Leroy Startz, Chair of the ARA Conference Planning Committee since 2009, spoke with Chuck Zimmerman while at the ARA Conference & Expo in Palm Desert, CA recently. After wrapping up a busy week, Startz was pleased with the overall event. He highlighted the importance of early planning to put together a successful, relevant week for ag retailers. Early planning helps …
UAS Registration Required By FAA Starting Dec 21
Today the FAA announced new regulations requiring drone (UAS) registration for recreational and hobby users of UAS. The registration process is for owners of small unmanned aircraft weighing more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds, including payloads such as on-board cameras or sensors. Those 13 and older who have purchased a drone prior to December 21, 2015, must …
New Officer Team for American Soybean Association
Soybean growers have some new leadership. This news release from the American Soybean Association (ASA) says the group at its annual winter meeting in St. Louis installed Richard Wilkins, a farmer from Greenwood, Delaware, as president of the ASA, along with outgoing president Wade Cowan from Brownfield, Texas, moving to the position of chairman of the ASA board, and Ron …
2016 National Ag Day Poster Contest Winner Selected
Congratulations to Emily Eibs from the University of Wisconsin-Stout for her first place National Ag Day poster. Her work was chosen from among many young artists who participated in the competition. The contest is held by the Agriculture Council of America and Meredith Agrimedia. This year’s theme was Agriculture: Stewards of a Healthy Planet. In addition, her artwork and a profile …
United Soybean Board – New Strategic Plan
The United Soybean Board is holding it’s board meeting in St. Louis, MO and held a press conference call this morning. You can listen in below if you’d like. Kicking off the call was Jared Hagert, new Chairman of USB. He was joined by several other officers. They all answered questions posed by ag media representatives. The USB Strategic Plan …
Cotton Industry To Congress: Tough Economic Conditions
The U.S. cotton industry faces some tough economic conditions right now, and leaders from the sector were on Capitol Hill to let lawmakers know how they could help. This news release from the National Cotton Council says the group outlined numerous market, policy and regulatory issues that threaten to undermine the U.S. cotton industry’s health during testimony before the House …
USDA Urged to Enforce Buy American for School Lunches
Fifty agricultural trade associations, farmer co-ops and agribusinesses want the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enforce buy American provision when it comes to school lunches. After an investigative report showed some school districts were spending tax dollars on imported Chinese canned fruit, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives urged Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to strengthen enforcement of the …
AAEA Offering Beautiful Stocking Stuffer
The American Agricultural Editors’ Association has created the perfect stocking stuffer. The AAEA Professional Improvement Foundation is offering a desktop calendar featuring beautiful, award-winning photographs. Each photograph comes with its backstory printed behind the page. The calendar is provided as a “thank you” gift for new and renewing members. Additional copies may be purchased for $14, shipping included. Proceeds support …
Wrap-up of #ARA2015 by President/CEO
Palm Desert, CA is a place you really have to want to go to. It is beautiful but can take some effort to travel to. But apparently a lot of Agricultural Retailers Association members really wanted to attend their annual conference. According to Daren Coppock, ARA President/CEO, attendance was strong. Much stronger than they even hoped for. In my last …
WTO Announces $1.01 Billion in COOL Retaliation
We anticipated this and now it’s here. The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced $1.01 billion retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods authorized in the country-of-origin labeling (COOL) with Canada and Mexico. The WTO has upheld multiple times our neighboring country’s claim that the label creates an unfair advantage to U.S. products. U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee …