The 98th American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting came to a close yesterday after the voting delegate session where members set policy for the coming year. Delegates approved policy resolutions on a number of issues including crop insurance, the inclusion of food assistance in the upcoming farm bill, school nutrition, biotechnology, energy and more. Delegates passed a special resolution urging …
Food Safety Rule Session at #AFBF17
Bob Ehart, senior policy and science advisor with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), spoke to farmers and ranchers during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2017 Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). NASDA and AFBF simply want to ensure farmers have the tools needed to meet these …
#AFBF17 Panel Discusses Sustainability
One of agriculture’s biggest frustrations is sustainability; not because we aren’t doing it, but because others are defining it for us, says Katie Heger, a farmer serving on American Farm Bureau Federation‘s Dirt on Sustainability panel. “We have a market that is trying to define what [sustainability] means to us and how we’re supposed to respond to that. Sustainability, really, …
#AFBF17 Young Farmer and Rancher Awards
Young farmers and ranchers from across the nation competed in three categories: the Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture. Winners were announced during the American Farm Bureau Federation‘s 2017 Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show. Sarah Cyphers representing the Commonwealth of Virginia earn the Excellence in Agriculture Award. Now she’ll get to choose between a …
#AFBF17 Honors Entrepreneurs
The American Farm Bureau Federation Entrepreneur of the Year is Vertical Harvest Hydroponics of Alaska and team leads Linda Janes and Dan Perpich. Janes and Perpich came out the winner over three other finalists and took home a total of $30,000 in prize money, including $15,000 from sponsor Farm Bureau Bank to produce hydroponic vegetables housed in 40’ insulated shipping …
Meet New @FarmBureau YF&R Chair
Kalena Bruce of southwest Missouri was elected as the 2017 chairperson of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee during the AFBF annual meeting in Phoenix this week. Bruce will take over as chair in February, at the end of the committee’s leadership conference, and serve for one year and will also serve on the AFBF board of …
Crop Outlook from #AFBF17
Dr. Pat Westhoff of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri brought attendees of the American Farm Bureau Federation‘s Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show an outlook for the 2017-2018 crop demand. Overall, he says, look for 2017 to follow a similar trend of 2016, with prices continuing to be below average. “Lots of pressure …
Agri-Pulse Announces Farm Bill Series and Summit
At the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting this week, Agri-Pulse announced a new partnership with multiple agricultural organizations for an in-depth editorial series on the next farm bill and a Farm Bill Summit to be held at the National Press Club on March 20. Agri-Pulse Editor Sara Wyant says the series will be called “The Seven Things You …
Exploring the New Political Landscape at #AFBF17
The election of Donald Trump as president of the United States has ushered in a whole new political landscape, which was discussed during one of the sessions early Monday morning at the American Farm Bureau Federation 2017 Annual Convention. “What we thought was impossible politically is now possible,” said Stan Barnes, President, Copper State Consulting Group in Phoenix. “We’re not …
#AFBF17 Starts Founders Award
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) instituted a new award at the 2017 Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show in Phoenix this week – the Farm Bureau Founders Award to recognize exemplary leadership, service or contributions to Farm Bureau by officers or employees of AFBF and state Farm Bureau organizations. The first honoree of the new award is James Quinn, …