AFBF and USDA Team to Unveil TPP Benefits Report

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall got together to discuss the benefit of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) for agriculture as AFBF released an economic analysis of the pending trade agreement. “Until today, we didn’t have a specific documented review or study of that benefit,” said Vilsack, said in thanking Farm Bureau for doing the …

AFBF, Audio, Trade

Passing of Jack Farmakis

Chuck Zimmerman

We just learned that Jack Farmakis has passed away and are saddened to hear it. Once upon a time his company represented the first company that Cindy, Gary Cooper and I started in Florida. And his company now represents Gary’s Southeast AgNet and AgNet West. Jack was an active member of NAFB since 1974 and left his mark on the …

Media, NAFB

New Holland Launches Marketing Technology Platform

Chuck Zimmerman

The AgNerd in me was very interested in the announcement by New Holland about launching a new dealer marketing services platform created by SproutLoud. The cutting-edge new platform features a highly-advanced tool loaded with preapproved messaging and images to ensure brand consistency—which equips its US and Canada dealers with expanded options for advertising and marketing and increases the agility and …

Agribusiness, Audio, New Holland

NAMA Announces Marketer of the Year

Kelly Marshall

Dan Fanger has been announced the 2016 National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) Marketer of the Year. Fanger, who is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Unverferth Manufacturing, Co., Inc., has earned this honor for his outstanding accomplishment in agri-marketing.  The award has been promoting excellence in the industry for more than 50 years and this year’s presentation will be held at …

Agribusiness, NAMA

FMC in the Biologicals Market

Cindy Zimmerman

Biological controls are the new frontier in crop protection and FMC Corporation has made a strong commitment to expand its portfolio in that arena. “We’ve got a number of projects in play right now that are biological controls,” said FMC portfolio manager Rick Ekins at the National Farm Machinery Show. “This is about expanding the level of control, it’s about …

Audio, Crop Protection, FMC, National Farm Machinery Show

AFBFA Announces First Peas to the Table Contest

Joanna Schroeder

During the recent Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri, Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell announced the First Peas to the Table Contest. The new national competition, according to Julie Tesch, executive director of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, encourages children aged kindergarten through 5th grade to plant, raise and harvest peas this spring. …

AFBF

CIRB Emerging Leaders Build a Career

Kelly Marshall

AgWired had the chance to talk with James Konstanty, one of the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau’s Emerging Leaders program members, at their recent annual meeting. The program, now in it’s pilot year, did a great job giving the participants an understanding of the background of crop insurance, Konstanty tells Chuck Zimmerman. The group traveled to Kansas City and Washington …

CIRB, Insurance

Kenna Lewis Earns Top Honors at YF&R

Kelly Marshall

Kenna Lewis, a senior at Cal Poly San Lois Obispo, was named the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Collegiate Discussion Meet winner.  The meet, designed to simulate a committee meeting to  exchange ideas and find solutions to a topic of concern to agriculture, was held last week at the #ShowMeYFR Annual Leadership Conference. Lewis is currently working towards a degree …

AFBF, Ag Groups

PERC Offers Propane Farm Incentive Program

Kelly Marshall

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) announces the release of the 2016 Propane Farm Incentive Program.  This nationwide research and demonstration provides farmers with purchase incentives of up to $5,000 toward new propane-powered farm equipment. Sponsored by PERC, the 2016 Propane Farm Incentive Program offers incentives of $300 per liter of engine displacement for irrigation engines, $30 per kilowatt …

Agribusiness, Energy, Propane

Common Ground Takes Families Out To Ranch

Lizzy Schultz

CommonGround has launched a new video on animal welfare, highlighting how ranchers care for their animals. The short piece features Colorado CommonGround volunteer and rancher Kelsey Pope and her mother, Cindy Frasier, and helps consumers that are actively looking for the story behind their food. The video shows Pope and her family out together working on their ranch. Together, Frasier …

Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Video