In this week’s program I’m sharing a conversation with Chip Whalen, Commodity & Ingredient Hedging (CIH). The topic is uncertainty requiring flexibility. Think about how commodity prices are affected by weather, trade, exchange rates and more competition. There are more factors too. So, how do farmers manage risk with the uncertainty we’re seeing in the trade today? That’s where Chip’s …
Pork Pleased with Pruitt and EPA Reform
The Trump administration has certainly shaken things up, and nowhere is that more evident than in regards to environmental issues. Kraig Westerbeek, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Board & VP of Environment and Support Operations for Murphy Brown spoke about top environmental priorities at the recent World Pork Expo, outlining the steps recently taken toward regulatory reform. The Waters of …
Disrupt, Don’t Fear New Ideas in Beef Production
ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference was all about causing a disruption in all forms of our life and of course in agriculture. And this includes the beef community. There was no better person to chat with when it comes to research in the beef industry than Dr. Vaughn Holder, Research Project Manager, Beef Nutrition, Alltech. A Head-Out-of-the-Sand approach, was the …
AEM Releases Policy Plan for Infrastructure Advantage
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has unveiled a new policy report for the country called “The U.S. Infrastructure Advantage™” which makes the case for a U.S. infrastructure system that supports the safe and efficient movement of people and goods; provides connectivity between and within rural and urban America; and fosters strong economic growth and robust job creation. “The United …
Secure Pork Plan Creates Excitement at WPX
The World Pork Expo was buzzing with the news of the soon-to-be-launched Secure Pork Supply plan. “The Pork Board is taking a leadership role in preparedness,” said Terry O’Neel, vice president of the National Pork Board said at a combined press conference. “This is another collaborative effort between the National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board, the American Association of …
A World of First’s in PRRSV Research
The world’s only provider of mucosal PRRSV and flu vaccines, Aptimmue, officially launched during the 2017 World Pork Expo. The vaccine utilizes the BARRICADE proprietary technologies and takes advantage of high-titer PRRSV antigen produced on ZMAC, the world’s only commercially available porcine based alveolar macrophage cell line. During the launch, I sat down with Dr. Jianqiang Zhang, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, …
Iowa Races Spotlight Corn and Ethanol
The Iowa Speedway hosts two racing events this summer that put corn and ethanol in the spotlight on the track. The NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen is coming up Saturday, June 24. This is the fifth consecutive year of the American Ethanol partnership and the fourth consecutive year with Enogen at Iowa Speedway. Enogen corn …
Trump’s Commitment to Infrastructure Pleases Ag Groups
Farmers were among those who joined President Trump last week in Cincinnati to highlight the economic importance of the inland waterways system and the need to invest in upgrades to the locks and dams. “Roughly 60 percent of the United States grain exports travel down these waterways to the Gulf,” said Trump in his remarks. Upgrading the inland waterways infrastructure …
NPPC Gives Voice to Producer Concerns
Deputy Director of Economics and Domestic Production Issues for the National Pork Producers Council, Dustin Baker, was at the World Pork Expo last week talking with producers about their concerns for the future of the industry. Trade is always at the top of that list, Baker says, since pork is a global market, but already NPPC is looking forward to …
4 Series Sprayers From Deere See Upgrades
The 4 Series Sprayers from John Deere offer a little something for everyone, Doug Felter says. With options ranging from 600 to 1,200 gallon tanks and 80- to 132-foot booms, these sprayers are set up to provide growers and retailers the ability to get through the fields with timely applications across their operations. Part of making their sprayers better than …