INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
June 30, 2014

So who’s Kevin McCarthy?

Rep. Kevin Owen McCarthy (R, CA), 49, the small businessman with an MBA representing the 23rd District of California and current House majority whip, moves up to the number two GOP leadership slot on Aug. 1.
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June 29, 2014

Sugar company fights subpoena in federal lawsuit

FARGO, N.D. (AP)—Officials with American Crystal Sugar Co. say they should not have to testify in a lawsuit involving the sugar and corn syrup industries.
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June 28, 2014

Quick decision unlikely on Ag Security Act motion

BOISE—A decision on the state’s motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit against the Idaho Agricultural Security Act could be at least a few weeks away.
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June 27, 2014

A flood of sugar slips through broken promises

When the Mexican sugar lobby testified before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in April as part of an ongoing investigation into Mexico’s unfair trading actions, they told ITC commissioners that no disciplinary actions would be necessary.
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June 26, 2014

U.S. food makers sue to stop Vermont's GMO labeling

Several industry groups representing U.S. food makers on June 12 asked a federal judge in Vermont to block that state's new law that will require labels on food products made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
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June 25, 2014

Idaho aims to control water pollution permits

BOISE, Idaho (AP)—Idaho hopes to take control of water pollution permits from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which operates only three other state programs in the nation.
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June 24, 2014

Oregon hopes to be first state to map GMO fields

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)—Before residents in southern Oregon overwhelmingly voted to ban genetically modified crops last month, farmers negotiated for months with a biotech company that grows engineered sugarbeets near their fields.
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June 23, 2014

University of Idaho Twilight Tour

Join the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Dean John C. Foltz at the Kimberly R&E Center from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16 for a free family barbecue, view hands-on displays, visit with University of Idaho faculty and staff, and learn more a
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June 23, 2014

"Farmland" coming to Idaho in July

BOISE—Idaho farm groups have come up with the $8,000 needed to bring the feature-length documentary “Farmland” to the Gem State.
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June 22, 2014

Bio-based product showcased in Senate

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June 21, 2014

Aventine announces sugar-based ethanol production in Aurora, Neb.

Aventine Renewable Energy Inc., a leading producer, marketer and end-to-end supplier of ethanol, announced its first rail car shipment of ethanol produced at its Aurora West facility in Aurora, Neb., using sugar-based only feedstock.
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June 21, 2014

BASF investing $270M to expand U.S. herbicide production

BASF has announced new investments and solutions that will help growers and partners in North America drive yields and efficiency. BASF will invest more than $270 million to expand production capacity for key herbicides dicamba and DMTA at the Beaumont, T
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June 20, 2014

Sugar substitute Truvia doubles as insecticide

One of the most popular sugar substitutes on the market is also an insecticide—masking the bitterness of coffee one minute, killing fruit flies the next.
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June 20, 2014

The next step for WRRDA

Now that President Obama has signed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) the next step is implementation.
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June 19, 2014

Senators offer amendment to cut costs of U.S. sugar program

Coddled by politicians for decades, the U.S. sugar industry is now under fire in the Senate.
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June 19, 2014

ITC report details the injury caused by Mexican sugar imports

The damage caused by dumped and subsidized sugar imports from Mexico—including depressed domestic prices, lost revenue to U.S. producers, and approximately $260 million in taxpayer expenses—was detailed in a nearly 200-page government report.
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June 19, 2014

Lawmakers reject sugary drink warnings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)—A bill that would have made California the first state in the nation to require warning labels on sodas and other sugary drinks was effectively killed Tuesday.
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June 19, 2014

Syngenta accepting applications for 2014 Class of Resistance Fighters

Syngenta is accepting applications through Sept. 15 for the Resistance Fighter of the Year Leadership Program at www.resistancefighter.com.
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June 18, 2014

Test of weeds for glyphosate resistance will take 3 months

BOISE—It will be about three months before researchers know for sure whether kochia weeds that survived after being sprayed with Roundup have developed resistance to glyphosate, a weed killer that is the active ingredient in the herbicide.
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June 18, 2014

Idaho farm video quickly goes viral

BOISE—A video made by the crew of an organic farm in Boise quickly went viral, chalking up more than half a million views in two weeks.
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June 18, 2014

Ag groups want more time on clean water proposal

An Environmental Protection Agency proposal that would broaden its authority over “navigable waters” to “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act is now in its public comment period.
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June 17, 2014

Hill briefing blasts more sugar protectionism

An audience of about 60—including Hill staffers, U.S. International Trade Commission officials and economists—gathered Friday at a Rayburn building hearing room as the Cato Institute presented a briefing on the latest developments in the long-running saga
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June 17, 2014

