Agri-Pulse Unveils New, Improved Website

Kelly Marshall

Agri-Pulse.com has received a makeover, from homepage to new landings for topics like the Farm Bill, Energy, and Labor & Immigration.

The new website was created to offer users better support on mobile phones and tablets, in addition to providing more content, says Editor Sara Wyant. “With the growing number of our readers accessing content on mobile devices, we wanted to ensure that our top-quality content worked on a variety of platforms. This new design will enhance the Agri-Pulse brand while enhancing the user experience with more value in a user-friendly environment”.

To celebrate the launch, Agri-Pulse is celebrating with unrestricted access to their content for the rest of this week. Next week subscribers will need to login. As always, first-time visitors can receive a free, four-week trial subscription to explore the high-quality content.

Agri-Pulse

Georgia Peanut Commission Supports Tornado Relief

Kelly Marshall

Victims of the South Georgia tornado have received more than 10,000 jars of peanut butter from peanut farmers across the state. The Georgia Peanut Commission made the donation through Second Harvest earlier this week and donations are still being accepted.

“Peanut farmers in Georgia, through the Georgia Peanut Commission, have supported the Peanut Proud relief efforts since its inception and we are proud to continue to do so in disaster relief efforts,” says Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “Peanut butter is the perfect food in disaster relief efforts since it does not have to be refrigerated, does not require cooking, and delivers a nutritional punch that is life-sustaining.”

For additional information on the project, visit www.gapeanuts.com or www.peanutproud.com.

Ag Groups, Peanuts

No Date for Ag Secretary Confirmation Yet

Cindy Zimmerman

Confirmation hearings for Trump administration cabinet members have been moving slowly, so it may be toward the end of February before Sonny Perdue is confirmed as Secretary of Agriculture, but he has been meeting with lawmakers in the meantime.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) “had a good conversation” with the former governor of Georgia on Tuesday where they discussed “regional differences in agriculture” and the importance of sound policies. “I am confident that Governor Perdue’s experience and unique perspective will prepare him well to take on the critical role of leading the USDA,” said Fischer.

You might be wondering just who’s minding the USDA during this transition time. According to a USDA memo, various career department staffers were named by outgoing Secretary Tom Vilsack to perform critical duties in the transition period. No acting secretary was named but Michael Young (Director of the Office of Budget and Program Analysis) has the title of acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture so is the de facto head of the department without cabinet status. Michael Scuse, who was named acting secretary for the week between Vilsack leaving and the inauguration, was just confirmed as Delaware Secretary of Agriculture last week.

Working on the transition is Dr. Sam Clovis, a political science professor and talk show host from Iowa who was named Senior White House Advisor for USDA.

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#Seed has Spot in Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

Cindy Zimmerman

The 24th Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival will feature a special place of honor this year for that which makes it all possible – the seed!

Debbie Mola Mickler and Eric Darden with Disney horticulture speak to ASTA members

During the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) 56th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference this week at Disney’s Epcot Center, festival coordinator Eric Darden announced that they will feature an ASTA garden at this year’s three month long event. “We’re going to tell the story to our guests about your organization and more importantly about seeds,” he said. “We’re going to show both edibles and ornamentals…to visually tell our guests about what plant breeding has done for their food and their ornamental plants.”

The display will be in front of the Land Pavilion between March 1 and May 31 and will include signage explaining the importance of seed and plant breeding and some special activities. “There’s no better storyteller than Disney,” said ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne. “We’ve got two days where we’re going to be able to make four presentations to participants about the seed…We really appreciate the chance to get in there and tell a story with master storytellers.”

Listen to the announcement here: Disney horticulturist Eric Darden and ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne

ASTA, Audio, Seed

I Am @USFRA – @AgRetailers

Cindy Zimmerman

i-am-usfra-webThe Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) represents the people who supply farmers and ranchers with the products and services they need to produce food, fiber, and fuel for the world. Many members are also farmers who sell seeds, nutrients, crop protection products, farm equipment, precision technology and agronomic services, so ARA has a strong interest in educating the public so those tools remain available for farmers to use.

That is why ARA became involved with the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) from the start and communications director Brian Reuwee says it is well worth it for them.

“It provides us such a great opportunity to educate the public and inform consumers about agriculture’s story in a way that our organization can’t do on its own,” said Reuwee. “We’re not making a multi-million dollar investment in USFRA, but we feel a multi-million dollar impact of the work that they do because of our small contribution to be part of it.”

Reuwee says they especially appreciate USFRA’s focus on sustainability issues such as water and pesticide application and the SMART Farm concept. “Retailers are looking for ways to help their farmers implement precision ag technologies, be better stewards of the land, be more sustainable,” he said. “There’s a great role for retailers to play in promoting that message and telling agriculture’s story.”

