Growing Global Solutions to Grow Better Agriculture

Cindy Zimmerman

A new non-profit organization, Growing Global Solutions, has been formed to help agricultural organizations improve their efficiency. Industry veterans Janice Dahl and Jim Butler have founded the organization together with the goal of working with top-tier organizations that want to evaluate progress and reach peak efficiency. With expertise specifically in agriculture, the pair decided the industry would benefit from an …

Farming, Sustainability

New @USFRA Board Members

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA®) has elected three new board members, representing the American Farm Bureau Federation, Cattlemen’s Beef Board and Indiana Soybean Alliance. Scott VanderWal, a third generation family farmer from Volga, SD, is vice president of AFBF and president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. His family operation includes corn, soybeans, beef cattle feeding and custom …

AFBF, Soybean, USFRA

Senators Pleased EPA IG to Investigate Anti-Ag Billboards

Cindy Zimmerman

Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) are pleased that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action regarding a taxpayer funded, anti-farmer campaign in Washington state. The chairmen of the Senate agriculture and environment committees sent a letter to EPA’s inspector general earlier this month requesting an audit and investigation of an EPA grant to the Northwest Indian Fisheries …

Environment, EPA

Passing of Farm Broadcaster Rex Messersmith

Cindy Zimmerman

Members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting are sad to hear that former member Rex Messersmith, age 84, of Lincoln, Nebraska passed away April 15. Rex joined NAFB in 1956 and enjoyed a career in radio broadcasting for 55 years. He started as a Nebraska Co-op Extension Service specialist, was farm director and manager of WNAX radio in Yankton, …

NAFB

#Plant16 Already on a Roll

Cindy Zimmerman

The #Plant16 hash tag has been burning up Twitter in the past week as corn planting jumped up to 13% compared to the five year average of eight percent. According to USDA, planting progress is now ahead of average by 37 percentage points in Missouri, which at 58% planted nearly a quarter of its crop last week. Iowa, Kansas and …

Corn, Planting, Uncategorized, USDA

#NAMA16 @Brownfield Beach Bash

Cindy Zimmerman

It was a perfect night for a Brownfield Beach Bash last week in Kansas City at the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) convention. Brownfield Ag News carried on its annual tradition of the Thursday night part at NAMA and this year the venue was the Shark Bar in the Power and Light district. Guests sported flowered leis and carried tropical drinks …

NAMA

I AM USFRA – Corn Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Corn Growers Association was another one of the original organizations to help form the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) and current CEO Chris Novak was with another founding group at the time, the National Pork Board. “I made a trip to St. Louis in 2010 and sat down with Rick Tolman who was CEO at NCGA prior …

Audio, Corn, NCGA, USFRA

Remembering Merle

Cindy Zimmerman

Back in the early years of the biodiesel industry, Merle Haggard was one of the stars who came out in support of the American-made biofuel. The country music legend who died last week at the age of 79 made a legendary appearance at the 2007 National Biodiesel Conference, holding a press conference and performing for those in attendance. During the …

Audio, Biodiesel, National Biodiesel Conference

New Insecticide Coming from @BASFAgProducts

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Crop Protection is seeking regulatory approval for a brand new insecticide active ingredient called Inscalis™. Inscalis is the pioneer solution from a novel chemical class, the pyropenes, offering an alternative mode of action for the control of key insect pests and providing an essential tool to farmers for use in resistance and integrated pest management programs. Inscalis controls critical …

BASF, Crop Protection, Insecticides

I AM USFRA – Jeanette Merritt

Cindy Zimmerman

Like most farm women, Jeanette Merritt wears many hats. A wife and mother of three, the 4th generation Indiana hog and soybean farmer is a Purdue University graduate who serves Hoosier State agriculture in a variety of ways. Jeanette is a former farm broadcaster and agricultural journalist who has put her experience to work as a public speaker and PR …

Audio, Soybean, USFRA