A pork industry leader is calling for a comprehensive approach to African Swine Fever. Minnesota Pork Producers Association CEO David Preisler says ASF is becoming more of a threat as the virus spreads across China and beyond. “We should be spending probably 75 to 80 percent of our time, energy and money into prevention, then …
Category: Ag News
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Jan 28
Reinventing the pork checkoff
Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board At the recent annual meeting of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, National Pork Board CEO Bill Even talked about “reinventing the pork checkoff”. In an interview following his presentation, we asked Even what that means. AUDIO: Bill Even Continue reading Reinventing the pork checkoff at Brownfield Ag …
Jan 28
Examining the slowdown of the farm economy
An ag economist says the farm economy slowdown is hitting some states harder than others. In this Managing for Profit, David Widmar says the overall farm economy has been on the decline since its peak in 2013. But, he says, when you take a closer look some areas are struggling more than others. AUDIO: Managing …
Jan 27
Farmers Union urges farmers to get FSA business done quickly
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson (L) and Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden (R) The President of the National Farmers Union is pleased the government shutdown is over, but he is concerned about the long term. Roger Johnson tells Brownfield the shutdown didn’t help anyone. “There’s an old saying that there’s not much …
Jan 27
Farm employee training has changed
L-R: Douglas Grotegut, workshop facilitator Molly Fenske from KCoe Isom, and Daniel Rice at Dairy Strong 2019. With low unemployment and the challenge of keeping skilled workers on the farm, farmers say they are changing how they manage people. Dairy farmer Daniel Rice is with Prairieland Dairy in Firth, Nebraska where 25 people manage 15-hundred …
Jan 27
Lender anticipates more financially-stressed farmers will quit
An ag lender says farmers are continuing to feel financial stress and he expects more will quit farming. Bob LeCocq with Compeer Financial tells Brownfield more farmers, especially dairy farmers, have been dealing with more financial stress in the last 24 months. “A lot of them have adjusted well, but for those that have not …
Jan 25
NPPC CEO: California’s Prop 12 could have serious nationwide ramifications
NPPC CEO Neil Dierks Proposition 12, the animal welfare referendum passed by California voters last fall, hasn’t received a lot of national attention so far. But a pork industry leader says it could eventually have serious ramifications for the entire U.S. pork industry. Prop 12 sets specific space requirements for egg-laying hens, veal calves and …
Jan 25
Farmer-leaders discuss shutdown and trade dispute with China
Ron Moore, Brad Kremer, Doug Rebout At a Brownfield-sponsored event in Milwaukee on Friday, we asked three Midwestern farmer-leaders to talk about how the government shutdown has impacted them personally. They also commented on the ongoing trade dispute with China. Ron Moore of Roseville, Illinois is a former president of the American Soybean Association (ASA); …
Jan 25
Cover crops help clayplan soils
Do soil health practices work on tough soils? An NRCS soil health expert in Northeast Missouri says, “yes,” and uses the “claypan” soil in his area as an example. Dr. David Doctorian describes the claypan soil as having a restrictive layer. “It’s going to have a high clay content and what we end up with …
Jan 25
Canada Food Guide puts protein on a quarter of the plate
Canada’s cattlemen are emphasizing the role that beef can play in that country’s new food guide. The Canadian government’s guidance puts more emphasis on fruits and vegetables, including a shift to more plant-based proteins, according to Stina Nagle with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “We just want to ensure that that right information about beef and …