The Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, organized a fly-in bringing representatives of our country’s agriculture and food sectors to Capitol Hill urging passage by Congress of a uniform, national labeling standard for foods made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Vermont is set to implement its own labeling standard next July and other states passing or considering their own labeling mandates, …
Seeking Common Ground
Kim Bremmer has spent her lifetime working in agriculture and lending her voice to share the special message about the food we eat with consumers across the country. One way is through CommonGround, a group of farmers having conversations about the food we grow and how we produce it. Jamie spoke with Kim during the 2015 World Dairy Expo to …
Qualls Named Executive Director of ResponsibleAg
Bill Qualls has been selected by the Board of Directors as the new Executive Director of ResponsibleAg. His new responsibilities include recruiting for retailer and auditor, monitoring the quality assurance program as well as advising the board. Most recently Qualls has been the Lead Auditor for Global Environmental, Health and Safety at the Eastman Chemical Company. He also serves as …
Will There Be a New Heavyweight Pumpkin Champ?
Contestants have gathered for the 42nd Annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in the world pumpkin capital of Half Moon Bay, CA. The search for a heavyweight champ to break the world record kicks-off the Art & Pumpkin Festival October 17-18. The prize for such a pumpkin is $30,000. To receive the $30,000 world record prize, the grower must break …
Appeals Court Suspends WOTUS Implementation
A new ruling issued today by a federal appeals court places a nationwide stay on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Rule, better known as Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). The court agreed with petitioners that the treatment in the rule of tributaries, “adjacent waters,” and waters having a “significant nexus” to navigable waters is at odds with a previous …
Borlaug 101 Focus on Global Food Security
To celebrate the 101st anniversary of the birth Dr. Norman Borlaug, the 2015 Borlaug Dialogue has gathered an outstanding “faculty” of international leaders, experts and scientists for Borlaug 101 a 3-day “course” on The Fundamentals of Global Food Security. The Borlaug Dialogue is being held October 14-16 as part of the World Food Prize events next week at the Des …
First Chairwoman of CropLife America
At the recent annual meeting of Croplife America some newly elected board leaders were announced. One of those is the first ever chairwoman, Diane Allemang, director of North America business development and global portfolio at FMC Corporation. Diane was elected to a two-year term and is the 46th chair of the board. I spoke to Diane this morning to get …
RFS Uncertainty Hurting Farm Income
The uncertainties around the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are threatening farm income and hurting the economic stability of rural economies. A new white paper from the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), using recent USDA data on net cash income for American farmers and ranchers, states that income is expected to decline by 26 percent …
Is TPP good for US agriculture?
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Where or how do you hunt?” I won’t lie. I was a bit surprised we had so many non-hunters out there. I personally don’t hunt, but have many friends and family that do. I don’t hunt simply because I don’t think I could actually sit still and quiet long enough to not scare away …
John Deere and DN2K to Further Develop Software
Deere & Company and DN2K are working together to form SageInsights, a joint venture to further develop DN2K’s existing cloud software. The goal is to enhance the software, called MyAgCentral, to provide consulting services to growers. and others who provide consulting services to growers. “Through this initiative, John Deere expands its products and services for precision agriculture,” said …