Podcasts about afbf

American Farm Bureau Federation economist, Faith Parum says consumers should expect some slight relief at the grocery store when shopping for Thanksgiving dinner.

Every year, volunteer shoppers from the American Farm Bureau Federation help determine the average cost of feeding ten people for a Thanksgiving meal. Faith Parum, an economist with AFBF, said consumers should expect some slight relief at the grocery store. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The American Farm Bureau Federation's annual Thanksgiving Cost Survey results show a slight dip in costs this year. Chad Smith tells us how much.

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Julia Anna Potts, President and CEO of the Meat Institute, about her career, background, lifelong interest in agriculture and food, and how she joined the Meat Institute following a career in environmental law. The discussion covers the role of the Meat Institute in the food supply chain and how it serves member companies and the food industry in general, through its food safety best practices and a free online course, "The Foundations of Listeria Control." Julia reveals the Protein PACT initiative and explains how food safety relates to risk management with their shared values. She tells how meat processors are good community members. Listen for advice on the culture of safety and how it starts at the very top of the organization.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be joined by Julia Anna Potts, the CEO of the Meat Institute. We'll discuss food safety and education, and risk frameworks that the Institute uses to ensure that our food and supply chains are clean. But first… [:47] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on December 3rd and 4th. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held on December 4th and 5th. These are virtual courses. [1:03] Links to these courses can be found through the Certifications page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:11] RIMS Virtual Workshops! On November 19th and 20th, Ken Baker will lead the two-day course, "Applying and Integrating ERM." [1:24] "Managing Data for ERM" will be led again by Pat Saporito. That session will start on December 11th. Registration closes on December 10th. RIMS members always enjoy deep discounts on the virtual workshops. [1:40] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's notes. [1:52] This episode is released on November 18th, 2025, Day Two of the RIMS ERM Conference in Seattle, Washington. We've covered a lot of ERM ground in the last few episodes. For more ERM, click the link to the RIMS ERM Special Edition of Risk Management magazine in the notes. [2:18] RIMScast ERM coverage is linked as well. Enhance your ERM knowledge with RIMS! [2:24] On with the show! Our guest is Julie Anna Potts. She is the President and CEO of the Meat Institute. She leads the Institute in implementing programs and activities for the association. [2:38] She is an agricultural veteran, previously serving the American Farm Bureau Federation as its Executive Vice President. [2:47] With Thanksgiving coming up next week in the U.S., I thought this would be a great time on RIMScast to talk about food safety, food production, and what another not-for-profit is doing to ensure the safety of our products and the speed and efficiency of our supply chain. [3:07] We're going to have a lot of fun and talk turkey, so let's get to it! [3:12] Interview! Julie Anna Potts, welcome to RIMScast! [3:27] Julie Anna Potts and RIMS CEO, Gary LaBranche, are both part of the Committee of 100 with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. They get together with other association heads across industries. Julie Anna says it is very valuable. [3:44] Julie Anna and Gary were talking in the summer about food safety and about what the Meat Institute does, and Gary invited her to be on RIMScast. [3:57] Justin notes that it is the week before Thanksgiving in the U.S. Juliana says they are doing so much in Washington now, and food safety is always top-of-mind around the holidays. There are lots of turkeys and turkey products being sold in the United States. [4:45] Julie Anna says turkey is cultural for Thanksgiving, and poultry, and how you cook it and handle it in the kitchen is incredibly important for food safety. [5:01] Justin asks, Is fish meat? Julianna says fish is protein, but we don't classify it as meat or poultry. Justin wants to keep the argument going with his family at Thanksgiving. [5:31] Julie Anna says they have lots of arguments around the Meat Institute, like whether ketchup belongs on hot dogs. Julie Anna says the answer to that is no. [5:41] Julie Anna has been at the Meat Institute for a little over seven years. She came in as President and CEO. She has been in Washington for most of her career, since undergrad. She graduated from law school in D.C. and worked at a firm. [5:59] Julie Anna has been in agriculture, representing farmers for years. She went to the Senate as Chief Counsel of the Senate Agriculture Committee. She has been at the Meat Institute for