Farmers shopping for new Challenger, Massey Ferguson and Gleaner equipment can easily configure, price and compare the newest farm equipment right from their home office using new “Build and Quote” websites. Pioneer Hi-Bred has announced Alejandro Munoz as vice president, Americas Group and Global Production, and Judd O’Connor as vice president, regional director for the U.S. region. Rod Wells has …

World Dairy Expo’s Board of Directors elected eight individuals to the Executive Committee at their annual meeting. Fresh mushrooms, one of the top 20 best-selling produce items in 2010, outperformed produce retail sales as a whole in terms of both dollars and pounds sold. The United States Potato Board grower membership recently elected new leadership during its annual meeting. Merck …

ConAgra Foods has partnered with Feeding America to launch a new initiative to fight child hunger: the “Child Hunger Ends Here” campaign. Twelve of the nation’s premier agriculture students were recently selected for the 2011 International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership (I-CAL) Program. The Agriculture Council of America has announced the 2011 National Ag Day written essay and video essay contest winners, …

Beginning April 1, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be conducting the 12th National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. Registration and Housing are now open for the 2011 International Dairy Show, Sept. 19-21 in Atlanta, Ga. The United Soybean Board has retooled its website to sharpen its focus on meeting the needs of the nearly 600,000 farmers …

Farm Journal Media recently received the Grand Neal Award, which recognized the service and multimedia strength of the Farm Journal Legacy Project. Chris Nelson, Pete Holman, Bill Freeman and Col. Randy Baxley have joined forces to form Roundup Internet Livestock Marketing, based in Visalia, Calif. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and the National FFA organization announce the availability of …

Brownfield Ag News introduces Brownfield Mobile Smartphone applications for iPhone and Android platforms. Agri-Pulse Communications launches expanded information and features on the firm’s newly redesigned website. Syngenta is sponsoring the Syngenta Almond Scholarship program for the second year. Advanta US and Chromatin, Inc. have entered into a commercial license agreement for the development of sorghum.

Jon Ferguson of Kensington, Kan., has been elected as the new president of CattleFax, and Kent Bamford, Haxtun, Colo., as its president-elect. Jeff Lautt was named President of POET. The National Pork Board announced a new branding position celebrating pork’s ability to offer a wide range of options in the kitchen: Pork® Be inspired. The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council is …

Fastline Publications introduced their newest edition: Big Ag Edition. Osborn & Barr congratulates team member Jason Gerke on his recent appointment as chairman of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee with the Missouri Farm Bureau. Porter J. Martin, president of Porter Martin Farmland and Cattle Company, based in Shabbona, Ill., was presented the Hall of Fame Award from the Illinois …

Iowa Corn is proud to announce 10 scholarships to be awarded through the Iowa Corn Future of Agriculture Scholarship program to high school seniors college students who are pursuing a degree in the 2011-12 school year. New leadership was elected by the members of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. America’s Heartland, the only nationally-distributed program …

Ohio Brownfield Ag News radio network will be introduced in 2011. Monsanto Company will provide more than $1 million in sponsorships of National FFA Organization programs, awards, events, student scholarships and more this year. MGEX announced preliminary February monthly electronic trading volume of 190,639 contracts, eclipsing the previous record set in June 2010. John Melick, a fruit and vegetable farmer …