The impact that coronavirus is having on the energy markets is just the latest threat to the solvency of the U.S. ethanol industry, coming on top of weather, trade disputes and small refinery waivers that hurt producers last year. In a media conference call Thursday, Renewable Fuels Association leaders discussed the impact of these hits on ethanol producers and the …
NCBA Urges Steps to Maintain Beef Supply
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is working to maintain an adequate supply of beef for U.S. consumers during the current COVID-19 outbreak. NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says they have taken a number of steps to help protect the value chain, starting with sending a request to Vice President Mike Pence for assurance that meat inspection …
Agriculture Groups Urge Action on Farm Labor
Agriculture organizations are urging immediate action on the evolving farm labor situation to avoid impacting the nation’s food supply during this critical time. The Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC) called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to recognize all H-2A as well as any other non-immigrant visa petition involving an agricultural worker visa consular processing functions as essential and direct U.S. …
COVID-19 Restrictions Could Impact Food Supply
Beginning today, the United States will suspend routine immigrant and nonimmigrant processing visa services in Mexico indefinitely, including immigrant workers approved under the H-2A guest worker program who are needed to help farmers and ranchers get food in the grocery stores. “The decision to halt visa application processing in Mexico will restrict the number of immigrant workers being allowed to …
IFAJ 2020 Congress Cancelled
The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) 2020 Congress scheduled for June 24-28 in Denmark has been cancelled due to coronavirus. The decision also applies to the pre-congress in Copenhagen/Zealand and the two post-congresses on Funen and the Faroe Islands. Everyone who has signed up will get a full refund, and so will all sponsors. We are naturally very sorry …
2020 Agri-Marketing Conference Postponed
The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is charting a different course for the 2020 Agri-Marketing Conference. In light of the rapidly changing situation with COVID-19, NAMA leadership has made the very difficult decision to postpone the annual Agri-Marketing Conference scheduled for April 15-17 in San Diego. While the conference is postponed, it is not canceled! The NAMA board is actively looking …
NAFB Postpones Washington Watch
In line with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations due to COVID-19, the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) has postponed its 2020 Leadership NAFB and 2020 Washington Watch events scheduled for next month in Washington, D.C. NAFB is in the process of rescheduling both events, slated for April 24-26 and April 27-29 respectively. From NAFB: For those attendees registered …
New Peterson Bros Video Will Rock You
The newest Peterson Farm Bros video takes Queen’s “We Will Rock You” to the dairy farm for “We Will Milk Cows.” A little break from the coronavirus news and a reminder that farmers will still be working no matter what to make sure everyone has milk to drink and food to eat on lock down!
Syngenta News from Commodity Classic
Syngenta had a couple of big announcements at the 2020 Commodity Classic, including a collaboration with Truterra (formerly Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN) to offer a “step-change in stewardship and conservation best practices for U.S. growers while helping them focus on maximizing acre-by-acre productivity and profitability.” This technology-based alliance will make use of data analytics from both the Truterra™ Insights Engine and …
Agri-Pulse Postpones Ag & Food Policy Summit
Agri-Pulse has announced its annual Ag & Food Policy Summit at the National Press Club has been postponed from March 23 to June 22 due to the evolving situation in the nation’s Capitol regarding coronavirus. “We have been looking forward to seeing you at our Ag & Food Policy Summit on March 23 while actively monitoring events related to the …