The sun was just going down over the bay in San Diego when we walked out of the convention center at the conclusion of the business meeting of the 96th annual American Farm Bureau convention Tuesday after voting delegates approved resolutions for the coming year. AFBF president Bob Stallman held his traditional end of the meeting press conference with the …
AFBF Young Farmer and Rancher Awards
Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture competitions were announced at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention Monday. Chris and Rebekah Pierce of Kentucky won the Achievement Award, recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. They are the …
FDA Official Provides Update at AFBF
Food and Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner Mike Taylor provided an update on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) at the American Farm Bureau convention this week in San Diego. Taylor says his agency is focusing on three broad themes in implementing the 2011 law: the farm-to-table approach, practical common standards, and holding imports to the same standards …
Ag is Target for Guest Worker Audits
Agriculture has a target on its back when it comes to compliance with guest worker regulations, according to Eileen Scofield an immigration law attorney who held a workshop at the American Farm Bureau annual meeting this week. “Currently there’s three agencies that focus on employers but for ag in particular there’s about five or six other separate laws which are …
2015 IFAJ Congress Australian Pre-Tour
If you are thinking about going to this year’s International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in New Zealand then you might want to leave a little early and stop in Australia. The Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists is joining with the Rural Press Club of Queensland to put together an enticing pre-congress tour. There will be a welcome gathering on …
Nufarm Cotton Plant Regulators
With a little help from Tony St. James, All Ag All Day, we get to learn more about some of the products that Nufarm is bringing to the cotton market. Tony sat down with Dr. Bob Bruss during the 2015 Beltwide Cotton Conferences. Since they were talking cotton the subject of plant growth regulators was of primary importance. Bruss says …
Agri-Pulse Names New Associate Editor
Agri-Pulse is pleased to announce the appointment of Whitney Forman-Cook as an associate editor, based in Washington, D.C., effective Jan. 5. “We are very excited to have someone with Whitney’s education and diverse background join us full-time in Washington,” said Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse Editor and Publisher. “Whitney’s work with farm bill implementation, conservation, environmental issues, sustainability, global affairs and community …
Navy Seal Thanks Farmers and Ranchers
Navy Seal Commander Rorke Denver, author of “Damn Few,” drew a connection between agricultural and military warriors in his keynote address before the 96th annual American Farm Bureau convention in San Diego. “When people are hungry, they go to war,” said Denver. “So, here’s the deal, if you do your job, I don’t have to do my job. Denver says …
AFBF President Surprises Vilsack with Branding Iron
American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman presented Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack with a special gift Monday to recognize his support of farmers and ranchers. Noting that a Texas cowboy phrase denoting loyalty to the ranch is “ride for the brand,” Stallman gave Vilsack a specially-made “US AG” branding iron. “Mr. Secretary, thank you for riding for the brand for …
USTR Ag Negotiator Visits AFBF Convention
Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the US Trade Representative Darci Vetter made an informal appearance at the American Farm Bureau annual meeting in San Diego Sunday and stopped to answer a few trade related questions from the media. First, Ambassador Vetter was asked about the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations and Japan’s desire to exempt a variety of agricultural products from the …