the last seven years. [6:19] Food and agriculture have been central to Julie Anna's career and also to her family life. Her husband grew up on a farm. Julie Anna is two generations off the farm. [6:32] They love to cook, dine out, and eat with their children; all the things you do around the holidays, and gather around the Thanksgiving table. They have passed to one of their three children their love of food traditions. She's their little foodie. [6:52] Julie Anna has a career and a personal life that is centered around food. [7:11] The Meat Institute members are the companies that slaughter animals and do further processing of meat. They are in the supply chain between livestock producers and retail and food service customers. [7:35] To be a general member of the Meat Institute, you have to have a Grant of Inspection from the Food Safety Inspection Service of the USDA. The Federal Grant of Inspection is a requirement to be able to operate and to sell into the market. [7:56] When we look at the capacity we have at the USDA, in the last several months, we're not seeing a decline in capacity, but more emphasis on our Food Safety Inspection Service. [8:18] Through DOGE, voluntary retirements, through additional resources coming in with the One Big Beautiful Bill, and through recruiting, the Meat Institute is seeing its member companies have staffing, even through this government shutdown. They're considered essential, as always.  [8:54] The Meat Institute was established in 1906 for the purpose of addressing food safety and industry issues. Those are Jobs One, Two, and Three, every day. The Meat Institute has all kinds of education it offers to its members. [9:15] The members of the Meat Institute have strong food safety programs. They have HASSA Plans and third-party audits. The Meat Institute helps any member company of any size, from 25 employees to global companies, with education on, for example, Listeria training.   [9:53] The Meat Institute has just launched an online platform that has had great uptake. If you have associates in your business who have never had food safety training, for all levels of folks, there is online, free, and freely available training on how to deal with Listeria. [10:19] All the Meat Institute member companies have significant Food Safety staffing and Food Safety Quality Assurance Programs. Julie Anna praises the people throughout the industry who work in Food Safety for their companies. It's a life-or-death matter. [10:45] Food Safety staff are always seeking to become better, so the Meat Institute has a Food Safety Conference and Advanced Listeria Training (an in-person module). They interface with the regulators, who are partners with the Meat Institute in this.  [11:14] The Meat Institute is always striving for better Best Management Practices across everyone's programs, which are never just the minimum. A philosophy of doing just what is compliant does not get you into the best space. [11:36] The Meat Institute is here to encourage Best in Class, always. Food Safety is non-competitive in the Meat Institute. Everyone across the different-sized companies, from 25 employees to 100,000, can feel comfortable sharing what's working for them. [12:06] That is important when it comes to conferences and other things they do. Let's be candid with each other, because nobody can get better if you're not. [12:17] The Meat Institute has seen cultural issues where CEOs don't think about Food Safety and Quality Assurance because they have great people taking care of it. That's true a lot of the time, until it isn't. [12:42] The tone that needs to be set at the very top of the organization is that this is hugely important for risk management. Hugely important for your brand and your ability to operate. [12:56] The Meat Institute board asked, if we are pushing culture down through the organization, what kinds of questions do I need to ask, not just my Food Safety Team, but everyone, and demonstrating my knowledge, understanding, and commitment to governance of this big risk? [13:31] The Meat Institute created a template of a set of questionnaires for executives. It is a C-Suite document and documentation. [13:47] It's a voluntary questionnaire for a CEO, regardless of company size, indicating that you understand how important this is in ensuring that everything that you push down through your organization, culturally, is focused on Food Safety. [14:05] The link to the Listeria Safety Platform is in this episode's show notes. [14:11] Justin says the structure of the Meat Institute is very similar to the structure of RIMS, with open communications and knowledge-sharing, or else the industry does not grow or improve. [14:27] Justin says it sounds like the industry executives are stepping up their game amid the tumult coming out of Washington. Julie Anna agrees. [14:47] Julie Anna says the Meat Institute has been driving that progress. It is incredibly important. Julie Anna thinks that in a lot of industries, there is a pull and tug between the companies and regulators. [15:07] In the case of meat and poultry inspection and what