Animal Agriculture Alliance’s College Aggies Online program enters its seventh week College students from across the nation are competing to win more than $16,000 in scholarships as they participate in the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s eighth annual College Aggies Online program. This year’s students represent 89 different universities coming from 43 states. About 300 students are competing in the individual division …
Green Industry Contributes More Than $20B to Florida Economy
Up 19 Percent from 2000 Florida’s environmental horticulture industry is recovering from the recession of 2007 to 2009, and it is growing in many sectors, with $21.8 billion in annual economic contributions. This is an increase of 19.2 percent from 2000, a new University of Florida report shows. The environmental horticulture industry, or the “green industry,” includes landscaping, nurseries, greenhouses, …
90th National FFA Convention & Expo
The 90th National FFA Convention & Expo kicks off today and runs through Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana. More than 64,000 FFA members from across the U.S. are expected to attend. Convention and expo events will take place at several venues in downtown Indianapolis and surrounding areas. This year, stay up-to-date with the National FFA Convention & Expo app. Download it …
House Republicans Trying Again to Enact Ag Worker Reform Legislation
House Republicans are trying again to enact ag worker reform legislation to deal with the longstanding problem of illegal seasonal farm labor in the U.S. But, the effort may be going nowhere in the Senate. House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte’s [GOOD-lat] Agricultural Workers Act would create a new non-immigrant worker visa program, aimed at providing a stable, legal and adequate …
Plant-Based Foods Increasing in Popularity
The use and popularity of plant-based foods are increasing, but that doesn’t mean a change in course for the world population. A recent survey by the restaurant food delivery service GrubHub reported that vegan orders have increased in popularity by 19 percent in 2017. However, the number of vegan or vegetarian consumers has remained around five percent of the world’s …
Nestle Leaving Grocery Manufacturers Association
Nestle Foods announced it would leave the Grocery Manufacturers Association trade group by the end of the year, following the heels of Campbell Soup Company. Politico reports that Nestle has been at odds with GMA on some of the most high-profile food issues in Washington, D.C. in recent years. Nestle was one of a handful of companies that backed labeling …
NCGA Offers Reminder on Dicamba Label Changes
The National Corn Growers Association is urging farmers to be aware of the label changes for dicamba herbicides next year. NCGA says farmers interested in using dicamba as part of their crop strategy in the 2018 growing season need to be aware only certified applicators, or those under direct supervision will be allowed to apply the product. The Environmental Protection …
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Lists Farm Bill Priorities
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives is urging Congress to finish the next farm bill on time. In releasing the organization’s farm bill priorities Tuesday, President and CEO Chuck Conner noted the “challenging price environment” farmers are dealing with in explaining the need for a timely farm bill. The council’s framework outlines eight general principles to be included in the …
Korea Sends KORUS Analysis, Says No to Opening Ag Trade
A review of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade (KORUS) Agreement by South Korea claims to show little basis to support the U.S. desire for renegotiation. A South Korea-based newspaper reports that Korea submitted an analysis to Washington, D.C. showing that preferential U.S. duties as part of KORUS had almost no direct effect on the increase in South Korean exports to the U.S. over …
Senate Committee Advances Chief Ag Negotiator Nominee
The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday advanced the nomination of Greg Doud as chief agriculture negotiator to the full Senate. The move puts Doud closer to the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations, with one vote remaining until he can take his post at the U.S. Trade Representative’s office. Chairman Orrin Hatch of Utah says of the Trump Administration that it …