I hope all of you will be able to look back on the year’s greatness. Put your pencil to paper as you consider all you learned from 2024; some very important lessons were sprinkled in there.

To give time for reflection and enjoyment this holiday season, we will not be sending out our daily emails the week between Christmas and New Year’s. The Morning Ag Clips’ daily email will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

There will still be news articles published on our site, so make sure to stay up-to-date by going to morningagclips.com. Every day there will be something new, and there will be an editor watching for breaking ag news every day. But like you, we all need a break, and the only way to get it is to be extremely intentional about it, so we are!

Here’s to you, your family, and a prosperous and healthy New Year! We will see you in 2025!

With love,
Kate

The post Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

“Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Interior Department has moved at the pace needed to meet the moment and swiftly grow a robust and sustainable clean energy economy while protecting precious resources in America’s public lands. With an updated Western Solar Plan, created with extensive input from the public, the Department will ensure the responsible development of solar energy across the West for decades to come,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.

“Solar energy is an affordable and fast-growing component of the nation’s modern power supply and is helping the United States build a strong and resilient clean energy economy. The updated Western Solar Plan will ensure that solar project permitting is more efficient and offers clarity for project developers while maintaining flexibility to adapt to local needs and concerns,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Dr. Steve Feldgus.

The Department’s clean energy work on public lands is guided by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Since January 2021, the BLM has approved 45 renewable energy projects on public lands and exceeded the goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2025. Overall, the BLM has permitted clean energy projects on public lands with a total capacity of more than 33 gigawatts – enough to power more than 15 million homes. This year, the BLM also issued a final Renewable Energy Rule that will lower consumer energy costs and the cost of developing solar and wind projects, improve project application processes, create jobs, and incentivize developers to continue responsibly developing solar and wind projects on public lands.

The updated Western Solar Plan, developed with substantial public input, builds on this momentum to guide BLM’s management of solar energy proposals and projects on public lands. The plan updates the 2012 Western Solar Plan, which covered six southwestern states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, to include Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. The updated plan uses lessons learned and best practices to guide a strategy for the West — identifying lands near transmission lines and previously disturbed lands as available while excluding sensitive areas like specially protected lands, lands containing important cultural resources, and critical wildlife habitat. Siting projects away from areas where they may conflict with other resources and uses will help ensure responsible development, speed the permitting process, and provide greater predictability to the solar energy industry.

The updated Western Solar Plan identifies the availability of over 31 million acres of public lands across the 11 Western states for utility-scale solar project applications; however, only approximately 700,000 of those acres are anticipated to be developed by 2045 to meet projected demand. The larger available area allows for greater flexibility in considering solar proposals. No solar projects are authorized through this planning effort; all individual proposed projects must still undergo site-specific environmental review with opportunity for public comment before a decision is made on whether to approve them.

This action builds on dozens of executive actions that the Biden-Harris administration has taken to accelerate and improve federal permitting so that we can deliver more projects more quickly. The median time to complete Administration the most complicated reviews is more than six months faster than the prior Administration. In addition, the Biden-Harris administration has permitted twice as many renewable energy projects on public lands compared to the prior Administration.

Approval of the updated Western Solar Plan follows a draft plan published in January 2024 and a proposed plan published in August 2024, reflecting input received from a wide range of stakeholders, governments, and other interested parties along the way. The proposed plan was subject to a 30-day public protest period and 60-day governor’s consistency review before the BLM made the decision to approve the plan.

For more information on the updated Western Solar Plan, please visit the Federal Register Notice webpage or visit the project’s National NEPA Project Register (ePlanning) website.

— Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

The post Interior Department Finalizes Framework for Future of Solar Development on Public Lands appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

“IDFA’s Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Awards highlight the exceptional efforts of dairy companies to foster a culture where workplace safety is not just a goal, but a shared responsibility,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “Each award represents the success of the innovative and proactive approaches that IDFA members take to improve safety within their processing environments. Consumers and customers of dairy foods companies value how these innovations help to deliver safe, nutritious food to people around the world.”

Each awardee applied by providing their occupational injury and illness performance rates as well as providing a detailed narrative essay on safety and training efforts at the facility and leading indicators, with equal weight given to essays and injury statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Judging this year was conducted by Pete VanDerlyke, PhD, CSP, of Harbor Freight Tools and Danielle Quist of IDFA.

“IDFA’s members continue to expand the use of leading indicators as a key part of a strong safety and health program,” said VanDerlyke. “Implementation of leading indicators that include management commitment and employee engagement, along with traditional lagging indicators enhances a safety and health program and builds a strong safety culture throughout the company. These awards continue to demonstrate the understanding of how and why a strong safety culture is such an integral part of any dairy facility operation.”

