“Super Farmers Grow Super Peanuts” is the theme for the 21st Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference (SPGC) in Panama City Beach, Florida this week. The three-day event provides farmers with information about peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotions. The event includes the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association and the Georgia …
ZimmCast 621 – Ag Media Summit/IFAJ Congress Preview
This week we have a preview of the upcoming 2019 Ag Media Summit and International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Minneapolis/Bloomington, Minnesota. This is the largest gathering of agriculture’s top writers, editors, photographers, publishers and communication specialists in the U.S. This year’s dates are July 26-31 for the Congress with AMS overlapping on July 27-31. The last time the …
Biofuels Groups Blast EPA for RFS Proposed Volumes
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday (EPA) issued proposed volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard program for calendar year 2020, leaving them basically unchanged and not reallocating gallons lost due to small refinery exemptions. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper says the proposal “completely betrays President Trump’s commitment” to uphold the integrity of the RFS by …
ZimmCast 620 – Timber Creek Distillery
For this week’s program I visited Timber Creek Distillery near Crestview, FL. The owners are Camden Ford and Aaron Barnes, two exceptional entrepreneurs, who are building a new distillery on some beautiful property. Aaron calls it Crestucky. I had the opportunity to meet them when they did some taste testing in Pensacola and found their story to be fascinating. AgWired followers …
Hemp Farming is Getting Real
The seeds planted in the 2018 farm bill legalizing the production of hemp as an agricultural commodity are starting to grow. Florida has officially entered the field with the governor just signing a measure allowing an agricultural hemp program to be developed. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried believes hemp could be the boost the state’s farm sector and rural areas …
USDA Corn Acreage Report Surprises
With all the weather-related planting delays we’ve had, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Acreage report out Friday was a big surprise to the trade with corn acres estimated to be three percent higher than last year. At the same time, soybean acres are estimated to be the lowest in six years. Corn planted area for all purposes in 2019 …
BASF Receives EPA Registration for Revysol Fungicide
BASF has received Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registration for Revysol® fungicide. The new active ingredient (AI) is the first and only isopropanol azole of its kind in the market for a broad range of crops and disease combinations. Revysol, and its related product brands, will be available to growers for the 2020 planting season. Revysol fungicide has a unique isopropanol …
FMC Announces $50 Million Global R&D Investment
This morning I spoke with Kathy Shelton, FMC Chief Technology Officer, about a major R&D announcement from the company. Over the next three years FMC will be investing more than $50 million in capital improvement projects, including a state-of-the-art reconfiguration of a greenhouse and research facility at the company’s Global Research and Development headquarters in Newark, Delaware known as the …
NPPC Launches Keep America First in Ag Campaign
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of establishing a proper regulatory framework for gene editing in American livestock. The “Keep America First in Agriculture” campaign was officially kicked off Tuesday with a media teleconference featuring leading researchers, veterinarians, producers and industry experts. “Gene editing is a huge step forward for America’s …
The Passing of Jerry Stoller
I am sad to learn of the passing of Jerry Stoller, founder of Stoller Enterprises. I only met him once but he’s one of the men in this industry who made an impression and impact on me in just the short time I got to talk with him. Here’s the announcement from the company. Stoller Enterprises Founder, Jerry H. Stoller …