The first Ag Leader Technology Tech Meets Dirt Road Tour around Illinois is now history now and it seems like it was a big success. I attended the event near Peoria and was able to chat with presenters in each of the main focus areas – seed, water, and nutrient management. Matt Cannon, a farmer from central Iowa, talked about …
Busy Week in DC for Corn Growers
Members of the National Corn Growers Association had a busy week in the nation’s capital last week – hearing from and meeting with administration officials and lawmakers, saying goodbye to retiring industry leaders, and inspiring new young leaders. One of the highlights was an update from EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe on the proposed Waters of the United States rule. …
Regulating UAV Use
Concern about regulations for the commercial use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was a big topic at last week’s 2014 Precision Aerial Ag Show (PAAS) in Decatur, Illinois. Attorney Brendan Schulman of Kramer Levin Law spoke at the event about his win against the FAA regarding a UAV flight for the filming of a …
AG UAVs in the Air
You especially like to have good weather when you’re holding an air show! In this case it’s the Precision Aerial Ag Show taking place at the Farm Progress Show site in Illinois. Check out the flight schedule that’s going on. I was really hoping to have a chance to attend this event. It has “AgNerd” written all over it. But …
Immigration Reform Action Day
A coalition of leading business, manufacturing, and agriculture groups – including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Partnership for a New American Economy, Business Roundtable, the American Farm Bureau Federation, AmericanHort, the National Association of Manufacturers, and Western Growers – held a Day of Action for immigration reform today. The group held a national press conference in Washington and events in …
2014 Farm Progress Show Preview
The 2014 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa is just around the corner already! Where has the summer gone? Our hick chick reporter Leah Guffey got in touch with show manager Matt Jungmann to get a preview on this year’s show and find out what’s new and what’s going on with the demonstration fields. Matt says the corn is growing, …
New Holland Intros New CR Series Combines
Is this the biggest combine out there? It’s a monster that’s for sure. It’s the new New Holland’s CR Series combines. According to the company these combines “raise harvesting to a whole new level: up to 15% more productivity, grain crackage as low as 0.2%, and the ultimate comfort cab. The brand new Harvest Suite™ Ultra cab is larger and …
Climate Alarmism Debunked
The 9th International Conference on Climate Change in underway in Las Vegas and being live streamed. I watched the keynotes this morning and was fascinated. First up was Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder of Greenpeace. His was the face you saw many years back leading the charge in the face of Russian whaling boats and more. But he says the organization …
EPA Wants to “Ditch the Myths” About WOTUS
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy held a conference call with media this morning in advance of her trip to Missouri this week to talk about the proposed Waters of the United States rule, or WOTUS. “I’m hoping that this trip helps us ‘ditch the myths’ and misinformation,” said McCarthy in an obvious reference to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s …
Legislative Issues for Agriculture
Congress back in session this week after the 4th of July holiday, but with all the recesses and holidays coming up before the November elections, there is little time left for them to actually do any work. Board members for GROWMARK recently visited Capitol Hill to talk with their congressional representatives about issues important to them. Our guest on the …