Suzy Friedman, director of sustainable agriculture at the Environmental Defense Fund, authored this post which originally ran in AgriPulse and on the EDF Growing Returns blog. NCGA has been allowed to share it on Corn Commentary with EDF’s permission. On paper, I appear to be the picture perfect stereotype of an east coast liberal: I’ve been working at environmental nonprofits …
Corn and Animal Agriculture – Poised for Success
Commentary by Chris Novak, Chief Executive Officer, National Corn Growers Association In less than a week’s time, colleagues in the cattle industry will head off to Nashville, Tennessee to participate in the 120th Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show. Further south, our friends in the poultry industry will head to Atlanta, Georgia for the largest annual trade show for the …
Changing the World Through Farming and Food
By Lauren Stohlmann We’re really quite lucky Matt Stasiewicz didn’t decide to become an automotive engineer. The work he’s done for agriculture is extensive and valuable for human health. Not that understanding engines isn’t important work, but creating a single-kernel sorter to reduce mycotoxin levels in market corn from Eastern Kenya, might be a bit more life-changing. Stasiewicz originally enrolled …
Who Will Farm the Land When Farmers Are Gone?
“They keep farming even when their eyesight is failing and their hearts are going bad.” So starts a great story in the Minneapolis Star Tribune today regarding escalating farm accidents among older farmers. “They get back on their tractors after farm accidents have put them in the hospital, sometimes with permanently disabling injuries.” And it is very true that unlike …
America’s Farmers Thrown Under the Train Instead of Posted on It
American corn farmers do not often see how their lives might be impacted by high profile, First Amendment debates in the media. While we each value our Constitutional rights and deeply cherish liberty, our messages about growing food and stewarding the land generally do not stir up mainstream debate to a degree that lands us on the national stage. Today, …
Bird’s Eye Corn Planting Beauty
Drone pro Robert Frye captured the beauty of corn planting from a bird’s eye view earlier this month in high def video edited with dramatic music. Robert shot video of Iowa farmers Jim, Matt and Jay Frye planting with a DJI Inspire-1 4K camera. He chose what he called a “metaphorical” music selection entitled “In the Beginning” by Lorne Balfe …
Corn Planting Zooms Ahead
A week ago corn planting was running behind schedule but thanks to the very latest precision technology corn farmers are now 17% ahead of the five year average with 55% of the crop in the ground, according to the latest crop progress report. “We saw more than one-third of the nation’s corn acres planted in a single week,” said USDA …
Captain Cornelius on Cardinals’ Farm Team
The St. Louis Cardinals’ new roster this season includes some homegrown talent from the Show-Me State. Missouri Farmers Care (MFC) and the St. Louis Cardinals are proud to bring to Busch Stadium the Farm Team, comprised of mascots Captain Cornelius, Simon the Soybean, and Sweet Bessie. The farm team is part of the “Race to the Plate” educational campaign to …
Go Grist! Journalist Looks Beyond Media Hype to Find True Story of U.S. Farming
Kudos to Grist for taking a real look at agriculture in Iowa. As the primary season starts, candidates will visit the state and many outlets may off-handedly deride the stances they express on the issues important to farmers. But Liz Core, a Grist journalist, took the time to visit the state and talk to farmers about the issues that they …
2015 Corn Crop on Facebook
The 2015 corn crop has barely begun to be planted but it already has its own Facebook page. The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) launched the new Facebook page - Growing the 2015 U.S. Corn Crop - as a direct channel for communication between farmers and overseas customers about the condition and quality of the 2015 U.S. corn crop, according to …