Obama Signs HR 2997 Into Law

Amanda Nolz

David Bennett with the Western Farm Press just posted this news alert about President Barack Obama signing HR 2997, a emergency stimulus package that could benefit farmers. Here is the most recent news on the topic… President Obama has signed legislation providing fiscal 2010 appropriations — $121 billion — for the USDA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and …

Farm Policy, Farming

Husker Farmer Tweets Harvest Video

Chuck Zimmerman

The Husker Farmer is harvesting some corn in south central Nebraska. “Finally” as he puts it. He is Ryan Weeks and you can find him active on Twitter as @huskerfarm. He’s another farmer using new media tools himself to tell his story and let the public know what farming like in America today. (Still amazes me that while so many …

Corn, Farming, Video

We Really Do Love Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman

According to a new poll, we really do love farmers. A nationwide survey conducted for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) found broad public respect and trust for family farmers and support for corn as food, feed and fuel. Ninety-five percent of those polled find farmers to be trusted messengers on issues such as agriculture, corn products and ethanol – …

Corn, Farming, NCGA

Farming for Generations

Cindy Zimmerman

Yes, Virginia, there really are family farmers in the United States. The National Corn Growers Association wants the public to know that family farmers not only exist, but are the critical factor that make the nation’s number one industry the world leaders in production of safe and wholesome products. Polling shows that many Americans no longer understand agriculture in their …

Corn, Farming, NCGA, Video

Truth About Trade and Technology Honors Irish Farmer

Cindy Zimmerman

Farmers from around the globe gathered in Des Moines this week to participate in the 2009 Global Farmer-to-Farmer Roundtable, which is held in conjunction with the World Food Prize and hosted by Truth About Trade and Technology. The group honored one of their own today with the 2009 Kleckner Trade & Technology Advancement Award which recognizes a farmer for “exemplary …

Biotech, Farming, International

Climate Change is BAD Topic

Cindy Zimmerman

Thursday is Blog Action Day (BAD) and the topic this year is Climate Change. Food production is top on the list of suggested ideas for bloggers to write about in an alert sent out by organizers. “Agricultural production around the world is responsible for nearly as much greenhouse gas emissions as all forms of transportation put together, so it shouldn’t …

Animal Activists, Farming, Wackos

Syngenta Seeds Striving for Control of Broad Leps

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta Seeds calls them “broad leps” – farmers call them expensive – most people would just call them icky. They are a bunch of nasty wormy creatures – technically lepidopteran corn pests – that make up what Syngenta calls the “multi-pest complex” which costs growers over $1 billion each year in lost yield and grain quality. They include corn earworm, …

Audio, Corn, Farming, Seed, Syngenta

Sustainability and Modern Farming

Cindy Zimmerman

The new president of the National Corn Growers Association, Darrin Ihnen of Hurley, S.D., is the star of a new video on the subject of increasing sustainability in agriculture that debuted Oct. 3 on the television program This Week in Agribusiness. The short video features Darrin and other family farmers telling the story of how better management and modern technology …

Corn, Farming, NCGA, Sustainability

Grains Council Seeking Harvest Photos

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) wants to see the fruits of your harvest. USGC is encouraging all farmers to carry a camera in the combine this year to snap some photos of the harvesting of food, feed and fuel for the United States and abroad. Each photo will be entered for a free Council meeting registration for our 7th International …

Farming, Photography, USGC

Soybean Harvesting

Chuck Zimmerman

Soybeans are being harvested in the Missouri River bottom. This was the scene I passed while working out this afternoon. It’s that time of year. A little further down the road however, there was a real contrast of soybeans quite ready for harvest next to fields that are in full leafy green. Kind of shows how mixed the season has …

Farming, Soybean