Larry Mitchell, USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Act (GIPSA) administer, along with Deputy Administrator Susan Keith, spent the day at the 25th anniversary of the World Pork Expo. While attending the event, the two took some time for an answer and question session to give the pork industry and update on close term challenges and opportunities. The biggest challenge …
Wet Planting Season Doesn’t Mean Lost Yields
The planting of the U.S. corn crop was 91% complete as of Sunday, June 2, below the five-year average of 95% for that time of year, according to a recent report by the USDA. The soybean crop was 57% planted, behind the average of 74% for that time of year. And there were 8.55 million acres of corn still unplanted. …
Pork Industry Economic Update at World Pork Expo
The economist to the pork industry Steve Meyer, with Paragon Economics, gave attendees at the 25 anniversary of the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa an economic update. During a question and answer session Meyer noted that the industry finally has prices back to profitable for the short run, the first time in nearly two years. However, he doesn’t …
How’s Your Hay Crop
Before we get to our new Zimmpoll let’s look at the results of our latest one which asked the question, “What is MOST important when buying a tractor?” It looks like price, horsepower, and versatility win this battle. Our poll results: Twenty-two percent said Price and Horsepower, seventeen percent said versatility, fifteen percent said Customer Service, nine percent said Accessories, …
Improving Digestibility Can Reduce Feed Costs
Applying nutrient digestibility concepts and the use of certain enzymes can help hog producers reduce waste and lower feed costs. Dr. Jeffrey Escobar of Novus International talked about that during a presentation at World Pork Expo this week, explaining the benefits of their feed additive Cibenza DP100. “It’s a heat-stable protease … that will digest proteins to release amino acids,” …
Raven Makes Big Announcements at RIS
The 2013 Raven Innovation Summit wrapped up last night with an awards banquet honoring Raven Industries dealers from across the world. The two-day event consisted of the announcement of brand new innovative technologies, a trade show and educational break-out sessions where dealers got all their questions answered about the new product launches. During the opening session general manager and vice …
Meet Kourtney Determan – Up & Coming Aggie
During the 25th Anniversary of World Pork Expo, I had the opportunity to meet one of the up and coming young women in agriculture – Kourtney Determan. She is an Iowa native who grew up on a farm in Northwest Iowa as well as a recent graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Ag Communications. In mid-May, she …
The New Holland Genesis T8 Series
A Genesis is going on at New Holland. Specifically, a Genesis T8 Series of tractors! Here’s one of the newest tractor in the New Holland line out in the field at New Holland headquarters in Pennsylvania. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the industry-changing GENESIS™ tractor, New Holland has built a machine to honor its legacy—the GENESIS™ T8 Series tractor. …
NPPC Science & Technology Updates at WPX
This morning, Bill Luckey, pork producer from Columbus, Nebraska and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) director gave an update during the second day of 2013 World Pork Expo on science and technology updates including antibiotics and animal welfare. In terms of antibiotics, Luckey said NPPC has been actively involved in the Animal Drug User Act. It has moved all the …
Summer Pork Campaign
At World Pork Expo this week, National Pork Board officials unveiled a new summer campaign for consumers to encourage them to save with pork cuts, grill them like steak, and learn some new names for pork cuts. “The current consumer campaign, Pork. Be inspired®, is moving product at the retail meat case and in restaurants,” says Chris Novak, National Pork …