INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
December 31, 2015

Beets surge in Michigan

Michigan's sugarbeet growers reported that they have harvested a record crop this year.
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December 31, 2015
News

Sugar heads for first gain in five years as El Nino ends surplus

After four bitter years, sugar mills can look forward to sweeter prospects in 2016.
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December 31, 2015
News

DuPont layoffs coming in Delaware

Reports say DuPont will cut about 1,700 jobs early next year in further preparation for its merger with Dow Chemical Company.
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December 31, 2015
News

Conservation Reserve Program celebrates 30 years

One of the nation’s largest private-lands conservation programs is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
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December 31, 2015
News

WTO agrees to end ag export subsidies

Member-nations of the World Trade Organization have voted to end export subsidies on agricultural products.
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December 30, 2015
News

Wells Fargo sells crop insurance business to Zurich

Swiss insurance company Zurich Insurance Group is acquiring Wells Fargo’s crop insurance business, Rural Community Insurance Services (RCIS).
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December 29, 2015

Grassley: TPP and WOTUS are top ag priorities in 2016

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says, from an agricultural standpoint, passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should be Congress’ top priority in 2016.
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December 29, 2015
News

Vilsack to host GMO labeling discussion

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says there is a growing sense of urgency to reach a compromise on labeling foods that contain GMO ingredients.
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December 28, 2015
News

New Holland applauds passage of Permanent Section 179 Tax Break

Congress approved tax legislation extending the $500,000 Section 179 capital assets depreciation limit and enhanced bonus depreciation.
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December 28, 2015
News

Syngenta discussing deals with peers

The interim chief executive for Syngenta says as consolidation talks in the agriculture industry intensify, the company is discussing merger deals with a number of parties—including Monsanto.
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December 28, 2015

GE crop study broad and science-based

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is doing a study of genetically engineered crops.
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December 28, 2015
News

Dietary guidelines scheduled for January release

The updated federal dietary guidelines are slated to be released in January.
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December 28, 2015
News

Agriculture would benefit with TPP

An economist at Ohio State University says the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) would increase U.S. access to four countries that currently do not have a free trade agreement with the U.S.
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December 28, 2015
News

EPA setting bad precedent

The president of the American Soybean Association says he’s concerned with the precedent that could be set for registration and re-registration of products by allowing EPA to withdraw its approval of Dow AgroScience’s Enlist Duo herbicide.
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December 28, 2015
News

Farmer Veteran Coalition chapters piloted

A pilot program in Michigan is helping connect veterans to agriculture.
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December 18, 2015
News

USDA removes farm program payments to managers not actively engaged in farming

The USDA finalized a rule Tuesday to ensure that farm safety-net payments are issued only to active managers of farms that operate as joint ventures or general partnerships, consistent with the direction and authority provide by Congress in the 2014 Farm
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December 17, 2015
News

Top to bottom changes at DuPont with Dow merger

DuPont is announcing changes from top to bottom as part of its merger with Dow.
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December 16, 2015
News

GAO finding should prompt tough questions about WOTUS

The American Farm Bureau Federation says the EPA’s handling of Waters of the U.S. rule making went beyond even the legal opinion issued Monday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
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December 16, 2015
News

EPA broke law in promoting WOTUS

The non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the EPA violated federal law in promoting the agency’s “Water of the U.S.” rule—also referred to as WOTUS.
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December 15, 2015
News

Western Sugar Agronomist: No lab test can differentiate between GMO, non-GMO sugar

So, what about GMO sugar?
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December 14, 2015
News

Drone use in ag increasing, but lack of FAA rules slowing technology

The use of drones in commercial agricultural is beginning to rapidly increase.
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December 13, 2015
News

Ag jobs may be plentiful, but new grads scarce

Close to 60,000 jobs are set to open up in agriculture, food and natural resource sectors each year for the next five years, according to a report from Purdue University and the USDA, reports Luke Runyon/Harvest Public Media on Newsworks.org.
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December 12, 2015
News

Timing of residual herbicide critical to controlling resistant water hemp

An agronomist at North Dakota State University says the timing of residual herbicide application is critical in controlling resistant water hemp.
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December 11, 2015
News

Dow and DuPont agree to merger of equals

Dow Chemical and DuPont, the two largest chemical companies in the United States have agreed to terms, joining in a “merger of equals” to form DowDuPont.
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December 11, 2015
News

Dow, DuPont to merge in deal valuing chemical giants at $130B

U.S. chemical giants DuPont and Dow Chemical Co agreed to merge in an all-stock deal valuing the combined company at $130 billion, with plans to eventually split into three.
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December 11, 2015
News

Washington governor signs climate change agreements in Paris

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed onto agreements with other nations to fight climate change while attending a global summit in Paris.
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December 11, 2015
News

Settlement would allow Jackson County GMO ban to stand

The prohibition against genetically engineered crops in Jackson County, Ore., will be allowed to stand if a proposed settlement is finalized, barring a new legal challenge to the ordinance.
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December 11, 2015
News

Michigan Farm Bureau adds drone policy

Unmanned Aircraft Systems have been one of the newest technologies adapted by farmers, and Michigan Farm Bureau delegates have established a new policy to protect farmer rights.
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December 10, 2015

