The Agricultural Relations Council (ARC) is calling all entries for the annual Golden ARC Awards, which allows agricultural public relations professionals to submit their best work for comparison to that of colleagues working in companies, agencies, associations and other organizations around the globe. New this year is a reduced price for entries. As an added benefit, entrants receive written critique …
SMART Farmer and Food Evolution
In this episode of the SMART Farmer podcast, we hear from an Academy Award nominated director who produced a documentary film that explores the debate about genetically modified organisms – better known as GMOs. The film is called Food Evolution and Scott Hamilton Kennedy attended the recent Commodity Classic in California to talk about how he came to tell this …
Ethanol Interests Shout Opposition to RIN Price Cap
As concerns began to grow late last week that the Trump Administration was leaning toward a cap on prices for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to appease oil refinery interests, biofuel interests went into high gear to get the word out about how that action would devastate the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). A White House meeting was reportedly set for today …
Generations of Farmers Mutual Hail
As a mutual company, Farmers Mutual Hail is owned by its farmer policyholders, and the company has been run by the same family for 125 years. Seeing a need for mutual insurance against hail, W.A. Rutledge organized The Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Association in 1893, and his great-grandson Ron Rutledge is CEO today, but many other company employees also go …
DowDuPont™ Ag Division to Become Corteva Agriscience™
The Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™ will someday become a stand-alone company under restructuring and the name was revealed during last week’s Commodity Classic to be Corteva Agriscience™ (kohr-‘teh-vah), which is derived from a combination of words meaning “heart” and “nature.” Vice President of Public Policy and Chief Sustainability Officer Krysta Harden said during the general session that it took months …
Soybean Leader Hoping to Replace Bill Northey
Now that Bill Northey is officially heading to his new job at USDA, Iowa soybean farmer Ray Gaesser can now officially get on with his campaign to be the next Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. Last week at Commodity Classic, the former American Soybean Association (ASA) president from Corning, Iowa received the organization’s Distinguished Leadership Award for his years of service …
2018 National Farm Machinery Show Sets Records
The 2018 National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) saw an increase in attendance and ticket sales and a record number of new exhibitors and exhibit sales. Over 314,000 attendees packed the Kentucky Exposition Center for the four-day event that celebrated 53 years of providing the agricultural industry’s latest and most comprehensive display of equipment, services and technology. With the largest number …
Study Shows Impact of RIN Price Cap on Corn Prices
A new analysis from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University shows that any action to artificially cap Renewable Identification Number (RIN) prices in exchange for a waiver allowing year-round sale of E15 would result in reduced ethanol consumption, a drop in corn prices, and an effective cut of 5% to the Renewable Fuel Standard …
Northey Takes Oath of USDA Office
It was a long time coming, but finally Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue administered the oath of office to Bill Northey to serve as the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service (FFAS) at USDA. Northey has served as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, and is a former president of the National Corn Growers Association. “After months of waiting, I’m …
FMH Celebrates 125 Years of Protecting Farmers
Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa (FMH) is celebrating 125 years as an American-based, family-run insurance provider and one of the oldest crop insurers in the United States. “Farmers Mutual Hail continues to thrive after 125 years because of our mutual heritage that puts the policyholders first, because of the conservative management which has spanned six generations, and because …