House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott called to extend the 2018 Farm Bill to offer certainty and support to farmers, ranchers, and foresters as extremism within the House Republican Conference hobbles legislative efforts. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Torres Small announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is initiating a new effort to further support the U.S. specialty crops sector …

At its annual Laureate Award Ceremony, the World Food Prize Foundation surprised 2023 Laureate, Heidi Kühn, with the announcement of a doubling of prize amount to $500,000, up from $250,000 in previous years. The ceremony, held at the Iowa State Capitol building, is frequently referred to as “the Nobel Prize for Agriculture” and is held in parallel with the Norman …

Fresh on the heels of being named to the Inc. Magazine 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for the second straight year, CLUTCH, a hybrid consultancy-agency based in Minneapolis, announced that Kelsey Gunderson and Greta Bierbaum have joined the firm as client success directors. As IFAJ’s Global Manager, Hugh Maynard, prepares his well-deserved retirement, IFAJ is looking for a new …

The combination of high interest rates and a strong U.S. dollar is beginning to take a disproportionate toll on rural industries like agriculture, forest products, mining and manufacturing. Most international transactions are still conducted in dollars, and a strong dollar makes U.S. exports more expensive and imports cheaper. That disproportionally hurts the backbone of the rural economy, according to a …

International Federation of Agricultural Journalists is seeking a new Global Manager as the current Global Manager prepares to retire. The position involves a wide range of responsibilities, including administration, communications, bookkeeping, and meeting planning. To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please click here for a detailed summary of the scope of work and approximate compensation. According to a new …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Grain Stocks report showed that old crop corn stocks on hand as of Sept. 1, 2023, totaled 1.36 billion bushels, down one percent from Sept. 1, 2022. Old crop soybeans stored in all positions were down two percent from Sept. 1, 2022, and all wheat stocks were up slightly from …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will begin issuing more than $1.75 billion in emergency relief payments to eligible farmers and livestock producers. These much-needed payments are helping farming and ranching operations recover following natural disasters in 2020, 2021 and 2022. USDA is making more than $3 billion in funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners …

The World Food Prize Foundation announced the selection of Dr. Swati Nayak as the 2023 Recipient of the Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, Endowed by The Rockefeller Foundation. Nayak is recognized for her innovative approach to engaging farmers in demand-driven rice seed systems, from testing and deployment to access and adoption of climate-resilient and nutritious rice …

President Joe Biden has nominated Dr. Basil Gooden to serve as Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). If confirmed, Dr. Gooden would fill the under secretary position left vacant by Xochitl Torres Small, who was confirmed in July 2023 as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. At the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Annual …

Daren Williams, a veteran public relations and marketing leader with significant experience across food and agriculture, has been named to lead the PR and reputation management practice at Curious Plot. Syngenta Group announced financial results for the first half and the second quarter of 2023. Sales for the first half of 2023 were $17.5 billion, down $0.6 billion or 3 …