AGROTAIN International had some big news to talk about today at the Ag Media Summit Info Expo – the company has signed an agreement to sell its assets to Koch Agronomic Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Koch Fertilizer, LLC. AGROTAIN VP of Global Marketing Jeff Whetstine, pictured here with Dr. Harold Reetz of Reetz Agronomics, gave Chuck the lowdown in …
Retail and Acquisitions Put the GROW in GROWMARK
Retail businesses and acquisitions really put the “Grow” in the GROWMARK system. Shelly Kruse is GROWMARK vice president of retail and acquisitions and I spoke with her earlier this year about her job. “I work a lot with our retail divisions, which are member cooperatives that have actually merged into GROWMARK,” Shelly said. Three of those retail divisions are located …
MPK Teaches Peanut Industry Some New Moves
I had the opportunity to see the lovely and talented advocate for agriculture Michele Payn-Knoper in action last week at the 2011 Southern Peanut Growers Conference where she was the keynote luncheon speaker. “We have to engage with the 98 and a half percent of the population who are not farmers,” she said, encouraging the peanut growers to use the …
Country Living Association Says Farewell
The Country Living Association (CLA) has decided to discontinue operations effective today. In an email to readers, members, stakeholders and friends, CLA director Courtney Yuskis wrote that economic conditions forced them to make this difficult decision. It’s with some sadness that I am writing to you this week. The Country Living Association has decided to discontinue operations effective today. The …
Peanut Proud Helping Tornado Victims
Peanut Proud was an effort started two years ago when the peanut industry faced the salmonella outbreak that threatened consumer perceptions of healthy peanut butter. When the industry came through the challenge stronger than before, Peanut Proud started looking for a way to give back to the people, and that opportunity came without warning when a string of tornadoes struck …
Farm Bill Forecasting at Peanut Meeting
Prospects for a new Farm Bill dominated a discussion at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Panama City over the weekend. Congressman Stephen Fincher (R-TN) of the freshman class in the House of Representatives for 2010 would like to see the next Farm Bill delayed until after the 2012 election. “We’ve got to make sure as we approach writing a …
Time for Peanuts on the Beach
It’s time once again for peanuts on the beach in Panama City, Florida – where it’s cooler than it is here in the Midwest! It’s the 13th Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference (SPGC), being held once again at the beautiful Edgewater Beach Resort, July 21-23, and I will once again be the official SPGC blogger. This will be the fourth …
Regulatory Trainwreck Video
All aboard for the Over-Regulation Express! The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has just released a clever new YouTube video calling attention to the current administration’s onslaught of “burdensome, costly and scientifically unfounded regulations as a way to cut spending and prevent further job loss in rural America.” When you see the list of regulations coming down the track that will …
House Hearing on How GIPSA Hurts Small Business
The last post we did with a lawmaker’s opinion on GIPSA, we got hammered with comments. That was fun – let’s do it again! Last time, it was Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) who had negative comments about USDA’s controversial Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard’s Administration (GIPSA) proposal. This time, it’s Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO), chairman of the House Small Business …
AG CONNECT Expo 2013 Set for Kansas City
AG CONNECT Expo is going to Kansas City in 2013. The third AG CONNECT Expo will be held January 29-31, 2013 at the Kansas City Convention Center, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which started the global agribusiness trade show in 2010. The show is now on a biennial schedule synchronized with Agritechnica, the global agriculture trade show …