Okay. Since you’re going to hear about this from everybody you may as well hear it here too. The House passed CAFTA-DR last night. Vote was 217-215. Does that not tell you how divided people are on this issue? Most ag groups seem to be for it so you’ll see and hear a lot of “congratulations” stories from them. Not all in ag are happy though and certainly not all politicians. For example, take the House Democrat Ag Committee. Here’s an excerpt from Collin Peterson: “Tonight’s House vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, was a tragedy for American agriculture and rural communities.”
U.S. Farm Report Gets New Host
It looks like Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong are making a big career change! Wonder what they’re going to do?
Garst Giving Away Seed To Celebrate 75th
Here’s a great way to celebrate 75 years! Give stuff away. You’ve gotta like that. I’m sure growers will. Garst Seed Company has gone through a lot of changes since it was the Garst & Thomas Hybrid Corn Company back in 1930!
New Ethanol Facts Consumer Website
With all the different “facts” floating around in the media this last week or so the folks at the National Corn Growers Association decided to do something about it. They created a new website called Ethanolfacts.com. It’s just what it says it is, a clean easy-to-navigate site with facts in terms consumers can understand. We’ll see if consumers can find it now!
What a busy week it has been! Getting ready for the Cattle Industry Summer Conference Focus of MBIC Report
It’s time for the cattle industry leadership to gather in Denver for the annual Cattle Industry Summer Conference. Missouri is well represented and in this week’s MBIC Report, at-large board member for the Missouri Beef Industry Council, Jon Kleiboeker talks about the conference and how cattle producers are involved, including his joint nutrition & health committee work.
Ethanol & Weather On CornTalk
Last week a lot of attention was given to an AP story about an old study saying ethanol costs more to produce than it’s worth. Pretty strange timing when you consider the energy legislation work going on in Washington, DC. In this week’s CornTalk program, Missouri Corn Growers Association CEO, Gary Marshall, discusses the flaws in the study that was quoted and talks about the weather concerns for the state’s corn crop.
World Food Day October 16
World Food Day is scheduled for October 16 and the theme is “Agriculture and intercultural dialogue.” This event is organized the the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “It will highlight biodiversity’s role in ensuring that people have sustainable access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives.”
NAMA Agribusiness Forum
I don’t think I’ve pointed you to the National Agri-Marketing Association’s fall Agribusiness Forum have I?
New Research Data From NAFB
There’s some new qualitative research available on the National Association of Farm Broadcasters website. A lot of research is being done these days by various media entities as groups try to figure out what’s really going on and how it’s going to affect their future. You can look at some slides from the research here. The survey was on Class 1+ farmers only and only in 12 midwest states. I wish it could have covered the whole country and included regional breakouts. But if wishes were . . . The research was conducted by Ag Media Research.