- The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Feeding Minds Press released a new book, My Family’s Soybean Farm, along with a companion educator guide. My Family’s Soybean Farm is now available in paperback for purchase directly from Feeding Minds Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. Special bulk pricing is also available.
- A strong majority of farmers/farmworkers say the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health, and more than half say they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago, according to a new American Farm Bureau poll. A presentation with additional detail on the full survey results is available here.
- U.S. Wheat Associates has created a new film titled “Wholesome: The Journey of U.S. Wheat” that shows how the people in the export supply system maintain the wholesome, reliable character of U.S. wheat.
- The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomed its first Latin America-based members: Central America Spinning Works El Salvador, Cone Mills, Colhilados, Fabricato, Gama Textil, Global Textiles, Grupo Industrial Miro, Grupo Vivatex, Hilanderia de Algodon Peruano, Honduras Spinning Mills, Industrias Cannon de Colombia, Industrias Merlet, Industria Textil del Pacifico, Junior de Mexico (OGGI Jeans), Manufacturas Kaltex, MT Textiles, OA, Playeras Mark, Premium Knits, Quality Knits, Ropa Siete Leguas, SJ Jersey Ecuatoriano, Tavex, Textufil, Textiles Marie Lou, Textil del Valle, WT Sourcing and Zagis. Among other benefits, membership enables these mills and manufacturers to prove that the cotton fiber element in their textiles is more sustainably grown.
- The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) shares news of the passing of Lory Williams. Williams joined NAFB at KGNO Radio in 1995 then continued her farm-broadcast career at KBUF Radio in Garden City, Kansas, until leaving there in late 2019 to take care of her husband who was ill. During her time as an NAFB member, Williams was named the 2003 South Region Horizon Award recipient, contributed to the Chats newsletter, and served as a South Region Director.
- GROWMARK 2021 FFA Essay Contest state winners. Winners include: Maggie Handfelt of East Dubuque, Illinois, Sydney Benscoter of Marengo, Iowa, Marleigh Worden of Greenville, Michigan, Madilynn Lippa of Montrose, Missouri, Lily Wolf of Hamilton, Ohio, and Sydney Burling of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. The theme of this year’s contest was “If you could invent a new technology to improve agriculture, what would it be?” Students were encouraged to think creatively, not necessarily realistically, as they described their ideal invention.
- Commodity Classic has set the dates for its 2021 Special Edition, which will take place March 2-5, 2021 as a digital experience. Registration will open Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at CommodityClassic.com. The registration fee is waived for the first 5,000 farmers, thanks to the generous support of sponsors. All other registrants and farmers after the first 5,000 will be charged $20.
