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Cap and trade could move during lame duck session
While cap-and-trade appears to be dead in the Senate, Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns believes a different scenario is in the works...
Time to nominate for FSA County Committees
Jonathan Coppess, administrator of USDA's Farm Service Agency, reminds farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that they have until Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees. Coppess asks for your involvement this year and - nominate the candidate of your choice or nominate yourself to serve on your local county committee. Ballots will be mailed this November.
The FSA Administrator encourages the nomination of beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as minorities and women. He says this is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county. FSA county committees help local farmers through their decisions on commodity price support loans, conservation programs and disaster programs, and by working closely with county executive directors.
To be eligible to hold office as a county committee member, individuals must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and live in the local administrative area where they are running. All nomination forms must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Monday. A complete list of eligibility requirements, more information and nomination forms are available at
Deadline near for National Corn Yield Contest
For nearly a half century, NCGA?s National Corn Yield Contest has provided corn growers the opportunity to compete with their colleagues to grow the most corn per acre, helping feed and fuel the world. This has given participants not only the recognition they deserved, but the opportunity to learn from their peers. The final entry deadline for the 2010 contest is Monday, August 2.
OIG report vindicates United Soybean Board
The Office of Inspector General has found insufficient evidence to support the American Soybean Association?s allegations of improper use of the soybean checkoff. In an audit released by the OIG, the United Soybean Board was given a clean review. The report indicates that during interviews, some ASA members even said they did not have any documentary evidence that USB was engaged in inappropriate activities. USB Chairman Phil Bradshaw says they aren?t surprised with the findings?
New smartphone app geared towards farmers
One of the biggest challenges each farmer faces is decisions related to marketing his grain and how those decisions will affect his bottom line. Farmer's Partner Android app for agriculture enables the farmer to calculate profitability based on where the grain markets are currently trading and to see how higher or lower grain markets will change his bottom line and his agribusiness.
?Farmers are known for being early adaptors of new technology,? says Heartland Farm Partners President Jeff Peterson. ?But a few months ago when we looked for a smart phone app to help top producers manage their operation from their mobile phone, we were surprised there simply weren?t any apps designed for agriculture. So we decided to build one.?
Farmer?s Partner? runs on Android phones and enables a farmer to input dozens of variables to create a complete overview of the farm operation. Commodities pricing and breaking news are also built into the app, giving the producer both historic and up-to-date information to allow him to make the best decisions on grain marketing. Farmer?s Partner? is available through the Android marketplace.
Peterson, active in the grain marketing business for 18 years, is upbeat about the role he sees smart phones playing in the day-to-day working life of today?s farmer. ?One of the biggest challenges each farmer faces is decisions related to marketing his grain and how those decisions will affect his bottom line. This program will enable the farmer to calculate his profitability based on where the markets are currently trading and to see how higher or lower markets will change his bottom line. Farmers always look for the right tool to fit the job at hand. As the adoption of smartphones continues to increase among farm producers we?ll no doubt see many apps serving the Ag market. The smartphone will become just another essential tool in the field, cab or pickup.?
?We partnered with AppChoice to build our app. The AppChoice founders both grew up on farms and understand the unique challenges farmers face.?
AppChoice Co-Founder and Senior Developer, Bruce Gordon, commented: ?Apps are rapidly moving from the era of cute games into fully interactive databases that are functional and extremely user-friendly. A good app runs quietly in the background of the user?s everyday life. The Farmer?s Partner? Ag app combines the best elements of smartphone portability with database computing. The app allows you to carry much of what you would ordinarily put on a laptop, but will fit in your shirt pocket.
When asked about future updates for the Farmer?s Partner? smartphone Ag app, Gordon commented: ?We expect and encourage feedback from users out in the field. We build in as many features as we think the farmer will need, but of course once people start using it there are bound to be future features that we can add, based on their feedback.?
Other Headlines:
- USDA worker resigns over racism claim
- Farm Progress Show advance tickets available online
- AG- Pork producers donate to food bank
- AG- Congressional hearing considers antibiotic use in animals
- AG- Senators propose Estate Tax revision
- House subcommittee to explore animal antibiotic use
- Johanns on Free Trade Agreements
- Illinois State Fair entries due this week
- First CSP contracts funded
- Illinois Pork Producers to offer visioning session
- Drier weather comes to Illinois farms
- New law expands duties of Advisory Board of Livestock Commissioners
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