U.S. Wheat Associates welcomes Amanda Spoo as Communications Specialist in its Arlington, VA, headquarters effective March 9, 2015. The Chicago Council on Global Affairs announced the convening of an expert task force, ahead of the Global Food Security Symposium 2015 on April 16 in Washington, DC, to examine the important role the agriculture and food system can play in promoting …
New Holland’s Flexi-Coil® P Series Air Carts
On display at the 2015 Commodity Classic was New Holland’s Flexi-Coil® P Series Air Carts. The redesigned carts have an unprecedented number of patent-pending features for all operations. Chuck met up with New Holland’s Trevor Rempel, Global Product Marketing Manager, on the trade show floor to learn more about the rather large piece of equipment. “We started with a completely …
Record Breaking #Classic15
The 20th annual Commodity Classic was one for the record books. Total attendance was 7,936, more than 600 over the previous record, 7,325, set in 2014. Other records broken were the number of growers, at 4,328 (compared to 3,874 in 2014); and the number of first-time attendees, at 1,409 (compared to 1,261 in 2014). Additionally, the trade show featured an …
GROWMARK Report on Perception & Commodity Pricing
A new report from GROWMARK Research demonstrates how commodity market capital flows distort our perception of the effect that news has on commodity prices. “News, Money and Prices” shows that money flows constitute an independent causal force on prices that have a life of their own; they represent additional demand. Often, it is not the news causing prices to rise; …
3D-Printable Home Based Food Production System
A Texas patent holder and inventor has launched a collection of 3D printable objects that function as key components in a non-electric, home-based food grow system that can be operated for pennies. The story of the invention can be found at FoodRising, a project of the non-profit Consumer Wellness Center which is donating 250 grow systems to schools across America. …
Doing What is Right for the Pig
Animal welfare continues to be at the forefront of discussion throughout the swine community. And Dr. Angela Baysinger’s talk at Boehringer Ingleheim’s Swine Health Seminar hit on just that. Pig welfare and doing what is right for the pig centered discussion on crates and pain mitigation in castration and tail docking. I had a chance to speak with Dr. Baysinger …
New Holland Grape Harvesters
AgNet West Radio Network reporter, Sabrina Hill, spoke with New Holland’s Jarrod Angstadt at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA about their Braud grape and olive harvesters. These harvesters are now available in North America directly from select New Holland dealers. “We’ve got some great features with the SDC shaking system as well as the Noria buckets and the …
Interest in #Propane at #Classic15
Farmers were showing quite a bit of interest in propane power at the 2015 Commodity Classic – everything from irrigation engines and grain dryers, to greenhouse heat and lawn mowers. “There’s new propane equipment on the market that’s very efficient,” says Cinch Munson with the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), who adds that the benefits are numerous. “Propane engines …
USTR Update at #Classic15
U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Negotiator Darci Vetter updated farmer leaders and the media on trade issues at the 2015 Commodity Classic last week, particularly on the need for Trade Promotion Authority to move current negotiations forward. “There are groups on the right and on the left that would say that Trade Promotion Authority is not the way to go,” …
Analyst Talks Risk at BASF #ScienceBehind15
As it does every year, the weather will play a major role in the price for corn and soybeans in the future. Market analyst Arlan Suderman of Water Street Solutions gave some of his thoughts on price points for the grains in the coming year during the BASF Science Behind media event last week in Phoenix. His models show favorable, …