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Grassley criticizes FCC, White House over LightSquared

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Iowa Senator Charles Grassley has accused the White House and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of catering to the lobbyists of the now-bankrupt wireless company LightSquared and of stonewalling his investigation into the case.

In a recent speech on the Senate floor, Grassley noted that LightSquared hired dozens of lobbyists, including a former governor and nine former members of Congress, to push for approval of its planned high-speed wireless network.  But Grassley says while those lobbyists provided entry into the FCC and the White House, they couldn’t change the fact that LightSquared’s network couldn’t co-exist with GPS.

The FCC granted LightSquared a conditional waiver last year to develop the network, but later pulled the waiver and blocked the network after tests showed it would interfere with GPS devices. Many agricultural groups opposed the LightSquared plan, fearing it would interfere with farming GPS devices. 

Grassley says he still wants to know why the FCC granted LightSquared the conditional waiver in the first place.

“It seems strange that a project that was so obviously flawed was allowed to go so far, but LightSquared had help,” Grassley said, pointing to the influential lobbyists.

The FCC has denied giving LightSquared any special treatment.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Rootworm hatch is underway in Iowa

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The corn rootworm egg hatch is underway in Iowa.

Iowa State University entomologist Erin Hodgson says this year’s hatch is only slightly ahead of normal, but about two weeks ahead of the 2011 growing season.

Hodgson says conditions are right for good larval establishment this year.

“Those that were able to survive—and we had a very mild winter, so most likely the eggs did survive—they probably are hatching just fine,” Hodgson says, “and if they happen to emerge when corn is already planted and germinated, they have plenty of root tissue to feed on.”

Hodgson says the early egg hatch could also mean earlier adult corn rootworm emergence—which has the potential to cause some pollination problems.

“If their emergence is synched with silking, you could have some of that interference with pollination because they are really attracted to those corn silks,” she says, “and so we should be watching for the adults this year—paying a little closer attention to that this year than we normally would.”

Hodgson says the southwest region of Iowa is experiencing 50 percent egg hatch now.  She says other parts of the state will approach that 50 percent mark within seven to 14 days, depending on the temperature.

AUDIO: Erin Hodgson (5:00 MP3)

Link to more information on ISU website

Filed Under: Crops, Events/Organizations, News Tagged With: , , , ,

New website promotes egg bill

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

United Egg Producers (UEP) has launched a new web site to promote passage of the so-called “egg bill”.

That’s the federal legislation that would establish a national standard for hen housing in the egg industry.

UEP says the web site—eggbill.com—provides information to help legislators, consumers, the foodservice and retail industry and others learn more about the legislation, which would codify an agreement between UEP and the Humane Society of the United States.

The legislation, which would transition egg production in the U.S. from conventional cages to enriched colony cages by the end of 2029, has been introduced in the House.  UEP says it expects similar legislation to be introduced in the Senate soon.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Monsanto reaches agreement with Precision Planting

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Monsanto Company announced today it has reached an agreement to purchase Illinois based planting technology developer Precision Planting.  Precision Planting will become part of Monsanto’s Integrated Farming Systems unit, which combines the use of advanced agronomic practices, seed genetics, and on-farm technology with the goal of delivering better yields with fewer resources. 

Monsanto agreed to pay $210 million for the business, plus a performance based payment of up to $40 million.  Robb Fraley, Monsanto chief technology officer, says the purchase underscores Monsanto’s commitment to maximizing yield for farmers while optimizing crop inputs. 

Precision Planting was founded in 1993 by Gregg Sauder and his wife, Cindy.  The Sauder’s developed planter add-ons to achieve precise depth and spacing to maximize yields for their own farm.  Today their products are used across the nation and around the world.

The company’s operations will remain in Tremont, Ill.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Human Interest, News Tagged With: , , ,

The 2012 Fastest Rookie

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The American Dairy Association of Indiana has been the sponsor of the Fastest Rookie Luncheon since it began in 1975.  Deb Osza with the ADAI says it’s a great opportunity to explain milk’s importance to the Indy 500 to the new crop of drivers.  “It’s great to have milk in the spotlight – to have race fans around the world to see milk in that light as ‘The Coolest Prize in the Sports World’,” she says.

This year’s Fastest Rookie was Josef Newgarden with a speed of 224.677.  The 22-year-old driver from Hendersonville, TN said he didn’t even realize he was the fastest rookie. 

“This really means a lot for myself and for my team,” he says, “it show the hard work from the crew through the entire group.”  Newgarden tells Brownfield, “You can really feel the tradition here at the Fastest Rookie Luncheon with the American Dairy Association of Indiana and all they put into this and all that they do for the race.” 

He says, “This is a fantastic race and this award makes it even better.” Newgarden was awarded a $5,000 prize and his name engraved on a trophy on permanent display in the Speedway’s Hall of Fame Museum.

Filed Under: Dairy, Events/Organizations, Human Interest, News Tagged With: , , ,

USDA announces more water quality projects

May 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

The USDA is pumping 32-million dollars into five Mississippi River Basin water quality and wetlands projects.

