The Andersons, Inc. has completed an agreement to sell eight grain facilities located in Iowa to MaxYield Cooperative. “We have referenced performance issues in our western grain assets during several recent investor calls. We anticipate this sale will improve our prospects and provide a pathway to profitability for this area of our business,” said CEO Pat Bowe. “We believe MaxYield …
USDA Reports Big Growth in Organic Certification
Certified organic operations continue to increase significantly, according to the latest numbers from the USDA. Growth is seeing a double-digit trend, with 21,781 certified operations in the U.S. and 31,160 world-wide. “Organic food is one of the fasting growing segments of American agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As consumer demand for organic products continues to grow, the USDA organic …
Hot Dogs for the MLB Win
While apple pie and baseball might be quintessentially American, hot dogs and major league baseball go together much better. And even though some have suggested it might be possible to attend a game and not eat a hot dog, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) is predicting the consumption of more than 19.4 million hot dogs and 4.3 million …
IFAJ 2016 Young Leaders Chosen
The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has selected ten participants for this year’s IFAJ-Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award. Judges selected candidates based on leadership potential, proven abilities and a narrative explaining their interest in the program. The ten selected journalists will have the opportunity to attend an IFAJ congress and a boot camp style workshop in Bonn, …
Merger Means Finalization of Landus Cooperatives
The final merger between Farmers Cooperative Company (FC) and West Central Cooperatives has been completed. Landus Cooperative is officially established. The new farmer-owned agricultural cooperative is headquartered in Ames, Iowa. They have more than 725 full-time employees in more than 70 locations with approximately 7,000 members. “While today’s signing ceremony to formalize Landus Cooperativeze is historic for our employees, our communities and …
First of its Kind Report Details Impact of Fertilizer
While we often take for granted the important role fertilizer plays in food production, the economic impact in terms of jobs provided by the industry has been generally overlooked. Now a study sponsored by The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is shedding light on those numbers at both the state and congressional district levels. “We are excited to be able to share …
Deere Aligns with Hagie for High-Clearance Sprayers
Deere & Company and Hagie Manufacturing have entered into a joint venture. Hagie is a national market leader when it comes to high-clearance sprayers. In this new agreement Deere gains majority ownership of Hagie Manufacturing. The equipment produced in the current plant at Clarion, Iowa will continue to carry the Hagie brand, but sales and services will be integrated into …
NCGA Partners with SoAR for Ag Research
The National Corn Growers Association recently told us of their new strategic plan to increase demand and improve productivity and sustainability. Now they’re showing us just what it is they plan to do about it. The organization has now joined the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR), a coalition of scientific, consumer and producer groups that seek out sound research policies …
Farm Futures Predicts More Corn, Less Soybeans
Farm Futures is Penton Agriculture‘s market-leading ag business resource and they are seeing a lot of red on the ledgers right now. In fact their latest survey suggests farmers may react to the agriculture market by cutting back almost 2 percent of the crop acreage this year. Of the major row crops, only corn and cotton are seeing gains– but …
Golden ARC Contest Deadline One Week Away
The Agricultural Relations Council reminds you that the deadline for the Golden ARC Awards Contest is only one week away! Public relations professionals are invited to submit their best work by April 1, 2016 to see how it compares to others in the nation. Instructions for online submission are available, but the system is very user friendly. Google Chrome is …