Minnesota’s ethanol industry contributed $2.31 billion to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year, according to a new study by ABF Economics. In 2019, the industry produced 1.31 billion gallons of ethanol, 3.6 million tons of dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) and 327 million pounds of corn oil. This generated $6.7 billion in gross sales for Minnesota businesses …
Cotton Council Annual Meeting News
News from the National Cotton Council 2020 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. NCC Survey Suggests U.S. Producers to Plant 13.0 Million Acres of Cotton in 2020 – U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 13.0 million cotton acres this spring, down 5.5 percent from 2019 (based on USDA’s February 2020 estimate), according to the National Cotton Council’s 39th Annual Early …
CIRB Still Growing Together After 56 Years
The 56th annual Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) ended on a high note Friday after an informative two days of presentations on important industry topics such as the farm economy, trade, climate change, and hemp. The theme of the meeting this year was “Together we Grow” and CIRB Executive Vice President Mike Torrey says one area where the organization …
ARC Webinar on Virtual Newsrooms
The Ag Relations Council (ARC) webinar this Thursday is all about Virtual Newsrooms For Companies and Organizations with ZimmComm president Chuck Zimmerman. In the webinar, Chuck will answer these important questions – and more! What is a virtual newsroom? How can it be used in marketing, communications, and PR? What are the resources needed to run a virtual newsroom? In …
Bayer and BASF Intend to Appeal Dicamba Decision
Both Bayer and BASF intend to appeal a court decision in Missouri resulting in a total of $265 million in damages awarded to a Missouri peach farm over alleged dicamba drift. A federal jury in Cape Girardeau awarded plaintiff Bader Farms $15 in compensatory damages and $250 in punitive damages on its claims of design defect, failure to warn, negligent …
Crop Insurance Update from USDA RMA at CIRB
USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Martin Barbre gave an update to Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) members during their annual meeting last week. One of the big topics of discussion was the recently announced availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. “We’re trying to get to a level where we can insure producers’ …
CIRB Honors Sen. Roberts for Crop Insurance Support
The “Father of the Modern Crop Insurance Program” was honored today for his lifetime of service to farmers and the industry by the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB). CIRB Chairman, Zane Vaughn of ARMtech, presented Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) with the crop insurance industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Chairman Roberts is the only Member of Congress to …
ARC Scholarship and Internship Details
The Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) is in year four of the ARC/Gardner & Gardner Communications internship program. The 2020 intern host will be Charleston|Orwig in Hartland, Wis. The 2020 intern should have strong writing skills, organizational ability and social media skills. The ideal candidate should thrive in and enjoy being in a fast-paced, team-oriented culture. Successful interns with C|O are …
New NCBA President Follows His Mother’s Footsteps
Fifth-generation Florida rancher Marty Smith was elected president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) at the annual Cattle Industry Convention last week, following in the footsteps of his mother Jo Ann Smith, who served as president of the organization in 1985. The Smith family is pictured here with Jo Ann on Marty’s left. “It’s a tremendous honor to lead …
Bayer Makes Innovation and Pipeline Announcements
Bayer made a couple of major pipeline and innovation advancements for the Crop Science Division on Thursday. A new herbicide molecule, “the first new post-emergence mode of action for broad acre weed control in 30 years.” Bayer announced a molecule in Phase 2 of early development which has demonstrated effective control of key resistant grasses in early research. The work …