The International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) World Forum last week featured the global launch of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Checklist, the “world’s first practitioner’s guide” to the sustainable outsourcing of agricultural raw materials. SAI president and Coca Cola Senior Manager of Sustainability Ernesto Brovelli said the purpose of the checklist is based on the fact that the …
LMA’s Industry Showcase Provides Networking
The 2013 Livestock Marketing Association’s Annual Meeting and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in Montgomery, Al. brought together cattlemen and other members of the beef community to network and learn more about the industry. One great opportunity to do both of those things took place during the Industry Showcase. The trade show allowed attendees to see first-hand new products and ask …
Senate Leader Says No Farm Bill Extension
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) says no to another farm bill extension. In remarks on the Senate floor Monday prior to starting business on the immigration reform bill, Senator Reid began by noting that last week’s defeat of the farm bill on the House floor was “the first time the House of Representatives defeated a farm bill since the …
AgCareers.com Supports IFAMA Student Competition
The man who had the honor of handing out the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) 2013 Student Competition awards is a great advocate of agricultural careers – AgCareers.com president Eric Spell. “We’ve been four out of the last five years to the event,” Eric told me. “One of the hot words that we hear with employers is ‘supply …
Monsanto Calls GE Wheat Find “Suspicious”
Monsanto officials held a press call on Friday regarding “suspicious” evidence in the investigation of genetically engineered wheat plants found in an Oregon field last month that suggests it was possibly intentionally planted. “The evidence now collected, the fact patterns established and the original Roundup Ready CP-4 event appearing suddenly after 12 years, out of nowhere in a single field …
Connecting Beef Checkoff Funds With LMA
Everyone involved in the beef industry understands the importance of the beef checkoff program. And what better time to inform producers of this beef promotion tool then during the 2013 Livestock Marketing Association’s Annual Meeting & World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. Jimmy Maxy, Secretary/Treasurer for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and cattleman from California, took in the event and spoke with Chuck …
Immigration Policy Forum in Kansas City
With the Senate poised to vote on comprehensive immigration reform this week, USDA held a forum on the issue Friday in Kansas City, featuring Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, former Kansas City mayor and current Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, and representatives of the nation’s dairy industry. “We are blessed by the most productive, most innovative and most hard-working farmers and ranchers,” Vilsack …
Montgomery Stockyards Hosted LMA Event
The 2013 Livestock Marketing Association’s Annual Meeting and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship recently took place in Montgomery, Alabama. The Montgomery Stockyards took the honor of hosting the convention and sponsored the Friday night meal and entertainment. Jerry Etheridge with Montgomery Stockyards met guests at Union Station where the event was held and Chuck met up with him there. The team …
Honey Bee Health at Bayer
Time to add bee care to the endless list of projects Bayer has taken on. During Bayer’s 150th Anniversary attendees had the opportunity to take in the mobile bee exhibit that is touring the country through trade shows and meetings. Robyn Kneed is the project lead for Bee Care at Bayer. She manages the bee camp programs throughout North America. …
Farm Bill Blame Game
The shock over the defeat of the farm bill in the U.S. House of Representatives had barely sunk in Thursday when the blame game began. It started on the floor of the House when Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) was giving an update on next week’s schedule and Minority Whip Steney Hoyer (D-VA) asked whether the student loan program would …