgWorks says “CDMS represents the most complete and accurate compliance data available today and I am excited to bring access to this …
Cong. Vicky Harzler Interview
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and 70 House colleagues recently called for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) to be based on sound nutritional science and not areas such as sustainability and tax policy. In this interview, Rep. Hartzler discusses her view of the recent DGA advisory committee report that recommends less meat in the diet. She also talks about …
USDA Official on the Road for Trade
USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Alexis Taylor has been meeting with agricultural stakeholders around the country to talk about the importance of Trade Promotion Authority for the president in expanding international markets for U.S. products. Taylor was in Florida this week and she’s also visited with producers in California, Oregon, Washington, and Pennsylvania. In this …
Propane Program Pays Off for Growers
The Propane Farm Incentive Program paid off for participants last year, according to the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC). In this interview, PERC agricultural director Cinch Munson talks about successes of the 2014 program which provides up to $5,000 toward the purchase of new propane-powered irrigation engines.
Reaction to Prospective Plantings Report
The 2015 Prospective Plantings released by USDA shows declines expected in corn, wheat and cotton acres this year, with only a modest increase in soybean acreage. Randy Martinson with Progressive Ag, who provided commentary on the report for the Minneapolis Grain Exchange crop call, was surprised by some of the numbers.
USDA Announces Ag Conservation Easement Funds
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Natural Resources Conservation Service chief Jason Weller have announced the availability of $332 million in financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).