INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
July 31, 2017
News

EU says Dow/DuPont merger meets conditions

The transition includes FMC acquiring DuPont’s global chewing pest insecticide portfolio, its global cereal broadleaf herbicides and a significant portion of DuPont’s global crop protection R&D capabilities.
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July 31, 2017
News

House Ag Committee hits road for farm bill input

American Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall says he confident the farm bill can be completed in 2017.
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July 31, 2017
News

Beet sugar cooperative and union reach 5-year labor agreement

The contract calls for an increase in wages over five years. Other terms include updates to pension benefits, pension lump sum death benefits and life insurance benefits.
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July 31, 2017
News

American Sugar Alliance urges support for U.S. sugar growers

Ervin Schlemmer noted that sugar producer's safety net is designed to operate without taxpayer cost and helps shield farmers from market distortions caused by foreign subsidies.
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July 31, 2017
News

Sugar in sticky spot over fears that cheap imports will be dumped on the UK market post Brexit

Removal of all tariffs when the UK exits the single market and customs union would open doors to a flood of sugarcane imports from countries such as Thailand and Brazil where governments actively protect and support cane growers.
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July 31, 2017
News

Recent technology changes the raising of sugarbeets

Today soil-borne diseases are becoming more prevalent as growers shorten crop rotations and increasingly rely on center pivots to irrigate crops.
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July 31, 2017
News

Will a sugar deal with Mexico affect U.S. treat prices?

According to the Sweetener Users Association, the new terms could mean an additional $1 billion in costs to consumers.
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July 30, 2017
News

Where so sugar and sweeteners stand today?

As Seattle Mayor, Ed Murray, recently said “Sugar is as bad as cigarettes in how we consume it."
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July 29, 2017
News

EU beet boom as sugar quotas to go

Growers are also encouraged by Al Khaleej International from the United Arab Emirates submitting plans for the first new sugarbeet factory in the UK for 90 years, in Yorkshire.
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July 28, 2017
News

Montana beet crop looks promising

Sidney Sugars is taking in 32,500 acres of beets this year. The total is about 1,200 less than in 2016.
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July 27, 2017
News

Generational transfer of wealth major issue for farmers

There’s no silver bullet that solves how young people can successfully transition into ownership of farm businesses and farmland in general.
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July 26, 2017
News

Appropriations amendment expands H-2A program

The H-2A program would remain a temporary source of ag labor and there are still time limits for how long workers can stay in the U.S.
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July 25, 2017
News

UI-led regional team lands $3.4M USDA grant to help farmers adapt to changing conditions

The project will focus on three distinct climate zones based on precipitation and terrain.
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July 25, 2017
News

Rural issues at forefront of House ag hearing

A member of the National Rural Water Association said the big backlog in the USDA loan and grant program is delaying infrastructure improvements for clean water and wastewater in rural America.
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July 24, 2017
News

Should soda with non-caloric sweeteners be taxed too?

Proponents of sin taxes say that putting a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks may play a pivotal role in fighting obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
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July 24, 2017
News

USDA announces adjustments to fiscal year 2017 sugar program

USDA has also requested that the U.S. Department of Commerce increase the FY 2017 Mexico export limit by 103,932 STRV.
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July 24, 2017
News

Proposed nitrogen fertilizer rule in Minn. could have enormous impact

The purpose of the rule is to minimize the potential for nitrate contamination from fertilizer in Minnesota’s groundwater and drinking water.
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July 24, 2017
News

Former ag secretary to do tax consulting

Mike Johanns said his contact with clients will range from working with prospective clients to offering direct advice to those qualifying for R&D tax credits.
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July 23, 2017
News

McKinney's background good fit for USDA role

Several agricultural organizations have expressed support for McKinney’s nomination.
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July 23, 2017
News

FCSAmerica survey shows "relatively stable" farmland prices

FCS American and Frontier Farm Credit monitor values on 71 benchmark farms.
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July 22, 2017
News

Campbell Soup withdrawing from GMA

Campbell split from the rest of the food industry in early 2016 with a commitment to label all of its products containing GMOs.
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July 22, 2017
News

House budget includes funding for Peoria Ag Lab

The facility, along with 16 other USDA labs, would be closed under President Trump’s proposed budget, which was released earlier this year.
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July 21, 2017
News

Michigan seeks disaster declaration

Following a formal assessment of widespread damage, the governor is asking for federal assistance in Bay, Isabella, Gladwin and Midland counties.
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July 21, 2017
News

House Approps OKs ag funds

Rep. Charles Dent, R-Pa., also offered but then withdrew an amendment to limit non-recourse loans for sugar or sugarbeets to $40 million in any crop year.
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July 21, 2017
News

Beet co-op aiming for 100 percent environmental compliance

The challenge remains controlling emissions of hydrogen sulfide from the wastewater treatment and storage ponds at the factory site in Renville.
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July 21, 2017
News

Western Sugar taking steps to address odor in Fort Morgan, Colo.

