Over two months since he took office, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is finally getting some nominations to fill USDA positions. Late Thursday, Perdue announced that President Trump has nominated American Soybean Association CEO Stephen Censky to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. “Our work has only just begun in delivering results for the people of American agriculture, and the experience and …
Farm Bureau and FFA Work for Ag Education
The American Farm Bureau Federation and National FFA Organization have signed a memorandum of understanding to grow leaders, build communities and strengthen agriculture. The MOU outlines how the two organizations will work together to discover opportunities that benefit both their members and agricultural education students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was signed in …
Animal Ag Bites 7/12
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and 17 other food and agriculture organizations, representing the vast majority of production agriculture, sent a letter to the Trump administration urging it to refrain from placing restrictions on imports of steel and aluminum. The organizations are very concerned that such restrictions will boomerang against U.S. food and agriculture exports. Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) is …
Mark Your Calendars: It’s Bison Hump Day!
Increased demand for sustainable meat has the bison industry poised to grow significantly this year, and the industry recently announced the “Bison One Million” campaign, which sets sights on helping the North American bison population grow to one million strong this year. North America’s bison population, once on the verge of extinction in the 1880’s with less than 700 bison, …
AEM Names Curt Blades as Senior VP AG Services
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has named Curt Blades as senior vice president, AG services, replacing Charlie O’Brien, who announced his retirement from AEM earlier this year. Beginning August 1, Blades will be responsible for strategic direction of agriculture programs and services for the AEM membership, and will serve as primary liaison with ag-specific industry organizations, customer groups and …
Animal Ag Bites 7/6
Alltech launches The Great Green Getaway. In partnership with KEENAN, maker of the “Green Machine” mixer wagon, the contest invites American dairy farmers to enter for the opportunity to win one of three travel-expense-paid trips for two to Ireland in March 2018, coinciding with St. Patrick’s Day. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® has announced its 6th annual U.S. Dairy …
SMART Farmer Jennifer Houston
This edition of the SMART Farmer podcast features Tennessee native Jennifer Houston, a livestock market owner and beef cattle industry leader, who talks about how the business of producing and marketing beef cattle has become smarter in recent years. Houston is currently Vice President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and serves on the board of the U.S. Farmers and …
USDA & NCBA Celebrate U.S. Beef to China
U.S. Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue joined National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Craig Uden for a ceremonial “Cutting of the Prime Rib.” The Nebraska prime rib formally marked the return of U.S. beef to the Chinese market after a 13-year hiatus as part of the U.S.-China 100-Day Action Plan announced by the Trump Administration. The first shipment of U.S. …
Quarterly Hogs & Pigs Report
The Pork Checkoff hosted the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report on Thursday, June 29, 2017. This quarterly teleconference featured three agricultural economists and their reactions to the report. Panelists included: Dr. Lee Schulz, Extension Livestock Economist, Iowa State University Dr. Scott Brown, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia Joe Kerns, President, Kerns & Associates, Ames, IA Reports seemed to …