The five projects involve seven states—Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says that, when fully implemented, the projects will prevent sediments and nutrients from entering waterways, decrease flooding and improve bird and fish habitat.

NRCS estimates the funding will help restore 11,400 acres to wetland habitat.

In Iowa, the funding will help with the North Raccoon River Wetland Initiative.

“We look to see improvements on about 1,020 acres in the Prairie Potholes region of Iowa,” Vilsack says. “We believe this will ultimately improve water quality and wildlife habitat.  It should also assist flood-affected landowners by providing some flood relief opportunities in the Raccoon and Des Moines River watersheds.”

USDA is providing more than six-million dollars and will partner with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on the project.

Missouri will be part of a six-state project to restore Lower Mississippi River Batture hardwood forest and wetlands.

“We hope to restore roughly 7,280 acres of bottomland hardwoods in 2012—and up to 30,000 acres when the project is fully completed,” says Vilsack.

USDA is providing more than 20-million dollars and will partner with the Mississippi River Trust on the project.

AUDIO: Excerpts from conference call with reporters–Tom Vilsack and NRCS conservationist Tom Christensen (12:47 MP3)

Link to USDA news release

 

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Vilsack: Moving crop reports ‘complicated’

May 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the USDA is studying its procedures for releasing crop reports in response to new expanded trading hours implemented by the CME Group.

But Vilsack says changing report release times is not as simple as it sounds.

“A decision as to timing and information being accessible can potentially make the difference of millions of dollars, one way or the other, to those who are trading,” Vilsack says, “and now we have essentially two competing entities that have different hours that don’t necessarily align.”

Those competing entities are the CME Group and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which recently expanded its trading in grain futures. 

The Kansas City Board of Trade and MGEX, formerly the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, have followed suit and expanded their trading hours as well.

The challenge, Vilsack says, is to continue providing the information in a transparent and equitable way, “to do it in a very timely way, but not to distort the market or provide an undue advantage to someone or some entity as a result.”

USDA’s monthly crop reports are released at 7:30 a.m. Central time, when grain trading has traditionally been halted.

Vilsack made his comments during a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

AUDIO: Tom Vilsack (1:48 MP3)

 

Filed Under: Crops, Events/Organizations, Markets, News, Top Stories, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , ,

Report: Stabenow discussing deal with southern senators

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The farm bill approved by the Senate Ag Committee is headed for the Senate floor early next month.

According to committee chair Debbie Stabenow, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has indicated he will bring up the bill the first week of June.

In preparation, Politico is reporting that Stabenow is reaching out to southern lawmakers in an effort to bridge the gap that split her committee last month and put her at odds with allies in the House. According to Politico, backroom talks are focused on putting a modest counter cyclical program together as a safety net for rice and peanuts.

In his weekly conference call with reporters, Senate Ag Committee member Chuck Grassley of Iowa had this reaction.

“I wouldn’t want to say that some changes couldn’t be made.  But if you’re talking about going back to target prices for cotton—or maybe more so for peanuts and rice—I think that’s a non-starter,” Grassley says. “If there’s some sort of slight changes—refinements that can be made to what we have—I wouldn’t rule that out.”

Pundits say a potential deal with southerners in the Senate must be considered as a bridge to a future House-Senate conference on the farm bill.

Lawmakers in the House are much more sympathetic to the southern concerns.

AUDIO: Excerpts from Grassley’s 5/22/12 conference call with reporters (5:33 MP)

 

Filed Under: Crops, Events/Organizations, News, Top Stories, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Nebraska’s ‘Livestock Friendly’ adds another

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Scotts Bluff County is Nebraska’s newest “Livestock Friendly” county.

It is the sixteenth county in the state to receive the designation.

The Livestock Friendly designation is a way of recognizing the importance of the livestock industry to the county.  It demonstrates that the county is open to agribusiness and the benefits that come with responsible livestock production. 

To apply for a Livestock Friendly county designation, the county board must hold a public hearing and pass a resolution to apply.  A completed application is then submitted to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture for review. 

Local producers or community groups can encourage their county board to submit a Livestock Friendly county application.

Link to news release on Nebraska governor’s web site

 

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: ,

Wells Fargo strives to keep customers connected

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The first session scheduled for Tuesday morning, June 26 at the IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference in Altoona, Iowa will focus on agronomy.  One of the panelists is Steve Agan, Business Banking Manager with Wells Fargo.  Agan tells Brownfield that the IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference fits in with the strategic initiative of his company.   That strategy is to keep customers and prospective customers connected to the market and to the critical financial data that helps them(the customers and prospects) become more efficient and more successful. 

Wells Fargo is a sponsor of the IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference.  When registering for the event, be sure to use the Brownfield listener discount code (BFDL) and save $100 off the retail price of $350 registration fee. With your Brownfield discount, the cost is just $250!

Listen to a conversation with Steve Agan, Wells Fargo

Filed Under: 2012 Events, 2012 IDEAg Interconnectivity Conference, Events/Organizations, News, Special Reports
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