Grains of Knowledge

Craftsman Makes Auto Show History with Introduction of CTX Tractor

2012-01-18T15:42:06-05:00

For more than a century, the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)has been the annual stage for companies to announce and display the latest in automotive design and technology. From hybrid sedans to million-dollar sports cars, the NAIAS showcases the who’s who of auto innovation and sales. This year, Craftsman will set a new precedent by introducing the first ever tractor to the NAIAS in Detroit — yes, that’s right, a tractor. The Craftsman CTX 9500 tractor is the first of its kind to...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

2012 Agribusiness Forecasts

2012-01-18T11:30:00-05:00

Tis the season for resolutions and forecasts and we want to dedicate this post to the top forecasts in the farm and agricultural space for 2012. Here are our ideas of what to watch and expect to hear more about this year relating to farming and agribusiness: Food safety - this includes the FSMA (food safety and modernization act) as well as much more around food safety overall - including standards, recall, reporting and much more Farm Act - implementation of federal legislation; influences to...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Agribusiness News - Week of January 16, 2012

2012-01-16T12:33:23-05:00

USDA Tightens Spending Belt Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack made a bold move this week when he recognized that USDA, like families and businesses across the country, cannot continue to operate like it did 50 years ago. In doing so, he announced extensive plans to streamline operations and cut costs across the agency’s departments. Vilsack announced a reallocation of USDA facilities and resources in light of the government’s budget challenges. Since 2010, Congress has reduced USDA’s...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Do you have ROPS in place to protect you?

2012-01-10T12:38:00-05:00

One statistic the state of Pennsylvania is not proud of is the large number of tractor rollover fatalities. Between the years 2000-2008, over 55 farm-related tractor rollover deaths occurred in Pennsylvania alone. One in 10 farmers will overturn a tractor in their lifetime, and one in seven farmers who are involved in a tractor rollover are permanently disabled. And experience alone is not enough to protect you; an alarming 80 percent of tractor rollovers happen to highly experienced tractor...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Agribusiness News - Week of January 2, 2012

2012-01-03T15:15:59-05:00

FDA plans to release new food safety rules Jan. 4 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled on Jan. 4 to publish proposed regulations to implement the cornerstone of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), according to the National Grain and Feed Assn. FDA is planning to issue four separate sets of proposed regulations on the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s signing of the massive food/feed safety legislation into law. Two of those sets of proposed rules will pertain to the...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Agribusiness News - Week of December 26, 2011

2011-12-29T15:33:15-05:00

BEEF’S FOOTPRINT IS SHRINKING A study published in the Dec. 18 Journal of Animal Science found that raising a pound of beef in the U.S. today uses significantly fewer natural resources -- including land, water, feed and fuel -- than in the past. Dr. Jude Capper of Washington State University documented, in the paper "The Environmental Impact of Beef Production in the United States: 1977 Compared with 2007," that each pound of beef raised in 2007 used 33% less land, 12% less water, 19% less feed...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Agribusiness News - Week of December 12, 2011

2011-12-13T12:58:07-05:00

Lenders Say Ag Bubble Unlikely to Burst China and India remain big factors in whether or not the current good times in agriculture will continue, according to a panel of finance lenders at the National Grain & Feed Assn. Annual Country Elevator Meeting held Dec. 11-13 in Chicago, Ill. Dan O'Neill, managing director and head of MetLife Investments' agricultural portfolio unit, said in the grain sector, one must be mindful of the capacity to produce and respond to emerging markets' growing...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Christmas Tree Safety

2011-12-01T14:52:00-05:00

As we enter the holiday season, it is important to remember to be safe while decorating for the holidays. Last year we brought you Five Tips for the Perfect Christmas Tree, this year we’re sharing Christmas Tree Safety Tips for you. Christmas trees account for 250 fires annually, resulting in 14 deaths, 26 injuries and more than $13.8 million in property damage. When selecting your holiday tree, be sure to tap it on the ground first at the base to see if many needles fall off. If several...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Agribusiness News - Week of November 28, 2011

2011-11-28T13:41:08-05:00

A Fifth of Global Energy Could Come from Biomass Without Damaging Food Production A new report suggests that up to one fifth of global energy could be provided by biomass (plants) without damaging food production. The report reviews more than 90 global studies. It has been produced by the Technology and Policy Assessment function of the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), which addresses key controversies in the energy field, and aims to provide authoritative and accessible reports that set very...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!

Agribusiness News - Week of November 21, 2011

2011-11-21T12:06:18-05:00

Mini-bus Cuts Agriculture Funding Last week, the House and Senate approved a mini-bus spending bill that included 2012 funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Congress approved a total of $136.6 billion in both discretionary and mandatory funding for agricultural agencies and programs. The bill represents a compromise between the House and Senate; the House earlier approved a budget of $125.5 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding, but the Senate approved a budget of $182...

To read the full post and comment, click the headline to visit our blog!