The Pork Checkoff hosted the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report on Thursday, June 29, 2017. This quarterly teleconference featured three agricultural economists and their reactions to the report. Panelists included: Dr. Lee Schulz, Extension Livestock Economist, Iowa State University Dr. Scott Brown, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia Joe Kerns, President, Kerns & Associates, Ames, IA Reports seemed to …
The BEEFabulous App
Need beef recipes? The California Beef Council has you covered. Does this sound familiar? You’re in the grocery store and you see a special on Chuck Roast, but you’re not sure what to do with a Chuck Roast–Slow-cook? Braise? (What’s “braise,” anyway?) Or you need meal options that are fast, satisfying and nutritious. Or you know that if you’re tired …
Prices for a July 4th Cookout Down Slightly
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) says we can cookout for a little less this year. Favorite foods for a Fourth of July meal will run about $6 per person according to an informal survey conducted by AFBF. The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $55.70, or $5.57 per person. One reason for this is competition …
ZimmCast with NGFA Communications
With this week’s program I’m starting a series of podcasts with the communications directors of agricultural organizations. I thought it would be interesting and hopefully entertaining to talk with the people who are helping communicate their organization’s message to various audiences, which includes their own members. I hope they will share some of the methods they are employing to get …
ASTA Honors Dr. Stephen Smith
Dr. Stephen Smith was honored last week at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dr. Smith was made a Lifetime Honorary Member during the Gala Banquet in recognition of his leadership, vision, and service to the seed industry. “Dr. Smith has been an ardent supporter of ASTA’s activities on the domestic and international levels for …
Seeds in Space Benefit Ag on Earth
There’s a good bet that the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting of 30 years ago looked remarkably different than the event that took place last week in Minneapolis, MN. And it’s a good bet that the science and technology making an impact on the industry in another 30 years may not have even been thought of yet, but …
Learning Innovation from the Seed at #ASTAannual
Stan Abramson of Arent Fox LLP, Law Firm spoke with members of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) about promoting agriculture innovations in Washington D.C. We can learn a lot about innovation from the seeds themselves. “Plants and seeds are natural innovators. They constantly reinvent themselves,” he told the audience. “A lot of innovation is just figuring out how nature …
USDA Halts Imports of Fresh Brazilian Beef
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the suspension of all imports of fresh beef from Brazil because of recurring concerns about the safety of the products intended for the American market. Since March, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has been inspecting 100% of all meat products arriving in the U.S. from Brazil. FSIS has refused entry to …
Panel Offers Food Company Perspectives
The Opening Session of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting featured three speakers offering “Perspectives from Today’s Major Food Companies.” John Wiebold from General Mills, Jenny Verner from Cargill, Inc., and Autumn Price representing Land O’Lakes each addressed the audience before participating in a panel discussion and taking questions from the audience. Each spoke of the challenges of …
ASI Debuts SheepCast
The American Sheep Industry (ASI) debuts their broadcast, SheepCast. The weekly audio program is designed to keep you up to date on the latest happenings in the sheep industry. This week, ASI discusses the efforts on behalf of the nation’s 88,000 sheep producers. Top priorities are maintaining support for agricultural research in the upcoming farm bill and continued work toward …