Each October since 1964, cooperatives across the United States have been celebrating the cooperative difference, business model and the contributions of cooperatives to their communities, during National Cooperative Month. One of the best examples of an agricultural cooperative that makes a difference is GROWMARK, based in Bloomington, Illinois, and chairman of the board Dan Kelley says cooperatives touch our lives …
Farm Bureau Says FCC Must Test Technical Fixes for GPS
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and an independent technical company must complete comprehensive and rigorous testing on all proposed technical fixes to ensure there is no interference between broadband and GPS signals that could be created by a broadband network being developed by LightSquared. “It is critical that costs for resolving this issue …
Many Attend 25th Georgia Peanut Tour
The 25th Georgia Peanut Tour this year hosted participants from 12 states and international attendees from Belgium, Canada and Argentina. The event, held at the end of September in the Southwest area of Georgia, allowed many first time attendees to actually walk through a peanut field and see peanuts plowed up with a digger at harvest. The tour included stops …
Agriculture Groups Praise Passage of Trade Pacts
Agricultural interests have been trying for nearly five years to get Washington to act on three free trade agreements and finally in just over a week they have been sent to Congress and passed by significant majorities. The trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Columbia were each voted on separately and passed in rapid succession Wednesday, first by the …
AFBF Elects Potts as Executive Vice President
Julie Anna Potts is the new executive vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. The AFBF board of directors elected Potts last week to succeeds Dick Newpher who retired after 19 years of service with AFBF, the last seven as executive vice president. Newpher previously worked 19 years with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau in various capacities. In her new …
Blue Jeans Make Insulation Green
Don’t throw out those old blue jeans – they could be used to insulate someone’s house. “Cotton. From Blue to Green®” is a Cotton Incorporated initiative started in 2006 that gives donated denim a second life by converting it into UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation. To date, the program has received over half a million pieces of denim which has produced approximately …
Corn and Cattle at Odds Over Renewable Fuels Standard
Corn growers and cattle producers are at odds over new legislation introduced in the House that would change the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2). The bill, sponsored by Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Jim Costa (D-CA), would allow Congress to reduce the RFS requirement for ethanol whenever corn stocks are tight. Speaking on behalf of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) …
Senator Pat Roberts Comments at John Deere Opening
You can always count on Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) to liven up any gathering and leave them laughing. At the John Deere Olathe opening last Friday, Sen. Roberts did just that. “Anyone know a good copyright lawyer?” the senator asked as he took the podium after speeches by Deere’s John Lagemann and Dave Everitt and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback. “I’ve …
On Site Live at World Dairy Expo
The ZimmComm team is on site at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. This is the 7th year we have been here at WDX, but the first time the two of us have been here together. We were both here one year but switched off, so not together, and I have been here by myself or with daughter Carly for …
Trade Agreements Finally Moving for Real
After more than four years in limbo, trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama have finally been sent to Congress by the White House and could be voted on by next week. “The series of trade agreements I am submitting to Congress today will make it easier for American companies to sell their products in South Korea, Colombia, and …