Legislation introduced in the House Friday, Feb. 15, is a major step for farmers, ranchers and small businesses that would otherwise be negatively impacted by healthcare reform, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). The Jobs and Premium Protection Act of 2013, introduced by Reps.

“There were lots of troubles with stand establishment and drought through the fall and winter,” said Dr. Travis Miller, AgriLife Extension agronomist and Texas A&M University soil and crop sciences associate department head. “Stands are skimpy and weak.

Funded by a Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Mark Kozubal and his start-up company, Sustainable Bioproducts, will conduct further research, as well as enlist the consulting needed to study the product’s fit within the marketplace.

Think consumers know all they need to know about meat cuts? Think again. Extensive research conducted by the National Pork Board and the Beef Checkoff Program indicates that today’s consumers are as confused as ever when it comes to purchasing fresh meat.

Thanks to wheat breeding programs like the one at Kansas State University (K-State), producers have ever-improving options of wheat varieties to plant. Whether it’s improved resistance or increased yields, wheat breeders are creating varieties that meet producers’ changing needs.

During this time of economic squeeze is it possible to feed your family healthy, nutritious meals and still stay within your budget? The Utah Farm Bureau thinks so, and it joined with the American Farm Bureau and USDA in promoting Food Check-Out Week, which took place Feb.

Research is examining microalgae—20 to 80 percent oil by dry weight biomass—as a biofuel energy crop. There are several different production systems for algae production, yields, costs and challenges to this exciting new feedstock for biodiesel production.

On Valentine’s Day, Senate Democrats suggested a $110 billion measure which would theoretically fend off the mandatory spending cuts coming March 1. The proposed package recommended replacing the spending cuts (often referred to as “the sequester” or “sequestration”) would shift the economic onus onto, among other things, agriculture.

While there are guys out there sitting on a lot of land equity, Fuller isn’t necessarily one of them. He faces the possible loss of his farm because of cancellation of his crop-insurance policy on the 2012 crop. Fuller is an enthusiastic advocate for protecting the land from erosion and building organic matter back into the soil.

With representatives in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and a community of more than 600 companies, North American Meat Association provides its members exceptional regulatory advocacy, educational opportunities, and a spirit of partnership that is unique in the industry.