The American Farm Bureau Federation together with the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, the Public Lands Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association have petitioned the court to stop the federal use of land management to exclude millions of acres from grazing. Currently these lands are being used for only one purpose, to provided habitats for the greater sage grouse, despite …
AFBF Urges Congress Not to Reduce Farm Programs
During the last farm bill the House and Senate Agriculture committees did their part to reduce government spending by drastically cutting funding for agriculture. Now the American Farm Bureau Federation and 254 other ag groups are calling for Congress to reject further cuts to farm programs. A recent letter to the Budget and Appropriations leaders opposes further reducing spending for conservation, …
Golden Plow Awarded to Rep Mike Conaway
The Golden Plow award was given to Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) during the Farm Bureau Advocacy Conference that took place last week. AFBF President Zippy Duvall presented the award to the Chairman of the House Ag Committee- the highest honor given to members of Congress. Conaway was nominated by the Texas Farm Bureau who noted his dedication to the ag …
Supreme Court Declines Chesapeake Bay Review
There will be no Supreme Court review of the Environmental Protection Agency’s total maximum daily load (TMDL) restrictions in the Chesapeake Bay region, referred to as EPA’s “blueprint” for restoring the bay. The American Farm Bureau Federation and a coalition of agricultural and builder groups asked the Supreme Court last November to review a lower court ruling that “allows the …
Farm Bureau Donates to Hungry Americans
Farm Bureau‘s “Harvest for All” program raised more than $1.1 million and a record of 48 million pounds of food this year. Both monetary and food donations combined mean a grand total of 49 million meals will be served to hungry Americans. The program, run by the Young Farmers & Ranchers program, is now in its 14th year. Along with …
NFU Contests TPP Benefits for Ag
The National Farmers Union was unimpressed with the economic analysis on the benefits of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) for agriculture released by Farm Bureau this week and promoted by USDA. “To broadly categorize agriculture as benefiting from this agreement is not giving due diligence to the serious concerns that are not addressed by TPP,” said NFU president Roger Johnson. …
AFBF and USDA Team to Unveil TPP Benefits Report
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall got together to discuss the benefit of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) for agriculture as AFBF released an economic analysis of the pending trade agreement. “Until today, we didn’t have a specific documented review or study of that benefit,” said Vilsack, said in thanking Farm Bureau for doing the …
AFBFA Announces First Peas to the Table Contest
During the recent Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference held in Kansas City, Missouri, Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell announced the First Peas to the Table Contest. The new national competition, according to Julie Tesch, executive director of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, encourages children aged kindergarten through 5th grade to plant, raise and harvest peas this spring. …
Kenna Lewis Earns Top Honors at YF&R
Kenna Lewis, a senior at Cal Poly San Lois Obispo, was named the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Collegiate Discussion Meet winner. The meet, designed to simulate a committee meeting to exchange ideas and find solutions to a topic of concern to agriculture, was held last week at the #ShowMeYFR Annual Leadership Conference. Lewis is currently working towards a degree …
Break the Rules at #ShowMeYFR
Lindsay Calvert of the American Farm Bureau Federation told attendees of #ShowMeYFR Annual Leadership Conference to break the rules. Not all the rules, exactly, but the rules of public speaking. Public speaking is the most commonly requested topic for Calvert, whose job is to train Farm Bureau leaders nationwide. Members want to know, how do you connect with an audience? How …