A full list of the winners is here.

Criteria for Success

The award program includes categories for both processing facilities and trucking operations in the dairy industry. IDFA issued a total of 23 awards; in addition to 20 Outstanding Facility safety award winners, IDFA recognized 3 companies as Most Improved Facility award winners based on significant decreases in recordable-injury cases and the rate of days away from work, restrictions and transfers (DART) for each of the last two years when compared to all other facilities that applied.

The 2024 winners will also be featured on DairyFoods.com. IDFA will issue a call for nominations for the next Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Awards competition in mid-2025. To learn more, visit the IDFA industry awards page.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.

–International Dairy Foods Association

The post IDFA Recognizes 23 Dairy Business Operations with Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Award appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Emerging global restrictions on single-use and plastic packaging limit specialty crops’ access to international markets. To accelerate packaging innovation that facilitates market access, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has awarded $5 million each to Clemson and FFP to establish the Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab, with FFAR partnering in its implementation.

The Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab will provide up to twenty awards between $50,000 and $250,000 for research that leads to the development and commercialization of scalable, sustainable packaging solutions, including replacements for single-use packaging.

Packaging plays an important role in the export of fresh fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops, ensuring that food safely travels from the farm to the consumer’s table and supporting production traceability. Exporters now face increasing demands from foreign regulators and consumers to either avoid packaging or use sustainable alternatives.

“Innovative and sustainable packaging solutions are essential for the future of food and agriculture. They reduce environmental impacts, ensure food safety, extend product shelf life and support global market access,” said FFAR Scientific Program Director Dr. Constance Gewa. “As we face increasing restrictions on single-use plastics, developing alternatives is critical to meeting consumer demands and achieving a more sustainable food system.”

FFAR is hosting an informational webinar about this opportunity on January 13, 2025, from 1-2:30 p.m. EST. Participants must register to attend.

Applications are due February 12, 2025, by 5 p.m. EST. For more information, visit the Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab open opportunity webpage.

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research 

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.

–Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The post Funding Opportunity Drives Innovation in Sustainable Packaging for Specialty Crop Exports appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

“Specialty crop growers have typically faced higher marketing and handling costs relative to non-specialty crop producers due to the perishability of fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursery crops and herbs,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Through this marketing assistance program, we can expand U.S. specialty crop consumption and markets by providing specialty crop producers the financial support needed to help them engage in activities that broaden and enhance strategies and opportunities for marketing their commodities.”

MASC helps specialty crop producers meet higher marketing costs related to:

• Perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursey crops and herbs;
• Specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control;
• Packaging to prevent damage;
• Moving perishables to market quickly; and
• Higher labor costs.

MASC Eligibility 

To be eligible for MASC, a producer must be in business at the time of application, maintain an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025.

MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:

• Fruits (fresh, dried);
• Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed);
• Tree nuts;
• Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture;
• Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices; and
• Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass and grass seed.

Applying for MASC 

Eligible established specialty crop producers can apply for MASC benefits by completing the FSA-1140, Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program Application, and submitting the form to any FSA county office by Jan. 8, 2025. When applying, eligible specialty crop producers must certify their specialty crop sales for calendar year 2023 or 2024.

New specialty crop producers are required to certify 2025 expected sales, submit an FSA-1141 application and provide certain documentation to support reported sales i.e., receipts, contracts, acreage reports, input receipts, etc. New producers are those who began producing specialty crops in 2023 or 2024 but did not have sales due to the immaturity of the crop, began producing specialty crops in 2024 but did not have a complete year of sales or will begin growing specialty crops in 2025.

MASC applicants, established and new, must also submit the following information to FSA if not already on file at the time of application:

• Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.
• Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.
• Form CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information.  
• Form FSA-942, Certification of Income from Farming, Ranching and Forestry Operations, if applicable, for the producer and members of entities.
• A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.
• Other Documentation if requested by FSA to support reported specialty crop sales.

Most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA programs, will likely have these required forms on file. However, those who are uncertain or want to confirm the status of their forms or producers who may be new to conducting business with FSA, can contact their local FSA county office.

For MASC program participation, eligible specialty crop sales only include sales of commercially marketed raw specialty crops grown in the United States by the producer. The portion of sales derived from adding value to a specialty crop (such as sorting, processing, or packaging) is not included when determining eligible sales. Further explanation of what is considered by FSA for specialty crop sales as well as an online MASC decision tool and applicable program forms, are available on the MASC program webpage.

