Ethanol, Corn, and Your Ag Business

March 9th, 2010

Not too many agribusiness owners would argue to potential windfall that government approval of an ethanol blend would bring. That seems to be close to happening – the EPA announced in December that it was satisfied with the feasibility of ethanol, and contingent on further testing, it could soon approve 15 percent ethanol blends based [...]

Beefing Up Meat Safety in School Lunch Programs

February 15th, 2010

Supplying food for the National School Lunch Program is about to see tighter safety regulations. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in an attempt to tie tighter regulations and higher standards around meat products being consumed by children in school lunch programs. At issue is the frequency [...]

Who owns the water in Montana?

December 28th, 2009

It all comes down to water. In Montana, water, or at least access to it, is the center of a debate between ranch owners and residential real estate developers. Six ranch owners are seeking the help of the Department of Natural Resources in limiting the water use rights they feel are being doled out carelessly, [...]

Are you late to the crop dance?

December 9th, 2009

It’s unusual to say the least. Corn harvest figures for the week of December 9, 2009 showed that there was still much work to be done. Ninety-one percent of the Indiana’s corn harvest had been completed at that point, making it one of the longest periods between planting and harvest since 1972. In Wisconsin, 23 [...]

Agribusiness and Health Care-Sharing Ministries

December 1st, 2009

The influence of the Bible Belt on the farming community has been significant, but now farmers can turn to their churches for health care. For agribusiness owners, health care costs have been a large detriment to the bottom line. But by teaming with other worshippers in their ministries, farmers are able to establish more affordable [...]