the Meat Institute does with FSIS, it is a collaboration. The inspectors verify for consumers what the companies are doing to keep food safe. [15:28] It is up to the company to decide how it is going to do this effectively and successfully and get better at it. [15:41] Numerous third parties do audits and help customers across the supply chain, but the responsibility rests with the companies. [15:59] The Meat Institute staff has highly technical people who come out of academia, out of the plant, having done FSQA, Legal, and safety regulations. There are folks who have been in inspection in the government at FSIS. [16:29] The Meat Institute has several staff whose job it is to stay on top of the latest improvements and ensure that everybody knows what those are, and in dialogue with our FSIS inspection leadership here in Washington, D.C. [16:46] The Meat Institute looks to FSIS to make sure that consumer confidence is there. It does nothing for our industry if consumers think that FSIS isn't being an effective regulator. [17:11] The Meat Institute companies have to be the ones that do more than the bare minimum to ensure they're doing the best they can. The Meat Institute's philosophy is always to push further and further. [17:25] There is an expense associated with that. The Meat Institute does its best to help manage that risk for its companies by giving them everything they need to be the best that they can be. [17:40] The Meat Institute has 36 employees. They are very transparent in the Food Safety world. They want non-members to take advantage of all their resources in Food Safety. A lot of the things they offer on education and regulations can be accessed without being a member. [18:14] The Meat Institute has recently joined an alliance to stop food-borne illness and is looking to get more engaged in that organization. That's across several segments, not just meat and poultry. [18:35] The Meat Institute has committed and re-committed over the years to the efforts it makes with its companies. The Meat Institute looks for its companies to be leaders in the Food Safety space. [18:53] Quick Break! The RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management is our live virtual program led by the famous James Lam. Great news! A third cohort has been announced, from January through March 2026! [19:14] Registration closes January 5th. Enroll now. A link is in this episode's show notes. [19:22] Save the dates March 18th and 19th, 2026, for The RIMS Legislative Summit, which will be held in Washington, D.C. [19:31] Join us in Washington, D.C., for two days of Congressional Meetings, networking, and advocating on behalf of the risk management community. Visit RIMS.org/Advocacy for more information and updates and to register. [19:45] We've got more plugs later. Let's return to our interview with Meat Institute CEO Julie Anna Potts! [19:56] Julie Anna says a lot of our companies are also regulated by the FDA because they do further processing. For example, pizzas with pepperoni, or any number of mixed products that have both FDA and USDA regulatory personnel on site. [20:20] FSIS is, by far, more present and more in tune with what member companies are doing than the inspectors at the FDA. [20:30] Justin asks if restaurants can be members of the Meat Institute. There is a segment of membership called Allied Members, which includes restaurants and grocery stores. If they are not processors, but they are procuring meat and poultry for sale, they are in the meat industry. [21:09] The Meat Institute has had a great deal of interaction on many issues with its retail and food service customers. [21:25] Shortly after she joined the Meat Institute, Julie Anna was handed a mandate from the board to be proactive and lean in on the things consumers are interested in with an initiative to continue to maintain or rebuild trust. [21:48] These are things like food safety, animal welfare, environmental impact, and worker safety. They call this initiative Protein PACT (People, Animals, and the Climate of Tomorrow). Food Safety is front and center in Protein PACT. [22:13] The Meat Institute has a way of focusing its efforts through this lens of improvement in five areas that work together to reassure consumers. When they know that you're working on all these issues and trying to improve, it increases trust in all the above issues. [22:54] Retail and Food Service customers in the industry want to know more and more. They want to know upstream, what are you doing to get better? [23:05] They want to know how they can take the data that you are collecting anonymously and in the aggregate to communicate at the point-of-sale area to ensure that their customers, collectively, are getting what they need? [23:23] Julie Anna saw this recently at H-E-B, a popular grocer in Texas. Julie Anna walked through one of their huge, beautiful, newly renovated stores. The engagement the ultimate customer has is in the store, asking questions of the butcher. [24:07] It's wonderful to be able to say, If you have food safety concerns, we have a relationship that we can give you the