- The American Meat Science Association announced the appointment of Collette Schultz Kaster as its new Chief Executive Officer.
- Fresh off a 2018 national television appearance on Discovery’s “Diesel Brothers,” the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council is set for another national television appearance, this time with the former star of “Cheers.” Scheduled to broadcast 3Q/2019, an upcoming episode of “Advancements with Ted Danson” will focus on recent advances in agriculture. Check local listings for more information.
- Sweet Leaf Tea has announced its partnership with American Idol judge and country music megastar Luke Bryan for his 2019 Farm Tour, an annual event that uses music to salute the farmers who work behind the scenes to bring food to America’s store shelves, restaurants, and dinner tables. Bayer is also proud to be sponsoring the 2019 tour and continuing its #HeresToTheFarmer campaign. Every time the #HeresToTheFarmer hashtag is shared, Bayer will donate a meal to a hungry American through Feeding America®.
- National Beef Packing Company, LLC now owns the Iowa Premium beef processing facility located in Tama, Iowa. This transaction enables National Beef to expand its beef processing operations into the State of Iowa and add over 850 employees to the National Beef family.
- Connectiv, the Business Information Association, announced winners of its second annual Connectiv Innovation Awards, which included WATT Global Media in the category of Leveraging Ecosystem Partners. Andy Smith, Director of Innovation & Technology for WATT Global Media, accepted the award at the Connectiv Executive Summit on May 16, 2019. WATT’s award was for “Using Digital Convergent Technology to Optimize Production Workflow.”
- The 2019 recipients of the Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation Pathways to Agri-Food Scholarships are: Marcus Grymonpre, Chilliwack, BC; Emily Gross, Bow Island, AB; Shaylyn Novak, St. Walburg, SK; Alice Rooke, Alexander, MB; Faith Emiry, Massey, ON; Isaac Ayer, Sackville, NB.
- As the trade wars continue to wage in the United States, farm equipment sales numbers mirror the uncertainty within the industry. U.S. sales saw minimal growth in most categories while Canada dropped in all but two, according to the latest Association of Equipment Manufacturers sales data.
- FMC Corporation announced that it is realigning the leadership structure for its North America and Latin America regions. Ronaldo Pereira, president, FMC Latin America, has been appointed president of the company’s new Americas Region, which encompasses the U.S., Canada, Central America and South America. Pereira will continue to report to Mark Douglas, FMC president and chief operating officer. Due to this leadership realignment, Amy O’Shea, vice president and business director for North America, will leave the organization to pursue other opportunities.
- The U.S. Wheat Associates Board of Directors seated new officers at its annual meeting June 12, 2019, in Whitefish, Mont. USW officers for 2019/20 are: Chairman Doug Goyings of Paulding, Ohio; Vice Chairman Darren Padget of Grass Valley, Ore.; Secretary-Treasurer Rhonda Larson of East Grand Forks, Minn.; and Past Chairman Chris Kolstad of Ledger, Mont. USW officers were elected to these one-year positions at the January 2019 board of directors meeting in Washington, D.C.
- The American Feed Industry Association is pleased to announce the addition of Mallory Gaines as its manager of market access and trade policy, effective June 10.
- The National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board has elected John Linder to become the organization’s first vice president for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
- IDEAg Group, producers of Minnesota Farmfest, will showcase an industrial hemp demonstration plot at the show this year.
- USDA data indicates that the rural population of post-9/11 veterans is growing quickly and provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill seek to increase access for those veterans who wish to enter farming. Congress included veteran farmers and ranchers as part of a new definition of underserved producers, allowing them to take advantage of improved crop insurance benefits such as additional premium discounts.
- Russele Sleep of Bedford, Iowa was named the 2019 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion at the 56th annual competition held at Tulare Sales Yard, Tulare, Calif. and presented by the Livestock Marketing Association.
- The Sugar Association is marking more than 75 years as the scientific voice of the United States sugar industry. Founded by beet and cane sugar growers and refiners during World War II in 1943, the group was dedicated to the scientific study of sugar’s role in food and the communication of that role to the public during a period of war-time sugar rationing. This video invites the public to understand the people and the processes that bring sugar from the farms to our tables.
