This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind. As Congress and the White House continue to wrangle with economic stimulus policy and a national infrastructure plan, the Hoosier member of the House Ways and Means Committee is deeply concerned with the direction, price tag and potential tax increases in pending legislation. She supports a full array of sources to supply the nation’s energy needs and is excited about sustainability projects. She is encouraged by U.S. Trade Representativ...
Jun 20, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Incorporated. Few commodity groups in the nation have seen greater challenges than dairy farmers over the past several years. The COVID pandemic, higher feed costs, consolidation in the processing industry and drought are just a few of the challenges producers have endured. Yet, prices have stabilized and consumers continue to seek dairy products. Tom Gallagher says the industry is adapting to marketing concepts that reach youn...
Jun 13, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Dan Glickman. After serving 18 years in Congress representing the Kansas 4th district, Glickman served as Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 to 2001. He chaired the Motion Picture Association for six years and recently authored a book, "Laughing at Myself. My education in Congress, on the Farm and at the Movies." As head of USDA, Glickman dealt with diversity issues and experienced resistance to genetically enhanced crops face to face in Rome. In this interview, Gli...
Jun 06, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Jamie Johansson, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation. Johansson is a first-generation olive and citrus grower and well versed in the environmental, regulatory and social obstacles of farming on the West Coast. With a push toward climate-smart agriculture from the state and federal government, Johansson says farmers in his state shoulder a tremendous regulatory burden in addition to one of the worst droughts the state has ever experienced. Johansson di...
May 30, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill. As a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the subject of funding President Joe Biden’s infrastructure package was before members last week. The Illinois 18thDistrict Representative says the nation’s roads, bridges, railways and inland waterways desperately need an influx of federal dollars, but not from increased taxes. LaHood believes Washington should play a role in developing climate-based revenue opportunities for farm...
May 23, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Todd Van Hoose, President and CEO of the Farm Credit Council. An upswing in commodity prices is leading to a better economic outlook for many farms across the nation. Van Hoose suggests higher crop prices have helped the balance sheet of a number of operations but is also challenging livestock and dairy producers. As a member of Rebuild Rural, FCC is supportive of investment in rural infrastructure but has reservations about changes in tax laws to pay for projects. ...
May 16, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Debbie Reed, executive director of the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium. ESMC was established in 2017 from the Noble Foundation’s desire to discover market-based solutions to improve soil health. With tremendous energy from the private sector toward reducing greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, Reed says agriculture and forestry can play an important role in accomplishing positive environmental outcomes. Reed ways Washington is playing “catch up” to the industry...
May 09, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin. The Illinois Democrat has long been concerned about a changing climate and the challenges it poses for the nation and its farmers. Durbin supports the American Jobs Act and recognizes the agriculture industry’s concerns over tax amendments to pay for the investment. He continues to work for immigration reform with a strong agriculture worker component and hopes for new efforts to expand market opportunities for farmers and ranc...
May 02, 2021
This week’s Open Mic Guest is Sen. Mike Braun. In barely more than two years of serving Hoosiers on Capitol Hill, the Indiana Republican has partnered with Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. to bring the Growing Climate Solutions Act through the committee. Braun is optimistic as the bill is postured for floor debate in that over 40 members from both parties are backing the legislation. In this interview, Braun speaks to the global climate summit last week hosted by President Joe Biden...
Apr 25, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Dr. Sally Rockey, executive director for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. Born from the 2014 Farm Bill, FFAR is tasked with finding matching funds for research in the food production system from the nation’s farms to consumer’s plates. While research is targeted in six different challenge areas, Rockey says climate and nutrition are themes that cross much of the foundation’s overall focus. Rockey says agriculture is the only industry that can actual...
Apr 18, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the North American Meat Institute. Few segments of the food industry were forced to adapt as quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic to meet consumer demand as members of the North American Meat Institute. Now, Potts says, the meat industry is looking forward to a new normal and embracing new challenges including a court challenge to California’s Proposition 12 ballot initiative that threatens to wreak havoc on interstate commerce of ...
Apr 11, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Corey Rosenbusch, president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute. The United States accounts for a little over a tenth of the global nutrient market while maintaining a leading producer of agriculture products in the globe. Rosenbusch says fertilizer prices have moved higher into the U.S. planting season, but supplies are adequate to meet farmer demand for this year’s crops. Rosenbusch says TFI is keeping an eye on upcoming infrastructure legislation as well as clima...
Apr 04, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill. As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and chairwoman of the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee, Bustos is encouraged by President Joe Biden’s commitment to agriculture, renewable fuels, climate and rural issues. The Illinois Democrat says the 117th Congress has work to do to win the support of rural voters but believes members of the Biden cabinet, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, can help to g...
Mar 28, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Barron Segar, president and CEO of the World Food Program USA. In a week where the nation celebrates the productivity of the nation’s farms and ranches, the focus of this interview is the daunting challenge of the millions of men, women and children that are malnourished and regions where famine is a looming threat. The United Nations World Food Programme was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to feed the hungry. While donations, government support and co...
Mar 21, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers. Few industries have been challenged more than produce growers and shippers during the COVID pandemic. In addition to “senseless regulation,” challenges from reduced water supplies and a lack of adequate labor, Puglia says some growers are looking outside the U.S. for opportunities to raise crops. Puglia says he’s optimistic the Biden administration and the 117th Congress will finally address a shortage of available ...