Scientists assembled for Monsanto say herbicide not carcinogenic

A panel of scientists is disputing a World Health Organization report published earlier this year that concluded glyphosate, the world's most widely used weed killer and main ingredient in Monsanto Co's Roundup herbicide, is probably carcinogenic to human
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December 10, 2015
News

Dow and DuPont in merger talks

Dow Chemical Co and DuPont are in talks to merge, creating a chemicals giant with a market value of more than $120 billion that could then break up into different businesses, people familiar with the matter said Tuesday.
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December 10, 2015
News

Idaho Farm Bureau elects new president

Shelley potato farmer Bryan Searle has been elected as the first new president of Idaho Farm Bureau Federation in 18 years.
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December 09, 2015
News

China still not sold on GMOs

China has voiced concerns about GMO foods in the just completed U.S./China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.
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December 08, 2015
News

Herbicide-resistant weed researchers turning to growers

A team researching herbicide-resistant weeds is turning to growers for answers.
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December 07, 2015
News

Deal reached in lawsuit over Oregon county’s GMO law

A proposed settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit challenging Jackson County’s ban on genetically engineered crops.
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December 07, 2015
News

S&W files patent application for Stevia Variety SW 129

S&W Seed Company announced Monday it has filed a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a unique stevia plant variety SW 129.
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December 07, 2015
News

Cover crops play role in combating climate change

A water policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says cover crops are playing a big role in combating climate change.
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December 06, 2015
News

USDA announces 2016 Agricultural Outlook Forum

The USDA will host the 92nd annual Agricultural Outlook Forum in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 25-26.
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December 05, 2015
News

California Supreme Court OKs organic labeling lawsuits

Consumers have a right to file lawsuits under California law alleging food products are falsely labeled “organic,” the state Supreme Court ruled.
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December 05, 2015
News

New Holland wins machine of the year

New Holland’s T7.315 tractor won the coveted “Machine of the Year” 2016 in the large tractor category at Agritechnica 2015.
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December 04, 2015
News

Controversy continues to surround 2015 Dietary Guidelines process

As we anticipate the release of the finalized 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in the coming days, controversy around the process continues to permeate media coverage and congressional activity.
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December 04, 2015
News

J.R. Simplot Company to cut emissions at sulfuric acid plants in 3 states

The EPA and U.S. Department of Justice announced Dec. 3 a settlement with the J.R. Simplot Company that resolves alleged Clean Air Act violations related to modifications made at Simplot’s five sulfuric acid plants near Lathrop, Calif., Pocatello, Idaho a
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December 04, 2015
News

New tool to help farmers with record keeping

A tool to help farmers comply with new recordkeeping requirements has been developed in Ohio.
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December 04, 2015
News

House votes to halt EPA Clean Power Plan

The House has voted to block two of President Obama’s clean air efforts.
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December 04, 2015
News

Enrollment period for Safety Net coverage begins Monday

Safety net program signup for 2016 begins Monday.
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December 04, 2015
News

Crop Nutrient Deficiency photo contest entries due Dec. 9

The deadline for submitting entries to the annual IPNI contest for photos showing nutrient deficiencies is Dec. 9.
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December 04, 2015
News

UI Extension workshop helps aspiring small farmers

Helping a new generation of farmers take root is the focus of a new University of Idaho Extension project, which will offer a workshop series beginning Jan. 14 focused on how to start a small farm or ranch.
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December 04, 2015
News

New Ag Tire Outlet website offers thousands of new and used ag tires and wheels

Growers and other ag professionals can visit AgTireOutlet.com to browse thousands of new and used ag tires and wheels for sale.
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December 03, 2015
News

Sugar, corn industries settle sweetener spat

A bitter billion-dollar battle in the sweetener wars came to an end Nov. 20 as sugar processors and the makers of high fructose corn syrup announced a secret out-of-court settlement.
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December 03, 2015
News

Net farm income drops 38%

The latest report from the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) says net farm income will be down 38 percent this year.
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December 02, 2015
News

Nelson Irrigation wins New Product Award

The 3030 Series Pivot Sprinklers with the new 3NV Nozzle System from Nelson Irrigation received both the Irrigation Association’s New Product Award for Agriculture and ASABE’s AE50 Award.
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December 02, 2015
News

Beet harvest over in Michigan

Michigan growers finished what remaining harvest activities they could last week despite wet conditions.
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December 02, 2015
News

Highway bill language reverses crop insurance cuts

Congressional leaders appear to be keeping their promise to reverse the $3 billion in cuts to crop insurance that were part of last month’s budget agreement.
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December 02, 2015
News

USDA report warns climate change likely to impede progress on global food security

Climate change is likely to impede progress on reducing undernourishment around the world in the decades ahead, according to a major scientific assessment released today by the USDA on global food security and its implications for the United States.
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December 02, 2015
News

Next phase in controlling herbicide-resistant weeds involves growers

The president of the Weed Science Society of America says the next phase in combating herbicide-resistant weeds has to do with how farmers control them.
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December 01, 2015
News

USDA examines biotech approval process

The USDA wants to streamline its biotech approval process.
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