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 President Candidate Visits Peanut Growers
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 …
Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act Passes House
The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act has passed the U.S. House on a 275-150 vote, another step to ensuring that farmers will be able to use the safe technology, GMOs. The news was welcomed by a variety of politicians and ag groups. “For the past two years we have worked hard to defend our farmers’ right to use the …
Drone Study Identifies Benefits for Farmers
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 …
Tax Bill to Help Ag, Other Small Businesses
The Senate Finance Committee has moved forward legislation seen as important to agriculture and other small businesses. Farm Bureau is praising committee passage of the measure to extend important tax provisions through 2016. The legislation includes two provisions that let small businesses deduct major capital expenditures over just a few years, rather than the full life of the equipment they …
Stallman to Retire as AFBF President
American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman announced today that he will not seek re-election in January 2016. Stallman, a cattle and rice producer from Texas, has served 16 years as the organization’s 11th president. “It has been a tremendous honor to serve the nation’s Farm Bureau members and represent agriculture and rural America,” Stallman said. “After 16 years as …
Summer is Great Time for Farm Pics
Don’t forget! AFBF is reminding you of the opportunity to take summer photographs in preparation for the 2015 Farm Bureau Photo Contest. Any Farm Bureau member 18 years and older at the time of entry is eligible to submit pics, including state/county staff and professional photographers. “Now is a great time to get pictures of farmers and ranchers working safely during harvest, …
Farm Bureau Joins Group’s Lawsuit to Ditch ‘WOTUS’
The American Farm Bureau Federation is part of a coalition of 14 agricultural and industry groups, including the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, that have filed a lawsuit to vacate the controversial new rule redefining the scope of federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. This news release from the group says the rule, known …
‘Shark Tank’ Investor to Address AFBF Annual Convention
Farmers certainly know a lot about investing their money… and if the rain doesn’t stop in the Midwest, they might be swimming with the sharks, figuratively and literally! Seems only appropriate that the American Farm Bureau Federation will have “Shark Tank” investor Barbara Corcoran give the keynote address at the group’s 97th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show in Orlando, …
July 4th Cookout is Less Than $6 Per Person
The American Farm Bureau reports that all your favorite cookout foods will cost you less than $6.00 per person. If you like hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, bakes beans, lemonade and chocolate milk, you’re in luck. The cost of of $5.58 is actually a 3-percent decrease from prices a year ago. “Based on our survey, food prices …