The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) is pleased to announce that Ross Bodine has joined the organization as Policy Manager. In this role, Bodine will support NAWG’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies, working to advance federal policy priorities on behalf of U.S. wheat growers.
Farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board built something their fellow farmers have long needed: one place for near-term solutions that matter. The Soy Farmer Support Hub combines resources that the checkoff curated into an easy-to-follow location focused on fields, operations and the farmers themselves.
The World Food Prize Foundation has opened registration for the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, convening under the theme Before Hunger Wins, marking a decisive moment for the future of global food security. More information on registering, opportunities to engage and how to plan your trip can be found at worldfoodprize.org/register.
American Farmland Trust has named Julia Valliant as Director of the national Farms for a New Generation team, where she will lead efforts to increase access to land and capital for the rising generation of farmers and ranchers and support elder farmers and landowners in transferring their farms with dignity and confidence.
The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) this week honored Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) and Mark Messmer (R-IL) with its inaugural Congressional Bioeconomy Champion Awards in recognition of their bipartisan leadership advancing America’s growing ag bioeconomy and championing policies that support biobased manufacturing, rural economic development, and domestic innovation.
Over the next several weeks, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct the June Agricultural Survey by contacting over 90,000 producers across the nation to determine crop acreage and stock levels as of June 1, 2026. Producers can respond to the June Agricultural Survey online at agcounts.usda.gov, by phone, or mail. They will be asked to provide information on planted and harvested acreage, including acreage for biotech crops and grain stocks.
Meister Media Worldwide (MMW), the leading agriculture media and events company, has won National Silver Award for the American Fruit Grower, “Inside the State of the Fruit Industry” in the 2026 Azbee Awards of Excellence, presented by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE).
In a year defined by resilience and renewal, the Apple Grower of the Year program honors a grower whose story reflects both. Extending a long line of industry standouts, American Fruit Grower® and Western Fruit Grower®, publications of parent company Meister Media Worldwide, announce Robert “Bobby” Brown III, owner of Orchard Dale Fruit Co., in Waterport, NY, as the 2026 Apple Grower of the Year. Brown is the 38th recipient of the prestigious award, presented annually and sponsored by Valent U.S.A. since 2015.
The Renewable Fuels Association announced that Clean Fuels Credit Consortium (CFCC) and Boulay have joined as new associate members. Together, they bring a combination of market-driven tax credit solutions and deep financial and advisory experience that will help ethanol producers better capture value and make informed decisions in an increasingly complex operating environment.
As the Kansas wheat harvest season begins across the Sunflower State, Michael Hinton — founder of National Antique Tractor Preservation Day, National Agricultural Hall of Fame inductee, and creator of TalkingTractors.com — has released a new country music single titled “Kansas Wheat Harvest | Golden Anthem of the Plains.” The release follows Hinton’s recent track, “Talking Tractors,” a tribute to vintage farm machinery and agricultural heritage. His latest song honors Kansas farmers, the annual wheat harvest, and America’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration. The song is available on YouTube.
The Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising Council has voted to rejoin the USA Rice Federation, the national trade association and global advocate for all segments of the U.S. rice industry. The decision restores Missouri’s full participation in the Federation alongside fellow rice-producing states Arkansas, California, Louisiana, and Mississippi, reuniting the industry’s major producing regions under one coordinated national voice.
