President Donald Trump intends nominate Indiana Agriculture Director Ted McKinney to be USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and former Iowa economics professor Dr. Sam Clovis for Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. McKinney grew up on a family farm in Tipton, Indiana. He began his career at Elanco Products Company in 1981, and in 1990 …
Senator Blasts Ethanol from the Floor
As over 200 corn growers were meeting in the nation’s capitol this week, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) blasted corn ethanol in an attempt to kill legislation that would allow 15% ethanol blends to be sold year round, instead of being restricted in some areas during the summer months. Inhofe began his speech by complaining that “the fossil fuel industry has …
Teachers Offered a Day on the Farm
The Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) has partnered with U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) to start a program to help urban teachers learn more about agriculture so they can teach it to their students. To kick it off, educators in Minneapolis and Sacramento are invited to take a farm tour at the end of August to engage …
First ASA-Valent Ag Voices of the Future
Eight college students from five states make up the inaugural class of the Ag Voices of the Future program, sponsored by Valent U.S.A. and the American Soybean Association (ASA). The class provides an opportunity for young people to improve their understanding of agricultural policy issues, advocacy, and careers, and was held last week in conjunction with the ASA Board Meeting …
Bayer Hosts Field Day in Dekalb
Farmers and retailers gathered near Dekalb, Illinois on Tuesday for the Bayer Innovation Plus Tour. Bayer Technical Development Rep Daren Bohannan says the event focused on corn and soybeans and included presentations on disease observations, selective corn herbicide trials, Balance GT soybeans, ILeVO Seed treatment & PPO Herbicides, Liberty weed control, new Credenz products and more. “We got planted late …
New Propane Irrigation Engines Available
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) has partnered with Origin Engines to develop new 5.7- and 6.2- liter engines, EPA-certified and optimized for industrial applications like irrigation and power generation. PERC invested in the research and development of Origin’s new engines, providing industry expertise and financial support through the research, development, and testing process for the new technology. “We …
Corn and Soybean Condition Down Slightly
Most of the corn and soybeans around the country remain in good to excellent condition but dry weather is taking a toll in some areas. According to the latest USDA-NASS report, corn condition as of Sunday was rated 64 percent good to excellent and only 11 percent poor to very poor, but South Dakota’s corn is ranked as 38% poor …
Syngenta Receives China Approval for Agrisure Duracade®
Syngenta has received notification of import approval from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for its Agrisure Duracade® trait, which covers corn grain and processing co-products, including dried distillers grains (DDGs), for food and feed use. “Obtaining this regulatory approval opens up new opportunities within our portfolio,” said David Hollinrake, president of Syngenta Seeds, LLC. “Moving forward, growers can expect expanded …
Blue Ridge Biofuels Proud to Supply Local
Blue Ridge Biofuels (BRB) started as a way for one business to make its own sustainable diesel fuel – now they provide clean burning biodiesel for customers all over Western North Carolina. The Asheville, N.C.-based company collects over 700,000 gallons of used cooking oil annually from nearly 1,500 restaurants in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia to produce renewable …
SMART Farmer Carla Wardin
Our SMART Farmer in this episode comes from Michigan where she and her husband have a dairy operation that has been in her family for over a century. Carla Wardin is dedicated to telling the real story of dairy farming through her blog Truth or Dairy, and in 2014 was chosen to represent agriculture as one of the USFRA Faces …