What’s happening with the Farm Bill is the subject of more press releases than we can count lately. I don’t focus a lot of time on policy but it’s important to know what’s going on.
This morning U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns, held a press conference to bring us up to date and explain the Administration’s position on things. You can hear his remarks here if you’d like. They’re only about 15 minutes. usda-farm-bill-press-conf.mp3
Post Update: One of the interesting things Sec. Johanns says is that he and his entire team of advisers will recommend that the President veto the bill proposed by the House Ag Committee if it is adopted in its current form. Sounds like there’s still a lot of work to be done.
While I was attending the Cattle Industry Summer Conference someone said to me that one of the biggest dangers facing livestock producers in this country are the animal rights activists. I don’t know about you but it seems to me like they’re getting more aggressive and I guess fooling a lot of people out of their money in the process. They sure seem to spend a lot of it. Although livestock production is one of these whackos favorite targets I’d say it’s a lot broader than that. Just check out 
The latest innovation in the cotton industry merges two integral processes to offer growers a more efficient production of cotton. And more growers can get their hands on the technology too. 
“Our engineers made sure that the Module Express fit with existing cotton production practices, with no additional handling, logistics or costs,” Haggard says. “That’s especially important when you consider that many of today’s cotton growers are also gin shareholders… ginning Case IH modules and traditional modules together is a seamless operation. A modern cotton gin that produces 60 ginned bales per hour will be equally maximized while ginning the Case IH module,” Haggard says.
Farmergy held a webinar today with U. S. Congressman John Shimkus who gave an energy bill update to start things off. 
It’s only days until the 2007 Agricultural Media Summit. I’m heading that way on Friday. From what I’ve heard we’re at about 568 registered! Let’s all give Diane Johnson fits and have about 500 more show up as walk-ins. Now that would be cool. Demand to go on Saturday’s tour too. I’ll be there to take the picture.
It looks like things are cooking at 
Joining the agriblogging ranks is Rich Schell, author, attorney and writer on food and agriculture from the Chicago area. Rich is “the immediate past president of The Chicago Farmers, taught Law for Illinois Agricultural Entrepreneurs at Joliet Junior College and has spoken at the Illinois Organic Production Conference, Illinois Specialty Growers, World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Organic Trade Association.”
Farmers now have a new revenue stream to tap into courtesy of