More than 400 world experts working to develop new approaches to producing more food with less stress on water resources are in Lincoln, Nebraska this week for the 2017 Water for Food Global Institute at Nebraska Innovation Campus. A big focus of the event this year is finding ways to increase access to sustainable irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa with a …
FMC Topguard® EQ Helps Fight Frogeye
Controlling resistant frogeye leaf spot in soybeans has become a major concern in the southern states, which is where Topguard® EQ from FMC excels, according to Technical Service Manager Matt Wiggins. “My region here in the mid-South, that’s primarily the disease we’re chasing in soybeans,” said Wiggins at the recent Farm and Gin Show in Memphis. “The Topguard® EQ is …
SMART Farmer Galen Lee
Galen Lee has a diversified 4th generation farm operation in southwest Idaho that produces sugarbeets, asparagus, and peppermint, as well as dairy and beef. In this edition of the SMART Farmer podcast, he talks about how sugarbeets are raised and made into sugar and how biotech varieties have made them more sustainable. He also talks about how he raises peppermint …
Quantix Drone from AeroVironment
Keeping it simple when it comes to new technology seems to just make sense. That is just one feature of the Quantix Drone being launched from AeroVironment. I spoke with Matt Strein, Director Of Business Development at AeroVironment, about the new product and what sets it apart from all others in the ag industry. AeroVironment has been doing research on …
Wisconsin Dairies Hit Hard By Canadian Trade Actions
Over 70 Wisconsin dairy operations are already feeling the blow from a protectionist Canadian trade policy that has slammed the door on American dairy exports, violated existing trade commitments, and left farmers across the state scrambling to find milk buyers. Grassland Dairy Products Inc. informed over 70 operations this week that their contracts with the company will end May 1st, …
Raising Protein for a Sustainable Future
Future Food-Tech took place in San Francisco last week and brought together over 300 food business technology leaders, investors and food-tech innovators. Brad Greenway, Chairman, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) sat on a panel titled, “Creating Consumer Demand for Healthier and More Sustainable Ingredients.” As the sole panelist who represented the animal agriculture community, Brad was able to share …
Peanut and Cotton Growers Provide Farm Bill Input
Peanut and cotton growers provided their input into commodity programs in the next farm bill during a hearing this week before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. Georgia farmer Tim McMillan testified on behalf of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation in support of maintaining the peanut provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill and the …
Farm Bureau Urges Senate Confirmation of Perdue
Yesterday we received news from the White House stating President Trump authorized emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas after those states were impacted by widespread wildfires. This was followed by news from USDA’s Acting Deputy Secretary Michael L. Young, who issued the memorandum. This news reminds us we are still without leadership at …
Senate Urged to Vote as USDA Remains in Limbo
With the Senate in the midst of contentious debate over Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, agricultural interests are begging the Senate leadership to take a few minutes this week to confirm Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture before recessing for spring break. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) sent a letter to Senate …
FMC Command® 3ME is Tops for Rice Growers
Command® 3ME herbicide remains the South’s number one preemergence solution for protecting rice production from annual grasses despite recent entries into the market, according to FMC tech service rep Don Johnson in Mississippi. “We’ve been on the marketplace for rice growers in the Delta region for 16 years now,” said Johnson during an interview at the 2017 Farm and Gin …