Corn farmers from across the country are in Washington this week to discuss policy issues and visit with lawmakers during another crucial point in the quest for a five year farm bill. “We’re getting very close to deadlines again, so there’s 21 days left to act” before the current bill expires, said National Corn Growers Association president Pam Johnson of …
Swine Link Wrap-Up
Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI) held a networking event for women in the swine industry last weekend and overall the event was a great success. To learn more about Swine Link, I spent some time with Lara Sheeley, senior associate director of BIVI who moved from BIVI Australia to lead the swine brand team in the U.S. Sheeley said that Swine Link …
2013 InfoAg Conference Sets Record Attendance
It’s all good at the 2013 InfoAg Conference on precision agriculture. Attendance is at a record above 1,100 at current count. Two years ago it was at 700! And now the conference is moving to every year and will be in St. Louis, MO in 2014, Union Station Hilton, July 1-3. Steve Phillips, Southeast Region Director for the North American …
Farm Bill Expected to Go to Senate Today
News out of Washington this morning is that the House will send its farm-only version of the farm bill over to the Senate today to begin the conference process. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) held a conference call with reporters on Monday urging the House to take that action before time runs out. “We’ve got only six legislative …
Case IH’s Long History with CTIC
Case IH has a long history with the Conservation Technology Information Center, so it just makes sense that they were an overall sponsor and sponsored dinner one evening during the tour in Livingston County, Ill., at Rooster Heaven, a hunting club near the Vermilion River. Chuck caught up with Alan Forbes with Case IH, who serves on the CTIC board …
Chicks Rockin the Swine Industry
There are hundreds of women rockin the swine industry and there is no better place to meet some of these women than during a Swine Link event. Swine Link is a network for women, by women and sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, and is focused on women in agriculture and especially women in the swine industry. Several women took on Des …
A Few Words From 2 Swine Industry Mentors
Historically the swine industry has been dominated by men, but over the past few years, the dynamic is changing as more women join the industry. Yet despite the accomplishments women have made in the workforce over the past 100 years, it can still be challenging to be a woman in a male dominated world. That is one reason why Boehringer …
Farmers Want to Save Nitrogen, Too!
Contrary to what seems to be reported many times, farmers don’t want to see their field nutrients washed on down the river to contribute to some “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. “Farmers don’t want nitrogen to leave their fields. They want it in their corn crop,” explained Tim Smith during the recent Conservation Technology Information Center tour in …
Maintaining Motivation During a PRRS Break
Maintaining motivation among your producers is challenging during a PRRS outbreak (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) but it is an important action to be taken to keep a swine herd healthy. During the Swine Link event held in Des Moines, Iowa on July 13, 2013 and sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI), Dr. Erin Johnson, PRRS Technical Manager for BIVI led …
CTIC Tour Host Big Believer in Filter Strips
Healthy soils are products of good management practices. And topping the list of practices for Terry Bachtold (shown getting an appreciation present for all his hard work of hosting), one of the host farmers for last week’s Conservation Technology Information Center tour in Livingston County, Ill., is using filter strips. “I’m a big believer in filter strips,” he exclaimed. “Whether …