We are very pleased to report that our good friend Lindsay Hill of AdVance, ABN and Buckeye Ag Radio Network has been elected as vice president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. She is pictured here with her very proud husband and partner Andy Vance shortly after the election took place. Lindsay is a 10-year veteran of agricultural media …
Get a Hat Like Ryan’s
The Ethanol Promotion and Information Council is inviting NAFB members to get a hat while they’re hot. The first 30 farm broadcasters who stop by the EPIC booth at the NAFB Trade Talk to do an interview will receive a limited edition Team Ethanol cap – just like the one Indy car driver Ryan Hunter-Reay is wearing in this photo …
Growth Energy Launch
When it comes to ethanol organizations, it’s the more the merrier, according to the organizers of a new group called Growth Energy. “We believe the more associations, the better,” said Jeff Broin, CEO of POET, during a press conference this morning announcing the new organization. The main focus of the new group is on dispelling the myth perpetuated by the …
Dorr Resigns from USDA
We’ve seen USDA Under Secretary Tom Dorr so many times in the past year or so at so many events that we have gotten to know him pretty well. But, now he is moving on and out of USDA. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced the resignation, effective December 1, 2008, of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas …
USDA Makes Unprecedented Change in Crop Report
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today did something it has never done before – adjusted its official October acreage and production estimates for six field crops. “There has never been a complete reissue of a crop production report, with a lock up and with the secretary’s briefing,” said Joe Prusacki with USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service. USDA revised the numbers …
MGEX to Close Trading Pits
After a long history of futures and options open outcry trading, the Minneapolis Grain Exchange is closing its trading pits effective December 19, 2008. The decision to make the transition to exclusively electronic trading was unanimously approved by the MGEX Board of Directors and is pending MGEX ownership approval. According to a MGEX release, the decision comes after an exhaustive …
Iowa Farmer Participates in World Food Prize
There were many corporate, government and organization types at the World Food Prize symposium last week in Des Moines – but there were lots of real farmers as well, from all over the world. The opportunity for farmers from different countries to network with each other is very valuable, especially for sharing ideas to increase productivity. Laura Foell is a …
Truth About Trade and Technology Global Roundtable
For the third year, the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) held a Global Farmer to Farmer Roundtable in conjunction with the World Food Prize events. Over 20 farmers from as many nations participated in the event this year to discuss biotech agriculture in their countries, according to TATT chairman Dean Kleckner. “Either how we’re using it and here’s what …
Soybeans Feeding the World
The role of soybeans in helping to feed a growing world population was emphasized at the World Food Prize events in Des Moines this past week by the prominent presence of soybean industry groups like the United Soybean Board. I spoke with USB CEO John Becherer (pictured here on the right with World Food Prize Foundation president Ambassador Ken Quinn) …
The Food and Fuel Story of Soy
Here are a couple of ladies who are World Food Prize winners in my book. They are Victoria Carver (left) with the Iowa Soybean Association who serves on the recently created National Biodiesel Board Sustainability Task Force and Linda Funk with the Soyfoods Council and Soy For Life. I had a chance to visit with both of these lovely ladies …