Lots of buzz over the weekend about Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey being nominated to a post with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to the point that he had to put a post on Facebook that nothing is official – yet. I appreciate the kind comments and support from so many friends here in Iowa and across the country as …
America’s Farm Mom of 2017
Mother’s Day was extra special this year for Susan Brocksmith of Vincennes, Indiana who was named the 2017 America’s Farmers Mom of the Year. The program, sponsored by Monsanto, honors the significant contributions farm moms make in their communities and beyond. Susan, a farmer, agribusiness professor, mother and active agriculture advocate, received the most online votes to be awarded the …
U.S. Beef Regaining Access to China
Following one more round of technical consultations, China is to allow imports of U.S. beef on “conditions consistent with international food safety and animal health standards and consistent with the 1999 Agricultural Cooperation Agreement, beginning as soon as possible but no later than July 16, 2017.” The announcement was welcome news for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). National Cattlemen’s …
Three for FMC
FMC Agricultural Solutions has added three team members to its marketing and communications team in Philadelphia. These new team members will support the FMC agricultural crop protection portfolio in the U.S. and Canada. Christina Coen, a veteran agricultural marketer, has been named marketing director for the United States and Canada. Coen will have responsibility for the marketing of the FMC …
Trump Trade Team to Include New USDA Post
President Trump now has a complete cabinet with Senate approval of Ambassador Robert Lighthizer as U.S. Trade Representative, and USDA will soon have an undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs to help with the administration’s international trade goals. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a reorganization of USDA yesterday that includes the creation of the new undersecretary, which was approved …
Taking DC Bureaucrats to the Farm
The National Corn Growers Association recently joined with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the American Seed Trade Association to host officials from EPA and USDA for demonstrations on planting practices, seed treatments, and equipment innovations in an effort to help them understand modern farming. The event took place on the working farm of NCGA Chairman Chip Bowling in …
Bayer Agrees to Give Up Liberty for Monsanto Deal
Bayer announced this week that the company received conditional approval of its proposed acquisition of Monsanto in South Africa, conditions that include the “divestiture of Bayer’s global Liberty Link trait technology and the associated Liberty branded agro-chemicals business.” Bayer has agreed to these conditions and is evaluating how best to execute the imposed divestiture. As previously communicated, Bayer has been …
SMART Farmer John Deere
We are already up to episode number seven in our SMART Farmer podcast series and this week our subject is John Deere, the company. John Deere was not a farmer, but he was a real person who started innovating for farmers back in 1837 when he designed a newfangled kind of plow that helped pioneers break through rich Midwest soil. …
A Secretary Sonny Day in Iowa
It was a sunny day in Iowa Friday for the visit of new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue at Couser Cattle Company. The Secretary was welcomed by Bill, Nancy and Tim Couser, as well as Iowa Senators Joni Erst and Chuck Grassley, and Rep. Steve King. Looking comfortable in worn jeans, the new secretary bragged about the value of American …
Set Sail on a Voyage of Better Seed
With the theme “Voyage of Better Seed,” the 2017 American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Annual Convention June 21-24 in Minneapolis will focus on science and policy issues related to the development and free movement of quality seed worldwide. ASTA president and CEO Andy LaVigne says a number of special sessions and tours are planned for the week, including an Opening …