The Animal Agriculture Alliance has been busy over the course of the last year staying up-to-date on animal ag issues, researching current activist campaigns and advocating farm policy. At the 2013 NAFB Convention I met up with Kay Johnson Smith, President and CEO, and Emily Meredith, Director of Communications during the events Trade Talk. Hot topics of discussion included the …
TATT Global Farmer Roundtable visits Couser Cattle
During the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) Global Farmer Roundtable we went to the Couser Cattle Company. Bill and Nancy Couser with son Tim produce corn and cattle just outside of Nevada, IA. When Tim graduated from Iowa State University, mom and dad strongly suggested that he spend some time in the corporate world before returning to the …
Policy Panel at NAMA Fall Conference
The NAMA Fall Conference featured a policy panel moderated by Sara “Legs” Wyant of Agri-Pulse, and featuring Mike Deering with the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Garrett Hawkins with Missouri Farm Bureau, and Steve Censky with the American Soybean Association. The need for a new farm bill was the major topic of discussion. “We’re all kind of waiting to see what happens …
Cattle and Ethanol Debating RFS
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts is live right now on AgriTalk in a debate with Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Great RFS Debate is being co-hosted by Agri-Pulse. Pictured here, left to right, as the debate begins – Bob Dinneen, AgriTalk host Mike …
Reaction to Court COOL Decision
A U.S. district court judge today denied a request for a preliminary injunction blocking a final USDA regulation mandating country-of-origin labels (COOL) on meat sold in retail stores until a lawsuit filed July 8 is concluded. That decision made COOL supporters happy but disappointed the plaintiffs, which include U.S. and Canadian meat packer and livestock organizations. “We disagree strongly with …
Gauchos Herding Livestock Across River
After a dusty day on the trail during our IFAJ Congress livestock farm tour in Argentina’s Entre Ríos province we got a welcome change of pace with a boat trip on the Paraná River. Our boats all took us to where we got a front row seat as gauchos herded horses and cattle across the river. It turned into a …
Argentina Farm Tour
During the 2013 IFAJ Congress many of us participated in a livestock tour that focused on one farm in the Entre Ríos province. Throughout the major portion of the day we were taken from location to location on dirt roads in trailers pulled by tractors and trucks. Let’s just say we got down and dirty, or rather dusty. From the …
ZimmComm Hits 100,000 Photos During IFAJ 2013
“I got a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph, so Mama don’t take my Kodachrome away.” Paul Simon Sometime last week during the IFAJ 2013 Congress, ZimmComm reached a milestone of 100,000 photos in our eight-year-old Flickr account. We picked this photo as our 100,000th – since we are not exactly sure but it’s one of our favorites. …
Argentine Agriculture Secretary Comments at IFAJ
We did get to hear from a high ranking official in the Argentine government during the IFAJ Congress this week – but not in English and there was no opportunity to ask questions. Lorenzo Basso’s title is Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture of Argentina, so not exactly the equal to Tom Vilsack in the U.S., more like Deputy Secretary …
Myths Busted About Beef
The Cattle Industry Summer Conference was more than committee and board meetings. Education was a key element to help arm attendees with facts and figures they can take home and use in everyday conversations with familiy, friends and complete strangers about beef. Chuck spoke with Dr. Jude Capper, Livestock Sustainablity Consultant, after she presented a talk on common myths about …