Animal Ag Bites 3/26

Carrie Muehling

The 2018 World Pork Expo will mark its 30th anniversary by presenting the world’s largest pork-specific trade show with more exhibit space and featuring more U.S. and international companies than ever before. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council, the world’s largest pork-specific trade show takes place Wednesday, June 6, through Friday, June 8, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in …

AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

Ethanol and Pork on China’s Draft Retaliation List

Cindy Zimmerman

Following action by President Trump yesterday to impose tariffs on up to $60 billion in Chinese imports, China is making its list of what U.S. products will be the target of retaliation. The list reportedly includes agricultural products such as U.S. pork, modified ethanol, wine, fruits and nuts, and soybeans are expected to be as well. “We sell a lot …

AgWired Animal, Audio, Ethanol, Exports, Pork, RFA, Soybean

KEENAN Connects Farmers to Nutrition Specialists

Carrie Muehling

U.S. dairy farmers visiting the headquarters for KEENAN Systems in Dublin, Ireland, learned more about MechFiber and the impact it can make on a dairy herd. KEENAN Corporate Marketing Manager Martin Minchen shared that the concept, developed in 2008, has been a key value proposition for the company globally. The focus is on consistent fiber lengths and an even mix …

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, KEENAN

President Proclaims National Ag Day

Chuck Zimmerman

This morning U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, along with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, presented a proclamation signed by President Trump naming the first day of spring National Ag Day. Cindy was attending and will have more to add later today. The photo is courtesy of @SecretarySonny‘s Twitter account! Also pictured with the proclamation is Spencer Flood, Minnesota FFA. This …

Ag Day, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio

SMART Farmer Leon Sheets

Cindy Zimmerman

In this episode of the SMART Farmer podcast, we hear from America’s Pig Farmer of the Year, Leon Sheets, who raises 33,000 pigs a year in northeast Iowa along with his wife and son. SMART Farmer podcast listeners may remember that we interviewed last year’s Pig Farmer of the Year Brad Greenway from South Dakota, who also serves as chairman …

AgWired Animal, Audio, Pork, Pork Checkoff, USFRA

Animal Ag Bites 3/19

Carrie Muehling

The Dairy Alliance‘s Global Dairy Summit convened state agriculture officials, industry stakeholders and thought leaders from across the Southeast to rally around a plan to reverse the dire economic circumstances facing the 2,000 local, family-owned farms in the Southeast. Since 2010, the U.S. has lost nearly a quarter of its dairy farms nationwide, and the situation is even worse in …

AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

Lucky Alltech KEENAN Great Green Getaway Winners

Cindy Zimmerman

For three U.S. dairy producers, the luck of the Irish was on their side when their names were selected in a live, random drawing at the 2017 World Dairy Expo for the Alltech KEENAN Great Green Getaway. Hank and Joanne Greisen of Wisconsin; Mary and Mike Van Rossum of Wisconsin and Ashley Ervin, her mother and twin sister, have all …

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Audio, Dairy, KEENAN

Cabinet Members Testify on Infrastructure Needs

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and four other cabinet members testified this week before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing entitled “Rebuilding Infrastructure in America: Administration Perspectives.” Secretary Perdue was joined by Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Department of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, and Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry. …

AgWired Animal, Audio, USDA

Outsmarting the PRRS Virus

Carrie Muehling

The 2018 Aptimmune Scientific Symposium focused on the success of the Barricade vaccine for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which was introduced in 2017. “PRRS is a daunting challenge and a difficult vaccine to not only develop but also manage in the production world,” said Dr. Bob Nordgren, chairman of the board for Aptimmune. “For 20 years, we’ve come …

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio