The Executive Committee of the National Agri-Marketing Association met yesterday in Austin, TX. Here’s our group hard at work. A big part of our meeting was reviewing the NAMA Strategic Plan to see how we’re doing and consider any tweaks or changes. We’re in year three of the three year plan and according to our calculations NAMA gets a high …
Farm Bill Could be Final This Week
Agricultural groups hailed passage of the compromise farm bill by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday and look forward to swift action in the Senate. National Corn Growers Association President Martin Barbre of Illinois observed the floor vote from the House gallery while visiting the Capitol. “This legislation provides an adequate and flexible farm safety net, as well as …
IPPE Show Goes On Despite Weather
The International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) carried on Wednesday in Atlanta, despite the few inches of snow that nearly paralyzed the city. Attendance was still pretty good today considering and with so many flights cancelled lots of people are actually staying longer for the show than they planned. “Our crowd has held up today in spite of very severe …
I Love Farmers Announces Ag Advocates
The non-profit agricultural advocacy group, I Love Farmers…They Feed My Soul (ILF), has selected their 2013 Agriculture Advocates of the Year. Ryan Goodman of Montana and Malorie Bankhead of California are the two receiving the coveted honor. The organization wanted to recognize and reward young people who volunteer their time advocating for American family farmers and ranchers and established this …
North American Meat Unhappy With Farm Bill
Members of the North American Meat Association (NAMA) here at the International Production and Processing Expo are disappointed to see that Congress is likely to pass a farm bill this week with no changes to the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law being challenged in the World Trade Organization by Mexico and Canada. “It needs to be fixed and Congress …
Snow Hits the IPPE in Atlanta
For those of you who were in Atlanta in 2011 for the American Farm Bureau annual meeting and AG CONNECT expo, you know what Atlanta is like when it gets very rare snow. We have it again here for the International Production and Processing Expo. Restaurants closed, transportation not running, skeleton crews at the conference center, flights cancelled and communication …
Meat Me in @LANTA Chili Winner
Because food matters and especially chili on these chilly winter days we bring you the winner of the Meat Me in @ATLANTA Chili competition. He’s Jeff Clark, Ruth’s Chris, who was named Best Overall Chili Winner. The event was held at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) on Tuesday, Jan. 28. The event was sponsored by the U.S. Poultry …
Farmers in the SOTU
It is rare for agriculture to even be mentioned in a State of the Union address, but President Obama brought attention to the hardworking farmers of our country in the opening minute of SOTU 2014. “A farmer prepared for the spring after the strongest five-year stretch of farm exports in our history,” said the president, with a split screen image …
Farm Bill Could Draw Trade Retaliation
Livestock organizations and food associations are concerned that their members will face economic harm because the farm bill out of conference committee this week makes no changes to the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling law (COOL). Canada and Mexico filed a complaint over the law with the World Trade Organization, which is expected to rule on it next month. If …
Popular Agronomy Resource Now Available as App
For years farmers have depended on the printed MFA Incorporated Agronomy Guide as a way to compare seed and crop protection products they might need on their farming operations. But that day has come to an end. Farmers who have access to iOS, Android or Windows smartphones or tablets can access all the same information in app form. The MFA …