The U.S. fruit, vegetable and mass-market floral industry contributes $554 billion annually to the nation’s economy, according to a new study from Battelle. The economic impact study – titled Economic Reach and Impact of the Fresh Produce and Floral Industry, commissioned by Produce Marketing Association (PMA) – used unprecedented economic modeling to analyze and measure the industry’s field-to-fork reach. Massey …

Cooperatives Working Together has now finished the farm audits of its sixth herd retirement round since the program was started in 2003, removing 50,630 cows that produced almost one billion pounds of milk (186 herds in 33 states). Join us on March 12, as the Agriculture Council of America (ACA) hosts two major events in Washington, DC: the Mix-and-Mingle Luncheon …

The nomination forms for the 2009 Grower Achievement Award program are open online. All grower operations throughout the U.S. are eligible to enter or nominate. The deadline for entry is May 31, 2009. Final preparations are underway towards the opening of the three programs to be held at the Galillee College study centre, Israel between March 19 and April 6, …

The members of Cooperatives Working Together voted to fund the self-help program for two full years, from Jan. 2009 through Dec. 2010, to help bring the dairy supply into balance with shrinking demand. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) released the ISAAA annual report “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops 2008.” U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) invites …

Charlie O’Brien of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has been named to the Farm Foundation’s Round Table, which is an invitational discussion forum of leaders from agribusiness, government, academic and agricultural-related interest groups. O’Brien is AEM’s vice president of agricultural services. Agri-Inject, Inc. now offers Mister Mist’r Ultra, a new generation of their injection check valve for injection systems. …

The Camelina Company announces that camelina meal will be available for use as broiler chicken feed. The FDA approved camelina in rations for broiler chickens and with this action the FDA allows Great Plains to state that camelina has GRAS (“generally recognized as safe”) status. According to new research conducted by the National Veterinary Institute in Uppsala, Sweden, hens housed …

Michael Oleykowski has joined United Phosphorus, Inc., as northern account manager responsible for Turf-Ornamental-PCO markets in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions. Iowa Corn launches the Iowa Corn Fed Sweepstakes, including the giveaway of a souped-up 2009 black Chevy FFV Silverado. The truck will be on tour from January 15 to May 22 throughout Iowa. Consumers can enter the drawing …

The American Soybean Association and BASF Corporation are inviting U.S. soybean producers to sign up for the 2009 Secure Optimal Yield (SOY) Challenge. The SOY program provides an opportunity for growers to use enhanced crop-management technology and techniques to maximize yield and profitability in soybeans. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has presented the Independence County Conservation District in Batesville, …

The American Soybean Association welcomes the USDA announcement to continue the Asian Soybean Rust Pest Information Platform for Education and Extension (PIPE). AgriLabs has been named the exclusive marketer of EstroPLAN (cloprostenol sodium) by Parnell Laboratories of Sydney, Australia, the manufacturer of this time-tested prostaglandin. STIHL Inc. announced it will be the title sponsor of this year’s Tour des Trees. …

Future Beef Partners Inc. is launching two game-changing products developed for leaders in Finance, Risk Management, Procurement, or Sales in the beef industry. BeefScout uses proprietary technology to provide market driven prices through a web-based tool to benchmark forward prices on cuts and trims of beef. Their second product, BasisGuard, writes forward contracts using the BeefScout benchmark prices. Gary Vermeer, …