I know I’ve said it before, but I love this time of year – it’s invigorating. The sound of combines in the field; ladies taking PB&J sandwiches and coffee to the men who are harvesting and sitting on the tailgate for a few minutes to chat; the warmth of the sunshine on my face during my walks; sweatshirts and light …
Farm Foundation Talks Farm Bill Conference
The farm bill is coming closer to becoming reality, as Congress is about to start the legislation’s Conference Committee. Our friends at Farm Foundation will take a look at how work is progressing on the bill and how the outcome may effect the nation’s food and agriculture system during its next free forum, Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to …
House Passes Water Resources Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives proved Wednesday that it can agree on some matters and get legislation passed in a bipartisan way. By an amazing 417 to 3 vote, the House passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), a bill that includes provisions to update locks and dams on the nation’s transportation waterways critical to agricultural trade. The …
Checkoff Changes Marketing Direction in FY14
Millennials and other beef consumers can now see and hear the tantalizing sights and sounds of “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” messages without putting down their mobile devices or leaving the comfort of their keyboards and social-media circles. That’s thanks to a Sept. 25 decision by the 20-member Beef Promotion Operating Committee to make a major shift in strategic direction …
People Who Love Bugs Who Eat Bugs
The past president of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation, Tamara Leigh, shows off her Bekina Boots in this photo with several researchers. Tamara was presenting them with a thank you gift for taking time to meet with us. We were assembled in the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre during a stop on our CFWF farm tour. The Centre conducts research into …
Zimfo Bytes
Continuing its investment in the future of agriculture, Syngenta is proud to recognize Christian Mignano of the University of Florida as the 2013 recipient of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) education scholarship. A Philippine trade team will be in North Dakota October 23-24 to learn more about this year’s hard red spring wheat crop and visit with public …
What You’re Not Being Told About Food Production
Today the Animal Agriculture Alliance hosted a teleconference with various third-party experts to discuss industry improvements presented in the report “Advances in Animal Agriculture; What the Center for a Livable Future, Pew Commission and Others Aren’t Telling You About Food Production.” (pdf) Third-party experts on the call included: Dr. Richard Raymond, former Under Secretary, Food Safety Inspection Service, United States …
Let’s Have a Boston Food Dialogues
Let’s have a food dialogues and let’s have it in Boston. That’s my next stop. This Thursday you can watch the live stream of the USFRA Food Dialogues on the web and follow along via Twitter with the hashtag #FoodD and of course, here on AgWired. Increasingly, consumers are hearing they should be concerned about the size of farms, and …
NCGA Chair is TATT Roundable Alumni
I was happy to see National Corn Growers Association Chairwoman Pam Johnson of Iowa at the World Food Prize symposium last week and interested to find out that she was a Truth About Trade and Technology Global Farmer Roundtable alumni. Pam had a seat at the global roundtable in 2010 and she was pleased to reconnect with some of her …
Commodity Classic and AG CONNECT Expo Join
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the National Corn Growers Association and the American Soybean Association today announced a new collaborative venture that joins two leading industry trade show experiences – Commodity Classic and AG CONNECT Expo & Summit – “to provide an even better world-class experience and gathering place for all segments of agriculture.” Commodity Classic is a joint venture …