Deere & Company announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Wirtgen (Vert-gIN )Group, a privately-held international company that is the leading manufacturer worldwide of road construction equipment. The acquisition is valued at $5.2 billion, or 4.35 billion euros, in an all-cash transaction. Headquartered in Germany, the Wirtgen Group has five premium brands across the entire road construction sector …
Backyard Flocks Sickening Hundreds of People
The Centers for Disease Control says more than 370 people have reported Salmonella infections from backyard flocks this year, and more than one-third of them were children under five years old. The CDC is reporting eight separate outbreaks across 47 states in backyard flocks. These outbreaks are expected to continue for the next several months, according to a public warning …
House Ag Committee Plans Another Farm Bill Hearing
The U.S. House Agriculture Committee will hold another farm bill hearing this week. Texas Republican and Committee Chairman Mike Conaway announced the hearing, titled The Next Farm Bill: The Future of International Food Aid and Agricultural Development. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning. Chairman Conaway says the committee has long planned to continue reviewing international food aid programs as …
Secretaries Perdue and Zinke Stress Inter-Departmental Collaboration as Wildfire Season Approaches
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan K. Zinke joined forces in Boise, Idaho at the National Incident Fire Command Center (NIFC) for a tour and briefing on the upcoming wildfire season. Following the events, the secretaries sent a memorandum to wildland fire leadership highlighting the importance of inter-departmental collaboration in protecting communities and managing public lands. In the …
Statement of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on President Trump’s Paris Accord Announcement
“President Trump promised that he would put America first and he has rightly determined that the Paris accord was not in the best interests of the United States. In addition to costing our economy trillions of dollars and millions of jobs, the accord also represented a willful and voluntary ceding of our national sovereignty. The agreement would have had a …
BREAKING NEWS: Special Session Set for Budget Deal
From News Service of Florida Florida lawmakers will hold a special session next week after Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran announced Friday they have reached the outline of a budget deal. The three-day session is scheduled to start Wednesday. Lawmakers passed an $82.4 billion budget on May 8, but Scott was angered by …
National Dairy Month-UF Researchers Try to Make Sure Dairy Farmers Produce the Best
Farmers and University of Florida researchers use genetics and other techniques to ensure consumers can pick from the best assortment of delicious, nutritious dairy products at the grocery store. Now that we’re in National Dairy Month, it’s a good time to appreciate the science-based innovations behind milk, cheese, and other favorite dairy products. UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences …
Fatal Injuries Reported in Wisconsin Corn Mill Explosion
At least one is dead and others missing as of Thursday afternoon following an explosion at a Wisconsin corn mill. Two workers remained missing Thursday after the explosion at the Didion (did-e-an) Milling facility in Cambria, Wisconsin. Sixteen employees were working at the facility Wednesday night where an explosion and large fire occurred in the corn mill, not the adjacent …
JBS Parent Company Paying Brazil to Settle Corruption Investigations
The parent company of JBS SA will pay $3.2 billion in a settlement with Brazil over bribery and corruption charges. Meat industry publication Meatingplace reports the fine will be paid over 25 years and is the largest ever in a leniency agreement worldwide. The leniency agreement addresses the involvement of the company in a bribery and corruption scheme with Brazilian …
BPI Lawsuit Against ABC Going to Trial
A lawsuit by Beef Products Inc. (BPI) alleging defamation by ABC-TV will head to trial next week. BPI is seeking $1.9 billion in the lawsuit against ABC and correspondent Jim Avila for a series of stories the network ran on BPI’s signature product, Lean Finely Textured Beef, which was referred to as “pink slime” in those reports. Jury selection began …