Despite a slowly maturing corn crop impacted by late summer heat, USDA upped its production forecast for the crop this year by a little bit instead of lowering it. Corn production is forecast at 13.8 billion bushels, up less than 1 percent from the August forecast and up 28 percent from 2012. If realized, this will be a new record …
IFAJ VP Reports and Rocks
International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Vice President Owen Roberts, Director for Research Communications at the University of Guelph, had some great news to share about the organization’s outreach efforts during the IFAJ 2013 Congress. IFAJ has 33 member country guilds, but Owen says they have been working on expanding that to become even more global. “That has started a …
Cattle and Ethanol Debating RFS
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts is live right now on AgriTalk in a debate with Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Great RFS Debate is being co-hosted by Agri-Pulse. Pictured here, left to right, as the debate begins – Bob Dinneen, AgriTalk host Mike …
IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp
One of the great things about the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) is the professional improvement it offers for up and coming ag journalists all over the world. Alltech sponsors a Young Leader award program that offers an intensive journalistic boot camp-style workshop for 10 promising new journalists from ten different countries. This year’s young leader from the United …
Reaction to Court COOL Decision
A U.S. district court judge today denied a request for a preliminary injunction blocking a final USDA regulation mandating country-of-origin labels (COOL) on meat sold in retail stores until a lawsuit filed July 8 is concluded. That decision made COOL supporters happy but disappointed the plaintiffs, which include U.S. and Canadian meat packer and livestock organizations. “We disagree strongly with …
NFU Fly-In Features Big Names
The National Farmers Union held a star-studded press conference on the first day of its Legislative Fly-In in Washington to highlight two important issues for agriculture – passing a farm bill this year, and maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Rock star of the event was Grammy-winning artist Neil Young, pictured here with NFU President Roger Johnson. Young, who was …
Americans Score IFAJ Awards
American ag journalists were honored for their work in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Star Prize contests, results of which were announced last week at IFAJ’s World Congress in Rosario, Argentina. A Progressive Farmer team of American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) members Gregg Hillyer, Barb Baylor Anderson, Charles Johnson, and Howard G. Buffett – took home the IFAJ-Yara …
Argentinian Citrus Grove
We told you earlier about our visit to La Campiña, owned by Cesar and Mónica Cahen D’Anvers, near Rosario, Argentina. The main crop grown on this farm is oranges – both a local variety and navels – and they are cultivated for export to mostly European markets as well as in the making of various juices, jams, jellies and candies …
Teen Restores John Deere Tractor for Charity
About seven years ago, 16-year-old Austin Rhoda of Chenoa, Illinois was a leukemia patient at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN. After several years of successful treatment, he decided to give back to that organization that helped him and his family so much by doing something he loves – restoring old tractors, selling raffle tickets and donating the proceeds …
BASF Expands RTP Faciity
While we were in Argentina last week, BASF held a ribbon cutting to officially open its $33 million facility expansion in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. “This expansion demonstrates BASF’s strong commitment to Agricultural Solutions and strengthens our research and development capabilities”, said Peter Eckes, President BASF Plant Science. “This investment demonstrates our commitment to our employees, our neighbors and …