knowledge you need to answer those concerns, and it's coming very consistently across the industry. [24:40] Justin asks, When the Meat Institute members lean in, are they leaning in at 85% or 93%? You'll only get ground beef jokes here, on RIMScast! Julie Anna says, it's all good. Justin says those kinds of jokes are called The Manager's Special. [25:17] One Final Break! RISKWORLD 2026 will be held from May 3rd through the 6th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. RISKWORLD attracts more than 10,000 risk professionals from across the globe. Guess what! Booth sales are open now! [25:37] This is the chance to showcase your solutions, meet decision-makers face-to-face, and expand your global network. Connect, Cultivate, and Collaborate with us at the largest risk management event of the year. The link to booth sales is in this episode's show notes. [25:53] Let's Return to the Conclusion of My Interview with Meat Institute CEO Julie Anna Potts! [26:16] Julie Anna was an environmental lawyer in private practice. Her work involved the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and Superfund. One of her clients was the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). [26:42] When Julie Anna left the firm, she moved in as General Counsel to the AFBF, the largest general farm organization in the U.S. Besides environmental law, she worked there in lots of other types of law as General Counsel. [27:06] At the Meat Institute, Julie Anna collaborates with the AFBF. The ag sector in Washington, D.C., is very collaborative. The Meat Institute works closely with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Pork Producers Council, and the commodity groups. [27:35] Everybody is connected. If you are working on an animal issue, you're going into crop groups and animal health companies. The Meat Institute works with everyone. Their philosophy is, We all get better when we share knowledge. [28:03] That's the basis of the conversation Julie Anna and Gary LaBranche had in the summer about this podcast. The Meat Institute has resources it would love to share on the risk management of food safety issues. [28:20] The Meat Institute also knows consultants and other help outside of the meat industry that they can point people to, as needed. The Meat Institute would love to be a resource to the listeners of RIMScast. You can check out the contact information in the show notes. [29:02] Julie Anna is familiar with risk professionals. She serves on the board of Nationwide Insurance. Nationwide Agribusiness has Food Safety expertise. When Julie Anna practiced law, she worked with clients on helping them manage risk and assess potential outcomes. [30:09] Julie Anna says risk management is one of her favorite topics. How do you plan to recover from a flood after a hurricane? How do you plan for farm animal disease? There are now three animal disease outbreaks that are constantly on their minds at the Meat Institute. [30:31] The Meat Institute helps run tabletop exercises with its companies, sometimes involving government officials, as well. It's New World Screwworm to the South. It's High Path Avian Influenza, which has crossed over from poultry to dairy and beef cattle.  [30:48] Julie Anna continues, We have African Swine Fever, which has not gotten to the United States, thank goodness! All of these require a certain level of preparedness. So we work on it as a policy matter, but we also need to operationalize what happens when this happens. [31:16] The pandemic is a good recent example of what happens when things fall apart. Member companies have a very limited ability to hold live animals if they're not going to slaughter. They don't have anywhere to go. [31:44] The pandemic was an example of what happens when something reduces capacity and the animals start backing up. It's incredibly important that things work. The pandemic was unimaginable to a lot of people. It tested our risk management models. [32:10] Once we were there, dealing with it, we had incredible adaptability to the circumstances we were facing. That only happens if you face certain problems every day to keep that plant running. For member companies, if the plants don't run, the animals don't have a place to go. [32:37] Farmers get a lower price for their animals, consumers have the perception that there's not going to be enough food, and there's a run on the grocery stores. During the pandemic, it righted itself really quickly, once we got some PPE, etc. in place, and some guidance. [32:59] The member companies relied heavily on the CDC to tell them how to get people in so the plants could run. It was difficult for everyone. Julie Anna thinks that we learned a lot from that experience on how to help your company troubleshoot in the moment to keep going. [33:37] Julie Anna addresses how PFAS issues are being handled. It's an EPA issue and a state's issue for regulations on packaging and recycling. The state issues are predominant. Environmental issues are being addressed at the state level. We could end with 50 regimes. [35:04] That's where there's more risk for the Meat