Being in Des Moines this week was a great opportunity to see a lot of friends and clients. AgWired sponsor, Novus International, was on display for the World Food Prize activities. In fact, Novus is a big supporter. Pictured are Thad Simons (left), President/CEO and Jill Mahoney, Public Relations. Thad says the Novus vision to feed the world ties right …
Former UN Sec’y General Awarded World Food Prize Medallion
Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has picked up the World Food Prize Foundation’s Norman E. Borlaug Medallion, recognizing world leaders whose actions have benefited mankind but who would not normally be eligible for the World Food Prize. This World Food Prize Foundation press release says Annan was befittingly awarded the medallion during the first-ever African Green Revolution Forum …
United Soybean Board Supports World Food Prize Hall
The United Soybean Board (USB) and soybean checkoff, through USB’s Biotechnology Initiative, announced a $500,000 investment in the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines, Iowa. This investment will be used to help create a kiosk in the new educational wing at the Hall of Laureates that will help educate the public on the value of biotechnology toward …
Bill Gates Defends Biotech Crops
At the World Food Prize Forum in Des Moines on Thursday, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates spoke out in support of biotechnology to help feed the world. “We have to develop crops, including new inputs to go with them that can grow in a drought,” Gates said. “We have to have crops that can survive a flood, that can …
World Food Prize Winner
Gebisa Ejeta, Purdue University Distinguished Professor of Agronomy plant breeder and geneticist, will receive the World Food Prize for his work in developing sorghum varieties resistant to drought and Striga, a parasitic weed common on the African continent. Because of Ejeta’s efforts, sorghum yields are significantly higher in many African nations. The World Food Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of …
Iowa Farmer Participates in World Food Prize
There were many corporate, government and organization types at the World Food Prize symposium last week in Des Moines – but there were lots of real farmers as well, from all over the world. The opportunity for farmers from different countries to network with each other is very valuable, especially for sharing ideas to increase productivity. Laura Foell is a …
Truth About Trade and Technology Global Roundtable
For the third year, the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) held a Global Farmer to Farmer Roundtable in conjunction with the World Food Prize events. Over 20 farmers from as many nations participated in the event this year to discuss biotech agriculture in their countries, according to TATT chairman Dean Kleckner. “Either how we’re using it and here’s what …
Soybeans Feeding the World
The role of soybeans in helping to feed a growing world population was emphasized at the World Food Prize events in Des Moines this past week by the prominent presence of soybean industry groups like the United Soybean Board. I spoke with USB CEO John Becherer (pictured here on the right with World Food Prize Foundation president Ambassador Ken Quinn) …
The Food and Fuel Story of Soy
Here are a couple of ladies who are World Food Prize winners in my book. They are Victoria Carver (left) with the Iowa Soybean Association who serves on the recently created National Biodiesel Board Sustainability Task Force and Linda Funk with the Soyfoods Council and Soy For Life. I had a chance to visit with both of these lovely ladies …
World Food Prize Winners Meet the Press
The 2008 World Food Prize winners met the press on Thursday, which was also World Food Day. Former Senators Bob Dole and George McGovern took questions from the media on a variety of topics ranging from funding for the school lunch program, to biofuels, to the world financial situation. The two are splitting the $250,000 World Food Prize for their …