Inaugural Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence Presented
A newly established award recognizes veterans or service members for excellence in farming or agriculture and positively impacting local communities. Retired Army Col. Joe Ricker of Indiana is the first recipient of the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence presented by the American Farm Bureau Federation with support from Farm Credit.
Ricker served 30 years in the Army before retiring from a logistics post at the Pentagon in 2022. His service also included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since leaving the Army, his commitment to excellence in farming and enriching the lives of veterans has blossomed in a myriad of ways in both his local community of Wilkinson, Indiana, and across the country.
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Farm Bureau Congratulates President-Elect Trump
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the election of Donald Trump to be the 47th President of the United States of America.
“Farm Bureau congratulates President-elect Donald Trump on his election to lead our great nation, as well as the representatives and senators elected to serve in the 119th Congress. We are committed to working with our nation’s leaders to strengthen agriculture and rural America, and we look forward to continuing that work in the days ahead.
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Farm Bureau: A New Farm Bill Would Solve a Lot of Current Ag Issues
Lawmakers are expected back on the Hill after tomorrow’s election, and farm groups are hoping they take action for America’s producers.
“A new farm bill would have taken care of a lot of these issues. But because we don’t have that farm bill, we have different needs across the country that have not been met by Congress,” said Joe Gilson.
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Cassidy Tours Sugar Farm and Meets with South Louisiana Farmers, Discusses Next Farm Bill
This week, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) visited with farmers in Port Allen and Jennings, to discuss the next Farm Bill and what Louisiana’s farmers need to continue feeding our state and the world.
“Our farmers and fishermen produce the best sugarcane, rice and seafood in the world,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It’s my goal to protect them against unfair, foreign competition, to keep crop insurance affordable, and to prevent the cost of farming from rising. I appreciate being able to meet with Louisiana farmers and work together to reach these goals in the next Farm Bill.”
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Reminder: Corporate Transparency Act Deadline Looming
Over 230,000 farms are up against a Jan. 1, 2025, deadline to file their detailed Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) with the Treasury Department under the requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Despite facing steep fines and possible jail time for failing to file, less than 11% of eligible businesses nationwide have filed their BOI. Efforts to protect small businesses from these invasive requirements and the harsh punishment for noncompliance have stalled in Congress. Let’s review what the Corporate Transparency Act means for farmers.
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New Farm Bill Crucial for All Americans, Not Just Farmers
The farm bill is critical to the success of America’s farmers. It must be renewed every five years, and it provides farmers with a safety net to survive difficult times.
Despite its importance, the farm bill expired in September 2023. Congress passed a one-year extension, but that too has now expired.
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Helping After Hurricane Helene
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, communities across the Southeast from Florida to Georgia, through the Carolinas to Virginia and Tennessee are picking up the pieces. The devastation in rural and farm communities has been widespread, and it will be weeks—possibly months—before we know the full impact of the storm. Farm Bureau organizations across the region are providing resources for those affected and those looking to help their neighbors near and far.
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Dockworker Strike Highlights Importance of Food Independence
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the impact of the East Coast dockworker strike.
“America is bracing for the impact of the massive dockworker strike that threatens to paralyze traffic of goods in and out of the United States. Our nation relies on international trade for everything from electronics to machinery.”
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Congress Must Not Leave Farmers In A Lurch
Yesterday marked the expiration of the one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill, leaving farmers and ranchers anxious about whether Congress can secure a new, five-year reauthorization. Despite Congress giving themselves a full extra year to craft and pass a new farm bill, inaction remains the status quo in the halls of Congress.
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September is Buzzing Because it’s National Honey Month
September is National Honey Month, a tradition started by the National Honey Board in 1989, according to the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.
In the United States, honey collection season typically ends in September as the bees begin to secure their hives and prepare for winter.
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Protecting Domestic Agriculture Through Trade Policy
Farm Bureau supports a positive and proactive U.S. trade policy that benefits our agricultural producers. But rising trade challenges and a $30 billion agricultural trade deficit threaten the livelihoods of American farmers and ranchers who depend on growing trade flows and rules-based trade actions.
Now is the time for the administration and Congress to act on a U.S. trade policy that includes commercially meaningful negotiations on two-way trade with U.S. allies and partners. These negotiations should address shared interests in the cross-border exchange of food and agricultural products.
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Budget Battle Limiting Congressional Work for Farmers and Ranchers
With elections looming, the Congressional calendar is tight. Right now, Congress is locked in a funding battle. Emily Buckman, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the deadline is quickly approaching.
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2025 Social Media Ambassador Applications Open
Applications are now open for the American Farm Bureau Social Media Ambassador Program at the 2025 FUSION Conference to be held March 7-10, 2025, in Denver, Colorado! If you are seeking an opportunity to apply what you are learning through your coursework, get creative with social media and/or engage the public in a conference experience, apply today.
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Proposed Changes Threaten Fairness In Dairy Policy
Changes to Federal Milk Marketing Orders being considered by USDA could hurt farmers the FMMO system is designed to protect. The American Farm Bureau Federation delivered that message in comments sent today to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall emphasized the analysis in a follow-up letter to Mr. Vilsack as well.
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Eric Boles to Keynote Closing Session at 2025 American Farm Bureau Convention
Eric Boles, a global expert in talent development, change management and cultural transformation, will address attendees as closing general session keynote speaker during the 2025 American Farm Bureau Convention on Monday, Jan. 27. Boles is founder and CEO of The Game Changers Inc., a leadership training and development company headquartered in Lakewood, Washington. Boles is a thought leader in business strategies, providing in-depth coaching and consulting to help organizational leaders increase productivity and attain peak performance from teams they lead, in addition to authoring “Moving to Great…Unleashing Your Best in Life and Work.”
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