Nearly 20,000 pork producers and industry experts from about 38 countries are at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines this week, including National Pork Producers Council president R.C. Hunt of North Carolina. I had a chance to chat with R.C. this morning after he gave an update to the media about trade issues. R.C. is excited about expo this …
Survey on Sow Housing Released at WPX
Results of a survey issued opening day at the World Pork Expo show that the overwhelming majority of the U.S. sow herd spends some time in individual housing, known as gestation stalls. The findings confirm concerns by the National Pork Producers Council about food retailers who have bowed to demands of animal activists and announced they will use only pork …
Services for Mark Pearson
Family, friends, farmers and fellow Iowans are saying goodbye this week to beloved “Market to Market” host Mark Pearson, who died suddenly last Sunday. Mark’s visitation will be held at the Hy-Vee Conference Center in West Des Moines today from 4 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the Plymouth Congregational Church on Friday, June 8 at 11 …
BASF Media Summit Concludes on High Note
What better way to conclude the world-class BASF Ag Media Summit in Chicago than with a trip to the top of tallest building in the Western hemisphere to look out over the city. Pictured here are Kristen Adams and Pat Morrow, part of the crack communications team with BASF Ag that put the event together, and Paul Rea, BASF Vice …
Farm Broadcasting in the Pork Checkoff Tent
Stop by the National Pork Board tent during World Pork Expo and you will be seeing some of the nation’s top farm broadcasters doing markets, interviews and commentary on the stage. Meghan Grebner of Brownfield Ag News is pictured here interviewing NPB CEO Chris Novak during the noon show segment at the tent. She and colleague Ken Anderson will also …
World Pork Expo Sponsored by BIVI
Arrived in time for lunch today on the first day of the 2012 World Pork Expo after driving in from Chicago this morning and everything is already in full swing. Our coverage this year is being sponsored exclusively by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., (BIVI) so the first thing I did when I got on the fairgrounds was head over to …
Corn Technology Utilization Conference Concludes
The 2012 Corn Utilization Technology Conference has come to a close and attendance was officially higher than in 2010. It has been a tremendous showcase of all kinds of research being done to continue to make new products and improve others made out of corn which is “Rooted in Human History (pdf).” To close out the conference and give us …
Precision Ag is a Conservation Tool
During the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour the word “precision” came up multiple times. As precision ag continues to develop it is being seen as an effective tool for conservation plans and practices. One of our speakers addressed this subject. He’s Terry Griffin, farmer and also VP, Applied Economics for new precision ag company, CrescoAg. Terry says one example of …
Conservation Benefits Wildlife
During the afternoon of the 2012 Conservation in Action Tour our speakers talked a lot about how soil and water conservation systems benefit wildlife. One of our presenters was Kay Whittington, Chief of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s Management Branch, Surface Water Division. Kay says that the same conservation practices that help farmers manage soil and water quality also …
Most Think Atrazine Settlement Good For Farmers
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Is Atrazine lawsuit settlement good for farmers?” We posed this question after a lawsuit against Syngenta related to the herbicide was settled with an offer of over $100 million by the company, even thought there has been no evidence of harm in drinking water caused by the product and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit …