Sen. Moran Hosts Townhall at #AFBF19

AFBF, AgWired Animal, Audio, Government

Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) hosted a townhall meeting at the 100th American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show on Sunday in New Orleans.

Moran, together with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced a resolution last week recognizing AFBF’s 100th anniversary and celebrating their long history representing farmers across the United States.

“For a century, American Farm Bureau has advocated and fought for agriculture and rural America,” said Sen. Moran. “This resolution honors AFBF and the countless contributions they and their over six million member families in all 50 states have had on our nation’s producers.”

Sen. Moran held a press conference following his townhall meeting where he talked about trade and other important agricultural issues.
AFBF19 Sen. Jerry Moran press conference

2019 AFBF Annual Convention photo album

Sen. Roberts Addresses #AFBF19

AFBF, AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, Government

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS), who just announced he will be retiring from Congress after his current term ends in 2020, addressed some 7,000 members of the American Farm Bureau Federation at the organization’s 100th annual convention Sunday in New Orleans.

Known for his caustic wit and straight talk, as well as his dedication to the agriculture community, Roberts served eight terms in the House and this is his fourth in the Senate. He is the first member of Congress to chair the Agriculture Committees in both Houses.

His address to Farm Bureau focused on the 2018 Farm Bill and trade issues, and proved to be as entertaining as ever. He also gave a nice shout out to members of the farm media. “Thank God for the ag press, they tell it like it is, they shine the light of truth into darkness,” said Roberts.

Listen here:
AFBF19 Sen Pat Roberts remarks

Roberts also held a press conference for the media where he addressed a number of current topics:
AFBF19 Sen Pat Roberts press conference

2019 AFBF Annual Convention photo album

Animal Ag Bites 1/14

carrie muehlingAgWired Animal, Animal Bites

  • Applications are being accepted for college scholarships that are awarded by America’s dairy farmers and importers through the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Eleven scholarships worth $2,500 each will be awarded, in addition to a $3,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to one outstanding recipient. Applications can be downloaded at www.dairy.org/about-dmi/scholarship-program or by sending an e-mail to DMI’s Nate Janssen at nate.janssen@dairy.org. Completed applications should be postmarked no later than April 26.
  • Plans are underway for the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) Annual Conference, April 9-11, 2019 to be held at the Madison Marriott West, Madison, Wis. Conference registration is now open.
  • Nedap, a global leader in swine and dairy management systems, recently hired Cheryl Day and Jeff Morten to join its North American swine support team and José Roberto Simeone for its Latin America swine support team. Day joins as the U.S. vice president of business development, Morten joins as the U.S. sales manager and Simeone as the Latin America sales manager.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture will purchase roughly 1.8 million pounds of pork products from Brazilian firm JBS, one of the world’s largest meatpackers, using funds appropriated by the Trump Administration to help American family farmers and ranchers weather the administration’s trade war. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said the funds should instead be targeted to American farmers and ranchers.
  • The American Feed Industry Association announced the addition of Lacie Dotterweich as its communications coordinator, effective January 4.

AFBF Celebrates Centennial

AFBF, AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall officially opened the organization’s 100th annual convention in New Orleans Sunday before approximately 7,000 farmers and ranchers from across the nation.

Duvall outlined a few of the organization’s many historic accomplishments since 1919, such as leading the way on the nation’s first farm bill in the 1930s and helping develop the Food for Peace Program in the 1950s. As AFBF heads toward a new century of service to America’s farm and ranch families, Duvall said the organization will continue to be guided by the honorable principle that “farmers want to feed people.”

“Farm Bureau members throughout our history, and still today, have always answered the call to feed, fuel and defend our nation. I am grateful for this wonderful organization,” Duvall said. “Its founding 100 years ago was truly a breakthrough in American history. The founding fathers and mothers of our nation and of Farm Bureau were guided by a divine hand, a hand that still guides us today.”

On Monday, President Donald Trump will address the Farm Bureau meeting for the second year in a row during the closing general session.

