Optimism was the key word at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) “Area Regional Control of PRRS” seminar in Chicago Friday, which was held prior to the start of the 2009 International PRRS Symposium. “There is a renewed optimism in our ability to put together area regional control and hopefully eradication programs for this disease and it’s an optimism I haven’t …
Moroccan Market
Only the seasoned professional agriblogger can handle taking photos, conducting interviews and shooting video clips, then editing them, uploading them and getting them posted, especially in a foreign country. Video is the toughest part. Listen to the muezzin call during midday prayers while the U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission walked through a market in Casablanca, Morocco.
Improving Feedgrain Access In Egypt
In Egypt, the Agricultural Minister Counselor for the United States is Jonathan Gressel (pictured center). He met with the U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team today at a late lunch and we really appreciate him taking time for the visit. John says his primary mission is market access and development for U.S. products. He says that currently Egypt is an …
Egypt Grain Inspection Lab
The Executive Director of the Regional Center For Food and Feed is Dr. Mohamed F. Emara. He was our host this morning for a tour of their Grain Inspection Lab. I remember touring the lab on my trip here with USDA back in 1999. RCFF operates three regional feed grain laboratories, one in the Giza headquarters, one at EI-Oekheila Port …
Corn Mission In Egypt
The U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team moved from Morocco to Egypt this weekend. We’re now in Cairo and spent the morning at the Regional Center For Food and Feed. Our primary focus was on their grain inspection service which I’ll have more information about in an upcoming post. In the meantime I have a new photo album started for …
54.9 Million Acres Irrigated, Says USDA
As a livestock producer, I like to follow the trends as pastures are converted to cropland. In many places, pastures will always be there, as the land is too steep, hilly or rocky for modernizing or farming. However, the low profit margins in the livestock industry are pushing many farmers and ranchers to expand their crop enterprise and decrease their …
House Passes Permanent Estate Tax Relief Bill
If you’re like me, then you have been watching closely the progress of the Estate Tax Relief Bill. As the average age of the American farmer or rancher nears 60, agriculture businesses will start switching hands, and unfortunately, poor succession planning can result in the end of a long-standing family tradition. Here is a release that was published in Hoosier …
Dirt!
Yesterday, at the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Trade Show and Convention, I had the opportunity to listen to Terry Gompert, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Educator with a speciality in grazing. His presentation was titled, “Money Saving Ideas Including Extending the Grazing Season,” and he offered up tips for producers to consider in cowherd management, improved grazing systems and evaluating …
Debriefing On Morocco
The Morocco portion of the U.S Grains Council Corn Mission has concluded. The final step for the team was to sit down at our hotel and discuss the visits we’ve made and what we learned. We were asked to submit one observation and action step. You can see our team here in deep discussion. I interviewed Joe Zenz, Wisconsin corn …
FISA Is Poultry In Morocco
The Morocco Poultry Association is FISA and its Executive Director is Chaouki Jerrari (pictured second from left). FISA hosted the U.S. Grains Council Corn Mission team this morning and to lunch. We had a great discussion with Chaouki and other members that included concerns over the recent quality of U.S. corn they received and how American farmers and the USGC …