One of the stops on the 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour in Ohio last week was the farm of Todd Hesterman in Napoleon, Ohio. Todd has employed continuous no-till on his 450 acre corn, soybean and wheat operation for 22 years and used yield mapping for more than 14 years and is a strong advocate for doing what he …
Checking Out the Soil on Ohio Farm
The 2011 CTIC Conservation In Action Tour in Ohio this week included an in-depth look at the soil on a northwest Ohio farm. USDA resource soil scientist Frank Gibbs likes to dig in the dirt a lot. He is a certified professional soil scientist and classifier and chairs the Ohio Soil Scientist Certification Board for the Soil Science Society of …
Promoting Ethanol at Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
You might not think of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as an agricultural event but there’s a tie-in. That tie is the fact that one of the sponsors of the event and my coverage here and on Domestic Fuel is the Renewable Fuels Association. There is prominent visibility for “Ethanol, Fueled with Pride.” On location here representing RFA is Robert White …
The Importance of Soft Skills to Employers
Soft skills are as important in the job market as software is to a computer. Soft skills include areas such as communications, leadership, problem-solving, self-management and professionalism – some of which must be developed over time rather than taught in a classroom – but the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) is taking a look at how their courses …
Georgia Peanut Commission Celebration
The Georgia Peanut Commission board of directors celebrated its 50th anniversary earlier this week by lifting a shovel and tossing a little dirt at the site for the new headquarters of the Commission in Tifton, Ga. The event held Monday, Aug. 1, brought more than 125 attendees to witness the groundbreaking and to celebrate the Commission’s 50 years of representing …
MPK Teaches Peanut Industry Some New Moves
I had the opportunity to see the lovely and talented advocate for agriculture Michele Payn-Knoper in action last week at the 2011 Southern Peanut Growers Conference where she was the keynote luncheon speaker. “We have to engage with the 98 and a half percent of the population who are not farmers,” she said, encouraging the peanut growers to use the …
USFRA Launches Campaign Inviting Farmer/Rancher Participation
This week the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance announced an ad campaign to encourage participation. So what if you’d like to get involved? There are a number of ways which you can find on the USFRA website. So take a few moments and raise your voice and join the conversation about the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement and dedication to …
Regulatory Trainwreck Video
All aboard for the Over-Regulation Express! The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has just released a clever new YouTube video calling attention to the current administration’s onslaught of “burdensome, costly and scientifically unfounded regulations as a way to cut spending and prevent further job loss in rural America.” When you see the list of regulations coming down the track that will …
House Hearing on How GIPSA Hurts Small Business
The last post we did with a lawmaker’s opinion on GIPSA, we got hammered with comments. That was fun – let’s do it again! Last time, it was Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) who had negative comments about USDA’s controversial Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard’s Administration (GIPSA) proposal. This time, it’s Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO), chairman of the House Small Business …
Catering To Chefs Specialty Needs
The oldest family farm in Livingston County, IL is Spence Farm. I met Marty and Kris Travis, seventh generation farmers, on this unique farming operation during the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour. The farm specializes in a lot of heirloom vegetables among other products. You can see a list of their products on their website. Marty says the …