The Agvocacy 2.0 Training would not of have been complete without a surprise performance from the Peterson Farm Boys. Their YouTube video, “I’m Farming and I Grow It” went vial this summer and has almost reached 7 million views. Greg and Nathan Peterson not only performed but took time out of their busy schedule to talk with us about why …
Wine Making in Sweden
Wine making in Sweden? You betcha. During the 2012 IFAJ Congress some of us toured Blaxsta Vineyard. We also sampled a merlot while we were there. The grapes for this particular wine came from Canadian vineyards of French stock. Blaxsta Vineyard is located near Stockholm and is about as far north as you can grow grapes to make some good …
Organic Pig Farming
Here’s something you don’t see everyday. A group of agricultural journalists from many countries playing with some organic pigs. This is on the Asbergby Farm during the 2012 IFAJ Congress. We met Olle and Catharina Linder who are organic farmers raising pigs and cattle. You can see how they keep their pigs in the video. What do you think of …
EcoTek Highlights Young Scientists at USB Event
A group of young scientists got to show off what they have learned in their lab during the recent USB Biobased Products Stakeholders Workshop in Dearborn, Michigan. “My focus is on innovation and how to use science as a way of improving society,” explained Keith Young, the founder of EcoTek Lab… a Detroit-based program for students from 2nd grade through …
Swedish Beef Cattle Farm – Stenhammar Estate
During the 2012 IFAJ Congress we split up into eight different tour groups. My group (Meat Wagon) visited Stenhammar Estate, a beef cattle farm run by the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. He was not available but his farm manager, Anders Frederiksson was. Anders gave us a tour around the old and new barns and talked about the farm. I …
Know the Enemy – Palmer Pigweed
It’s not just pigweed, it’s Palmer amaranth pigweed, and it was all over the Bayer CropScience Respect the Rotation plot tour in Collinsville, Illinois – towering over corn and soybeans and most other weeds. Waterhemp is also a member of the pigweed family that might be more familiar to growers in the Midwest and both are developing resistance to glyphosate. …
The Drought
Wells are running dry, cattle are being sold and crops are withering away. There is no question that farmers and ranchers across the Midwest are experiencing one of the worst droughts in history. Maybe it hasn’t directly affected you yet, but don’t worry it will. Producers and consumers alike will see the impact from our lack of rain. But lets …
BIVI Improving Animal Welfare & Public’s Perceptions
Our friends at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. want to improve livestock health through preventive measures, while at the same time bridge the gap between producers and consumers who are more removed from production agriculture than ever before. The company has launched the Prevention Works platform to raise awareness and foster conversations between veterinarians, their clients and consumers. The goal is …
Ethanol Goes Open Road With New Ad
A new ethanol ad has debuted that focuses on the fact that ethanol is saving consumers at the pump. Following on the success of its long-running “Right Here, Right Now” ads, the Renewable Fuels Association is debuting a new ad which focuses on ethanol’s ability to lower gas prices at the pump and offer consumers relief in a difficult economy. …
Astronaut Kelly to Keynote Farm Bureau Meeting
Farm Bureau officials are excited to announce that retired astronaut Mark Kelly will be the keynote speaker at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2013 Annual Meeting, Jan. 13-16, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. While Kelly is known for his work in space, he is also a loving caregiver to his wife former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt in …