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 …
Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Postponed to 2021
Here is the latest news of an event that I always look forward to. The Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) has been postponed. This calendar keeps becoming more and more open. Given the on-going uncertainty regarding safety, gathering and travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference will be postponed until June 7-9, 2021. …
Animal Ag Alliance Primed & Prepared for Virtual Summit
Virtual conferences are on the rise. The 2020 Stakeholders Summit for the Animal Agriculture Alliance is a perfect example. If you’ve never physically attended one this is your chance to do so without traveling. Current trends in animal rights activism and farm security will be addressed at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2020 Virtual Stakeholders Summit, themed “Primed & Prepared.” The …
Agriculture Groups Urge Action on Farm Labor
Agriculture organizations are urging immediate action on the evolving farm labor situation to avoid impacting the nation’s food supply during this critical time. The Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC) called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to recognize all H-2A as well as any other non-immigrant visa petition involving an agricultural worker visa consular processing functions as essential and direct U.S. …
COVID-19 Restrictions Could Impact Food Supply
Beginning today, the United States will suspend routine immigrant and nonimmigrant processing visa services in Mexico indefinitely, including immigrant workers approved under the H-2A guest worker program who are needed to help farmers and ranchers get food in the grocery stores. “The decision to halt visa application processing in Mexico will restrict the number of immigrant workers being allowed to …
Rural Leaders Urge Trump to Support Farmers
Farmer leaders and biofuel producers from the Midwest today expressed their concerns about news that the Trump administration has reversed course and decided to side with oil companies in their court battle against biofuels. The debate centers around a unanimous court decision that would halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) abuse of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel …
Biofuels Interests Urge President to Protect RFS
Biofuel and agricultural organizations are up in arms over news reports out late Thursday saying President Trump is now planning to appeal the 10th Circuit Court decision regarding EPA’s granting of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs). Oil state interests, led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), have been pressuring the White House to fight the unanimous court ruling that threatens to completely …