House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott called to extend the 2018 Farm Bill to offer certainty and support to farmers, ranchers, and foresters as extremism within the House Republican Conference hobbles legislative efforts. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Torres Small announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is initiating a new effort to further support the U.S. specialty crops sector …
Precision Ag News 11/9
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are leaving no stone—or rather, leaf—unturned in their search for new ways to counter the fungus that causes tar spot, a yield-robbing disease of field corn in the midwestern United States. Several research studies have demonstrated that some strains of Alternaria alternata are effective biocontrol organisms that can reduce the damage caused by plant pathogens, …
Animal Ag News 11/6
The Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) has started working on the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) project Implementing Precision Ag Tech to Expand the Participation of Small Grazing Dairy Farms in Climate-Smart Commodities. The $4.7 million project, which will enable small dairy producers to access climate-smart grazing technology and engage in a climate-smart marketplace for their products, is part of the …
Industry Ag News 11/3
At its annual Laureate Award Ceremony, the World Food Prize Foundation surprised 2023 Laureate, Heidi Kühn, with the announcement of a doubling of prize amount to $500,000, up from $250,000 in previous years. The ceremony, held at the Iowa State Capitol building, is frequently referred to as “the Nobel Prize for Agriculture” and is held in parallel with the Norman …
Precision Ag News 11/2
Three major businesses and organizations have signed on as sponsor partners for a benchmarking study into the use of agricultural biologicals by farmers and growers. The study: “Biologicals: Specialty Crop Growers’ Perceptions, Values, and Potential,” is set to provide a robust depth of understanding around grower-centric sentiments about the use, benefits and future for biological inputs when applied to specialty …
Animal Ag News 10/30
The Meat Institute announced Dr. KatieRose McCullough was appointed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) bringing her scientific expertise and industry knowledge to federal food safety agencies. FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative General Manager Jeff Lyon provided written testimony to the Wisconsin Senate Committee on Transportation and Local Government in support of …
Industry Ag News 10/27
Fresh on the heels of being named to the Inc. Magazine 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for the second straight year, CLUTCH, a hybrid consultancy-agency based in Minneapolis, announced that Kelsey Gunderson and Greta Bierbaum have joined the firm as client success directors. As IFAJ’s Global Manager, Hugh Maynard, prepares his well-deserved retirement, IFAJ is looking for a new …
Precision Ag News 10/26
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) released A General Assessment of the Role of Agriculture and Forestry in the U.S. Carbon Markets, a comprehensive look at current market activity, barriers to participation, and opportunities to improve access to carbon markets for farmers and forest landowners. The report is the first of USDA’s deliverables under the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which …
Animal Ag News 10/23
Livestock Publications Council (LPC) annually inducts one of its distinguished leaders into the Hall of Fame. This honor is reserved for those who have adhered to high standards of professionalism in all aspects of their endeavors. LPC’s Headliner Award Program, inaugurated in 1980, salutes an individual for meritorious service to the livestock industry. The award annually honors a person from …
Industry Ag News 10/20
The combination of high interest rates and a strong U.S. dollar is beginning to take a disproportionate toll on rural industries like agriculture, forest products, mining and manufacturing. Most international transactions are still conducted in dollars, and a strong dollar makes U.S. exports more expensive and imports cheaper. That disproportionally hurts the backbone of the rural economy, according to a …