The American Petroleum Institute has unveiled an anti-biofuel poll. The latest released during a media call today was conducted by Harris Poll. According to the poll, 77 percent of registered voters are concerned that breaching the so-called ethanol blend wall would drive up the cost of gasoline for consumers and reduce the nation’s fuel supply (85 percent Republicans, 75 percent …
Ethanol Report Features Trade Mission to Peru
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) was part of a recent trade mission to Peru led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack which included discussions about increasing cooperation with that country when it comes to ethanol production and exports. The March 13-15 trip went to Lima and the Piura region, where cane-based ethanol is produced, and featured meetings with ministry of energy …
#Dairy Farmers Questions Prez Candidates
Republican presidential candidates Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump were both asked about immigration and farm labor by Wisconsin dairy farmers during CNN town hall events in that state this week. Wisconsin dairy farmer Jason Vorpahl, asked Cruz about about immigrant workers. Noting the need for an adequate labor force for agriculture, Cruz indicated the answer may be increasing mechanization …
#USDA Report – Corn Up, Soybeans Down
The 2016 Prospective Plantings report out from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) shows farmers expect to plant more corn and less soybeans this year. U.S. corn growers expect to plant 93.6 million acres to corn this year, the first increase in corn planted acreage since 2012 and, if realized, will be the third largest corn acreage since 1944. In …
ScoutPro Continues to Grow
AgWired first introduced us to ScoutPro back in 2011 but the company has come a long way since then. ScoutPro co-founder Stuart McCulloh says the company started by three entrepreneurial Iowa State University students is now full service crop scouting program. At the recent Commodity Classic the company announced the apps are now a free download because, as McCulloh points …
GROWMARK Partners with Climate Corp
GROWMARK has partnered with The Climate Corporation to become an official dealer of Climate Pro, The Climate Corporation’s premium web and mobile offering. Climate Pro is a web-based data information system that provides weather information specific to an individual farmer’s field of interest. The software allows farms to import or load field boundaries into Climate Pro, and the Climate Pro …
ZimmCast: Tweet a Bee #Feed a Bee
Bayer is gearing up to make a significant impact on pollinator health in 2016 by planting more forage and spreading the word about the importance of pollinators with the debut of the Feed a Bee song and video and new social media initiatives to help keep pollinators healthy. In this week’s ZimmCast, Cindy Zimmerman spoke with our favorite Queen Bee …
Pork Checkoff Presser on Hog and Pig Report
The Pork Checkoff hosted a news media conference call following the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report on Friday, March 25, 2016. Three distinguished agricultural economists: Dr. Scott Brown, Extension Livestock Economist, the University of Missouri, Dr. Lee Schultz, Livestock Economist, Iowa State University, and Altin Kalo, Senior Analyst, Steiner Consulting Group, were on hand to give their reactions to …
I am USFRA – Dawn Caldwell
Dawn Caldwell is a very busy woman. Besides helping to run her family’s cow-calf operation in north central Kansas, not far from where they live in Clay County, Nebraska, the wife and mother of two works as head of governmental affairs for the Aurora Cooperative. In addition, she serves on the board of the Federation of State Beef Councils, and …
AgCareers Going Strong
A recent survey conducted for Land O’Lakes suggests that there is very low interest in college grads to pursue a career in agriculture. However, AgCareers.com sees a very different trend. AgCareers has a 33 percent increase in the number of visits to their website in the last year. Chuck Zimmerman spoke with Eric Spell, AgCareers.com president, who says that enrollment …
2016 Horse Person of the Year
The American Saddlebred Association of Wisconsin (ASAW) held its annual awards banquet last weekend in Delafield, Wisconsin. The event celebrates the last competition season, commemorates the show ring achievements of the region’s top competing Saddlebred exhibitors, and recognizes a few of the most exceptional members of the Wisconsin Saddlebred industry. One of the most prized awards of the evening, the …
GROWMARK Offers Pest Guidance After Mild Winter
While many people enjoyed this year’s mild winters, farmers struggled to enjoy the balmy break from freezing temperatures. Instead growers have been more concerned with the affect the temperature will have had on insect pressure. AgWired spoke with Tim Laatsch of GROWMARK to learn more about what could be in store this growing season. The full interview also covers a …
Planting Decisions Can Still Include #LibertyLink
Spring has sprung and planting has already begun in some areas, but there’s still time to include Bayer Liberty® and LibertyLink® soybeans this crop year. At the recent Bayer AgVocacy Forum, we talked with Al Luke, Bayer U.S. strategic business lead for row crops, about the LibertyLink system and availability this year. Learn more here and in this interview: Bayer …
NCBA Names New CEO
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has named Kendal Frazier its new chief executive officer. Frazier was raised on a diversified cattle and grain operation in south-central Kansas. He is a graduate of Kansas State University and began his career as a farm broadcaster for WIBW Radio/Television before joining the staff at Kansas Livestock Association as director of communications. He …
I AM USFRA – John Deere
John Deere was one of the first companies to become a member of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) Premier Partner Advisory Group (PPAG) back in 2011 and they continue to provide strong support for the organization. Deere Director of Industry Relations Chuck Studer serves on the board of USFRA and in this interview from National Ag Day he …