Thank you for your continued support!

by: Asmark Institute 

Not all regulations require written plans, but many do. The question is which ones? Written plans are required when OSHA considers a safety or health hazard to be serious. The plan generally requires written documentation on the steps an employer takes to counteract the hazard [...] read more. 

After a nationwide search, the Iowa Poultry Association and Iowa Egg Council have hired Kevin Stiles as executive director - an agriculture industry veteran to lead the organizations.

 

"As the number-one egg producing state, Iowa needs strong leadership to represent our egg farming community, to navigate critical issues, and to successfully develop new markets and growth opportunities for our products," said JT Dean, president Iowa Poultry Association. 

Stiles most recently served as Senior Vice President Business Development for Midwest Dairy Association. He was responsible for managing business development staff in a 10-state area, and working with industry manufacturers, processors, retailers and other channel partners.  He led the team in efforts to drive innovation and enhanced industry marketing by providing product and nutrition research information along with consumer and marketing insights to key Midwest Partners.  Stiles' career also includes experience working for a marketing communications agency, a state trade association in California and more than six years in export marketing. [...] read more.

A longtime agriculture Senator says huge crop surpluses and low prices have boosted the odds of a year-early rewrite of the 2014 Farm Bill. Agriculture leaders and producers have argued for an early farm bill for weeks, pointing to the flaws in the existing farm safety net. Iowa's Senator Chuck Grassley agrees that there is a need for urgency. [...] read more.

by: AgWired

National Co-op Month has been celebrated annually in October across the United States for more than half a century and this year's theme is "Cooperatives Build."

"The cooperative business model continues to perform strongly,"  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "While the model has long been one of the hallmarks of rural economies, its reach has greatly expanded to include almost every aspect of U.S. commerce. The latest data show that cooperatives are a key to building stronger and more vital communities, particularly in rural areas." [...] read more.