Just days after the passing of former Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland, four former secretaries met with current Secretary Sonny Perdue to discuss the latest agricultural issues. Those in attendance included former Secretaries John Block (1981-1986), Dan Glickman (1995-2001), Ann Veneman (2001-2005), and Mike Johanns (2005-2008). The Secretaries discussed several issues including trade, wildfires, agriculture research, infrastructure, cell-based meat, and …
Farm Bill Poised for Passage
The Senate voted 87-13 yesterday to pass the 2018 Farm Bill approved by the conference committee this week and the House is expected to do so soon. “We think the farm bill’s in very good shape,” said President Trump as he sat down with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), just before getting into a spat with …
USDA Under Secretary Northey at #ARA2018
Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service Bill Northey discussed trade and a 2018 farm bill, among other topics, during a visit to the 2018 Agricultural Retailers Association convention this week in Boca Raton, Florida. “I’m very hopeful,” said Northey about getting a farm bill by the end of the year, especially after word Thursday from House and Senate …
NAFB is 75 Years Strong
The 2018 National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention is marking the diamond anniversary of the meeting, which has been held in Kansas City for about 45 of those 75 years. NAFB president Tom Cassidy, Ag Radio Network, says this year’s convention is the largest ever in the organization’s history, with many retired members who have been away from the business …
Kansas City Here We Come
ZimmComm is headed out today to the 75th annual NAFB convention at the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. We first started attending NAFB in the mid-1980s and have been there every year since 1987. But there are lots of NAFB members who have been faithfully attending the annual meeting since before it started being held in Kansas City. …
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 – …
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 …
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 …