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 …
GIPSA Dominates Senate Committee Hearing
The topic of the hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee yesterday was “The State of Livestock in America” but much of the testimony centered around USDA’s controversial Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard’s Administration (GIPSA) proposal. In a strong statement at the start of the hearing, ranking member Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) said that GIPSA proposal is in direct opposition to …
Whole Hog Courtesy of Novus International
The crowd formed early and eagerly awaited the Novus International hog cooked by Lynch BBQ. Just before slicing and picking the pig the team gathered for a photo. It only took a few minutes to get this hog into trays and ready for serving. I sampled and can’t say enough about how tender, juicy and tasty this pork was. It …
Peace, Love and Pork at World Pork Expo
The folks at Automated Production Systems led a peaceful pig protest at the 2011 World Pork Expo Thursday with their 60s-themed roast pig. With cries of “Fork More Pork” in different languages, the AP team really outdid itself this year. The company, which specializes in swine production equipment such as feeders, ventilation and flooring, has a different theme for their …
Customer Videos From John Deere Drive Green Challenge
You’ve probably wondered what I was doing at various John Deere dealers this past couple months. Well, now you can see it in action. It is a series of customer video clips for the John Deere Drive Green Challenge promotion that is taking place around the country. John Deere selected several dealership promotion days and I showed up to collect …
Marquis Energy Sees Great NASCAR Ethanol Opportunity
The President of Marquis Energy is Mark Marquis, seen here introducing NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace to the crowd attending yesterday’s event held at the Hennepin ethanol plant. I spoke with Mark and learned that Marquis Energy is a real family type business that he had built after growing up on a family farm in this area and branching out into …
Over Regulation All Across the Nation Blues
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is going creative on all the regulation being faced by farmers today. Maybe we should start a video sensation called, “EPA Regulators Gone Wild.” Now I wonder what kind of video that would generate. How about this one, just released by NCBA? Let’s help it go viral. Share it out via your social media channels! …