- The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2023 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its ninth year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
- The joint membership of the Midwest-SouthEastern Equipment Dealers Association (MSEDA), the United Equipment Dealers Association (UEDA), the Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) and the Equipment Dealers Association
(EDA) recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward with a merger of these four associations to form the new North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA). - On March 30, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will livestream the Secretary of Agriculture’s data report briefing for the first time. This and future Secretary data briefings will stream on NASS’s YouTube channel five minutes after NASS reports are released to the public.
- The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a series of listening forums to hear from those who have experienced firsthand the effects of mergers and acquisitions beyond antitrust experts, including consumers, workers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, farmers, investors and independent businesses. The first forum will be held March 28 at 3pm ET for the Food and Agriculture sector.
- Deadline for the Golden ARC (Agricultural Relations Council) Awards contest is coming up April 1. This program provides an opportunity for agricultural communicators to have their 2021 tactics and campaigns evaluated by marketing and public relations (PR) experts, and receive helpful feedback. To be eligible, entries must be completed in full or partially in 2021. A complete list of categories can be found at www.agrelationscouncil.org/categories.
- The U.S. Peanut Federation joined five other agriculture organizations in support of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) as a proven intervention to address global hunger and childhood malnutrition. The organizations are requesting an additional $200 million in funding for the procurement of WHO guidance-compliant RUTF for the 2023 appropriations legislation.
- The cost of growing crops could outpace revenue for many farmers in 2022, making it more difficult to break even despite rising commodity prices and increased demand both domestically and globally. The American Farm Bureau Federation is launching a series of Market Intel articles examining rising farm production expenses. The first report concludes that farm production costs are likely to increase 6% in 2022, which follows a 12% increase in 2021.