Listen to Duvall’s address here:
AFBF19 President Zippy Duvall address to members

2019 AFBF Annual Convention photo album

The Best of 2018

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, ZimmComm Announcement

Here are some of our favorite photos and links to our top viewed posts on AgWired for 2018. We covered nearly 50 events around the world in 2018, from the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in January to the American Seed Trade Association Seed Expo in December, and we are grateful to all of our friends and fans for making it possible. See you down the Agriblogging Highway starting January 7 in New Orleans at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences!

2018 in Pictures

Top Viewed AgWired Posts of 2018

The John Deere API Evangelist at #DevelopWithDeere
Farm Credit: What’s on the Horizon for Rural America
President Trump at 91st National FFA Convention
Major Seed Companies after the Mergers
BASF Takes Over Bayer Assets
Alltech Honors Company Founder’s Legacy
Bayer Outlines Vision for Future of Farming
Trump Discusses E15 and Agricultural Trade Issues
Gene Editing is Disruptive Innovation for Agriculture
Inari Aims to Transform Agriculture

Animal Ag Bites 12/24

carrie muehlingAgWired Animal, Animal Bites

  • The American Feed Industry Association has released the dates and locations for its 2019 conferences and online courses. Registration for several of these events is already open at afia.org/events.
  • The American Feed Industry Association’s President and CEO Joel G. Newman formally announced to members that he will be retiring from the association effective December 2019.
  • More than 21,400 dairy producers opted for coverage through the Margin Protection Program for Dairy in 2018, up by more than 2,000 producers from the previous year.
  • GEA recently achieved a significant milestone in its company history by manufacturing its 10,000th liquid manure spreader tank.
  • Dairy Farmers of America will acquire Agropur’s facility in Maplewood, Minn. The sale is expected to close in early January.
  • USPOULTRY announces the completion of a funded research project at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that shows the nutritional effects of coccidiosis vaccination. The research summary can be found on the USPOULTRY website.
  • A group of major food companies, retailers, livestock producers, and trade and professional associations announced a comprehensive framework to strengthen stewardship of antibiotic use in food animals. The framework is the product of a two-year dialogue among stakeholders, moderated by Farm Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, to ensure that antibiotics are used judiciously throughout production to protect animal and public health.
  • The USDA recently awarded $499,542 to the University of Minnesota, Kutztown University and Rodale Institute for a 3-year NIFA Organic Transitions grant to explore manure and pasture management strategies that can control swine parasites in organic pig production.

President Trump Signs Farm Bill

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, farm bill

President Donald Trump gave Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue a happy birthday Thursday when he signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 with many members of the agricultural community in attendance.

“Mr. President, it is a great birthday present not only for me, but for all of agriculture, to give the producers, the ranchers, and farmers across America the peace of mind,” said Perdue. “Going forward, they can make their plans in 2019; make their lenders and bankers proud of what they can plan for.”

President Trump said, “With the passage of the Farm Bill, we are delivering to the farmers and ranchers, who are the heart and soul of America, all sorts of things that they never even thought possible. We are ensuring that American agriculture will always feed our families, nourish our communities, power our commerce, and inspire our nation.”

Listen to remarks at the signing here: Remarks by Pres. Trump and Secy Perdue at farm bill signing

Beltway Beef on Farm Bill, Water Rule, and Trade

AgWired Animal, Audio, Beef, farm bill, NCBA

The latest episode of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Beltway Beef podcast features comments from the association on all the news that came down last week, including the new water rule and the new farm bill.

Allison Rivera discusses the final 2018 Farm Bill that is on its way to the White House for President Trump’s signature, Scott Yager discusses this week’s rollout of a new and improved water rule, and Kent Bacus reviews NCBA’s testimony on trade with Japan and previews his testimony about efforts to gain access to the European Union.

Beltway Beef is a weekly podcast from NCBA in Washington, D.C., giving an up-to-date summary of top policy initiatives.