Everyone at Commodity Classic this year seemed to be impressed that attendance was as good or better than ever, despite the economy. “As I understand it, we are either right at the record or over it, so that is phenomenal,” said National Corn Growers Association CEO Rick Tolman. Unofficial numbers I heard were about 4500 total registration with 1500 of …
Sustainability Practices Now Determined Via New Online Calculator
Sustainability is a hot topic and growers have often been put in the hot seat defending their use of the land. But today, sustainability practices can be assessed using the new online Fieldprint Calculator, created by Field to Market, The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture. As the world population explodes, producing food, feed, fuel, and fiber in a sustainable manner …
All American Beef Battalion Raffle
For some time now, I have served as a volunteer press secretary for the All American Beef Battalion. This organization works to provide steak feeds for troops fighting the global war on terror. Started by Vietnam veteran and cattle producer, Bill Broadie, this non-profit group has served thousands of individuals in its year of service. The goals of the AABB …
Farm Manager of the Year
Steve S. Myers, an 18-year veteran at Busey Ag Services, LeRoy, Il, has been named Farm Manager of the Year by the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. The presentation was made during the ASFMRA Annual Meeting held in November in San Antonio. Steve was raised on a grain and livestock farm in Western Illinois. His passion for …
Ag-Chem Operator of the Year Named
Kyle Jones, a 22-year custom applicator with Heartland Coop in Slater, Iowa, was named as the 2008 Ag-Chem Operator of the Year during this year’s Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) annual convention in Austin, Texas. Jones covers an average of 44,000 acres each year between fertilizing and spraying fields. He started in custom application because he enjoys the work, being in …
Farmer Perspective on Corn Cob Harvest
When you’re attending a farm event it’s always nice to get a farmer’s perspective on things. That’s what I did at the POET Project LIBERTY field day when I spoke with Todd Mathisen who farms just east of Emmetsburg, IA. I asked him what he thought of POET’s idea to harvest corn cobs for cellulosic ethanol production. He said, “I …
A Sociable Farmer
Are farmers using social networking and new media? I wonder how many times I’ve been asked that. Of course it tells me something about the person asking. Because if you’re online and “in the conversation” then you know the answer to that question! Let me point you to Tucker who writes The View From The Tractor. He’s following me on …
Blog Action Day and World Food Prize
Today has been “Blog Action Day” and the theme this year is poverty. Coincidentally, that is the basic theme here in Des Moines at the World Food Prize Norman Borlaug Symposium – since the key focus is on feeding the hungry. So, I actually decided to participate in the event this year – both on AgWired and Domestic Fuel, since …
Ag Cash Income At All Time High
One of our distinguished guests at today’s Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeast Farmer of the Year luncheon was Mark E. Keenum, USDA Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service. If you’re interested in hearing about the economics of what’s going on in agriculture then you may want to listen to him. His full comments are only about 12 minutes. However, I’m …
Brian Kirksey is Southeast Farmer of the Year
The big news of the day here at Sunbelt Ag Expo is the announcement of the Southeast Farmer of the Year. After a number of speeches and suspense it was announced that Brian Kirksey, Arkansas, was chosen as this year’s winner. He receives a check for $14,000 and is seen here on stage with his wife, Nan. Brian got to …