Institute and its members, especially companies that sell nationwide. There is very little state regulatory work that the Meat Institute does directly. [35:26] The Meat Institute is examining how to utilize other resources to figure out, with a small staff, how to monitor and stay ahead of these things for our members. That's very much on their minds. The EPA's work has been swinging back and forth between administrations. [36:02] It's hard to convince a business of a good recommendation if the rules are going to change with the next administration. It's a problem of where to invest in things like measuring emissions and what to do to satisfy customers when the rhetoric changes dramatically. [37:04] Justin says we've had a different administration every four years for the last 16 years. He says if he were a business owner, he would do everything he could to make sure the water coming in and going out is clean to avoid verdicts. Nuclear verdicts are through the roof. [37:27] Julie Anna speaks of social inflation by juries wishing to send a message to big corporate entities. She says member companies are dealing with these issues all the time. What's the right amount of rulemaking for effluent limitation guidelines? [38:20] The Meat Institute had opposed what the Biden administration had proposed, given that the number of companies it estimated would not be able to stay in business was close to 80. The Trump administration has backed off and is leaving in place what was there before. [38:52] That's all part of the Federal policy debate in D.C. It does not diminish the commitment its members have to be good community members. They work in their communities. Julie Anna was just down in East Tennessee at a wonderful family company, Swaggerty Sausage. [39:16] They do water treatment. They are beloved in the community because of how they take care of people. They bring in pigs from North Carolina and turn them into sausage. Julie Anna met the fifth generation. He is eight months old. [39:40] Julie Anna had a great visit with people, understanding how their commitment to the environment and animal welfare, and the things they can show their community members that they are doing, works for them. Julie Anna saw how the sausage is made, Justin adds. [40:28] Justin says, You've been such a delight to speak with, and we've learned so much. Is this the busiest time of year for your members, with Thanksgiving coming up, the religious holidays coming up, and then New Year's? Are they keeping Safety at the top of their risk radar now? [40:59] Julie Anna says Our members, and we, keep Safety at the top of the risk radar every single day. It does not get harder during high-volume days. [41:15] There's a spike around Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. There's a lot more turkey happening around Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas, but certainly, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, brisket, and all kinds of things. It's cyclical. [41:49] Julie Anna wishes Justin could come into a plant with her, walk through, and see the number of times there are interventions for food safety. X-rays for foreign material. Sprays for certain types of pathogens, and the ways in which the hide is treated. [42:14] It is such a huge part, and they are so proud of what they do. They are happy to show anybody how we continue to hold that up as the most important thing. Worker Safety is also hugely important. We're talking about our humans and what we do to protect them. [42:42] Safety is really important, and it does not receive any less attention at busy times. [42:50] Justin says that's a great sentiment to close on. It has been such a delight to speak with you, and I'm so glad we had the chance to do this. It's going to be especially impactful now, just ahead of Thanksgiving and the religious holidays, and the New Year. [43:16] Special thanks to Julie Anna Potts of the Meat Institute for joining us here on RIMScast just ahead of Thanksgiving 2025. Links to the Meat Institute resources are in this episode's show notes, as is RIMS coverage of Food Safety and related topics. [43:34] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [44:02] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [44:20] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:38] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [44:54] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [45:09] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [45:21] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continuous support!   Links: RIMS-CRO Certificate Program In Advanced Enterprise Risk Management | Jan‒March 2026 Cohort | Led by James Lam RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy | RIMS Legislative Summit SAVE THE DATE — March 18‒19, 2026 RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) Reserve your booth at RISKWORLD 2026! 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RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Julie Anna Potts, CEO, The Meat Institute   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

