Farm Groups Partner to Help Farmers Manage Stress

Cindy Zimmerman

Recognizing the high levels of stress affecting America’s farmers and ranchers, agricultural organizations have partnered on a program to train individuals who interact with farmers and ranchers to recognize signs of stress and offer help. Farm Credit, American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers Union announced the program yesterday in Washington D.C. with the support of several members of Congress. …

AFBF, Ag Groups, Farm Credit

Survey: Women in Ag Seek Leadership Opportunities

Carrie Muehling

A recent survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) confirms that a high percentage of women in agriculture already advocate for the industry, but they are looking for more leadership opportunities at all levels. “There’s still quite a group out there that we need to engage to become involved and I think they just need to know that we …

AFBF, Audio

Sonny and Zippy Debut Podcasts

Cindy Zimmerman

Fellow agricultural leaders from Georgia both introduced new podcasts this week. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue introduced “The Sonnyside of the Farm,” a monthly podcast with new editions every first Friday of the month. Born and raised on a family farm in middle Georgia, Secretary Perdue is an agriculturalist through and through – having worked as a veterinarian, owning his …

AFBF, Podcasts, USDA

Ag Groups Cheer Japan Agreement

Cindy Zimmerman

Representatives for farmer and rancher organizations were present for a meeting with President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Abe in New York City as the two signed a trade deal Wednesday worth billions for U.S. agricultural producers. Under the market access agreement, Japan will open the market to approximately $7 billion in American agricultural exports, eliminating or significantly lowering …

AFBF, AgWired Precision, Audio, Beef, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, NCBA, NPPC, Pork

Farmers for Free Trade Rally for USMCA

Cindy Zimmerman

Farmers for Free Trade brought its #MotorcadeForTrade to Washington D.C. Thursday to highlight the importance of ag trade with Canada and Mexico and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that Congress will consider to upgrade NAFTA. Members of Congress and farm leaders discussed how USMCA provides farmers with new market access while maintaining a zero-tariff platform, and stressed the need for Congressional …

AFBF, Ag Groups, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, Trade

EPA Officially Ditches the #WOTUS Rule

Cindy Zimmerman

Agricultural organizations are celebrating the official repeal of a rule that they have been fighting since 2015 – Waters of the United States, better known as WOTUS. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Department of the Army Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James announced that the agencies are repealing the rule and “recodifying the …

AFBF, Ag Groups, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, EPA

Little Change in Cost of July 4th Cookouts

Carrie Muehling

Americans will pay just slightly more to celebrate the Independence Day holiday with a traditional cookout. A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for July 4th, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and watermelon, will cost just a few cents more this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm …

AFBF, AgWired Animal, Food

EPA Approves Year Round Sales of 15% Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Ethanol industry stakeholders are thrilled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule allowing retailers to sell gasoline containing 15% ethanol (E15) year-round. “E15 already has a proven track record for saving drivers money at the pump and reducing emissions, and today’s action will ensure that more Americans are able to enjoy those benefits. Year-round E15 will also provide …

ACE, AFBF, Audio, Ethanol, RFA

Egg Prices Down for Easter

Cindy Zimmerman

About 180 million eggs are purchased each year in the United States for Easter, and this year they are a little less pricey than normal. According to an American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) analysis, the typical seasonal bump in retail egg prices that normally occurs just prior to Easter did not not happen this year because an increase in the …

AFBF, AgWired Animal, Food