Meet the Illinois hog farmer whose family farm is the star of the 360 video the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance has been sharing around the country this year. You can watch the video without effects below – and if you have a VR viewer or headset take a look in 360. Phil Borgic has a family farm in Nokomis, …
Iowa Farmer is 1st Woman to Chair USGC
Iowa farmer Deb Keller was elected as U.S. Grains Council (USGC) chairman at the organization’s 57th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Vancouver, Washington earlier this month. She is the first female selected for the role in the organization’s nearly 60 year history. Keller’s experience as a strong advocate for trade will amplify the Council’s mission of developing markets, enabling …
USDA Forecast Optimistic Despite Conditions
U.S. farmers are expected to produce a record-high soybean crop this year, according to USDA’s August Crop Production report released Thursday. Soybean production is forecast at 4.38 billion bushels, up two percent from last year, while corn growers are expected to decrease their production by seven percent from last year, forecast at 14.2 billion bushels. Soybean yields are expected to …
PERC Revamps Farm Incentive Program
The Propane Farm Incentive program has been newly revised, taking it from a two-step process to one-step where farmers receive their application packet from the dealer when they purchase a piece of qualifying equipment, according to Cinch Munson, director of agriculture business development at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). The purpose of the program is to offset the …
RFA at the 2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Renewable Fuels Association was once again a major sponsor for the Buffalo Chip Campground and the 77th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Aug. 4-13 in Sturgis, S.D. The event offers a unique opportunity to promote the benefits of high-octane, low-cost ethanol to the motorcycling community. It will also mark the first Sturgis rally for all motorists to take advantage of …
Young Beekeeper Recognized by Bayer
Bayer recently announced the recipients of the fifth annual Bayer Bee Care Community Leadership Award for dedication to pollinator protection and educating their communities about bee health. Bayer expanded the scope of its awards program this year to show support for the future of the beekeeping industry with a new young beekeeper award, which was presented this year to 14-year-old …
USDA Getting #BackToOurRoots
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been on a five-state “Back to Our Roots” Tour to gather input on the 2018 Farm Bill, meeting with farmers, ranchers, foresters, producers, students, governors, USDA employees, and other stakeholders. This is the first of two RV tours the secretary will undertake this summer. This first RV Tour features stops in five states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, …
Seven Years of Finding CommonGround
CommonGround hosted its 7th annual National Conference in St. Louis, Missouri this week. Members of the organization, which focuses on providing an opportunity for conversations between consumers and farmers, are celebrating seven years of success and planning for the future of the program. Joan Ruskamp is a CommonGround volunteer from Nebraska who has been part of the effort for almost …
Ethanol Report on EPA Hearing and Court Decision
Last week’s court decision on what EPA can consider when setting volume obligations for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard was still fresh in mind as the industry provided feedback on the agency’s most recent proposals for next year during a public hearing in Washington D.C. this week. In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, Renewable Fuels Association president …
EPA Hearing Draws Biofuels Supporters
Over 140 witnesses provided feedback to the Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday on the agency’s recent proposed volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), with the majority supporting renewable fuels. Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen thanked EPA for proposing to maintain the 15 billion gallon requirement for conventional renewable fuels in its 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) …
SMART Farmer Jeanette Merritt
Jeannette Merritt is our SMART Farmer for this episode – an Indiana farm girl and former agricultural journalist who is raising crops, hogs and kids with her husband and serving the industry in many capacities. Jeanette is a 4th generation farmer, a Purdue University graduate, Director of Checkoff Programs for Indiana Pork and serves on the Indiana Soybean Alliance board …
U.S. & Mexico Ag Secretaries Talk Trade
While meeting with Mexican Secretary of Agriculture José Calzada Rovirosa, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today held a teleconference for U.S. media. The two leaders engaged in bilateral talks, including a panel discussion with U.S. and Mexican producers, several agricultural site visits, and a joint press conference – seeking to build on the U.S. and Mexico’s well-developed track record …
2017 Ag Media Summit
Jamie Johansen and Chuck attended the Ag Media Summit in Snowbird, Utah, courtesy of FMC Corporation. The annual event is the gathering place for American Ag Editors Association (AAEA) and Livestock Publication Council (LPC) members to network and take in some professional development. This virtual newsroom includes links to photos, audio, and video from the conference. All content posted here …
2017 InfoAg Conference in St. Louis
Welcome to the virtual newsroom for the 2017 InfoAg Conference held July 25-27 in St. Louis, sponsored by John Deere. Since 1994, the InfoAg Conference has been the premier event for discussion and advancement of precision agriculture. This event draws interest from domestic and international agriculture professionals and features a wide range of educational and networking opportunities for professionals interested …
MN Soy Teams with USFRA for Teacher Education
The Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) has partnered with U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) to start a program to help urban teachers learn more about agriculture so they can teach it to their students. To kick it off, educators in Minneapolis August 29 and Sacramento August 31 are invited to take a farm tour at the end …