The USDA will be making $90 million in competitive grants available to strengthen local food systems, develop market opportunities and support growers specialty crops. The grants will be run through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, and the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program. “Over the past seven years, USDA …
Merger Means Finalization of Landus Cooperatives
The final merger between Farmers Cooperative Company (FC) and West Central Cooperatives has been completed. Landus Cooperative is officially established. The new farmer-owned agricultural cooperative is headquartered in Ames, Iowa. They have more than 725 full-time employees in more than 70 locations with approximately 7,000 members. “While today’s signing ceremony to formalize Landus Cooperativeze is historic for our employees, our communities and …
EPA Opens Comment Period Regarding Dicamba
The EPA has opened a 30 day comment period to the public covering the topic of dicamba herbicide use with Bollgard II ExtendFlex cotton and Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans. This step is an important move forward for growers hoping to gain access to dicamba weed-management tools. A limited commercial introduction of Bollgard II XtendFlex Cotton took place in 2015 …
New Insights On Colony Collapse Disorder
Researchers from Arizona State University’s (ASU) School of Life Sciences recently discovered that the commonly accepted claim that blames nutritional deprivation for the increasing collapse of honey bee colonies is incorrect. The two studies published by ASU researchers found that the stress of short-term nutritional deprivation as larvae actually makes honey bees more resilient to starvation as adults. The findings …
Pope Francis Prays for Small Farmers
Each month the Pope publishes a special prayer intention. The faithful are encouraged to add their prayers to his. For April, 2016 he Holy Father’s universal prayer intention is: “That small farmers may receive a just reward for their precious labour”. I say a big AMEN to that prayer and hope you’ll join in. Pope Francis also issues a prayer …
Bayer Requests EPA Hearing on Pesticide
Bayer is taking its disagreement with the Environmental Protection Agency over registrations for the pesticide flubendiamide, marketed as Belt® in the United States, to the administrative level. This week, the company formally requested a hearing before EPA’s Administrative Law Judge to argue their case. Bayer has already rejected a request by EPA to voluntarily withdraw registration for flubendiamide-containing products, which …
ScoutPro is Growing
AgWired first introduced us to ScoutPro back in 2011 but the company has come a long way since then. ScoutPro co-founder Stuart McCulloh says the company started by three entrepreneurial Iowa State University students is now full service crop scouting program. At the recent Commodity Classic the company announced the apps are now a free download because, as McCulloh points …