NAWG NEWS
NAWG CEO Chandler Goule Writes Guest Article to Raise Awareness of Ongoing Drought
Wheat growers across the country are experiencing one of the driest years they have seen. The negative impact of drought stress on crop growth and yield is being felt by farmers in Texas, Idaho, Oregon, and more. In a recent article with Farm Policy Facts, NAWG CEO Chandler Goule wrote a guest article featuring NAWG Vice President Nicole Berg’s personal experience with the drought on her family’s fourth-generation farm in southeastern Washington. Goule also stressed how crucial crop insurance is to farmers experiencing extreme drought, and how NAWG continues to work with growers and government entities to improve these protections that are vital to farmers in years like this. To read the full article, click here.
NAWG, Major U.S. Agriculture Groups Call for Bipartisan Infrastructure Package
In a letter to Congressional leadership, NAWG and leading U.S. agriculture groups from every aspect of the supply chain called for a bipartisan infrastructure package that is vital to American farmers. The letter, organized by Farmers for Free Trade, stresses the importance of continued domestic and international market access for American agriculture and focuses on the economic importance of infrastructure for agriculture supply chains and exports. The letter also emphasizes how the benefits of investing in rural broadband and infrastructure are vital to compete globally. To read the full letter, click here.
GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY NEWS
USDA to Invest $4 Billion to Strengthen Food System
Through the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better initiative, the USDA has announced plans to invest more than $4 billion to strengthen critical supply chains. The investment will strengthen the food system, support food production, improve processing, and broaden market opportunities while ensuring growers receive a greater share of the food dollar. With food production being a primary focus of the initiative, USDA says they will invest in the current and future generations of food producers and workers with direct assistance, grants, technical assistance, and more. The initiative hopes to build a food system that will be resilient and deliver greater value to growers. Read more about the investment here.
Senate Agriculture Committee Advances USDA General Counsel Nominee Janie Hipp to Be Considered by the Full Senate
This morning, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a business meeting to vote on the nomination of Janie Simms Hipp of Arkansas, to serve as General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture. The committee advanced Hipp’s nomination, and she will now move on to be considered by the full Senate. Updates on the vote of the nomination can be found here.
USDA Announces Key Staff Appointments
This week, USDA announced the names of the individuals who will hold senior staff positions. Sanah Baig was named Chief of Staff for Research, Education, and Economics, Alyssa Charney was named Chief of Staff for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Meg Campbell was named Senior Advisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Juan Bautista Dominguez was named Advance Lead in the Office of the Secretary. To read more about these individuals, click here.
BASF Introduced New Hybrid Wheat Ideltis
On Monday, BASF introduced its new brand for hybrid wheat seeds, Ideltis. The hybrid wheat is intended to provide farmers with higher and more stable performance in yield and quality. BASF President, Vincent Gros stated, “With Ideltis, we are unlocking the full potential of wheat. Through our global research platform, we anticipate providing growers and the entire value chain hybrid wheat that is tailored to their local needs and consistently delivers better, more stable yield.” BASF hopes to continue to develop sustainable and efficient solutions to help farmers meet the demands of a rapid population. Read more here.
FMC Releases 2020 Sustainability Report
In a continued effort to support sustainable agriculture around the world, FMC recently released their sustainability report themed, “Resilient. Ready.” The report highlights the determination of their employees, customer, and suppliers in overcoming any obstacle to support farmers in their critical role of providing food to help nourish people. To read the full report and press release, click here.
U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) Update
Warm and dry conditions dominated the West while the southern Plains and South recorded the most precipitation for the week as well as cooler than normal temperatures. Temperatures were 3-6 degrees below normal over much of the southern Plains, and into the lower Mississippi Valley. Warmer than normal temperatures dominated from California to the Dakotas with departures of 9-12 degrees above normal and even higher in the northern Plains. With the active pattern continuing over the southern Plains, conditions have flipped over the last several weeks from one of drought to ample precipitation. A reassessment of conditions in several places in the West and northern Plains led to improvements, in light of some of the wetter conditions recently. To view the U.S. map and regional reports, visit the website here.
Nutrien Announces Approach to Carbon Program
This week, Nutrien unveiled its approach to its 2021 North American carbon pilots in order to identify the best path to scale its carbon program introduced in 2020. Nutrien is engaging key partners like American Farmland trust, BASF, Corteva Agriscience, Ingredion, Maple Leaf Foods, PepsiCo, and Syngenta in order to reach a diverse range of growers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and twelve other states. Read more about the program here.
NATIONAL WHEAT FOUNDATION NEWS
Anne Osborne of NAWG Foundation Interviews with Farm Talk Podcast
On June 4, Anne Osborne, NAWG Foundation Project Manager, interviewed with Mick Kjar on Farm Talk Podcasts to promote the Spring Wheat Yield Contest. In the interview, Osborne talked about the goals, benefits, and rewards of the contest. Listen to the full interview here.
Early Registration for National Wheat Yield Contest Spring Wheat Closes Soon!
National Yield Contest spring wheat is open. Get your entry in by June 15 for the early entry cost of $100. Spring Wheat entries are accepted until August 1. The wheat contest is administered entirely online, and growers can register at yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.