Ibach Sworn in, Northey Still on Hold for USDA

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Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue traveled to Omaha yesterday to swear-in new Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach in his home state.

“Greg Ibach will bring experience and integrity to his new role at USDA, and carries with him the knowledge he’s gained in the dozen years he has served as Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture,” said Secretary Perdue.

During the swearing-in ceremony, Perdue expressed his disappointment that Bill Northey was not also being sworn in at the same time, after his nomination was put on hold last week by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in an apparent attempt to retaliate against the administration for bowing to pressure from ethanol states like Iowa on changes to the RFS. “It’s a sad note when one senator put a hold on a nominee not based on anything that has to do with that nominee,” said Perdue.

Audio file – Secretary Perdue swear-in opening comments

Animal Ag Bites 10/30

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  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association released their fifth video in its media campaign to promote comprehensive tax reform. This latest video spotlights sixth-generation Florida rancher Cary Lightsey, who was forced to sell one of his family’s ranches to pay a death-tax bill after his father’s passing.
  • The dairy checkoff has awarded the $3,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to Nora Faris, of the University of Missouri, and 12 $2,500 scholarships  to students enrolled in programs that emphasize dairy.
  • The American Gelbvieh Association‘s third annual commercial cattlemen’s educational symposium titled Cattlemen’s Profit Roundup will take place Friday, December 8, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. CST at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, Kansas.  Members of the beef industry are invited to attend for free; lunch will be served at noon.
  • Christine McCracken has been selected as Executive Director, Animal Protein of the RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness team.  Her position will cover the North American poultry and hog sector.

2017-18 National FFA Officer Team Elected

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2017-18 FFA National Officers: President Breanna Holbert, Wastern VP Gracie Furnish, Secretary Erica Baier, Western VP Bryce Cluff, Central VP Piper Merritt, and Southern VP Ian Bennett

Students from Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky and Oklahoma were elected to serve on the 2017-18 National FFA Officer team.

Breanna Holbert, an agricultural education major at California State University of Chico, made history as the first female African American elected as National FFA president. Her fellow officers include:

National Secretary – Erica Baier, agricultural education major at Iowa State University
Central Region VP – Piper Merritt, agricultural economics major at Oklahoma State University
Western Region VP – Bryce Cluff, agricultural technology and management major at the University of Arizona
Southern Region VP – Ian Bennett, majoring in plant breeding and genetics at the University of Georgia
Eastern Region VP – Gracie Furnish, career and technical education major at the University of Kentucky

Listen to an interview with Breanna from FFA: Interview with Breanna Holbert, FFA National President

Click for interviews, bios and hi-res photos of all the new officers.

Watch video of the officers being announced:

USFRA Supporting Food Evolution Movie

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The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is supporting a new film that offers an independent investigation into biotechnology that concludes GMOs may well be a force for good to feed the world.

Food Evolution, which is now streaming on Hulu, was commissioned by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and directed by Academy Award®-nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy.

“The GMO story is a metaphor for how important it is to use science to make decisions,” said Kennedy during a conference call with reporters Thursday. He says the audience reaction to the film during screenings has been very gratifying. “From the critics standpoint, we’re 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes (reviews from) the top critics.” Kennedy adds that screenings around the world have helped change minds about the perception of GMO crops.

“We are interested in promoting the film in any way we can,” said USFRA CEO Randy Krotz. That includes college campus screenings, digital media, and educational materials.

Also on the call was USFRA board member and Illinois farmer Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare, who talked about the value of genetically modified crops to farmers and getting accurate information out to the non-farm public. “I think it’s up to us farmers to better educate them on GMO plants and why from a sustainable standpoint going forward in order to feed the world, we really have to depend on GMO crops,” she said.

Audio file: USFRA and Food Evolution film comments

Secretary Sonny Attends First FFA Convention

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Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue attended his first National FFA Convention this week and held a press conference to take questions about various topics, prior to addressing the group’s opening general session.

Perdue appeared at the press conference with six members of the FFA policy committee. “I’m looking at our House and Senate Congress behind me here,” Perdue joked.

The secretary was asked about the 2018 farm bill. “The ’14 farm bill made a lot of progress in helping to establish an insurance-based mitigation risk, I think you’ll see more of the same,” he said.

On the topic of USDA nominees and when Perdue will have a full complement of undersecretaries. “We’ve been slow in Senate confirmations…we’re getting them on board as we speak,” said Perdue, who noted that he expected a hearing for Sam Clovis as undersecretary of agriculture for research, education and economics “within the next week or so and we expect that to go well.”

