Over the next three days (August 22-24) we’ll be bringing you reports on 30 speeches, presentations and panel discussions from this timely and informative meeting on animal ID and the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) currently being implemented by the US Department of Agriculture, the 50 states and various tribal governments.
Massey Ferguson® Tractors Receive AE50 Recognition
DULUTH, GA – August 8, 2006 (AgNewsWire) — Massey Ferguson®, North America has received four AE50 awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). Innovative Massey Ferguson products recognized by ASABE ranged from the 1500 Series compact tractors to the largest, high horsepower, fixed frame 8400 Series tractors. According to the organization, the awards recognize the “best and the brightest” from around the globe.
“It is always exciting to receive this kind of professional recognition for products introduced over the
past year,” says Eric Raby, vice president, marketing, Massey Ferguson, North America “These awards restate what our customers tell us. Innovative Massey Ferguson tractors are anticipating and meeting customer needs for improved productivity and profitability as never before.” (Full Release)
New Massey Ferguson Utility Tractors
DULUTH, GA – August 8, 2006 (AgNewsWire) —New looks and new features characterize the new line of Massey Ferguson utility tractors being introduced this month. The 500 Series includes seven new models ranging in size from 44 to 85 PTO hp. Along with upgraded design features, the new 500 series tractors contain a number of engineering improvements to give users more versatility for a wide variety of applications. “Whether farming 500 acres, operating a feedlot, landscaping a new housing development or keeping a municipal park in tip-top shape, any of these new models will fit the bill for functional, efficient power application,” says Mike Hanson, Massey Ferguson product marketing specialist. (Full Release)
GLOBAL ANIMAL MANAGEMENT NAMED FIRST INTERIM ANIMAL TRACKING DATABASE PROVIDER FOR NAIS
KENILWORTH, N.J., August 4, 2006 – (AgNewsWire) Global Animal Management, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schering-Plough Animal Health, announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has named the company as an interim animal tracking database participant for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). USDA administered an independent review of Global Animal Management’s Animal Tracker program, and has reported the system meets all requirements for participation in the interim/development phase.
Global Animal Management will utilize its Animal Tracker program to feed data into the USDA’s information system when animal health officials are responding to an animal disease. This will allow those beef and dairy producers already using the company’s TRI-MERIT™ age, process and source verification program to easily become participants in the animal tracking component of the NAIS when they choose to do so. Since the NAIS is a voluntary program, TRI-MERIT users will decide if they want their animals’ movement records considered for inclusion on a disease traceback investigation. USDA will only request movement records from participating ATDs when an animal disease of concern has been confirmed. (Full Release)
Pioneer Forage Forum Offers Nutrition Expertise to Dairy Industry
DES MOINES, Iowa, July 17, 2006 – Dairy producers, forage growers and those with interests in dairy animal nutrition now can tap into the expertise of dairy nutrition specialists at Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., through the Pioneer Forage Forum, a new series of blogs and podcasts available online. Topics available from this resource will range from crop harvesting techniques to forage marketing tips to silage analysis and more.
AgSource Seeds and NuTech Seed Merge
(Nevada, Iowa – AgNewsWire) Two of the Midwest’s young and agile independent seed companies have formed a new organization to deliver more high-performance corn hybrids and soybean varieties. AgSource Seeds, Inc. (Nevada, Iowa) and NuTech Seed, LC (Leland, Iowa) will merge their operations effective September 1, 2006 to complement each organization’s ability to provide the best seed possible for corn and soybean producers.
FARM CREDIT SYSTEM CELEBRATES 90 YEARS OF SERVICE TO U.S. AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AMERICA
WASHINGTON – (AgNewsWire) Rural America’s customer-owned partner, the Farm Credit System, celebrates its 90th anniversary of service on July 17, the date when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Farm Loan Act in 1916.
Next Generation of Biofuels Will Increase Demand for Ag Products
Des Moines, IA., June 20, 2006 (AgNewsWire) Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a subsidiary of DuPont, is pleased to play a role in the partnership announced today by DuPont and BP to develop, produce and market a next generation of biofuels to help meet increasing global demand for renewable transport fuels. According to Pioneer President Dean Oestreich, this new partnership is good …
Help Ethanol Celebrate 50 Years of Interstate Travel
Omaha, NE (June 15, 2006 – AgNewsWire) – Ethanol is fueling the 50th anniversary celebration of the U.S. interstate highway system June 16 -29 when the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) will sponsor a cross-country convoy from San Francisco to Washington D.C. All cars in the convoy will use E10, a blend of 90 percent unleaded …
MBIC Executive Director Leaving to Head Horse Breed Group
Columbia, MO (AgNewsWire) The Missouri Beef Industry Council announces the resignation of long-time executive director Steve Taylor, who has accepted the CEO position at the Appaloosa Horse Club headquartered in Moscow, Idaho starting August 1. Taylor started with the beef council in early 1987, just after the nationwide checkoff program was launched. He leaves behind a solid program with a …
Grilling for Father’s Day
Columbia, MO (AgNewsWire) Father’s Day is a great day to fire up the grill for steaks and burgers. A brand new gas grill also makes a great gift for dad on his special day and the Missouri Beef Industry Council has one for some lucky father, according to marketing director Dawn Thurnau. “This year we have teamed up with the …
Crop Insurance Discount Moratorium Eliminates Opportunity For up to $120 Million Annual Savings for America’s Farmers
West Des Moines, Iowa – (AgNewsWire) On May 23 the House of Representatives voted to extend the 2007 moratorium on the USDA’s Premium Reduction Program through the 2008 crop season. The Premium Reduction Program (PRP) was authorized in the Federal Crop Insurance Act of 1994 in order to allow farmers the opportunity to benefit when insurance companies are able to …
Global Seed Market Valued at $17 Billion
DES MOINES, IA – May 18, 2006 – (AgNewsWire) Global crop production shifts, transgenic and hybrid seed technologies and changes in targeted plant populations helped increase the value of the global proprietary seed market to more than $17 billion in 2005. That is a 30 percent increase over the past five years, according to the latest edition of an extensive global seed market survey completed by The Context Network, a business management consulting service to the world’s leading agriculture, biotechnology and food companies.
Beef Industry Increases Advertising Efforts
Columbia, MO (AgNewsWire) With a near “perfect storm” of market forces this summer, beef producers are stepping up promotional efforts to keep beef center of the plate for consumers. Missouri Beef Industry Council Chairman David Dick of Sedalia says consumers have a lot to choose from at the meat counter. “There’s a glut of the other proteins in the market, …
American Farmland Trust Report – New Framework For U. S. Farm Policy
Washington, DC – (AgNewsWire) On the same week as the 73rd anniversary of the first farm bill (May 12, 1933), two former Secretaries of Agriculture under Republican and Democratic administrations and two Midwestern farmer leaders today endorsed new, visionary policy recommendations for the 21st century contained in a report released today by American Farmland Trust (AFT). Entitled Agenda 2007: A New Framework and Direction for U.S. Farm Policy, the new AFT report is a product of more than a year of consultation with hundreds of farmers, ranchers, economists and policy experts. Agenda 2007 offers guidelines and policy recommendations for the next farm bill. It was developed to respond to mounting budget deficits, the trade distortions of existing policies, the inequitable distribution of farm bill benefits and insufficient focus on infrastructure investment and on conservation, environmental, energy and other programs of great potential benefit to rural America. (Full Release)