These are the latest in a succession of ideas the plant has been trying to seek to lessen and prevent the odor, which is caused by sugar content left in the water being stored in the plant's ponds and bacteria feeding on it and then producing smelly waste
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July 21, 2017
News

2 more USDA noms announced

Indiana ag director Ted McKinney has been tapped to fill the newly-created position of undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs.
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July 21, 2017
News

Compeer Financial transition features many moving parts

Compeer Financial is now the third-largest farm credit organization in the U.S., servicing more than 45,000 clients in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.
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July 20, 2017
News

USTR Lighthizer releases NAFTA outline

Lighthizer says an updated NAFTA will give farmers, ranchers and others new opportunities to grow exports.
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July 20, 2017
News

Farm equipment dealers oppose right to repair

Proponents of the right-to-repair legislation say manufacturers are limiting farmer’s ability to fix equipment themselves, and that a decline in rural dealerships has led to longer wait times for repairs.
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July 20, 2017
News

Online climate data benefits producers

The new tool provides important information such as soil temperature, cumulative growing degree days, and cumulative precipitation.
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July 19, 2017
News

Great Lakes funding clears House appropriations

More than 3,000 projects in the eight-state Great Lakes Region, including Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, have been completed since it was established in 2010.
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July 19, 2017
News

House GOP budget cuts $10B from ag/nutrition

House Ag Committee Ranking member Collin Peterson issued a statement saying “singling out the SNAP program will kill the farm bill.”
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July 19, 2017
News

Heat brings weed pressure to Minn. beet crop

Noah Hultgren of Raymond says wet, cool conditions this spring slowed plant growth, but a month of warm weather has pushed development of both beets and weeds.
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July 19, 2017
News

Farm bureau sends ag committees list of farm bill priorities

Dale Moore, AFBF director of public policy, says the recommendations reflect what’s important to the federation.
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July 19, 2017
News

Sentera grows high-precision line with release of Quad Sensor

With continual advancements to the agriculture landscape, tools used to evaluate crop health vigor and to detect issues in crops must be flexible and develop just as rapidly.
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July 18, 2017
News

Magnets keep sugar iron-free

In addition to preventing damage claims, magnets protect machines against seizure due to iron contamination and resulting expensive production standstills.
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July 17, 2017
News

Farmers need tax reform

Scott VanderWal also urged lawmakers to consider the broader impact of tax provisions on the effective rates farm and ranch families pay.
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July 17, 2017
News

Trump nominates Censky as deputy ag scecretary

Steve Censky has served as the CEO of the American Soybean Association since 1996.
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July 17, 2017
News

Study provides evidence for naturality of high-purity stevia leaf extract sweeteners

This is the first study to systematically determine whether steviol glycosides are modified by typical commercial extraction and purification processes to obtain high-purity steviol glycoside sweeteners.
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July 16, 2017
News

Kim Kardashian shoots down drug rumors: 'That's sugar from our candy'

On Tuesday, a Twitter user shared a screenshot of one of Kardashian's Snapchat posts, which showed a table in the background covered in suspicious-looking powder.
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July 15, 2017
News

Organic regulatory environment needs fixing

Organics is no longer a niche industry with nearly 24,000 certified organic operations nationwide supporting a $50 billion per year industry.
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July 15, 2017
News

Analyst sees positive signs for U.S. sugar market

A new report from the Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory Group estimates the world’s sugar growers will overproduce by 2.7 million metric tons in the current crop year.
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July 14, 2017
News

Monsanto stands by new dicamba herbicide

Monsanto’s John Chambers says the vast majority of problems are because applications were not done according to label…but acknowledged there is a learning curve for farmers and Monsanto.
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July 14, 2017
News

Latest developments for Syngenta lawsuits

In June, Syngenta lost a $218 million jury verdict involving Kansas farmers. Syngenta says it will appeal that decision, but the outcome of the upcoming Minnesota trial could cause Syngenta to re-evaluate its approach.
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July 13, 2017
News

Amity names sales and marketing VP

Brad Meyer will be responsible for defining and implementing sales and marketing strategies for Amity Technology sugarbeet harvesting equipment.
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July 13, 2017
News

Benefits of adjuvant application for sugarbeets

West Central’s newest adjuvants include the Elite Adjuvants. The Elite Adjuvant lineup can be used across all conventional and herbicide resistant traits, burndowns applications, fungicide and insecticide applications.
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July 13, 2017
News

India likely to raise sugar import tax to 50%

In 2017-18 marketing year starting from 1 October, India’s sugar output is expected to jump a quarter from the previous year to 25 million tonnes.
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July 12, 2017
News

Guyana’s sugar industry grinding to a halt

According to the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GUYSUCO), over the past six months the world market price for sugar has dropped significantly, to between US$250 –US$275 per tonne. Earlier this year, the price was US$396 per tonne.
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July 11, 2017
News