Audio file: Perdue press conference at FFA

2017 National FFA Convention Photos

House Ag Chair Says Farm Bill on Track

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House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway (R-TX) says they are moving forward with work on the 2018 Farm Bill.

“Still on track for late for fourth quarter (this year) or early first quarter of next year,” said Conaway during a conference call with reporters Wednesday. “We’re going to be ready on the committee…when floor time opens up.”

Rep. Conaway was asked about trade, crop insurance, CRP, budget, nutrition programs, and more. Listen in here: Cong. Conaway call 10-25-17

National FFA Kicks Off Today

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Today is the official start of the 90th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, but the blue coats have been seen around the city for the past week, since the national officer team joined state and local officials last Thursday in a welcoming ceremony that included turning the downtown Indy canal blue.

This year, the theme of the convention and expo is I Can. We Will. More than 64,000 FFA members from across the U.S., representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are expected to attend the event.

The convention and expo kicks off with the National FFA Band leading a grand march down Georgia Street in downtown Indianapolis today. The march will end at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and usher in the start of the opening session. The National FFA Convention & Expo is scheduled to be held in Indianapolis through 2024.

Our Jamie Johansen is at the convention, doing some judging today and then heading to the opening session to see USDA secretary Sonny Perdue’s address.

Today is Full of Bologna

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Today is National Bologna Day and the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) has joined with the Beef Checkoff to celebrate by unveiling a new guide to bologna that tells you everything you could ever want to know about this lunch time staple that originated in Bologna, Italy as a variation of mortadella. It can also be spelled baloney, which is more American, and you can also test your knowledge with a bologna quiz and check out a range of bologna recipes.

“Bologna is an American classic that links us back to our childhoods,” said NHDSC President Eric Mittenthal. “No matter how it is served, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.”

Bologna is often served differently depending upon where people live. While most Americans have enjoyed traditional sliced bologna that is common on store shelves around the country, regional styles vary. In the Midwest, ring bolognas are often the preferred choice. These are smaller in diameter and sold as a semi-circle or a ring and may be sliced and eaten with crackers or split lengthwise and enjoyed in pastas and other dishes. Lebanon bologna is popular in Pennsylvania. It’s a beef bologna that is heavily smoked, known for its tangy and smoky flavor. In Ohio, traditional bologna is often thick cut and fried before being enjoyed on a sandwich and in Memphis it is smoked and served with BBQ sauce. The Baltimore style hot dog features bologna wrapped around the hot dog for a meaty masterpiece.

So if people tell you that you’re full of baloney today – say Thank You!

Registration Open for ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference 2018

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Like the song from “A Chorus Line” says, ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference is a singular sensation, a thrilling combination, and a one of a kind experience, and it’s scheduled to be held May 20–23, 2018 once again in Lexington, Kentucky.

An idea, even in its root meaning, is “to see.” Da Vinci, Einstein, Edison, the Wright brothers, Tesla, Bell, Borlaug and Fleming — they had the ability to see what others could not. Because they opened their eyes to possibilities and thrived in pursuit of them, we have light. We have abundant food. We can even fly. Ideas change everything. The transformative power of ideas will be the focus of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference 2018. Join us to explore how ideas can germinate into innovations that change the course of our businesses and lives.

The annual Alltech symposium, which draws 5,000 people to Lexington each May, is the brain child of Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder of Alltech. Founded in 1980 with just $10,000 and a dream, Alltech now has more than 100 manufacturing sites globally and is a leading producer and processor of yeast and organic trace minerals. “If I can do, rest assured, you can do it,” say Dr. Lyons. “And that’s the message of ONE.”

Listen to Dr. Lyons explain what ONE is: Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech, explains ONE

Registration for ONE is now open. Register before Nov. 1 to save $600. To view last year’s presentations, visit ideas.alltech.com, where access is free after sign-up.

SMART Farmer Rochelle Krusemark

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Rochelle Krusemark is a Minnesota grain and soybean farmer, a state and national soybean board and USFRA board member, wife, mother and grandmother – all at the same time!

Obviously a busy lady, Rochelle squeezed in time as she was watching her two toddler grandsons to tell us what being a SMART farmer means to her, and why she is so passionate about education about agriculture. A former teacher herself, Rochelle has been a longtime advocate of the Ag in the Classroom program and has worked with Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (MSR&PC) and the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) start a program to help urban teachers learn more about agriculture so they can teach it to their students.

Listen to Rochelle here – SMART Farmer Podcast with Rochelle Krusemark, MN farmer

Subscribe to the SMART Farmer podcast

Learn more about USFRA and SMART Farm