The Meat Institute reacts after President Trump called on the Department of Justice to investigate the beef processing sector, and a Chinese scientist charged with smuggling biological materials has pleaded guilty.

The American Farm Bureau names Retired Army Command Sergeant Major Matthew Rutter of South Carolina as the second winner of the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence, and House Ag Committee Chair "GT" Thompson expressed his relief after the vote to reopen the federal government.

As you plan your holiday cooking, baking and gift-giving, consider local farm products.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse, of Washington, is not pleased with the firing of Jon Wyss, Executive Director, Washington State FSA, and House Ag Chair "GT" Thompson and other ag officials blame Democrat obstruction in the reopening the federal government and lapse of SNAP benefits.

The National Peanut Board will hold its tri-annual board and committee meetings December 9–11, in Washington, D.C., at the American Peanut Council's Winter Conference, and House Ag Chair "GT" Thompson and other ag officials blame Democrat obstruction in the reopening the federal government and lapse of SNAP benefits.

Trade is certainly a hot topic among the ag community, with farmers and ranchers facing concerns on a number of fronts.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says President Trump's plan to increase beef imports from places like Argentina threatens an already fragile recovery for cattle farmers and the industry in general

USDA recently announced that Farm Service Agency offices will reopen despite the ongoing stalemate in funding the federal government.

The 2026 Annual Meeting is January 9-14 in Anaheim, CA.

American Farm Bureau Federation President, Zippy Duvall says "Farmers need a lifeline

Depending on how soon the government shutdown ends, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says it has the potential to impact next year's crops for farmers across the country.

We're seeing warning signs in the farm economy when it comes to tariff disputes, and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says they're taking a toll on agriculture.

As the weather turns cooler across the US, many shoppers are beginning to plan holiday meals.

Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says today's economic struggles for farmers is a rare intersection of high expenses and low income.

Net farm income is expected to increase more than 40% from last year. And at first glance, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says those numbers might give some farmers reason for optimism ... but!

The much-anticipated Make America Healthy Again final strategy is now out.

Brian Glenn, director of government affairs at American Farm Bureau Federation, joins us to discuss AFBF's response to the recent MAHA report "Making Our Children Healthy Again Strategy." Jay Theiler, executive vice president for corporate affairs at Agri Beef, and Josh Maschhoff, president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association, join us from South Korea while on a U.S. Meat Export Federation campaign to promote U.S. beef and pork. National Sorghum Producers chair Amy France joins us to describe the crisis sorghum producers are struggling with right now and what they need to face these challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest Net Farm Income Forecast from USDA's Economic Research Service predicts farm income to increase in 2025.

The Federal Court of Appeals has decided that President Donald Trump does not have the power to set tariffs on imports based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Farmer sentiment dipped again in August as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index fell 10 points to 125, and a federal court decision vacates a burdensome and unfair disaggregation labor rule, part of the 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate Rule.

Farmer sentiment dipped again in August as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index fell 10 points to 125, and a federal court decision vacates a burdensome and unfair disaggregation labor rule, part of the 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate Rule.

With imports closed to Mexican cattle entering the US, cattle producers are more worried about the cattle supply- but they are more worried about the New World screwworm entering the country.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says it's time to stop kicking this can down the road because year-round E15 sales would fuel the economy.

Headlines on today's episode include:-AFBF President discusses need for trade aid-Illinois farmer expecting average crop, says more rain is needed-Plant Based Products Council backs Ag BIO Act in Senate-Strong export sales expected to continue- Changes in USDA policies could impact the future of solar energy expansionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AFBF President Zippy Duval at Farm Fest

Brian Glenn, director of government affairs with the American Farm Bureau Federation, says several critical farm programs still need updating through a new farm bill.

Farm Bureau analysis shows U.S. ag imports outpacing exports at historic levels as global competition and trade barriers mount.

The American Farm Bureau Federation's 2026 Convention will feature a familiar name to college football fans.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall recently spent time meeting with key officials for one of the U.S.'s top potential trading partners.

With lots of recent changes in the agriculture world the American Farm Bureau is working hard to make sure they get what is best for the farmers. One of the issues that is top of mind for them is getting the funding for the sustainable farming programs. Courtney Briggs the Senior Director of Government Affairs with AFBF says that many farmers depend on this money as they deal with high inputs and low prices. She also says that they are working diligently to let farmers know the options they have to collect on their sustainable practices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation, says imports and exports for agricultural products is really a numbers game and right now, it's not ideal.

