This is the third of a four part series on Nutrient Management sponsored by FS/GROWMARK There are lots of good reasons to be proactive about nutrient management in agriculture, not the least of which is the threat of government regulation and litigation. “If we aren’t part of the solution, regulations and legislation will define agriculture and how we farm,” says …
NACD Meets With EPA on WOTUS
Representatives of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) met with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials last week to express concerns on behalf of member conservation districts regarding the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule. “We thought is was a very good meeting and we appreciated the opportunity to express some concerns,” said NACD President Earl Garber, a licensed …
Waitrose Educating Supermarket Customers
One of the largest employee-owned businesses owns Waitrose, their supermarket division. Representing them as a sponsor of the 2014 IFAJ Congress was John Gregson, Sr. Director of Public Relations. I met him during one of our tour stops and talked about his business and how important it is to communicate and educate their customers. John says education is really important …
USDA Unveils New Risk Management Programs
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled the new programs included in the 2014 Farm Bill to help farmers better manage risk. The new programs, Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), represent the end of direct payments by offering farmers protection when market forces cause substantial drops in crop prices and/or revenues. Producers will have through early spring …
Canadian Farm Writers Conference Preview
This week on the ZimmCast we are previewing the upcoming Canadian Farm Writers Federation 2014 conference in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island October 2-5. That’s just a week from now, but if you have ever wanted to learn more about eastern Canadian agriculture, this would be the event to do it – and they would be happy to welcome more attendees! …
Nutrient Management with N-Watch
This is the second of a four part series on Nutrient Management sponsored by FS/GROWMARK Two years ago, GROWMARK started a pilot program in the state of Illinois called N-Watch to help farmers determine the concentration, form and location of plant-available nitrogen. It started with about 45 sites in Illinois and it has grown quite a bit since then. “Right …
ADM Helps Unilever Bring Out the Best
The ADM/Unilever Soybean Sustainability Program, highlighted at the 2014 Farm Progress Show, is helping farmers bring out the best in Hellmann’s mayonnaise. The program was introduced earlier this year as a cooperative effort of Unilever, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and the Iowa Soybean Association. ADM procures sustainably-raised soybeans from Iowa growers, processes soybeans at its Des Moines plant and …
Great American Wheat Harvest Update
Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast and thank you GROWMARK for continuing to be the sponsor for this podcast which is now on weekly episode 451! This week we’re going to get an update on the Great American Wheat Harvest documentary film from producer/director Conrad Weaver. Conrad’s film is helping educate the non-farm community all over the country about where …
USDA Offers Aid to Replant Florida Citrus
USDA is offering new financial assistance to eligible Florida citrus growers for the removal of trees afflicted with Huanglongbing (HLB), better known as citrus greening, and for replanting groves with new healthy stock. The support comes through USDA’s Tree Assistance Program. Making the announcement today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said this action is to help growers as USDA continues to …
GOP Ag Commissioners say “Ditch the Rule”
Members of the Republican Agriculture Commissioners Committee hosted a conference call Monday to discuss the impact of federal overreach on agriculture in the United States and back the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) in calling for the proposed “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule to be withdrawn. Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain says regulation of resources …