More U.S. agricultural products are on the second list of retaliatory tariffs from China, including both soybeans and beef, of 25 percent. Kent Bacus, Director of International Trade and Market Access for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), calls the action unsettling but not surprising. “This is a battle between two governments, and the unfortunate casualties will be America’s cattlemen …
ASTA Pleased With USDA Decision on Gene Edited Plants
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is pleased with the clarification made by USDA last week regarding oversight of plants produced through innovative new breeding techniques, including gene editing. “The (USDA) announcement really clarifies the practice they’ve had had ongoing for the last couple of years in that products created through gene editing don’t need to go through pre-market, regulatory …
American Lamb Board Establishes Goal of 2 Percent Demand Growth Yearly
The American Lamb Board (ALB) has approved a new long range plan for 2018-2022 to focus the work of the checkoff and its stakeholders in the areas of promotion, information and research over the next five years – and it boldly sets a demand growth goal. The strategic objective of the plan is to increase demand for American Lamb by …
Farmers Intend to Plant Less Corn and Soybeans in 2018
U.S. farmers are expected to plant more soybean acres than corn but overall intentions are down slightly from the record year in 2017, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant an estimated 89.0 million acres of soybeans and 88.0 million acres of …
Remote Sensing Data for Agriculture
Earth Observing System (EOS), a Menlo Park based startup, announces the release of a unique cloud-based platform called EOS Crop Monitoring, which provides solutions for Input Suppliers, Farmers, Commodity Traders, Crop Insurance companies, and all members of the Agriculture supply-chain. EOS Crop Monitoring is the result of three years of extensive collaboration between EOS’ dedicated team of data scientists and …
ZimmCast 578 from Ag Week in DC
This podcast includes National Ag Day comments from Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, interviews with American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), and comments from the newly appointed chief ag negotiator for USTR, Gregg Doud. You can find lots more audio and photos from all of …
Scholar Farms Offers Masterclass for Drones
If you’ve got a drone and are looking for some lessons then you need to talk to Dr. Greg Crutsinger, Founder, Scholar Farms. You can listen to my conversation with him about his newly announced Phytomappers Pro Masterclass below. The course is available for $397 from www.ScholarFarms.com. Additionally, there is a free lesson available, “A Quick Start Guide to Plants …
Ethanol Report on Custom Ethanol Chopper
Several hundred lucky motorcycle lovers got the chance to see a brand new, E85-capable American Chopper designed by Paul Teutul, Jr. when it was unveiled at East Kansas Agri-Energy on Saturday. The rest of the world will have to wait until the sweet ride officially debuts on the new season of the Discovery Channel’s American Chopper this summer. Discovery Channel …
Reaction to Presidential Trade Tariff Actions
Following action by President Trump yesterday to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese imports, China is making its list of what U.S. products will be the target of retaliation. The list reportedly includes agricultural products such as U.S. pork, modified ethanol, wine, fruits and nuts, and soybeans are expected to be as well. U.S. Grains Council (USGC) …
USSEC Indonesia Trade Mission
The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) hosted its 13th Annual Southeast Asia Soy Food Symposium in Indonesia, bringing together all stakeholders in the soy food industry in that region. This virtual ag newsroom includes links to photos and audio content available free of charge for digital or print publication or broadcast. USSEC SE Asia Buyers Conference Photo Album Audio Bringing …
2018 ACE Fly-in
American Coalition for Ethanol celebrates 10 years of taking the message of grassroots ethanol producers, retailers, farmers and consumers to Capitol Hill. This year’s theme is Ignite a Movement. This virtual ag newsroom includes links to photos and audio content available free of charge for digital or print publication or broadcast. 2018 ACE DC Fly-in Photo Album ACE Fly-in Takes …
2018 Agri-Pulse Policy Summit
The Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit held March 21 in Washington, D.C. to learn more about important trade policies, the farm bill and new revolutions in food production. Confirmed speakers include Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, Ranking Member Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture, Agricultural Trade, and Food Assistance Ray Starling, and USDA Under …
GROWMARK, NRCS Partner for Conservation
GROWMARK and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently signed a national Memorandum of Understanding to further sound agronomic and conservation practices. Ryan White, Dir. of Agronomy Marketing and Agronomy Information Services for GROWMARK, says the MOU is about the GROWMARK system commitment to working with farmers in a profitable and sustainable way. “We both have the same customer and …
National Ag Day 2018
The 45th celebration of National Ag Day in Washington D.C., March 20, 2018. Events, organized by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), include presidential proclamation, National Press Club panel on The Consumer, the Farmer and Sustainability and Taste of Ag reception at the Library of Congress. This year’s theme is Agriculture: Food for Life. Highlights of the day included an address …
SMART Farmer Leon Sheets
In this episode of the SMART Farmer podcast, we hear from America’s Pig Farmer of the Year, Leon Sheets, who raises 33,000 pigs a year in northeast Iowa along with his wife and son. SMART Farmer podcast listeners may remember that we interviewed last year’s Pig Farmer of the Year Brad Greenway from South Dakota, who also serves as chairman …