A new report is either good news or bad news, depending on whether you just raise crops or just raise livestock. But for many producers who do both, the latest report from the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri is certainly a dose of both good and bad news. Earlier this month, we told …
Foundation for Food and Ag Research Formed
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the creation of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR), authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, and the appointment of a 15-member board of directors. The 15 voting members of the board include a former agriculture secretary, a number of university professors, a representative from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, an executive …
Farm Bill Toolbox
Here’s a Toolbox farmers might want to add to their arsenal. It’s the University of Illinois farmdoc Farm Bill Toolbox. You’ll find articles, videos and FSA documentation. This website provides educational outreach on 2014 Farm Bill related decisions and tools which are currently under development. Previously, articles on farmdoc Daily have provided details regarding the efforts to inform readers about …
ASA Pushes for Broad Land Grant Coalition
In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this morning, the American Soybean Association (ASA) and six other national farm groups urged USDA to consider the needs of soybean growers and growers of all crops when awarding funds included in the 2014 Farm Bill to land grant universities for the development of websites and web-based tools to assist producers in …
Farm Bureau Provides Farm Bill Help
If you have questions about how the new farm bill works, American Farm Bureau has answers. The American Farm Bureau Federation has produced a new series of videos and launched a website to help farmers, landowners and other stakeholders better understand the provisions of the 2014 farm bill. “We have distilled down a massive and complex piece of legislation – …
Freshman Lawmaker Learns & Teaches on Farm Bill
One of the problems of being a new lawmaker is you seem to come in on the middle of things. “I feel like a person who walked into a coffee shop three years after a debate started, sat down at the table, and they say, ‘Hey, help fix this.’ I had a steep learning curve,” said Illinois freshman Congressman Rodney …
Soybean Growers Glad for Farm Bill, Upset Over EPA
Soybean growers have had a mixed bag of emotions the last couple of months: happy over the passage of the much-anticipated Farm Bill … but not so happy over the government’s proposed cut to the amount of biodiesel, which is mostly made from soybeans, to be blended into the Nation’s fuel supply. At a news conference at the recent Commodity …
President Signs Farm Bill in Michigan
A young Michigan cherry farmer had the honor of introducing the president of the United States prior to signing of the new farm bill at Michigan State University Friday. “On behalf of farmers across Michigan, I want to say thank you Congress for passing a great farm bill,” said Ben LaCross, former American Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher chairman. …
President to Sign Farm Bill Today
President Obama will sign the Agricultural Act of 2014 today at Michigan State University, the alma mater of Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “This is a very exciting day and I welcome that the president is committed to agriculture in America and rural America and the research that we certainly exemplify at Michigan State,” said Stabenow earlier this …
What is Best in New Farm Bill
Before we get to the Farm Bill let’s look at our latest ZimmPoll which asked the question, “Could drones (UAV’s) serve a purpose on your operation?” Well over half of the voters this week said that drones could in fact serve a purpose on their operation. Price is still a factor and may be the reason that some operations would …