Megan Sagner joins Colton Young discussing her recent experience at the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Collegiate Discussion competition in Denver. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

*The Texas beef cow herd grew last year, but the statistics can be confusing.  *The number of sheep in Texas increased last year.  *Imports of Mexican feeder cattle into the U.S. are getting underway. *There has been some very interesting weather in the Texas High Plains in recent months.  *We are one step closer to having a new Secretary of Agriculture.*The trade and tariff situation continues to change. *Managing feral hogs is a never-ending task.  *The American Farm Bureau held a Convention workshop at the recent AFBF convention in San Antonio on the upcoming U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement review process. *There lots of antibiotics approved for use in beef cattle.  

On the HAT Podcast Eric Pfeiffer and C.J. Miller have the news including Indiana Farm Bureau president Randy Kron set to serve another term on the AFBF board and one analyst's look at market reaction to Trump administration tariffs. HAT Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin has above normal temperatures today, nothing like yesterday and then rain enters Indiana tomorrow. The corn, soybean and wheat markets rallied Monday even with all of the tariff concern. Andy Eubank has the settlements and analyst John Zanker provides market commentary. It's all part of the #HATPodcast, made possible by First Farmers Bank & Trust - proudly serving local farms, families, and agribusiness for 140 years. Visit them online at FFBT.com to learn more.

Machinery Pete (Greg Peterson) joins us this morning to report on auctions he's been watching, including his Pick of the Week. News about tariffs has been in a constant tempest throughout the weekend and this morning. First, we talk with AFBF vice president of public policy Sam Kieffer about the situation. Then Pro Farmer policy analyst Jim Wiesemeyer provides an update and sketches out possible avenues for going forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aaron Loy of Jefferson County competed in the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet. Loy advanced to the sweet 16 round. He discusses what it means to him to represent Tennessee on the National stage, and what he learned competing.

Delegates at the American Farm Bureau Federation's 2025 Convention set policy priorities for the upcoming year. Chad Smith has more on what was discussed.

Tennessee farmers participated in the American Farm Bureau business session to wrap up the AFBF convention in San Antonio, Texas. A couple of Tennesseans who participated explain what it was like being a voting delegate and why it's so important.

Tracy Robinson of Franklin County finished third nationally in the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award. Also, Tennessee Farm Bureau brought home the AFBF pinnacle award, which is the highest honor given to state farm bureau's for excellence in programs and membership.

The American Farm Bureau COnvention is well underway in San Antonio, Texas. Farmers from across the country are there uniting as one voice and to set 2025 policy.

In late January, around 5,000 Farm Bureau members traveled to San Antonio, TX for the American Farm Bureau Convention. MOFB President Garrett Hawkins tells us about the meeting, policy discussion, and why the conference is a great opportunity to connect with other farmers and ranchers. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to have Digging In sent directly to your smart device each time it's released! Host: Janet Adkison, Missouri Farm Bureau Director of Public Affairs & Advocacy Guest: Garrett Hawkins, MOFB President Producer: Janet Adkison

In this episode of The AgNet News Hour, hosts Sabrina Halvorson and Lorrie Boyer reflect on the legacy of outgoing Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. They share personal experiences of working with him and compare his leadership to that of former Secretary Sonny Perdue. The discussion highlights Vilsack's key achievements, including rural development, poverty reduction, job growth, and record farm exports. The hosts also share their insights on working with other agriculture secretaries and discuss the expectations for the incoming leader. Also in this episode: The Growth of the Blueberry Industry – Kasey Cronquist, President of both the North American Blueberry Council and the US Highbush Blueberry Council, joins the show to discuss the expanding blueberry market. He highlights efforts to boost demand and consumption, the role of H2A workers in harvesting, and strategies for increasing export markets. Honoring Veteran Farmers – The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is recognizing the dedication and resilience of veteran farmers with its first-ever Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence. