U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has been on a whirlwind trip around Europe for the past several days, starting with meetings in London before taking part in the G-7 ministerial, taking part in World Food Day in Rome and meeting Pope Francis yesterday, and concluding his trip today in Madrid. “It’s been a very productive trip,” said Perdue during …
AEM Pulls Out of NFMS Venture
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has withdrawn from a proposed collaborative venture with the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB) for the National Farm Machinery Show, which was announced in February at the 2017 show. AEM and KSFB had signed a letter of intent and announced a verbal agreement under which AEM would assist with the management and co-production of …
AFBF Endorses Farmers for Free Trade
American Farm Bureau Federation Zippy Duvall took part in a press conference this week to support Farmers for Free Trade, a bipartisan campaign to rebuild support for trade at the grassroots level. Farmers for Free Trade, led by former Senators Max Baucus and Richard Lugar, is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that informs, mobilizes and amplifies the voice of U.S. farmers …
FS FAST STOP Retailers Registered as TOP TIER™ Diesel Fuel Sites
FS FAST STOP locations are among the first to become registered TOP TIER™ Diesel Fuel sites under a program developed by leading diesel equipment manufacturers who recognized the benefits of additized diesel fuel in their engines. The TOP TIER program, originally launched in 2004, focused on gasoline standards before introducing a diesel fuel standard this September. FAST STOP locations featuring …
Senator Grassley Rallies for Biodiesel
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) visited the Renewable Energy Group (REG) biodiesel plant in Newton, Iowa Tuesday to rally the industry in opposition to proposed EPA actions that would cut volumes of biodiesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In late September, EPA put out a “Notice of Data Availability” seeking input concerning potential reductions for biodiesel under the RFS, on …
Farmers Edge and Planet Partner to Change Global Agriculture Using Daily Satellite Imagery and Real-Time Big Data Insights
Landmark deal delivers Planet’s global daily imagery directly to Farmers Edge users, enabling growers to improve crop yields, quickly react to crop stress and boost profitability Farmers Edge™, a global leader in decision agriculture, announced today a strategic partnership to bring Planet’s best-in-class global monitoring data and platform capabilities to the Farmers Edge precision agriculture product suite. Planet is an …
Third Youth Ag Summit
The third Youth Ag-Summit, October 9-13, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium,offered 100 bright young talents from around the world the opportunity to tackle one of humanity’s biggest challenges: how to feed a growing population in a more sustainable manner. Organized by Bayer, together with the two Belgian young farmers associations Groene Kring (GK) and Fédération des Jeunes Agriculteurs (FJA), the summit …
SMART Farmer Katie Roth
Katie Roth and her husband TJ farm with their partners John and Luann Shea in the southwest corner of America’s Dairyland in Wisconsin where they milk Holsteins and grow all of their feedstuffs on the farm including corn, soybeans, alfalfa and wheat. In addition, she serves as one of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance’s (USFRA) Faces of Farming & …
Two More USDA Nominees Get Their Hearing
The Senate Agriculture Committee yesterday heard from nominees Greg Ibach to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Bill Northey to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. Earlier this week, the full Senate approved Stephen Censky as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and Ted McKinney as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade …
2017 World Dairy Expo
“Discovering New Dairy Worlds” was the theme for World Dairy Expo 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin October 3-7. World Dairy Expo serves as a forum for dairy producers, companies, organizations and other dairy enthusiasts to come together to compete, and to exchange ideas, knowledge, technology, and commerce. This virtual ag newsroom is sponsored by Alltech and Hubbard Feeds and includes links …
Ag Export Coalition Urges More Funding for Programs
More than 120 members of the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports are urging leaders of the House Committee on Agriculture to increase funding for USDA export promotion programs in the new farm bill. The coalition ssent a letter asking them to increase funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) to $400 million annually and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) …
Ethanol Report on EPA RFS Notice
The Environmental Protection Agency released its proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for 2018 on July 5, the comment period just ended on August 31, and then this week EPA gave notice that it is seeking comment on options for further reductions in the biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuel volumes. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) …
Bayer Showcase Plot Tour – Lubbock, TX
Bayer CropScience held a Showcase Plot Tour in Lubbock, TX at their new Cotton Breeding Station. It was a rainy day so the presentations were held inside. However, there are lots of photos that include some from a tour of the new facility. Also, available are interviews with presenters and other Bayer representatives. Photos: 2017 Bayer Showcase Plot Tour – …
Ethanol Fuels Crappie Masters Championship
The recent 2017 Crappie Masters National Championship, sponsored in part by the Renewable Fuels Association, American Ethanol, and Bass Pro Shops, saw Missouri fishermen Paul Alpers and Phillip Haynes finishing on top. The partners fought unseasonably hot weather and dropping river levels as they brought in a two-day total weight of 21.89 pounds. They use ethanol in their vehicles and …
ASTA Support for Cover Crops
The latest Cover Crop Survey released earlier this month will be highlighted at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Farm & Lawn Seed Conference, coming up November 5-6 in Kansas City. Since 2014, ASTA and its members have helped support this important survey conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) with funding from USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education …