For the past 25 years, GROWMARK has challenged students to think creatively about the future of agriculture and how cooperatives can continue to thrive and contribute to the industry through an annual essay contest. This year’s 2018 GROWMARK Essay Contest asks students “How can cooperatives demonstrate their value to the next generation of agriculturists?” All high school FFA members in Illinois, Iowa, …
AFBF Marketbasket Survey Shows Food Price Increase
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey shows a three percent increase in the total cost of 16 food items over last year’s prices. Foods costing more include bacon, chicken breast, and sliced deli ham, as well as orange juice and flour. The cost of bacon rose the most, up 19 percent to $5.24 per pound. AFBF’s Director …
Alltech Talks Farm of the Future LIVE
Alltech hosted a live video event on the future of agriculture and technology with a panel of agribusiness experts discussing and debating their thoughts on the future of the agricultural industry, new consumer demographics and demands, ag technology, big data, nutrigenomics and precision nutrition. Continue to follow the discussion on Twitter with the hashtag #FarmingTheFuture. Great questions were posed, thought-provoking …
SMART Farmer Emily Buck
Emily Buck farms with her husband and daughter near Columbus, Ohio where they raise soybeans, corn and wheat and also have a small sheep operation. Her main role on the farm, beyond helping with crops, is to manage the 40 ewes. Off the farm, Emily is a university researcher and professor of agricultural communication at Ohio State University, which gives …
USDA Trade Mission Heading to Brazil
A USDA Foreign Agriculture Service trade mission to São Paulo and Recife, Brazil, is underway this week with leaders from 24 U.S. agribusinesses and trade organizations looking to expand their agricultural exports and further develop their business relationships in Brazil. “Brazil holds significant untapped market potential for U.S. exporters,” said Mark Slupek, deputy administrator of the Office of Trade Programs …
Animal Ag Bites 9/25
The 47th Annual American Gelbvieh Association National Convention will be held December 7-9, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency Wichita in Wichita, Kansas. Early registration ends October 31. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a safety communication concerning the use of Micotil 300 in cattle and sheep. If you haven’t registered for the 2017 Angus Convention November 4-6 in …
Senate Ag Committee Hears from USDA Nominees
Nine months into the Trump Administration and the Senate Agriculture Committee just held a hearing this week on the first two nominees to help out Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue at the USDA. The committee heard from Stephen Censky, long time CEO of the American Soybean Association nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; and Indiana Director of Agriculture Ted McKinney, …
Animal Bites 9/18
Merck Animal Health and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently presented Dr. Dee Griffin with the Mentor of the Year Award as a result of his significant contributions to the bovine medicine industry and his commitment to mentoring the next generations of bovine veterinarians. Vermeer introducing the world’s first self-propelled round baler. Unveiled at Husker Harvest Days, the …
Florida & Georgia Cattle Country Hit by Irma
Hurricane Irma traveled straight through Florida and Georgia cattle country. An assessment of damaged areas is still being tallied. Florida dairies are running on generators, still struggling to keep cows milked and forced to dump tons of milk for various reasons. Less impacted appears to be the beef cattle industry, as most fences remained intact and kept cattle from getting …
Deere Gives 3E Tractors a Facelift
The John Deere 3E series tractors have received a makeover from head to toe or should we say tire. It’s one of the most popular tractors that comes off the line in Augusta, GA. The redesign was on display for attendees at the recent Farm Progress Show and there we spoke with Product Marketing Manager, Michelle Bentley to give us …