Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack stressed the role of farmers and ranchers in addressing climate change issues during an address Monday at the American Farm Bureau Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Vilsack said he is excited about a new partnership between USDA and Farmers For Soil Health, an initiative of the United Soybean Board, National Corn Growers Association and National Pork …
Farm Bureau Honors Former Ag Secretary
The American Farm Bureau Federation honored former Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue with its annual Distinguished Service Award yesterday at the annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Perdue was honored for his seven decades of service to agriculture including serving as secretary of agriculture from 2017-2021, where he led USDA’s implementation of the 2018 farm bill. Under his leadership, the department’s …
BASF Honors Cotton Specialist of the Year
Kansas State University Extension Specialist Stu Duncan was presented with the Cotton Specialist of the Year Award by BASF this week at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences. Voted on by cotton specialists in the 17 states where cotton is grown, this highly-esteemed award is based on several considerations, including exceptional leadership and outstanding industry service. “Saw my first cotton plants in …
Passing of Ed Czerwien
Well-known cattle market analyst Ed Czerwien, 70, Amarillo, passed away January 3 after fighting ALS for more than three years. Ed is an emeritus member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) and was a Livestock & Grain Market News Reporter for the USDA in Amarillo, TX until he retired. After retiring, he started up CZ Cattle Market Analytics …
Cotton Trust Protocol Update
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol recently celebrated one-year since its official launch in 2020. The Trust Protocol brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to sustainable cotton production and drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics– land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency. National Cotton Council president and CEO Dr. Gary Adams, …
Carbon a Topic at Cotton Consultants Conference
The consultants conference kicked off the first day of the live and in-person 2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences this week in San Antonio. National Cotton Council Vice President for Technical Services Don Parker discussed the science of carbon sequestration for the consultants and the differences between measuring the carbon and improving farming practices. “It’s got an excellent future for us,” said …
Benson Hill Acquires Iowa Soy Processing Plant
Benson Hill, Inc. today announced the acquisition of ZFS Creston, LLC, an established food grade white flake and soy flour manufacturing operation in southwest Iowa for approximately $102 million. The investment fulfills a final step in Benson Hill’s ability to convert its proprietary soybeans into value-added soy protein ingredients for the underserved human and pet food categories. “The acquisition of …
Start the New Year Right with Beltwide Cotton
The National Cotton Council is pleased to kick off the new year with the 2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences January 4-6, live and in person at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter, San Antonio, Texas. Three days of individual reports, panel discussions, hands on workshops and seminars are designed to provide attendees with information they need to help producers make key cotton …
NCBA 2021 Policy Update
2021 has been a busy year for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association working for the nation’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. Members of the NCBA policy team took some time to update reporters on wins and losses this year and where the industry stands going into 2022. Here are a few of the highlights: Ethan Lane, NCBA Vice President …