MASC Payments 

For established specialty crop growers, those who certify crop sales in 2023 or 2024, FSA will calculate MASC payments based on the producer’s total specialty crop sales for the calendar year elected by the producer. Payments for new producers will be based on their expected 2025 calendar year sales. Payment calculation details and examples are available on the MASC webpage or related questions can be directed to local FSA county office staff.

FSA will issue MASC payments after the end of the application period. If demand for MASC payments exceeds available funding, MASC payments may be prorated, and the payment limitation of $125,000 may be lowered.  If additional funding is available after MASC payments are issued, FSA may issue an additional payment.

Specialty crop producers interested in applying for MASC benefits, are encouraged to review the program fact sheet for detailed information on program eligibility, required documentation, payment calculations and more.

More Information 

Additional information on MASC is available in the Notice of Funding Availability, which went on public inspection in the Federal Register on Dec. 9, 2024.

FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

–USDA

The post New Marketing Assistance Available for Specialty Crop Producers appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

“Utilizing the American Lamb website to educate consumers and deliver valuable resources continues to be a successful strategy for reaching thousands of consumers seeking information about American Lamb,” says ALB Chair Jeff Ebert. “The Holiday Headquarters site is the newest section, providing timely content and resources for consumers this holiday season.”

The new site features:

Recipes for Every Occasion: from crowd-pleasing appetizers to show-stopping mains, the featured recipes are organized by cut, making it easy for consumers to find the perfect dish for their holiday feast.

Expert Cooking Guides: even novice home chefs will be able to master the art of cooking American Lamb with comprehensive roasting and braising guides and detailed time and temperature charts.

Video Cooking Tutorials: step-by-step tutorials to help consumers prepare beautiful dishes for any holiday meal. The videos provide easy-to-follow instructions for preparing a rack of lamb, roasted leg, braised shoulder and lamb crostini’s.

Amazing Recipes: new recipes from influencers will be featured throughout the month and will accompany the holiday dishes already featured on the site.

Live Cooking Class: adding to the many resources already on the site, consumers can sign up for a live cooking class on December 10. The free class is hosted as part of the ALB partnership with Homemade, the world’s largest cooking school. In this class, consumers will learn to prepare a rack of lamb alongside a professional chef.

Be sure to send family, friends, and customers to the new Holiday Headquarters on the American Lamb website to access these fantastic resources and encourage more consumers to add American Lamb to their holiday dining plans.

–American Lamb Board

The post New Holiday Headquarters is the Ultimate Hosting Hub appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Newly appointed members are:

• Arizona – Sine Kerr, Buckeye
• Colorado – Angelina Kelleghan, Loma
• Iowa – E. Michael Holden, Scranton; and Amy Glick, Solon
• Kansas – Evan Lesser, Palco; and Larry Kendig, Osborne
• Louisiana – John M. Thompson, Saint Francisville
• Michigan – Monte J. Bordner, Sturgis
• Minnesota – Bill Post, Chandler
• Mississippi –Janet Gent Parker, Seminary
• Missouri – Mark Anthony Fellwock, Monett
• Nebraska – Becky R. Potmesil, Alliance; Joyce Racicky, Mason City; and Joan Ruskamp, Dodge (2-year term)
• New Mexico – Boe C. Lopez, Springer
• North Carolina – Brian D. Warren, Newton Grove
• Oklahoma – Leanne Robison, Stillwater;
• South Dakota – VeaBea Thomas, Harrold; and Oren L. Lesmeister, Parade
• Tennessee – Gary W. Daniel, Cypress Inn
• Texas – Wesley D. Ratcliff, Oakwood; Amy Kirkland, Vega; Jared K. Ranly, D.V.M., Lott; and David Henderson, Tennessee Colony
• Utah – Mark J. Wintch, Milford
• Wisconsin – Arin Crooks, Lancaster; and Steve Springer, Linden
• Wyoming – Gwen Geis, Gillette
• Mid-Atlantic Unit – Creed Ward, Volga, W.Va.
• Northeast Unit – Warren W. Nop, Middlebury, Vt.
• Southwest Unit – Kristin A. McQueary, Ruby Valley, Nev.; Cindy Tews, Hanford, Calif.; and Carlos Carrillo, Hanford, Calif.
• Importer Unit – Jason Frost, Washington, D.C.; Selwyn Jones, Wimberley, Texas; and Matthew Allan, Washington, D.C.

