Ag Groups React to EPA Farmworker Standards Update

John Davis

Ag groups are reacting to the Environmental Protection Agency’s final revisions to the Worker Protection Standard. The American Farm Bureau Federation worries the government is getting away from a science-based approach in guarding against risk. “Farm Bureau shares the agency’s desire to protect workers, but we are concerned that the agency is piling regulatory costs on farmers and ranchers that …

AFBF, ARA, EPA, Farming, labor

Fall Market Basket Survey from @FarmBureau

Cindy Zimmerman

We’re seeing lower food prices at the grocery store than we did a year ago this time, according to a new survey just released from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Lower retail prices for several foods, including whole milk, cheddar cheese, bacon and apples resulted in a slight decrease in the 2015 Fall Harvest Market Basket Survey. The informal survey …

AFBF, Food

Cat Partners with AFBF in Commitment to Agriculture

Jamie Johansen

Caterpillar Inc. is in their second year back to the Farm Progress Show and have a growing presence in the agriculture community. I met up with Cat’s Agriculture Industry Manager, Dustin Johansen, during the event to learn more about their product line and their new partnership with American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) that will provide members up to $2,000 in …

AFBF, Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, Farm Progress Show

MO Farm Bureau Takes WOTUS to the Fair Again

Cindy Zimmerman

You might remember that Missouri Farm Bureau held a “Ditch the Rule” press conference last year at the State Fair featuring three members of the state’s Congressional delegation. With the controversial rule now finalized and scheduled to be implemented August 28, MOFB held another press conference at the fair last week – this time with four members of Congress. Representatives …

AFBF, Audio, EPA, Water

Farm Bureau: EPA Massively Increasing Its Authority

John Davis

New maps released by Farm Bureau shows the federal government is massively increasing its authority at the cost of American producers. This news release from the group says the Environmental Protection Agency will radically expand its jurisdiction over land use if its controversial Waters of the United States rule takes effect as expected Aug. 28. That expansion comes even as …

AFBF, Ag Groups, EPA, Water

AFBF: Secrecy, Misconduct at EPA on WOTUS

John Davis

A series of memos the Obama Administration intended to keep private shows a culture of secrecy, falsehood and dysfunction that permeated the Waters of the U.S. rulemaking process. The American Farm Bureau charges the Army Corps of Engineers memos show the Corps “repeatedly rebuked EPA officials for their abuse of the rulemaking process in producing the deeply controversial Waters of …

AFBF, Ag Groups, Environment, EPA, Water

AFBF President Candidate Visits Peanut Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

One of four candidates vying to be the next president of the American Farm Bureau Federation visited the Southern Peanut Growers Conference last week in Callaway Gardens, Georgia. Georgia Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall was pleased to visit with the peanut growers from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi who held their 17th annual meeting in the largest peanut growing state …

AFBF, Audio, Peanuts, SPGC

Drone Study Identifies Benefits for Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Farm Bureau Federation, together with drone solutions company Measure, have released a study that identifies and quantifies the benefits of drone technology in precision agriculture. “While lots of drone hardware has been sold to farmers, until today no tool existed to help growers actually quantify whether the benefits exceed their costs, especially when farmers want to outsource these …

AFBF, Precision Agriculture