BASF Highlights North American Investment

Cindy Zimmerman

At the BASF Ag Media Summit today, BASF North America Crop Protection Senior VP Nevin McDougall outlined the continued R&D investment his company is making to bring new agricultural products to market. “Our global investment is upwards of $2 million a day in agricultural research,” said McDougall. “Many of those research projects have direct application to North America.” That translates …

Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, Crop Protection

PEDV 101 From ISU’s Dr. Phillip Gauger

Joanna Schroeder

The talk of the 2014 World Pork Expo town:  PEDV and the emergence that took the U.S. by storm. According to Dr Phillip Gauger, with Iowa State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, between April 28 – May 4, 2013 they had four separate ISU-VDL submissions – one from Indiana and three from Iowa – from farms with no relationship. He and …

Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Welcome to the 2014 BASF Ag Media Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

The semi-annual BASF Ag Media Summit is being held this year in the home state of the crop protection division, North Carolina. We are in the beautiful Raleigh-Durham metro area near the campus of Duke University and the opening reception and dinner was held at a venue celebrating the Tar Heel State’s farming heritage in the tobacco industry. Bay 7 …

BASF, Crop Protection

Elizabeth Leamy Moderates Food Dialogues

Chuck Zimmerman

The moderator for today’s Food Dialogues in Chicago is Elizabeth Leamy, a journalist currently working as a correspondent for the Dr. Oz Show. At the conclusion of this morning’s live webcast panel discussion I got to talk with her about the experience. The topic of the discussion was Integrity in Food Marketing and my first question was what that means …

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, USFRA

National Festival Highlights Wheat

Jamie Johansen

Wheat weavers, farmers, bakers, millers and educators will greet visitors to the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) on Saturday, June 14 as part of the Amber Waves of Grain Family Festival. The Festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and highlights the USBG’s summer exhibit on the history and beauty of wheat. The festival includes hands-on activities for children, …

Ag Groups, Wheat

Dr. Dane Goede’s PRRS Swine Health Update

Joanna Schroeder

During a media dinner hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI), during the 2014 World Pork Expo, attendees had the opportunity to learn a lot about what the industry is coining the 20th anniversary of PRRS (Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory Syndrome). The dinner kicked off with Reid Phillips, DVM PRRS technical brand manager for BIVI who gave the group a quick 20 …

Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

NCGA Thanks President for Signing WRRDA

Jamie Johansen

The National Corn Growers Association thanked President Obama for signing the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. This final reauthorization bill, which will improve the reliability and efficiency of the U.S. inland waterways system, was passed by the House on May 20 and the Senate on May 22. “This legislation provides an important step toward the infrastructure improvements …

Ag Groups, Corn, NCGA, transportation, Water

AFBF Not Happy With Clean Power Plan

Joanna Schroeder

Last week the Environmental Protection Agency made history when it released its Clean Power Plan proposal – an attempt to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from utility plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The EPA already has other pollution regulations (greenhouse gas emissions) on the utility sector. According to the EPA, utility plants are the single largest source …

AFBF, Agribusiness, Energy, Environment

Integrity in Food Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance Food Dialogues is taking place live as of this post in Chicago. The topic is “Integrity in Food Marketing 2014.” I’ve already interviewed several of our panelists and will do more when today’s discussion concludes. The program is live now and will be archived on the Food Dialogues website. We’ve got some very interesting …

Ag Groups, Food, USFRA

It’s Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Day!

Cindy Zimmerman

Any Mizzou, Jay Hawk or Husker fans are welcome to skip this post because today is Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Day! Iowa Governor Terry Branstad made that official by signing a proclamation today declaring June 9, 2014 as Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Day, with members of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board in attendance. Iowa Corn is a proud sponsor of the University …

Corn