The board is authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 and is composed of 99 members representing 34 states and five units. Members must be beef producers or importers of beef and beef products nominated by certified producer organizations.

More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Cattlemen’s Beef Board webpage.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.

AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

–USDA AMS

The post USDA Announces Appointments to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

Six regional and two early career awardees were also named recipients of the 2024 Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences. In recognition of their scholarship, exemplary pedagogy and dedication to instruction, the annual awards include stipends of $5,000 for the national winners and $2,000 for regional and early career honorees to be used for improving teaching at their respective universities.

The six regional awards were presented to Elizabeth Leigh Karcher of Purdue University, Elizabeth Anne Yeager of Kansas State University, Margaret Crowley Hoffman of Pennsylvania State University, Lara Brongo Pacifici of North Carolina State University, Patricia J. Moore of the University of Georgia and Sergio Abit of Oklahoma State University.

Amanda Bowling of The Ohio State University and Sushil Paudyal of Texas A&M University each received best early career teacher honors.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences,” said Wendy Fink, executive director of the Academic Programs Section at APLU. “Their unwavering commitment to education and mentorship not only shapes the future of their students, but also sets a powerful example for their peers, fostering a community of continuous learning and excellence.”

2024 Recipients of the Teaching and Student Engagement and National Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences:

Michael Larry Mashtare Jr., Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Michael Mashtare joined the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Pennsylvania State University as an assistant professor in 2020.  In this role, he teaches courses in soil and water management, environmental analysis, land disposal of waste, research methods, technical communications and an inter-institutional capstone (service learning) course. Prior to 2020, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and the Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University.

While Dr. Mashtare’s lab research is focused on the fate-transport of emerging contaminants, his other research passion is on teaching and learning, building classroom community, integrating best practices from remote learning into in-classroom instruction, and the innovative use of AI and technology-enhanced pedagogy to support student learning and engagement.

Tyson Joel Sorensen, Utah State University
Dr. Tyson Sorensen is an associate professor in the Applied Sciences, Technology and Education Department at Utah State University (USU), which he joined the faculty in 2015. At USU, he has taught 23 courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He has developed multiple study abroad, study away and training programs for students, teachers and administrators, including programs in Italy, Ecuador, West Africa and Puerto Rico.

Sorensen has a passion for teaching and helping students and educators be successful. His approach to teaching involves engagement with real-world issues, contextualized experiences and practice, and critical reflection.

Sorensen is the program lead for agricultural education at USU. He has served on 25 graduate committees and has mentored six undergraduate research scholars. He advises or co-advises three student organizations at USU and has received numerous teaching awards.

2024 Recipients of the National Teaching and Student Engagement awards:

Jennifer Lynn Gillett-Kaufman of Texas A&M University
Dr. Jennifer Gillett-Kaufman is an associate instructional professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Entomology. She is dedicated to preparing students professionally and includes writing exercises, peer reviews and team or group work in all of her courses (including Insects in Human Society ENTO 322 that regularly has 250-300 students a semester). She has developed curricula that encourage students to explore agricultural topics with a worldview while improving their professional skills. She works to get students out of their comfort zone and asks them to think critically about how what they are learning fits into the big picture of their lives. She developed and delivered a Virtual Exchange Internship with Zamorano University in Honduras, allowing place-bound students at both universities the opportunity to build their grant-writing skills, global competencies and networks.

Rebecca Dean Swenson of the University of Minnesota
Dr. Rebecca Swenson is an associate professor of Agricultural, Food and Natural Resource Communication at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She teaches courses about science communication, strategic communication, writing for public audiences, audience research, communication evaluation, team communication, and outreach for agricultural, food and environmental science issues.

She has been deeply involved in new program and curriculum development. She created a new undergraduate major in Agricultural Communication & Marketing, a new minor in Agricultural & Environmental Science Communication, a revamped graduate program in Agricultural Education & Communication, and a set of new undergraduate and graduate courses.

Her research focuses on how topics and debates related to agriculture, food and the environment are discussed in the media, by organizations and among audience members. Specifically, Swenson studies science communication training, building community, increasing engagement and strengthening dialogue that are core to understanding communication’s role in building relationships.

—USDA NIFA
APLU

The post USDA Announces 2024 National Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

While fertilizers are essential for healthy, high-yielding crops, excess fertilizer can result in harmful environmental consequences. Farmers need improved fertilizer technologies and guidance to improve soil and plant health, crop productivity and environmental resilience.