Learn more about why ARA is USFRA in this interview: Interview with Brian Reuwee, Ag Retailers Association

iamusfra-graphic

ARA, Audio, USFRA

Off to IPPE thanks to @NovusInt

Chuck Zimmerman

This week is going to be a busy one for the ZimmComm Team. I’m off to Atlanta for the 2017 International Production & Processing Expo sponsored by Novus International again this year. The Expo features more than 1,200 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors from Jan. 31- Feb. 2, 2017.

Hailed as the largest annual trade show for the poultry, meat and feed industries, the show focuses on Innovation – bringing together buyers and sellers of the latest technology of products and services to make your business successful, Education – learning from the experts in free- and fee-based world-class programs beginning Mon., Jan. 30, on topics that cross industry interests, Global Reach – attracting more than 7,200 International visitors from 140 countries, and Networking – meeting new and rekindling old relationships with leaders across the industries.

While I’m in Atlanta Cindy will be covering the Crop Insurance & Reinsurance Bureau annual meeting and Jamie will be covering the Cattle Industry Convention. Lots of new content from the masters of online content creation coming. We hope you enjoy it.

Coverage of the International Production and Processing Expo is sponsored by
Coverage of the International Production and Processing Expo is sponsored by NOVUS
IPPE, Novus International, Poultry Expo

International Conference Focuses on Farm Size

Kelly Marshall

The USDA’s Economic Research Service and Farm Foundation, NFP are hosting an international conference of economic researchers in Washington D.C. this week to discuss how agricultural productivity is related to farm size across the globe. Papers and presentations go beyond comparisons of land productivity to focus on total factor productivity.

“Agricultural productivity growth is a key factor in the ability of global agriculture to feed the world’s increasing population,” says conference organizer Keith Fuglie, an economist in the Resource and Rural Economics Division of ERS. “This conference is an opportunity to expand our understanding of the relationship between the size and structure of farm operations and agricultural productivity in different locations and farming systems worldwide.”

This conference is targeted to public policy officials, economists and those interested in global development and productivity. The workshop is free of charge but registration is requested. Papers presented will be posted on ResearchGate after the event.

Farm Foundation, International

Two Former Ag Secretaries Endorse Dow-DuPont Merger

Cindy Zimmerman

Clockwise from upper left: Former agriculture secretaries Clayton Yeutter, Dan Glickman, Tom Vilsack and Mike Johanns

Former U.S. agriculture secretaries Mike Johanns and Dan Glickman outlined their support of the proposed Dow-DuPont merger in an op-ed published today in Morning Consult.

“Given the current landscape, now more than ever America’s farmers need what Dow and DuPont are proposing – a strong, focused American agriculture company that is American-owned, championing the interests of the American farmer in a marketplace that may soon be dominated by foreign-owned behemoths,” said the two secretaries of opposite parties. Glickman served in the Clinton administration, while Johanns served under George W. Bush, as well as being both governor and senator from Nebraska.

“For farmers across this great nation – and around the world – the stakes are real. They all want a faster, bigger and better stream of new products, techniques and tools because they need them…They need a strong, American-owned agriculture company by their side,” they concluded.

Agribusiness

USSEC’s Aquaculture Team Highlights Growth

Jamie Johansen

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) global aquaculture team is led by Colby Sutter and was out in full force for their 2017 Aquaculture Educational Opportunity in Panama City, Panama. They each presented to soybean growers and researchers in attendance. I sat down with nearly the entire team having them sum up the market situation for their region, discuss challenges they face, highlight USSEC’s network of sharing best practices and share tactics being implemented leading them into the future.

Lukas Manomaitis heads up the Southeast Asian aquaculture sector. Lucas Manomaitis, USSEC Southeast Asia Aquaculture Sector

Jim Zhang leads the team in China: Jim Zhang, USSEC China Aquaculture Sector

Sirri Kayhan not only takes on aquaculture in Turkey, but all other animal proteins: Sirri Kayhan, USSEC Turkey Aquaculture Sector

Jairo Amezquita’s region is the Latin American aquaculture sector: Jairo Amezquita, USSEC Latin America Aquaculture Sector

Salah Taher shares his expertise on aquaculture in Egypt: Salah Taher, USSEC Egypt Aquaculture Sector

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 USSEC Aquaculture Educational Opportunity Photos

Ag Groups

Senate Ag Committee Announces Farm Bill Hearing

Kelly Marshall

Pat Roberts, (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, have announced the first hearing the next Farm Bill reauthorization. The hearing will take place on February 23, 2017 at the McCain Auditorium at Kansas State University.

“It’s time to get to work on another Farm Bill, and we’re heading straight to the heartland to talk directly to producers,” said Chairman Roberts. “I can’t think of a more appropriate venue to hold this hearing than Manhattan, Kan., the home of Kansas State University, the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and Kansas Farm Bureau.

“As we begin to have discussions about the next Farm Bill, we will need input from farmers and families all across the country,” said Ranking Member Stabenow. “I am looking forward to this first field hearing in Chairman Roberts’ home state to hear directly from producers and others who care about rural America so we can craft a bill that continues to strengthen American agriculture as well as small towns and rural communities.”

The hearing will be webcast live on ag.senate.gov.

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