GROWMARK CEO Jim Spradlin said the company’s new strategy – based on the acronym ‘GROW’ – is not just focused on getting bigger. It’s focused on getting better. During a shared address at the company’s annual meeting in Chicago, Spradlin and Board Chairman John Reifsteck reflected back on the past 30 years or more in agriculture, sharing both personal experiences …
Secretary Perdue Comments on Current Issues
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited the Farm Progress Show this week, making an appearance for everyone at the show to enjoy with Max Armstrong and Orion Samuelson in the VIP tent, followed by a press gaggle where trade was the number one topic, along with WOTUS and the Renewable Fuel Standard. Asked about Canada and its dairy policy – …
Secretary Sonny Shows Ethanol Support
A rally organized by corn and ethanol producers at the Farm Progress Show got the attention of USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey who stopped by to show their support. It was a last minute decision by the secretary, who brought greetings and another promise from President Trump, who called Perdue as …
Weather Causes Early End to FPS18 Day One
There’s always something new at Farm Progress Show and this year a big storm caused something that has never happened before – an evacuation and shut down of the show before noon. Rain had been in the forecast for the day, but everyone was hoping it would either miss us or not be too bad. However, when the storm was …
IRFA to Sponsor Fuel Giveaways at Farm Progress Show
An effort by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and Iowa Soybean Association will offer eight chances for farmers attending the 2018 Farm Progress Show to win $500 worth of biodiesel-blended fuel. “Biodiesel adds so much value to Iowa’s farmers,” said Cassidy Walter, IRFA biodiesel lead. “Not only is biodiesel made from the soybean oil, corn oil, and animal fats farmers …
USDA Announces Trade Disruption Relief for Farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will take several actions to assist farmers negatively impacted by recent trade actions. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. Specifically, …
Scott Pruitt Resigns From EPA
Well, here’s news that probably won’t upset too many people I know. I’m actually amazed that this didn’t happen much sooner. Of course this had to happen during a pretty much vacation week for the ZimmComm Team and many, many other folks. Here’s some industry reaction on the announcement. I think you can sum it up that everyone is pretty …
Commodity Classic Releases 2019 Schedule
Less than eight months to go ’til Commodity Classic 2019 – time to start getting prepared! The tentative schedule for the show to be held February 28 through March 2 in Orlando, has been released and includes extended trade show hours, a full slate of educational sessions, and the Main Stage on the trade show floor returns with presentations from …
God Bless America and the American Farmer
Food for thought this Independence Day from former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack: “America has to understand and appreciate what it has in agriculture. American consumers walk out of the grocery store with still more money in their pocket and their paychecks and their incomes than virtually anybody else in the world. That creates great flexibility in our economy directly …
Increasing Profit Margins for Ethanol
Ethanol production has become a key market for U.S. corn, but margins are often tight. New technology would allow existing ethanol plants to convert a part of their production into making plant-based chemicals that have higher values, with profits that could be passed along to corn growers. “We know that ethanol today is a commodity that has been really pressed …