Tom Vilsack has appointed 17 farmers from across the country to serve as directors on the United Soybean Board (USB). The appointees will be sworn in at the upcoming annual meeting in St. Louis. Five of the directors are newly added, 12 are returning members. The USDA has also announced that the USB will be increasing their farmer-leaders from 70 to …
Cotton Industry Wants No More Trade Constraints
The National Cotton Council is calling for an end to constraints on U.S. cotton policy in the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) December Ministerial in Nairobi, Kenya. The group’s president and CEO Gary Adams testified before the House Agriculture Committee that U.S. trade negotiators need to maintain a firm commitment not to accept any further concessions to U.S. cotton policy. He …
Vilsack Announces Sorghum Checkoff Board Members
Four new members have been appointed by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to serve on the United Sorghum Checkoff Program board of directors. Boyd Funk, from Garden City, Kansas; Craig Poore, of Alton, Kansas; David Fremark, from St. Lawrence, South Dakota; and Jim Massey IV from Robstown, Texas will all serve three year terms. “We are looking forward to the diverse perspectives …
Clif Bar & NYFC Address Shortage of New Farmers
The American farmer is near 60 and new young farmers are in critical short supply, Clif Bar & Company and the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) announced a joint effort to support pending federal legislation that would remove one of the key obstacles preventing young farmers from starting to farm — student loan debt. “We are a generation of farmers …
Senate Ag Hearing Reaffirms Safety of GMOs
The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing this week that showcased the overwhelming scientific consensus regarding GMO safety, as well as the urgent need for Congressional action to pass a reasonable, common-sense solution that prevents a state-by-state patchwork of labeling laws. “Today’s hearing confirmed that GMOs are safe; a state-by-state patchwork of labeling laws will have dire consequences for farmers, …
Ad Says Chipotle Food Contains Dihydrogen Monoxide
The Center for Consumer Freedom continued its Chubby Chipotle campaign against Chipotle’s food misinformation with a new “Dihydrogen Monoxide” ad in the New York Post. The ad calls out Chipotle for scaring the public and tricking people into thinking its burritos are healthier by advertising its meat as being “antibiotic-free,” meaning from animals raised without antibiotics. But Chipotle is trying …
USDA Names New Deputy Under Secretary
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Lanon Baccam as the USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, overseeing the Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency, and the USDA’s Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison. Baccam is a U.S. Army and Iowa National Guard veteran and replaces Karis T. Gutter. “Throughout his career in military and public service, Lanon has …
DOT Announces Registration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that recreational users of unmanned aerial systems, or drones, must register their systems with the federal government. A task force will be created to develop recommendations for a registration process for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, “Registering unmanned aircraft will help build a culture of accountability and responsibility, especially …
FFA Encourages Students to #SpeakAg
The National FFA Organization is encouraging students to share how they are growing their knowledge of agriculture with a social media challenge entitled Members may participate by tweeting or instagraming a photo, video or story of how they are using knowledge gained in the classroom, from an SAE project or other FFA activity to inform their communities. Once they’ve posted …
Farm Bureau Releases Food & Ag Resource Guide for Education
Ag educators will have another tool in their belts to teach young rural and urban students agricultural literacy. This news release from the American Farm Bureau Foundation says the group has released a new Food & Ag Resource Guide, a curated list that features top recommended resources by age group. “People in the agricultural community are often invited into local …