The American Farm Bureau Federation has launched a new website to help farmers “Get a Move On” and stand up for biotechnology. By going to GetaMoveOn.fb.org, farmers can show their support for a national, science-based labeling standard, such as the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (H.R. 1599). “Now is the time for farmers and ranchers to take action in …
Phenomenal Corn Planting Progress
A week ago corn planting was running behind schedule but thanks to the very latest precision technology corn farmers are now 17% ahead of the five year average with 55% of the crop in the ground, according to the latest crop progress report. The phenomenal progress included an increase of 38% in Nebraska and Illinois, 41% more in Missouri, 45% …
GROWMARK Provides Fertilizer Update
Lower crop prices and a later harvest caused farmers to cut back some on fall fertilizer application last year but supplies are expected to be adequate this spring to meet demand, according to GROWMARK Plant Food Director Joe Dillier. “Haven’t had a great test of that because of the planting delays we’ve had to date,” said Dillier. “But my guess …
Bayer CropScience Teams with Flagship Ventures
Bayer CropScience today announced a new partnership with venture capital firm Flagship Ventures to invest in leading-edge agriculture companies and technologies. The partnership also includes an investment in Flagship Ventures Fund V, a $537 million venture capital fund that closed in March 2015. “Emerging challenges in agriculture are leading the industry in new and exciting directions,” said Liam Condon, chief …
Avian Flu Epidemic Grows
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declared a state of emergency Friday as new confirmed and probable cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been announced on an almost daily basis in the last two weeks. Yet another four probable cases were announced Monday, bringing the total now to over 20 million birds at 25 sites in 11 counties. Iowa is …
Netflix to Stream FARMLAND
The movie FARMLAND is now available for streaming to 57 million subscribers worldwide on Netflix.com. “I’m thrilled that FARMLAND has found a new home at Netflix,” said Academy Award®-winning director James Moll. “There’s a lot of interest out there in the next generation of farmers and ranchers, and Netflix is a great venue to meet and be inspired by these …
BASF Starts 150th Year With Higher Sales
BASF’s 150th anniversary year is off to a great start, due in a large part to the chemical company’s innovative crop protection business. Compared with the first quarter of 2014, sales grew by 3% to €20.1 billion ($22.5 billion USD) in the first quarter of this year. Sales in the Agricultural Solutions segment rose by 15% to €1.9 billion ($2.1 …
Support for Food Labeling Act
Hundreds of organizations representing various sectors of the food and agriculture industry signed on to a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives this week asking them to support the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The groups representing the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food urged members of Congress to consider co-sponsoring the bill introduced last month by …
Senators Call for Revised WOTUS
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators today introduced a bill that would repeal EPA’s “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) proposal. The senators, including John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), jointly introduced the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, directing EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers …
Mixed Signals on Biotech from EU
Mixed signals regarding biotech crops coming from the European Union last week have left representatives of the agriculture community shaking their heads. First the EU announced it would allow member nations to ban the import of food and feed containing biotech ingredients, and then a few days later announced the approval of 17 biotech traits for import. “I’m just characterizing …