While at the John Deere 2014 product launch this week, Chuck spent some time with American Farm Bureau Federation Congressional Affairs specialist Mary Kay Thatcher, who was along for the ride. At my request, he got an update from Mary Kay about what she expects Congress to do before the election, what Farm Bureau’s number one concern is right now, …
Pork Economic Situation and Outlook
The record yields and production predicted for the U.S. corn crop this year have good potential to get even bigger, according to livestock economist Steve Meyer, Paragon Economics. “It just looks very good … we’re looking at a great crop,” said Meyer at the Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica North Carolina Swine Health Seminar last week. “Based on history, the two years …
AgRowers Support Farmers and Rivers
Missouri corn and soybean growers were rowers last week in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of the state’s rivers for agriculture. The Missouri Corn and Soybean Rowers, also known as the Ag Rowers, spent nearly 77 hours last week paddling their tandem kayak across the state from Kansas City to St. Charles in the Missouri American Water …
BIVI CEO Kissel at North Carolina Swine Seminar
Dr. Albrecht Kissel moved from his native Germany to Missouri in 2011 to become the president and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) and this year he had the chance to attend the company’s annual North Carolina Swine Health Seminar. Trained as a veterinarian, Kissel has been with BI since 1993 and he shared a little bit about BIVI and …
STAR Energy Powering up for Farm Progress Show
It takes a lot of energy to power the annual Farm Progress Show and that’s where GROWMARK FS STAR Energy shines. Retail fuel manager Jason Stauffer, who we talked with at the 2010 Farm Progress Show in Iowa, says it takes them awhile to prepare for the event. “It starts about the second or third week in July,” he said. …
Ditch the Rule at Missouri State Fair
Agriculture’s “Ditch the Rule” campaign against the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule was highlighted at the Missouri State Fair this week. Three members of Missouri’s congressional delegation held a press conference at the fair, organized by the the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri Farm Bureau. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), …
Precision and Data Brings Companies Together
One of the great aspects of the InfoAg Conference is company-to-company communications and partnerships for the benefit of farmers. We talked with Kevin Krieg, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group Product Line Manager, about how important it is to work with other companies. “It’s one of the biggest roadblocks to being able to get more adoption of precision technologies – the …
Corn Based Craft Beer
Plato is quoted as saying “He was a wise man who invented beer.” With craft beers all the rage now, a wise brewery is taking a second look at corn as a main ingredient. Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland calls its new brew Agave Cerveza. Our latest Brewhouse Rarities release, Agave Cerveza, is the artisanal answer to the easy-drinking, …
USDA Predicts Record Corn and Soybean Crops
A little bit more corn and a lot more soybeans compared to last year is what USDA is forecasting in the latest report out today. U.S. soybean producers are expected to produce a record 3.82 billion bushels in 2014, up 16 percent from last year according to the Crop Production report issued today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National …
Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy
This is the first of a four part series on Nutrient Management sponsored by FS/GROWMARK In March of 2013, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency hosted a meeting of stakeholders to announce the beginning of a statewide Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Marcia Willhite, chief of the Illinois EPA Bureau of Water, says the first step in implementing this strategy was to get …