FamilyFarms Charities is offering two $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors planning to pursue college training in fields related to agriculture. Each recipient is then eligible for a $500 follow-up scholarship for the next three years of their undergraduate program provided they remain on a career path in agriculture and maintain good grades. The FamilyFarms Charities Scholarship was created to …
Soil Health Demo Farmers At #SHPSummit16
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) has a number of their demo farmers, the farmers who are implementing field size research trials over the next 5 years, at the Soil Health Summit this week. Hear from a few of them about their experiences so far in the program, and their hopes for what the next few years will bring. Gordon Smiley …
#SHPSummit16 Hears From Indiana Farmers
Carrie Volmer-Sanders farms with her husband and parents in Northeast Indiana/Northwest Ohio, and they have implemented cover crops on their farm for about 5 years now. Sanders works for The Nature Conservancy which is where she first heard about the project. “There are a couple of goals being a part of this. Some include sharing the information with local farmers …
Soil Health Stewardship Program Benefits Growers
While at the Soil Health Summit, David Brown, a farmer from Illinois, spoke with AgWired about his involvement in the Soil Health Partnership Stewardship Program. “We’re learning so much from it,” said Brown. “When the opportunity presented itself, I thought ‘we have to do this’. It’s a learning opportunity for us and if you don’t learn, you’re standing still.” Brown …
Soil Health From the Ground Up #SHPsummit16
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is not even two years old yet, but already the group has made some great strides in learning more about soil health to share with farmers. Hans Kok is a field manager for SHP in Indiana, where the second Soil Health Summit is being held this week. “We’re setting up a network of demonstration farms …
Farmer Fighting Government at #AFBF16
John Duarte of California is fighting the government over normal farming practices for planting wheat. Duarte planted 450 acres wheat in a field in Tehama County in November 2012. In February 2013, he received a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers to “cease and desist” those operations alleging damage to wetlands. Duarte with the Pacific Legal Foundation filed a …
What’s In and Out for Ag in Omnibus
The broad spending and tax legislation compromise unveiled by House Republicans Tuesday night includes some riders important to agriculture. Perhaps the most important, the bill repeals mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat to prevent more than $1 billion in trade sanctions from Mexico and Canada approved last week by the WTO. “I’m pleased American agriculture and businesses will escape these …
#ASTACSS Taking Cover Crops Mainstream
A diverse panel covered the topic of cover crops at the ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo this week, exploring how the practice is starting to hit the mainstream. David Pearl with the CISCO Companies in Indianapolis, who serves as chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Cover Crops Working Group, says this was the first full cover crops …
Sustainable Farmer Award Applications Sought
Bayer CropScience is seeking young agricultural producers that demonstrate leadership and excellence in the areas of business and environmental sustainability through the 2016 Young Farmer Sustainability Award. Any farmer or rancher age 40 and under who receives at least half of his or her income from farming and farm-related ventures is eligible to apply. Applications may be accessed and completed …
They’re Back – Peterson Farm Bros New Video
It’s titled, “Farmers Feed the World (Watch Me, Hit the Quan, Uptown Funk Parody).” And it is very well done. You will recognize some of the video contributors to the music video, including our own Joanna Schroeder! Here’s their message to go along with the video on YouTube. Enjoy it below. Thanks to Syngenta! “Through The Good Growth Plan, Syngenta …