Innovation and technology in the seed industry

Seed experts and industry leaders are in Circle City, Ind., to talk about issues facing the seed industry.
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June 16, 2014

Denying biotechnology is a moral argument

As Purdue President Mitch Daniels addressed the American Seed Trade Association on June 12 his focus turned to biotechnology.
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June 15, 2014

BASF announces investments, new products

BASF will invest more than $270 million to expand herbicide production capacities in the United States, due in part to the growing demand and need for formulations to manage round-up resistant weeds.
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June 14, 2014

Plant populations for big yield in late-planted sugarbeet

Research done at North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota showed that a wide range of plant population resulted in high recoverable sucrose, but plant populations of 175 to 200 plants per 100 foot of 22 inch wide rows consistently res
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June 13, 2014

EPA extends "Waters of the United States" comment period

Responding to pressure from farm groups and others, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today extended the public comment period for the Waters of the U.S. proposed rule from July 21 until Oct. 20, an additional 91 day
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June 13, 2014

Government report details injury caused by subsidized Mexican sugar

WASHINGTON—The damage caused by dumped and subsidized sugar imports from Mexico—including depressed domestic prices, lost revenue to U.S. producers, and approximately $260 million in taxpayer expenses—was detailed in a nearly 200-page government report is
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June 13, 2014

Historical sugarbeet blocking and thinning demo at museum

GERING, Neb.—The Legacy of the Plains Museum will present the process of blocking and thinning sugarbeet seedlings Saturday, June 14.
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June 12, 2014

Growers alerted about possible glyphosate-resistant weeds

Idaho and Oregon growers were alerted June 11 about a possible case of glyphosate-resistant weeds in at least two sugarbeet fields in the Treasure Valley area of Western Idaho and Eastern Oregon.
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June 12, 2014

USDA not likely to offer sugar for sale under FFP this year

The USDA’s Commodity Credit Corp. has announced that it does not expect to sell sugar to biofuel producers through the Feedstock Flexibility Program this year. The notice was part of a larger announcement made by the CCC with regard to the reassignment of
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June 11, 2014

Farmers apply precision technology to ag

MOSCOW, Idaho—The first demonstration flight of Robert Blair’s unmanned aerial vehicle ended with a small crash only a few yards away.
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June 10, 2014

Trucks and more available at auction

This is a complete liquidation of Schekall Premium Seed Potatoes!
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June 09, 2014

Idaho Power irrigation rates inch upward

BOISE—Idaho Power irrigators have been hit this month with a slight power rate increase, and company officials warn recently proposed Environmental Protection Agency clean-air guidelines could put upward pressure on U.S. electric rates in the long term.
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June 08, 2014

Klamath drought settles in; calls for water begin

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP)—With another year of drought taking hold in the Klamath Basin and the irrigation season under way, water rights holders are putting in their claims.
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June 07, 2014

GMO ban could snare conventionally bred crops

An ordinance that prohibits biotech crops in Oregon’s Jackson County is vague enough to encompass some conventionally bred crops, according to ban opponents.
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June 06, 2014

It's good to be the king

Chocolate surprisingly made front-page news last week when Ukraine elected Petro Poroshenko as its next president amid growing tensions with Russia.
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June 05, 2014

Vermont first state to mandate GMO labeling

Vermont on May 8 became the first U.S. state to mandate labeling of foods made with genetically modified organisms as Governor Peter Shumlin signed a law that is widely expected to be challenged in court by some food and agriculture companies, reports Car
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June 04, 2014

DOC extends investigation into Mexican sugar subsidies

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) on Tuesday announced that it needs more time to examine the numerous and complex programs used by the Mexican government to subsidize its sugar industry.
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June 04, 2014

California drought will cost thousands of farm jobs

California's drought will cause thousands of workers to lose their jobs and cost farmers in the state's Central Valley breadbasket $1.7 billion, researchers said in the first economic study of what may be the state's driest year on record.
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June 03, 2014

Groups say drought study only scratches surface

SACRAMENTO—Farm groups say a University of California-Davis study that predicts $1.7 billion in drought-related impacts to agriculture only scratches the surface.
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June 02, 2014

What's the price of GMO labeling?

A new report from Cornell University says the proposed GMO-labeling bill in New York State could cost the average family of four anywhere from $44 to $1,500 per year.
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June 01, 2014

Group gathering signatures to label GMO foods

MEDFORD, Ore.—The battle against GMOs in Oregon is now moving on to labeling.
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