Mar 14, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers Union. Along with other farm groups in this pandemic season, the NFU held its 119th annual meeting virtually with an impressive display of political leaders discussing issues facing the industry in the year ahead. Larew says there was a tone of optimism in the membership ranks approaching the new season. NFU members are anxious to see continued progress in moving past COVID-19 and support new stimulus measures for the ind...
Mar 07, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board. Last year proved challenging for the nation’s swine producers and the pork industry despite a record-setting pace for global pork sales. While the new year offers challenges from higher feed costs, Even suggests the packing industry is processing animals at near capacity and demand for pork remains robust from both domestic and global markets. A continuing shift of consumers purchasing food online has brought new avenues in...
Feb 28, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Steve Censky, CEO of the American Soybean Association. After serving as USDA Deputy Secretary in the Trump administration, Censky is back in St. Louis serving the nation’s soybean farmers. Censky is encouraged with the nomination of Tom Vilsack to return as Ag Secretary and is confident with other names that will assume leadership roles at USDA and the Biden cabinet. Sustainability has long since been a focus of ASA and Censky says soybean farmers are encouraged abo...
Feb 21, 2021
This week’s Open Mic Guest is Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. The Georgia farmer spent time at a socially distanced county president’s conference in Kentucky last week. On the sidelines of the event, Duvall shared his thoughts on the pending debate about climate policy and agriculture’s efforts in sustainability. Duvall reflects on conversations with Ag Secretary Nominee Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Nominee Michael Regan. Duvall is hopeful the Biden trade tea...
Feb 14, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. The group’s annual meeting will be virtual this week with no shortage of topics to embrace for the new year. Conner says the group is hopeful the Biden administration will reconsider tax changes offered in the last hour by the previous administration and that legislators will be willing to embrace much-needed changes to immigration reform. Conner expects antagonists to use the upcoming c...
Feb 07, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. The nation’s ethanol industry was already in a state of financial stress before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation and sharply reduced demand for liquid motor fuels. In this interview, Skor discusses the challenges from the Trump administration’s approval of small refinery exemptions and the need for investment in retail infrastructure to meet consumer demand for fuels with higher ethanol blends. Recent studies support higher ethanol ...
Jan 31, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Tom Halverson, president and CEO of CoBank. The balance of debt stocks of U.S. farmers has grown during the downturn in the overall farm economy, but thankfully, the load of debt service has been eased by the tailwinds of increased global trade and higher commodity prices as well as very low interest rates. CoBank’s Halverson expects borrowing rates to remain low and farm income to improve as global commodity stocks remain tight in the near future. Halverson is hope...
Jan 24, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council. In a matter of a few short months, the value of soybeans has seen an astronomical market spike. Sutter says China’s renewed appetite for U.S. soy is a big reason, but not the only bullish influence in the market. Sutter says collaboration with other commodity organizations and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has helped revive global demand and improve the industry’s balance of trade. Sutter says the U.S. soybea...
Jan 17, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. The rail industry is enjoying an upswing in shipping volumes with the return of global demand for ag commodities following trade tensions with China and the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jefferies says the industry partnered with agriculture and others in the call for Congress to approve USMCA and is hopeful global trade opportunities will expand. While the rail industry invests billi...
Jan 10, 2021
This week’s Open Mic Guest is USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. Nearing the end of his tenure as the first FPAC leader, Northey suggests the majority of work on implementing the 2018 farm bill is done as well the heavy lifting for the first two rounds of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program funding for a diverse group of farmers and ranchers across the nation. Ahead, Northey believes Congress should consider some mechanism for ad hoc assistance to be admin...
Jan 03, 2021
This week’s Open Mic guest is U.S. Representative Jim McGovern. The Massachusetts Congressman is outspoken in support of the millions of Americans that, despite stepped up efforts by Washington and volunteers across the nation, are still food insecure. McGovern is calling on President-Elect Joe Biden to appoint a Hunger Czar to centralize government efforts on food insecurity. McGovern says politicians are the problem because they lack the political will to address systemic issues that lead to t...
Dec 27, 2020
This week’s Open Mic guest is Kristin Peck, CEO of Zoetis. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world a lot about emerging infectious diseases. Peck says early detection and rapid response are keys to curbing the spread of threatening disease in both humans and animals and public and private collaboration is needed to battle future threats. She says the animal health industry’s growth is prompted by expansion in pet care and by growing consumer demand for milk and meat. Looking ahead, she says i...
Dec 20, 2020
This week’s Open Mic guest is Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts. For four decades, Kansans elected Pat Roberts to represent them in Washington D.C. After serving as chairman and ranking member on the agriculture committees in both chambers and helping write eight different farm bills, the Kansas legislator is hanging up his spurs on the Hill. In this interview, Roberts discusses the challenges he sees in the culture of the Senate, the implications of next month’s Ge...
Dec 13, 2020
This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Mike Conaway. The Texas Republican chose not to seek re-election in his 11th district for the 117th Congress and shares thoughts in this interview on the nation’s budget woes, proposed climate policy and the need for farm programs that support the core producers of food and fiber for the nation. Conaway says the nation’s growing budget deficit is a certain obstacle for those who would support another multi-trillion dollar COVID relief measure. Conaway cautions ...
Dec 06, 2020
This week’s Open Mic guest is South Dakota U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson. As the lame-duck session wraps up the 116th Congress, Johnson believes a targeted COVID relief package could be approved. Johnson speaks to opportunities and challenges from the Biden Climate agenda including the Paris Climate Accord. Johnson discusses mandatory price reporting issues that will come before legislators and the PRICE Act that addresses many concerns about cattle price discovery. He says there’s still a n...
Nov 29, 2020