House to include border wall money in spending bill, teeing up shutdown fight

The House appropriations committee released its homeland security bill on Tuesday and it includes the full $1.6 billion requested by the Office of Management and Budget to begin construction on a southern border wall.
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July 11, 2017
News

Judge rules Utah's ag-gag law unconstitutional

Utah’s “agriculture operation interference” law was approved in 2012 by the state’s legislature.
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July 11, 2017
News

Overreaction to dicamba could be a problem

Paul Kassel believes dicamba herbicides like BASF’s Engenia and Monsanto’s Xtendimax are needed in Iowa to help control water hemp, giant ragweed and marestail.
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July 11, 2017
News

Ag spending debate in House

The bill does not cover mandatory spending like crop insurance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program which is mandated by the farm bill.
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July 10, 2017
News

Bio Huma Netics director elected to AIARD executive board

The AIARD is an association of professionals and practitioners whose mission is to improve the quality of life for all people.
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July 10, 2017
News

Sugar export subsidy in Pakistan

The Pakistan Sugar Manufacturing Association (PSMA) has recently requested the government to give them subsidy and allow them to export sugar.
— Read More
July 09, 2017
News

Spectacular luxury hotel to open in restored sugar mill in Guilin, China

Alila Hotels and Resorts will debut the Alila Yangshuo in Guilin, China in July.
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July 08, 2017
News

Boulder begins taxing sugar sweetened drinks

Not everyone agrees these types of taxes work to change behaviors. A judge in Illinois blocked the implementation of a beverage tax in Cook County, which includes Chicago. Retailers there oppose the tax.
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July 07, 2017
News

Trump’s doubtful claims about a gang and Mexican sugar

The Trump administration’s new deal, which the president characterized as a “very good one for both Mexico and the U.S.,” strengthens protections for American producers by reducing the amount of refined sugar Mexico can export and changing the standards f
— Read More
July 06, 2017
News

Spam turns 80

There are now 15 varieties of Spam, ranging from jalapeño to teriyaki.
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July 06, 2017
News

USDA seeks public input on GMO food labeling

The proposed rule is expected at the end of this year or early next year.
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July 06, 2017
News

CHS helps launch online agronomy training tool

Measuring sustainability, 4R nutrient stewardship, resistance management, and precision applications are expected to be covered.
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July 06, 2017
News

Sugar industry fears tide is turning

After decades of stable demand growth, almost doubling per person since 1960, the world is heading for a tipping point as shoppers turn against the cola and candy blamed for an obesity epidemic in the rich world.
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July 05, 2017
News

Food labeling: A natural opportunity to reducing sugar intake

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been caught in a tug-of-war between food manufacturers clinging to high-sugar recipes and food nutritionists who say transparency is key to healthier lifestyles.
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July 04, 2017
News

Post and Journal finally print sugar’s side of story

We felt compelled to spotlight the fact that both publications recently printed our responses to their editorials, which amazingly panned the Trump Administration for holding Mexico’s subsidized sugar industry accountable for breaking U.S. trade law.
— Read More
July 04, 2017
News

British Sugar cannabis farm 'weed' smell investigated

British Sugar began cultivating the cannabis - which produces the active medicinal chemical cannabidiol - after phasing out its tomato production at the site.
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July 04, 2017
News

J-Lo's pre-taped Fourth of July performance angers locals

Residents of a building on Borden Avenue, near the park where J.Lo and other acts perform, say the broadcast turns their block into an annual nightmare and robs them of their liberty to celebrate the Fourth.
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July 04, 2017
News

Sugar still makes up much of our diet

When George Washington was president in the late 1700s, the average American annually consumed about six pounds of sugar.
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July 03, 2017
News

Sweet tweet makes sugar producers happy

American sugar farmers and producers say they are happy with Trump's Commerce Department negotiations with Mexico.
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July 03, 2017
News

Mexico sugar deal threatens to drive up prices for last U.S. candy cane manufacturer

The new sugar supply deal will make things tougher still for Spangler, as an agreed rise in the minimum price for Mexican sugar will drive up Spangler's raw material cost.
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July 03, 2017
News

Why is Chinook, Mont., known for sugarbeets?

In January of 1906, the farmers and businessmen of this area started a campaign to get a sugar factory to locate in Chinook.
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July 02, 2017
News

More time needed for full assessment of crop damage in Michigan

Jim Byrum says the full impact of total losses will be known at the end of the year when harvest is in the bin, but for some farmers this could be a devastating event given the current ag economy.
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July 02, 2017
News

Bill to address agro-terrorism threat signed into law

The Securing our Agriculture and Food Act requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs to lead the government’s efforts to secure the nation’s food, agriculture, and veterinary systems against high-risk e
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July 02, 2017
News

Innvictis Crop Care introduces Trevo TRZ fungicide

Protection against yield robbing diseases with Trevo TRZ will help protect your bottom line.
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