Premier Ag was named 2019 ARA Retailer of the Year during the Agricultural Retailers Association convention in New Orleans this week. The award, sponsored by Bayer and AgPro magazine, honors an ARA member retailer company or individual representing quality and prestige within the industry. Premier Ag is the agricultural retail branch of Premier Companies, a farmer-owned cooperative headquartered in Seymour, …
ARA Recognizes BRANDT’s Tim McArdle
Tim McArdle, executive vice president at BRANDT, was honored today with the with the Agricultural Retailers Association Distinguished Service Award for his support of the association and the agricultural retail industry. McArdle’s long-term service to ARA through participating on the board of directors and in officer roles is one reason he is being recognized; however, it is how he stepped …
Agricultural Retailers Association Conference Underway
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) 2019 Conference & Expo is underway in New Orleans this week. The annual gathering draws nearly 600 agricultural retail industry professionals for speakers, educational sessions, a world-class expo and networking opportunities. Tuesday’s events included the ARA Invitational Golf Tournament and the opening of the sold-out expo hall. The industry speaker lineup includes a keynote presentation …
Hemp Seed is a Hot Topic for ASTA
American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) chairman Wayne Gale, Stokes Seeds, spent a lot of time answering questions about hemp seed at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk. Gale says ASTA’s role is to provide information for the growing hemp industry to help the seed industry identify sources of quality seed “to ensure that the growers that the …
Corn Harvest Still Unfinished
The USDA crop progress report out yesterday afternoon should have been the last one for the 2019 season. But with 16 percent of the nation’s corn crop still in the field, NASS will continue to evaluate harvest progress for all crops each week to determine how long to continue the report. As of Sunday, 84 percent of the corn crop …
New Soy Based Motor Oil Now Available
Soy-based motor oil is a new opportunity to drive demand for U.S. soybeans in almost any vehicle on the road. Biosynthetic Technologies’ high-performing biobased synthetic motor oil, using high oleic soybean oil from soybeans grown by U.S. farmers, is now on commercial shelves, thanks to a partnership with the United Soybean Board (USB). Both USB and the U.S. Department of …
Heliae® Agriculture Connects Retailers With Regenerative Ag Options
Heliae® Agriculture is introducing retailers and growers to new options for building soil health and increasing yields via native soil microbes to start the process toward regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming which focuses on improving soil health. Typical regenerative methods require truckloads of organic matter per acre and planting cover crops. Most recently, the introduction of …
Just a Penny More for Thanksgiving Dinner This Year
The cost of this year’s Thanksgiving feast is up a penny per person, but still comes in at under $5.00 each for a party of ten. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 34th annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.91, or less than $5.00 …
Farmers in the Democratic Debate
Farmers got about two minutes of airtime during the Democratic presidential candidate debate last night. South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked whether he would continue the “farm subsidies” that President Trump has authorized to help farmers struggling from the impact of the trade war with China. “We shouldn’t have to pay farmers to take the edge off of …