Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) is a member of both the House Agriculture Committee and the House Committee on the Budget, plus she’s a farmer, so her perspective on what’s happening right now to try and get a farm bill passed is important to hear. You may recall that we spoke with her just about one month ago, before the bill …
Senators Question Smithfield Deal
The Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday took a look at the proposed sale of Smithfield Foods to Shuanghui International, which would be the largest acquisition of an American company by a Chinese company in history. Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) says the sale raises many questions about issues such as food safety, protection of intellectual property, and increased foreign ownership …
Max Armstrong is Tractor Boy
Veteran farm broadcaster and vintage tractor lover Max Armstrong has come out with a new music video. Yeah – you read that right. It’s called “Tractor Boy” and Max is ready to show those Peterson Boys just how it’s done. Our friend Marilyn Cummins with Martinez Creative Group sent us the link just now. Max produced the video with MCG …
Agri-Pulse Open Mic with NFU President
New on Agri-Pulse this week: Roger Johnson is president of the National Farmers Union. and a past Commissioner of Agriculture in North Dakota. NFU, as an organization, has shown an affinity toward small farmers and democratic party views, however In this year’s farm and immigration debates, they are in step with a broad coalition of farm and labor organizations who …
Interested in Online Ag News Programs?
Before we get to our new ZimmPoll let’s look at the results of our latest one which asked the question, “What is the greatest threat to our freedom to farm”. Our poll results suggest that environmental and anti-agriculture groups are the greatest threat to our freedom to farm at this time. Our poll results: Twenty percent say All of the …
Farm Bill Split Could Happen
Momentum seems to be building for a vote in the House on a farm only farm bill – but only if the votes are there. During a town hall meeting in Oklahoma over the July 4th recess, House Ag Committee Chairman Frank Lucas indicated that he expected leadership to split the bill but he would rather not see that happen. …
Farmers Need Conservation & Research
How important is conservation to farmers? John Hardin, Indiana grain and hog farmer, says that it is the last thing to cut in the farm bill and that coupled with research, they are the most government functions to help farmers! That’s saying a lot. Here’s a farmer who has real bottom line experience in how important being a good steward …
Conservation Resources Vital to Farmers
The Acting Chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jason Weller, welcomed attendees to the Conservation Technology Information Center, 2013 Conservation in Action Tour, being held in Illinois. We got to talk for a few moments this evening and hopefully will have another chance tomorrow on the tour. I asked him how important a farm bill is to a …
Find Farmers Markets With Market Mapper App
Looking for local farmers markets? Having trouble finding them? Michael Schade at Mobility Lab has you covered with his Market Mapper App. The image is of our local farmers market in downtown Pensacola, FL. Here’s how he describes it from his blog. Do you wish you could discover local farmers markets as you visited new places? Here’s a web app …
Zimfo Bytes
Syngenta announced that it will acquire MRI Seed Zambia Ltd and MRI Agro Ltd, a leading developer, producer and distributor of white corn seed in Zambia. FMC Corporation announced that it has acquired exclusive rights to a patented, broad-spectrum crop protection product from Bayer CropScience. The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) will host the 41st Anniversary of National Agriculture Day …