Earlier this week we got to see ASTA’s latest video project with plant breeder and mother, Jessie Alt. Today I got to sit down with her to talk about her role connecting consumers with plant science. As a research scientist for DuPont Pioneer, Jessie’s day job is to develop new soybean varieties for farmers, but off the clock she’s a wife and …
Evolution of Plant Breeding in Focus at #ASTACSS
ASTA CSS in Chicago this week brought together a panel of experts to talk about the future of gene editing and it’s role in the agriculture industry. “Plant breeding is an evolving practice. It’s an evolving science.” said American Seed Trade Association President and CEO Andy LaVigne. “Plant breeding builds upon itself.” LaVigne outlined the milestones in plant breeding, beginning …
Moving the Middle at #ASTACSS
Tim Hassigner with Dow AgroSciences was at ASTA CSS & Seed Expo to talk with members of the seed industry about the gap in information between themselves and consumers. “It’s definitely a time when there’s more questions and concerns related to food, but […] information sharing can make a difference,” he told the audience durning the morning session. The consumer …
Wisconsin GROWMARK Essay Winner Announced
GROWMARK has announced the Wisconsin state winner of their 2017 essay contest. FFA members competed on the theme “What value do cooperatives provide to today’s farmers?” Casey Groening’s submission earned him the top prize for responses like this: “The value of cooperatives is immensely important to today’s farmers, and is more than what is seen at a business level. Farmers …
Political Insights from #ARA2016 Keynote
Stuart Rothenberg knows the word “nonpartisan” is suspect, but as the Founding Editor of The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, that’s what he strives to be. In his recent keynote address to the members of the Agricultural Retailers Association meeting this week in Orlando, Rothenberg talked about the recent Presidential election, and how it was big in more ways than …
Two Years of Progress for ResponsibleAg
ResponsibleAg began their safety compliance mission two years ago, and already the program has signed up 2,284 locations, Bill Qualls reported at the Agricultural Retailers Association Conference & Expo. The numbers reflect the importance of safety to members of the industry, Qualls asserts, and it is his job to make sure they’re well informed. “My goal is to help each …
CEO Daren Coppock Addresses #ARA2016
The Agricultural Retailers Association Convention & Expo heard from CEO, Daren Coppock with the President’s report and review of the year. He couldn’t begin without talking about the election, Coppock said. “This opens up some unexpected avenues for us. It was a surprising outcome in a number of ways. But if we look at implications for our industry there are …
Milestone for General Mills, Xerces Society and NRCS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture hosted an announcement between themselves, General Mills, and the largest and oldest pollinator conservation organization, the Xerces Society this morning. The three organizations are joining together to protect the habitats of pollinators on hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland. The project is a five-year, $4 million commitment to provide the technical assistance for planting …
Florida FFA President Welcomes #ARA2016 Members
Who better to welcome members of the Agricultural Retailers Association to Florida for their annual conference than William Jameson, the Florida State FFA President and symbol of agriculture’s future? Florida stands tall in the agriculture industry, growing more than 300 types of commodities from fresh produce like grapefruit and sweet corn to beef and field crops. The state also boasts …
CommonGround Celebrates Six Years
CommonGround is celebrating its sixth year of connecting urban and suburban women with farm women who wish to tell the story of agriculture. The program, supported with checkoff dollars from the National Corn Growers Association of and the United Soybean Board, began with 15 female farmer volunteers from five states. Now the program boasts nearly 200 farm women from 19 …