President Trump agreed Wednesday evening to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, and “not to terminate NAFTA at this time” after a day of speculation that he might sign an executive order withdrawing from the 23-year-old agreement. “It is my privilege to bring NAFTA up to date through renegotiation,” said Trump in a statement. …
USFRA and ZimmComm Produce SMART Farmer Podcast
Consumers like technology. The smartphone, the smart home and the smart classroom all encompass innovation and technology that helps improve people’s lives. Similarly, with agriculture continually evolving resembling every other forward-thinking industry, today’s SMART Farm utilizes technology to be more sustainable and efficient. To share personal stories about ways farmers and ranchers are using technology, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance …
General Mills Backing Soil Health Program
Several organizations have come together on a program to enhance farm sustainability through soil health. And they are very happy to announce additional backing from a major food manufacturer – General Mills. These organizations are working to advance soil health on America’s farms and ranches, paving the way for measurable economic and environmental gains for farmers, businesses and communities for …
Welcome @SecretarySonny
Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tuesday and officially introduced his new Twitter handle – @SecretarySonny. Welcome to Twitter Secretary Perdue. After he took the oath of office, Perdue’s first order of business was to address employees at the USDA. “The only legacy that I seek is the only one that any grandparent or …
Trump Puts Agriculture in the Spotlight
President Trump welcomed new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on his first day in office for a White House “Farmers Roundtable” and the signing of an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. During the signing, President Trump commented on the current trade dispute with Canada over dairy product pricing. “(w)here the dairy farmers up …
#Plant17 Makes Progress
Some dry days last week helped farmers make up for slow progress the week before as corn planting gained 11 points to almost be at the average for this time of year at 17 percent, according to the latest crop progress report out Monday. Illinois and Missouri jumped ahead last week in corn planting progress, planting over one quarter of …
It’s a Sonny Day for America
The U.S. Senate has formally confirmed the nomination of George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III to serve as the 31st Secretary of Agriculture. The final vote was 87 to 11. Agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator, and governor of Georgia, Perdue worked on the family farm in central Georgia andn will be only the fourth agriculture secretary who can claim to have been …
SMART Farmer Nancy Kavazanjian
This is episode number six of the USFRA SMART Farmer podcast and this one is with Nancy Kavazanjian, who served as the second chairperson of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. Nancy farms with her husband Charlie Hammer in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin on land that has been in his family for 150 years. She grew up on Long Island, made …
Ethanol and Earth Day
Ethanol has a seat on the ground at one of the largest Earth Day events in the country this weekend – Earth Day Texas, which last year hosted over 130,000 attendees, over 700 exhibitors and more than 250 speakers. Even bigger and better this year, the event includes the National Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Day Odyssey where Renewable Fuels Association …
Bayer Bee Center Celebrates 10K Visitors
The Bee Care Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina celebrated its third anniversary this week by welcoming its 10,000th visitor. The Bee Care Program invited a group of fourth-graders from a local school to serve as the honorary “10,000th visitors” and everyone had a great time while learning about the role honey bees play in the environment through a …