The popularity of farmers’ markets has skyrocketed in the last decade, but most vendors still use generic, light-weight white canopies that have to be creatively anchored to the ground since stakes are not allowed. That could change someday soon thanks to some imaginative architects with new ideas for farmers markets. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) just selected the winners …
USDA Acreage Report Released
More soybeans and less corn planted this year, according to the USDA planted acreage report released today. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is estimating a record high 84.8 million acres of soybeans planted in the United States for 2014, up 11 percent from last year, while corn acreage planted is estimated at 91.6 million acres, down 4 percent from …
Hillary Clinton Talks Ag Biotechnology
Hillary Clinton seems to be everywhere these days and this week she spent over an hour at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) convention in San Diego chatting with BIO president and CEO Jim Greenwood, a former congressman from Pennsylvania. The wide ranging discussion touched on a variety of topics, including agricultural biotechnology. Greenwood asked Mrs. Clinton where she stood on …
GROWMARK Names New CEO
GROWMARK, Inc. has named Jim Spradlin of Morton, Illinois as new chief executive officer effective September 16, 2014, replacing Jeff Solberg who will retire in September. “Jim has the skills, knowledge, experience, and support to successfully lead GROWMARK into the future,” said GROWMARK Chairman of the Board and President, John Reifsteck. “The Board has great confidence in him and his …
ASTA Committee on Innovations and Policy
The American Seed Trade Association has had a Biotechnology Committee for two decades, but as it is now the Innovations and Policy Committee. Pictured here from the ASTA annual meeting are immediate past committee chair Keith Newhouse with Winfield Solutions and current chair Mark Krieger of Dow AgroSciences who presided at the first meeting of the committee under the new …
Trade Priorities for Soybean and Chicken Producers
The Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing Wednesday on “Trade Enforcement: Using Trade Rules to Level the Playing Field for U.S. Companies and Workers” addressing concerns that as new trade agreements are being considered those that are already in place are not being adequately enforced. “Without strong enforcement, no trade deal – old or new – is able to …
BASF Nealta® Fights Mites
BASF Nealta® miticide just received unconditional registration from the EPA last month so it was in the spotlight during the company’s recent media event. “We’re really excited to bring Nealta to the marketplace this year,” says product manager Doug Haller. “Currently we have 32 state registrations and we’re getting more and more each day.” The miticide is labeled for use …
USDA Biopreferred Program Grows Biobased Market
The purpose of the USDA BioPreferred® program is to promote the increased purchase and use of biobased products, so program manager Ron Buckhalt was a popular guy at last week’s United Soybean Board Biobased Products Stakeholders Dialogue. “The biopreferred program was created by Congress to help grow the market for biobased products,” said Buckhalt. “The idea being we can use …
Columbia Forest Products Stick with Soy
North Carolina-based Columbia Forest Products was ahead of the curve a decade ago when it moved to formaldehyde-free hardwood plywood technology. “We make flat, decorative panels with a highly-prized face like a cherry, oak, walnut,” explains marketing director Todd Vogelsinger. “And we glue it all together with a resin system that is 95% soy flour.” The company replaced the commonly …
ASTA Supports International Plant Treaty
You may have never heard about the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture but the multi-lateral agreement is considered crucial in the fight against global hunger and poverty. “The treaty is an international regime where countries decided that we needed to do something about conserving and sustainably using plant genetic resources for food and agriculture,” said …