It’s the first of February, which means planting season is getting closer. Farmers who might still be thinking about what varieties to plant this year should take a listen to what growers who use Bayer’s LibertyLink system have to say about their real yields last season. I talked with Ross Aigner of Wilkin County, Minnesota about his 2015 season with …
Trump Tops @AgriPulse Poll of Farmers
As Iowa voters gather to caucus today, a new Agri-Pulse poll shows most farmers support Donald Trump for president. In the most extensive poll of how U.S. farmers and ranchers plan to vote for president, respondents overwhelmingly say they’ll support a Republican, and 40 percent of those are Trump supporters. That compares to 15 percent for Sen. Ted Cruz, 11 …
Ethanol, Farmers and Politics in Iowa
With the Iowa caucuses coming up on Monday, agriculture and renewable fuels finally got some attention in the Republican debate last night, as Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas was asked about his position on the Renewable Fuel Standard. “We should be developing oil and gas and coal and nuclear and wind and solar and ethanol and biofuels but I don’t …
A Zippy 500th ZimmCast
We wanted our 500th ZimmCast to be something special so we felt it appropriate to spotlight the new president of the American Farm Bureau Federation who has a name that is sure to be unforgettable – Zippy Duvall of Georgia. Yes, Zippy is a nickname, one that Duvall has had from infancy, although he is proud that he has two …
The Economics of Cover Crops
At the first Soil Health Summit last year, I talked with Purdue University agricultural economist Dr. Wally Tyner about the need to quantify the economic benefits for farmers of using cover crops. This year, Chuck talked with him again about where they are at with that initiative. “We’ve designed some new studies…to get statistically, economically valid comparisons on farm fields …
Deputy Secretary Harden to Leave USDA
USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden today announced plans to depart the agency at the end of next month. “Today is bittersweet for me as I announce my decision to step down as Deputy Secretary at the end of February,” said Harden in a statement. “I am proud of what our Department has accomplished since 2009 to bring economic opportunity that …
The Nature Conservancy Supports Soil Health
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) provides technical support for the Soil Health Partnership (SHP), and it’s something that fits in well with the organization’s mission “to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.” “The Nature Conservancy has been working in agriculture for several decades,” says Larry Clemens, TNC North American Agriculture Program Director. “We’ve been wanted to scale …
Soil Health From the Ground Up #SHPsummit16
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is not even two years old yet, but already the group has made some great strides in learning more about soil health to share with farmers. Hans Kok is a field manager for SHP in Indiana, where the second Soil Health Summit is being held this week. “We’re setting up a network of demonstration farms …
New Sustainability Initiative by @GROWMARK
One of the definitions of sustainable is “able to endure or continue for a long time” and that is the main characteristic that GROWMARK has chosen to focus on with a new system sustainability initiative. GROWMARK Executive Director of Agronomy Marketing Ron Milby says the initiative fits in with the cooperative’s overall goals. “Our mission statement is ‘To improve the …
What Now for WOTUS?
As expected, President Obama yesterday vetoed a disapproval resolution passed by Congress that would have nullified the controversial clean water rule by EPA, better known as Waters of the U.S. or WOTUS. “Because this resolution seeks to block the progress represented by this rule and deny businesses and communities the regulatory certainty and clarity needed to invest in projects that …