The American Soybean Association (ASA) returned to its roots this week to celebrate a century of representing U.S. soybean growers. ASA celebrated its 100th anniversary on the Indiana farm where it all started with a small but significant historical marker dedication and tours of heirloom soybean plots. ASA was formed when brothers Taylor, Noah and Finis Fouts hosted the first …
ZimmCast 650 – Preview of Virtual Agri-Marketing Conference
Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast, featuring weekly interviews with agribusiness industry leaders and all about what’s new, with a focus on agricultural marketing. This week’s program provides a preview of the National Agri-Marketing Association’s Virtual Agri-Marketing Conference which will be held August 11-13. Conference Chair Rebecca Ivey, Case IH, gives us a preview of the program. Following that I’m …
Farm & Biofuel Groups Challenge Retroactive RFS Waivers
Nine leading biofuel and farm organizations sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler Tuesday asking him for answers on what is seen as a new effort to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). During a Senate hearing last month, administration officials confirmed their consideration of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) covering previous years. The “gap-filings” are …
President Trump Announces Direct Assistance to Farmers
President Donald Trump Tuesday announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. “These payments will compensate farmers for losses related to the global pandemic caused by China,” said President Trump, who was joined making the announcement …
Alexa Lamm Receives Borlaug CAST Communication Award
Today the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) used Zoom to announced that the 2020 Borlaug CAST Communication Award goes to Alexa Lamm, an Associate Professor of Science Communication at the University of Georgia. With a long list of accomplishments as a scientist, educator, and writer, Dr. Lamm is recognized nationally and internationally as an acclaimed research scholar. Colleagues …
Ag and Biofuel Groups Ask Congress for COVID-19 Relief
America’s top biofuel and farm advocates are calling on Congress to ensure the next round of COVID-19 relief includes U.S. ethanol and biodiesel production. A joint letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was signed by the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Corn Growers …
Coalition Wants Rural Infrastructure in Future COVID-19 Relief
The 258 members of the Rebuild Rural coalition are asking Congress for increased rural infrastructure funding in any future COVID-19 relief packages. In the letter, the coalition called on Congress to: “Ensure that our rural communities have access to: clean and safe drinking water and wastewater facilities, secure and dependable surface transportation, reliable and affordable power, healthcare, housing, and broadband …
NAMA #COVID19 Feedback Survey Results
The National Agri-Marketing Association just completed a simple survey of members with questions about their plans/intentions for the coming quarters of the year as well as the rest of the year as a whole. I thought they had great participation with 212 respondents. Here are a couple of the questions with tidbits from the results. You can see the full …
Analysis Shows U.S. Agriculture Reducing Emissions
American agriculture is more environmentally sustainably than ever. A new analysis of updated data from both USDA and EPA shows U.S. farmers and ranchers continue to reduce per-unit greenhouse gas emissions. All told, the U.S. agricultural sector accounts for less than 10% of total U.S. emissions. That’s less than the emissions from the transportation, electricity generation and industrial sectors. Globally, …
ARA, CLA and TFI to Co-Locate in 2021
CropLife America (CLA), The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) will be co-locating their offices to Arlington, Va., beginning in January 2021. Each organization will retain its focus on the needs of its respective members, but the move is expected to create greater opportunities for collaboration that can enhance each organization’s efficiency and effectiveness. The organizations’ respective …