Farmers waiting for their Conservation Security or Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) payments should receive them in the coming days. The shutdown of the federal government delayed some of the $907 million in payments from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to CSP participants who have enrolled millions of acres to improve the overall conservation performance of their operations. The payments … Read More
AGree’s Video on Food and Agriculture Systems
AGree seeks to identify the most critical issues facing the global food and agriculture system and through a collaborative process that challenges leaders from diverse communities, build consensus around solutions. This short animated video describes AGree’s origins, principles and plans for a food and agriculture system that meets future demand for food while conserving and enhancing water, soil, and habitat; … Read More
Mobile Grain Trading by CHS
CHS, Inc. just announced a new app for mobile grain trading agnerds. This sounds pretty handy. So here’s another app tool for your device and speaking of devices, there are lots more new ones to choose from like the new iPads announced by Apple this week! The free app allows easy access to CHS grain terminals, soybean processing plants and … Read More
Funds Provide Broadband in Unserved Rural Communities
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced 14 awards for projects to bring broadband to unserved rural communities. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service Administrator John Padalino made the announcement on the Secretary’s behalf while addressing a regional meeting of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in San Antonio. USDA is providing $20.3 million in grants through the Community Connect … Read More
New Website Soybeans.com
The last U.S. patent covering the original Roundup Ready soybean trait expires in 2015. As U.S. farmers begin thinking about purchasing their soybean seed for 2014 planting, they have a new resource to answer their questions about the expiration of Monsanto’s original Roundup Ready soybean trait – soybeans.com. “Even though the original Roundup Ready soybean trait is covered by a … Read More
Farm Bill Future Topic of Farm Foundation Forum
The farm bill is coming closer to becoming reality, as Congress is about to start the legislation’s Conference Committee. Our friends at Farm Foundation will take a look at how work is progressing on the bill and how the outcome may effect the nation’s food and agriculture system during its next free forum, Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to … Read More
USDA Celebrates National Farm to School Month
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted important strides made in offering healthy, local food to millions of school children through USDA’s Farm to School program, and emphasized the program’s role in creating economic opportunity for America’s farmers and ranchers. According to USDA’s first-ever Farm to School Census, in school year 2011-2012, schools participating in farm to school activities purchased and served … Read More
UF/IFAS Irrigation Apps
The University of Florida has released three smart device apps of interest to those in the irrigation business, and for the time being, users can download them for free. The first three apps to be released were designed for citrus, strawberry and urban turfgrass irrigators, said Kati Migliaccio, an associate professor in agricultural and biological engineering, based at the UF … Read More
What Deere’s Expanded Access Means to Partners
Another agriculture technology company that took advance of John Deere’s API Integrators Conference was MapShots. Chuck met up with Ted Macy, Vice President of Operations and Lead Architect for MapShots. The company focuses on software development and providing crop management applications for the agriculture industry. Ted gives credit to Deere as being one of the first companies to give expanded … Read More
John Deere’s Approach to Developers & APIs
On day one of John Deere’s API Integrator Conference the idea of treating developers like customers and API’s like products was brought to the table. Robert Witcher, Manager in API Enablement & Developer Relations for John Deere, has over 18 years of technology experience, has focused mostly on leading IT for software engineering, including IT strategy for software products and … Read More