An economic impact study conducted by John Dunham and Associates concludes that the administration’s proposed rule on livestock marketing could leave approximately 104,000 Americans without jobs and a resulting $14 billion reduction in the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP). USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed the rule on June 21, 2010 and it is currently in the …
Missouri Ag Coalition Fights HSUS Prop B
Signs opposing a proposition on the Missouri ballot backed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) are popping up all over the state with election day just around the corner. Like David against Goliath, Missouri’s agriculture groups, united under the banner Missourians for Animal Care, are fighting against the heavily-funded HSUS campaign with yard signs and a volunteer …
USDA Gets Input On Proposed GIPSA Rule From Congress
It looks like the Obama Administration via USDA is getting some pressure to look into the effect of the proposed GIPSA rule according to a release from the NCBA. You can download the letter here (pdf). You can learn more about this issue by reading our previous coverage of the issue, including interviews with this link. U.S. Department of Agriculture …
Valent Launching Three New Products
Valent is preparing to launch three new products including INOVATE, FIERCE and RYZUP according to Dawn Refsell when I spoke with her during the Farm Progress Show. Inovate is a soybean seed protectant that will help growers maximize soybean stand, vigor and yield. The INOVATE System contains Nipsit INSIDE Insecticide and RANCONA Xxtra Fungicide. The product received registration in January …
GIPSA Proposed Rule Video Interviews
The most recent USDA/DOJ Public Workshop on competition in the livestock industry may be fading from people’s minds but we’re going to keep the issues discussed and presented alive, most importantly the proposed GIPSA rule that everyone seems to agree would have a profound impact on the industry. What kind of impact though is a source of significant disagreement. You …
R-CALF President Says Livestock Pub Editors Should be Fired
R-CALF USA is not very happy with the way “mainstream” livestock media editorialized about the DOJ/USDA workshop in Colorado last week that was primarily about the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule. In fact, if it were up to the president of the organization, he would “Fire Them All.” I guess hangin’s too good for ’em! The …
USDA/DOJ Public Workshop Panels
Friday’s joint USDA/DOJ public workshop was a marathon with potentially over 2,000 people participating. You can follow some of what happened in my archived CoverItLive stream and the press conference featuring Sec. Vilsack and AG Eric Holder. For those of you who couldn’t attend, couldn’t listen to the live stream or need the audio for your reports or broadcasts I’m …
Live Coverage – USDA/DOJ Public Workshop
The player below will let you see my CoverItLive stream from the workshop. Thanks to the hundreds who logged in and especially those who commented. I was also live tweeting today using the #USDADOJ hashtag. USDA/DOJ Public Workshop – Ft. Collins, CO USDA/DOJ Livestock Competition Workshop and Forums Photo Album
Live Audio USDA/DOJ Public Workshop
I was streaming live audio from today’s workshop all day. We had about 800 different people tune in and many stayed with it all day. It was a fascinating event in many ways, especially hearing so many different opinions in such a short period of time! I’ve got most of the conference recorded and will be sharing out tidbits in …
USDA/DOJ Public Workshop Press Conference
Sec. of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Eric Holder held a press conference this morning during a break in the USDA/DOJ public workshop in Ft. Collins, CO. I’m posting the full audio from it here for you. I’ve got lots of audio and story ideas for after today. I think getting photos, audio and live streaming to the over …