More than 8,000 farmers, agriculture leaders and ag advocates converged on the Anaheim Convention Center to “GROW BEYOND!” at the 2018 Commodity Classic which took place Feb. 27 thorough March 1. Included in the preliminary number of 8,055 registered in Anaheim were a record number of non-exhibitor first-time attendees (1,533) and more than 150 media representatives. A total of 3,646 …
Seed Treatment Can Harness Soil Microbes
A new and improved seed treatment will soon be available for corn growers that promises to help them “be dirt rich” to reach higher yield potential. The Poncho®/VOTiVO® 2.0 system is the next generation of the top selling seed treatment, Poncho/VOTiVO, which combines a fast-acting systemic insecticide with a biological seed treatment that provides protection against nematodes. The 2.0 is …
Cabinet Members Testify on Infrastructure Needs
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and four other cabinet members testified this week before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing entitled “Rebuilding Infrastructure in America: Administration Perspectives.” Secretary Perdue was joined by Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry. …
Golden ARC Awards “Call for Entries” Announced
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 …