Global chemical giant BASF has invested $30 million in a Pennsylvania-based company that has developed a process to produce cellulosic sugars for renewable chemicals and biofuels. BASF, through subsidiary BASF Biorenewable Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG led a $50 million financing round in the technology firm Renmatix Inc. Renmatix has developed the patented Plantrose™ platform whereby industrial sugar can be …
John Deere Can Combine Sets World Record
The John Deere Can-Do combine has officially set a world record. The John Deere “Can Do” project in November 2011 created a full-sized combine made entirely from food – 308,448 cans of food and 11,268 bags of food to be exact. According to Guinness® World Records, Project “Can Do” is by far the largest sculpture ever built from canned food, …
AFBF President Pleased With Policy Direction
Bob Stallman of Texas was re-elected to serve another two year term as president of the American Farm Bureau Federation after a long voting delegate session to set policy direction for 2012 as the organization’s 93rd annual meeting wrapped up on Tuesday in Honolulu. The business session of the AFBF meeting lasted all day Tuesday covering a wide variety of …
AFBF YF&R Winners
Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture competitions were announced Monday at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 93rd Annual Meeting. Young farmers and ranchers from around the country competed for the awards by demonstrating knowledge of and achievement in agriculture, as well as commitment to promoting the agriculture industry. Ben and Jennifer …
AFBF Voting Delegates in Session
The important business of the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting has been underway today as voting delegates have been considering hundreds of resolutions for the organization’s policy priorities in 2012. Most of the morning session was taken up with resolutions ranging from opposition to the Renewable Fuels Standard (which was defeated) to strongly urging Congress to balance the budget, …
Dave Barry Leaves Farmers Laughing at AFBF
Growing up in south Florida, I have been a fan of humorist Dave Barry from the time he was still just the humor columnist at the Miami Herald before he hit the big time, so it was a thrill for me to see him at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting. And while he was unknown to many of …
Kruse Receives AFBF Distinguished Service Award
The American Farm Bureau Federation Monday presented its highest honor, the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, to former Missouri Farm Bureau President Charles Kruse. “This is a tremendous honor to receive this award,” Kruse said, accepting the award from AFBF president Bob Stallman on stage at the 93rd annual meeting with his wife Pam and current Missouri Farm Bureau president …
Vilsack Announces USDA Streamlining at AFBF Meeting
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed a plan for streamlining operations and cutting costs at USDA during an address to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting on Monday. “The USDA, like families and businesses across the country, cannot continue to operate like we did 50 years ago,” said Vilsack. “We must innovate, modernize, and be better stewards of the taxpayers’ …
Aloha from NAFB President
Aloha from yet another president at the 93rd American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting – the president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB). Tom Steever of Brownfield Ag News gave the traditional NAFB president greeting at the start of the closing general session Monday – and was darn near as funny as keynote speaker and Pulitzer Prize winning …
Aloha from Hawaii Farm Bureau President
On the American Farm Bureau annual meeting blog is a nice video interview that Janice Person (@JPLovesCotton) did with Hawaii Farm Bureau president Dean Okimoto, a farmer on Oahu who mainly grows baby greens, herbs and specialty vegetables for restaurants in Oahu or to sell through farmers’ markets. Dean talks with Janice about agriculture in Hawaii, which mainly features small …