We’ve done several stories on FMC’s 3RIVE 3D technology and now growers have a way to get a free system! Jamie talked with Mike Harper, FMC Industry Relations Manager, during the recent NAFB Convention about how this can happen. According to Mike the FMC Freedom Pass program has a 3RIVE 3D option. As part of the FMC Freedom Pass program, …
ARA Conference Chair Optimistic Amid Challenges
For the past nine years, Leroy Startz with ING Capital has chaired the committee that plans the Agricultural Retailers Association annual conference. Startz said this year’s conference had strong attendance and even stronger enthusiasm from participants, even though low commodity prices continue to challenge the industry. “Prices are not where they need to be. Everybody’s trying to figure out how …
Sechrest Recognized With NAFB President’s Awards
2017 National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) President Max Armstrong recently presented an NAFB President’s Award to Emeritus Member and 1984 NAFB President Art Sechrest at Sechrest’s home in Normal, after announcing the recognition at this year’s annual convention. Armstrong was joined for the presentation by 1999 NAFB President Mike Adams, who had also recognized Sechrest with the same award …
GROWMARK Opens New Tank and Truck Center
Bolt cutters instead of scissors cutting through a chain instead of ribbon marked the grand opening of GROWMARK’s new Tank and Truck Center in Morton, Illinois last month. The bolt cutters were a last minute change when weather forced the celebration inside. Tank and Truck Center Sales and Operations Manager Mike Davis says they were supposed to use a blow …
SMART Farmer Lauren Arbogast
Lauren Arbogast is a city girl who married into the farm and found it so interesting that she started a blog about it. On her blog “Paint The Town Ag”, which has also become her Facebook and Twitter platform, Lauren shares photos of musings of life on the farm with her husband and two “mini farmer” sons. She became a …
Animal Ag Bites 12/4
The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced the winners of the 2017 College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship competition, which prepares students to become lifelong advocates for agriculture. The top three individual winners along with a representative from each winning club will receive an expenses-paid trip to the Alliance’s 2018 Stakeholders Summit set for May 3-4 in Arlington, Va. Hiland Dairy Foods Company, …
Survey Spurs Farm Groups to Action on Opioid Crisis
Two of the nation’s largest farm groups plan to work together in response to staggering numbers released in a recent survey on opioid abuse in rural America. The Morning Consult survey shows farmers and ranchers are more affected than the rest of their rural neighbors, with 74 percent confirming they’ve been directly impacted by opioid abuse. The American Farm Bureau …
New Ag Retailers Chair Has Game Plan
The new chairman of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) says 2017 was a championship year for the organization and he hopes to sustain that excellence moving forward. John Oster with Morral Companies in Ohio says one area where ARA will be very active in the coming year is in development of the new farm bill. “Although we are a small …
New White Paper Explores Opportunities for U.S. Ag in Cuba
Two leading advocates for normalizing trade with Cuba announced the release of a new white paper, Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture in Cuba: A White Paper, that examines how 16 farm states could benefit if the U.S. repeals longstanding restrictions on food sales to the island nation. The paper was produced by Cuba Trade Magazine and the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for …
Agriculture Secretary Addresses Ag Retailers
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue topped off the ARA Conference and Expo on Thursday in Phoenix, covering a broad range of topics in his comments including tax reform, de-regulation, trade, food security, infrastructure, school lunches and the farm bill. Perdue, who noted his past experience in the fertilizer business and with ARA’s predecessor organization, the National Fertilizer Solutions Association, talked …