The FFAR-OCP Fellowship aims to provide early-career scientists with opportunities to advance research on precision fertilizer application methods and nutrient recommendation methods, as well as guidance on land applications of animal waste to customize and enhance fertilizer efficiency. Ultimately, the FFAR-OCP Fellowship intends to deliver new innovations in fertilizer products that are safe, effective, commercially scalable and easily understood by farmers. The FFAR-OCP Fellowship is a two-year program supported by $250,000 from both FFAR and OCPNA for a total program fund of $500,000.

The FFAR-OCP Fellowship is accepting applications for the 2024 cohort beginning at noon EST December 11, 2024, until 5 p.m. EST on January 29, 2025. The request for applications includes additional information about research priorities and eligibility requirements. Each awardee may receive up to $75,000 in funding, and applicants are not required to secure additional funds. For more information visit the FFAR-OCP Fellowship Open Opportunity page.

The 2023 FFAR-OCP Fellows are:

• Dr. Fabian Beeckman of VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology received $75,000 through the Fellowship, which was matched by Ghent University, to develop naturally occurring nitrification inhibitors. Nitrification, a microbial soil process, contributes to nitrogen pollution and nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. Using an innovative miniaturized soil-based assay, thousands of natural compounds will be screened for inhibition potential on a diverse microbial soil community, maximizing inhibitor efficiency. Unlike costly synthetic inhibitors, biological alternatives can simplify regulatory approval and align with consumer demands for chemical-free, organic-approved farming, offering a sustainable way to reduce nitrogen fertilization’s environmental impact by enhancing fertilizer efficiency.

• Dr. Benjamin Wang of Stanford University received $75,000 through the Fellowship, which was matched by Stanford University, to develop an environmentally sustainable gas-based process for manufacturing agricultural chemicals, including specialty fertilizers. When applied to plants, this process improves nitrogen use efficiency by stimulating plants’ ability to take up nutrients and water, enabling growers to combat drought conditions and increase crop yields with less fertilizer use.

FFAR and OCPNA will host a webinar December 11 at noon EST to introduce Dr. Beeckman and Dr. Wang. The webinar will also include a panel featuring the three inaugural 2022 FFAR-OCP Fellows discussing their research and emerging breakthroughs in innovative fertilizer technologies. Registration for the webinar is required.

The following 2022 FFAR-OCP Fellows are participating in the webinar:

• Dr. Maarten Everaert, KU Leuven

• Dr. Kanwardeep S. Rawale, Biotech Naturale, Inc.

• Dr. Utsav Shashvatt, University of California, Berkeley

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.

–Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The post FFAR & OCP Announce Fertilizer Fellowship Awardees & Grant Opportunity appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.

“Fall is an important time to prepare our animal friends for the winter,” says Patrick Biggs, Ph.D., nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition. “With the Animals of Autumn Contest, we’re spotlighting this key time of year and the unique connections owners, and their surrounding communities, have with their animals.”

Animals of Autumn Contest details and finalists

Contestants entered the Animals of Autumn Contest by commenting on the Purina Flock Facebook page with a photo or video of their animal companions that best fit one of four categories using the #AnimalsofAutumnSweepstakes hashtag. Fans voted by liking and commenting on their favorite entries, and the field has now been narrowed to four finalists:

• Critter Counsel: Lori McCoy from Morley, Mo., won this category with photos of her hen, Hei Hei, sharing the lessons chickens can teach us.
• Neighborhood Charmer: Kendra Herman from Shreve, Ohio, won this category with her photos of Kajun, showing how horses make the best of friends.
• Master of Mischief: Natalie Tenney-Pakkala from Travelers Rest, S.C., won this category with her photos of Squirt, a rooster who’s fun, friendly and full of sass.
• Happiest Hangout: Athena Balderas from North Logan, Utah, won this category with her photos of the backyard paradise that her Silkie chickens call home.

These four finalists took home $100 in Purina^® feed coupons and Purina^® merchandise and qualified for the final round of voting in the Animals of Autumn Contest. Final grand prize voting will run from 9:00 a.m. CST on Dec. 2 to 12:00 p.m. CST on Dec. 6. The champion will receive $500 in Purina^® feed coupons.

Join the celebration by voting for your favorite Animals of Autumn at facebook.com/PurinaFlock.

About Purina

Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (www.purinamills.com) is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers throughout the United States. Driven to unlock the greatest potential in every animal, the company is an industry-leading innovator offering a valued portfolio of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is headquartered in Arden Hills, Minn. and a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

–Purina Animal Nutrition LLC

The post Vote for Your Favorite Animals of Autumn Contest Winner appeared first on Morning Ag Clips.