Nominations are now open for the Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, Endowed by The Rockefeller Foundation. This accolade acknowledges exceptional achievements in international agriculture and food production based on scientific research and application. With a focus on individuals under the age of 40, the award comes with a $10,000 prize. Nominations close on June 15, 2024.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule to designate perfluorooctnoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), the two most common per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS), as hazardous materials under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
America’s farmers and ranchers are leading the way in greenhouse gas emission reduction through voluntary conservation efforts and market-based incentives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022. The report shows American agriculture reduced emissions by almost two percent from 2021 to 2022, the largest decrease of any economic sector.
American Agri-Women (AAW) announced the success of the 2024 Mid-Year Meeting in the beautiful hills of Manhattan, Kansas. Each year in April, American Agri-Women hosts a Mid-Year Meeting for those interested in discussing current agricultural issues and policies and voting to create AAW’s Position Statements for that upcoming year, which is the basis for American Agri-Women Fly-In to Washington, D.C. in June each year.
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) hosted a contest at the 2023 National FFA Convention. As part of this event, students could enter to win the opportunity to have agriculture influencer Rob Sharkey, known to many as “The SharkFarmer,” visit their school. This year’s winner was Dayton High School, located in Dayton, Oregon.
Firestone Ag, a business of Bridgestone Americas, has opened entries for its 2024 Rock the Crop Sweepstakes exclusively to chapters of the National FFA Organization (FFA) in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Firestone Ag partnership with FFA. In its third year, the Rock the Crop Sweepstakes will bring a private concert with Nashville-based country artist Hailey Whitters to one lucky FFA chapter.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of 32 members to Potatoes USA’s Board of Directors. The appointees include 30 producer members and two importers, each filling three-year terms that will expire Feb. 28, 2027.
Sunsweet Growers Inc. has announced a significant change in its leadership. Brad Schuler, a highly accomplished veteran of the company, has been elevated to the role of Chief Executive Officer. This promotion marks a pivotal moment for Sunsweet as it nears its 110th anniversary and seeks to aggressively widen the margin of its position as the world’s premier dried fruit brand.
Recently the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri released its outlook for U.S. agriculture. The projection is that American sugar production remains strong and is expected to grow, despite challenges seen over the past couple years including factory closures in Sidney, MT, and Santa Rosa, TX. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to update forecasts for this year’s production. USDA currently forecasts a near-record 9.215 million tons of sugar will be produced in the U.S. this year, meeting about 74 percent of U.S. demand with made-in-America sugar supplies. That would keep America the fifth largest producer of sugar in the world, and the third largest sugar importer.
