NAMA App Arrives in Time for Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

This app just in … the NAMA App! The National Agri-Marketing Association is thrilled to announce its all-new app, just in time for the 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference. The app is available for iPhone, iPod, iPad or Android smartphone and Blackberry is coming soon. Download from iTunes here. Download from the Android Market here. 2011 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA, Technology

Get More From Burndown as Planting Begins

Cindy Zimmerman

Planting season has officially started with the first USDA crop progress report of the year released this week. Three percent of the nation’s corn crop planted – the same as both last year and the five year average. Cotton is running on schedule with seven percent planted and sorghum is 20 percent. As the planters start moving through the fields, …

Farming, Precision Agriculture, USDA

Introducing Meghan Grebner

Cindy Zimmerman

Probably should have done this before her first post, but AgWired is proud to introduce Meghan Grebner as our newest blogger. Many of our readers probably already know Meghan, as she is an active member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) and is currently serving as regional vice president for the organization. In 2009, she was honored with …

NAFB, ZimmComm Announcement

Agriculture Excited About Colombia Free Trade News

Cindy Zimmerman

It’s taken over four years to get to this point, but some action is finally happening on the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) and U.S. agriculture interests are thrilled. President Obama announced today that an agreement has been reached on the deal that was signed by the U.S. Trade Representative and the Colombian trade minister on Nov. 22, 2006. The …

AFBF, Beef, NCBA, NCGA, NPPC, Trade, USDA

Congress Repeals Stupid 1099 Provision

Cindy Zimmerman

Put this in the “who thought this was a good idea in the first place?” file. By a vote of 87-12, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to repeal the idiotic health care reform provision that would have required businesses to file a 1099 form with the IRS any time they spend more than $600 a year with another business, sending …

AFBF, NCBA

Republican Budget Would Cut Farm Spending

Cindy Zimmerman

The FY 2012 Budget Resolution unveiled by House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-Wis) includes reforming current farm programs. The Republican budget plan would cut farm program spending by $30 billion over the next decade to “reflect the economic reality of record-high farm income by restructuring farm programs, saving taxpayers money and increasing farmer independence.” Net farm income this year …

Corn, Farm Policy, NCGA

I Am Angus Spotlights Temple Grandin

Cindy Zimmerman

Temple Grandin is a doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. She is also widely noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the hug machine designed to calm hypersensitive persons. Her autism advocacy has made her famous in the general population, …

Beef, Livestock, Video

Happy Biofools Day!

Cindy Zimmerman

The votes have been cast and the winner of “Biofool of the Year” is ….. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack! While we are disappointed that we were not chosen by Friends of the Earth (FOE) for this award, as they say in the Academy, it was an honor just to be nominated! According to FOE, more than 6,000 votes were cast …

USDA, Wackos

Effort Launched to Repeal Death Tax

Cindy Zimmerman

A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Congressmen Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Mike Ross (D-Ark) have reintroduced legislation to permanently repeal the “death” tax. “The Death Tax is still the #1 reason family farms and businesses in America aren’t passed down to the next generation,” Brady says. “It’s the wrong tax at the wrong time and hurts the wrong people.” …

AFBF

Keep Potatoes in Schools!

Cindy Zimmerman

According to the National Potato Council, “The time has come to stand up for potatoes in schools!” French fries and mashed potatoes have long been staples of the school lunch program, but that could change if a USDA proposal incorporating the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is implemented. According to USDA, the revisions will “add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, …

Potato, USDA