House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) says the latest COVID relief deal moving through Congress this week has new provisions to provide help for food and agriculture sectors impacted by the pandemic restrictions. In addition to a 15 percent increase in benefits for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for six months, Peterson pointed specifically to the …
Cattle Industry Sets 2021 Reboot for February
The 2021 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and NCBA Trade Show has been rescheduled as a live event for August in Nashville, but there are still business meetings to be held and members to be updated. To take care of that, a brand new virtual 2021 Cattle Industry Winter Reboot will be held February 23-24 featuring education, industry updates, market outlook …
Congrats to Two Industry Retirees
Two long-time agribusiness industry communicators are retiring from the business the next month. One of the best farm broadcasters in the business is retiring from Brownfield Ag News. After a 43-year career in agriculture, anchor/reporter Ken Anderson will sign off for the last time on December 30. Ken has received many awards over the years, including NAFB Farm Broadcaster of …
#ASTACSS Explores Hybrid Wheat
The CSS in ASTA CSS & Seed Expo stands for corn, soybeans and sorghum, but in recent years a little wheat has crept into the rotation. “Hybrid Wheat – What is Different This Time?” was the title of the last session at the 2020 Seed Expo, featuring a panel of experts from the world of wheat. One of them was …
Agricultural Leaders Release Roadmap for Trade
Farmers for Free Trade held a virtual press conference Tuesday to release a new report on the challenges and solutions for American agriculture on trade, supply chains and global competitiveness. The report is the culmination of a series of discussions across rural America with farmers, ag leaders and related industries including manufacturing and food producers and distributors. The report, organized …
ZimmCast 662 – ASTA CSS & Seed Expo Recap
Each December, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) hosts America’s largest seed industry convention as the Christmas Season begins traditionally in the Chicago Hyatt Regency at the top of the Magnificent Mile. This year, like everything else since March, the ASTA CSS and Seed Expo was virtual, and that allowed nearly 1000 attendees from around the world to participate and …
ARA Member Programs Help Grow Leaders
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) recognized its Rising Stars Class of 2020 in a video shown from the main stage during the closing session of the ARA Conference & Expo, held virtually on Dec. 1-2. Despite the transition to a virtual ARA Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ARA Rising Stars were still able to attend educational sessions and expand …
#ASTACSS Content Lives On
The American Seed Trade Association CSS & Seed Expo is a wrap, but the content lives on and will lead into the next ASTA conference, the virtual Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference in February. ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne says they had nearly 1000 attendees at the virtual CSS & Seed Expo. “The great thing about virtual is you …
Tom Vilsack Officially Nominated for Ag Secretary
Tom Vilsack has officially been nominated to serve as Secretary of Agriculture in the Biden Administration, reprising the role he held under President Obama for eight years. Vilsack was the only cabinet member to serve all eight years under Obama, and the longest serving Secretary of Agriculture in modern times (James Wilson served for 16 years under three presidents 1897-1913). …
Sen. Pat Roberts Bids Farewell
Sen. Pat Roberts, the Republican from Kansas who has served as a leader in both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees over his four decade career in Congress, said goodbye to his Senate colleagues Thursday in a farewell floor speech. The outspoken senator who helped to write the past eight farm bills spoke about his background, how he went from …