California’s strawberry growers, shippers and processors joined forces to raise more than $45,000 to support the California Strawberry Growers’ Scholarship Fund at two golf tournaments held recently in Watsonville and Orange County. Penton Media’s Corn & Soybean Digest™ today announced the winners of its 2008 MarketMaxx competition, an online grain-marketing contest designed to help growers sharpen their marketing skills. MarketMaxx …

A Farm Foundation conference on Dec. 4, part of the Food and Agriculture Policy Summit in D.C., will examine the challenges agriculture and the food system face in providing food, fiber and fuel to a growing world over the next 30 years. Highlighting the conference will be release of a new Farm Foundation report, Agriculture’s Strategic Role: Feeding and Fueling …

Equine Promotions, Inc. and the Country Living Association are excited to announce a new event targeting the rural lifestyle and all it encompasses. The Country Lifestyle Experience will showcase everything from agriculture to alternative energy sources. Farm Journal and Farm Foundation are collaborating to present the first Food and Agriculture Policy Summit. Slated for Dec. 2–4 in Washington D.C., the …

Novus International, a leader in animal health and nutrition, recently announced the appointment of Dr. Nasser Odetallah as Product Manager, Enzymes and Probiotics. Dr. Odetallah’s primary responsibility will be to increase the brand awareness and sale of CIBENZA™ feed additives and other Novus enzyme and probiotic products. Vyta Corp now controls 100% ownership interest in BIOAGRA, LLC, and Paul H. …

Syngenta announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the pot and garden Chrysanthemum and Aster business of U.S. flowers producer Yoder Brothers Inc. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2008, pending regulatory approvals. The world’s largest dairy exporter, Fonterra Co-operative Group, has opened its new research and development center – the Chicago Technical Center (CTC) – …

A recent International Food Information Council (IFIC) report concludes that 84% of Americans have favorable or neutral impressions of agricultural plant biotechnology, while less than 16% hold an unfavorable impression. Click here for more information. Novus International is proud to announce the appointment of Duarte Diaz, Ph.D. as Ruminant Research Manager. Dr. Diaz will be responsible for managing ruminant research …

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology is releasing a new CAST Commentary — Convergence of Agriculture and Energy: III. Considerations in Biodiesel Production — during special presentations at the National Farmers Union and the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research in Washington, D.C. The full text is available here, along with many of CAST’s other scientific publications. Cherrie …

T. Boone Pickens will bring his message addressing the energy crisis to farmers, ranchers and rural landowners with a special edition RFD-TV “LIVE” television broadcast, which will originate from RFD-TV’s Nashville studios on Wednesday evening, Oct. 29, beginning at 8pm ET/7P CT. A repeat of Pickens’ RFD-TV Town Hall meeting will be rebroadcast on both Thursday, Oct. 30 at 10am …

Novariant, Inc., announced that Tom Ruschhaupt has joined the company as General Manager of its AutoFarm precision agriculture division. In his new role, Ruschhaupt will be responsible for the AutoFarm division’s Global performance including its North America region, plus Australia, Europe and South America. Novus International Inc., awarded the 2008 Novus International Research Award at Auburn University to Mr. Adolfo …

E. Gordon Gee, President, The Ohio State University, and 4-H Alumnus, has been elected to National 4-H Council’s Board of Trustees. The Independent Professional Seed Association (IPSA) has unveiled a new Web site as the next step of an ongoing campaign to promote independent seed companies. The site features a “Members Only” section, as well as a search function to …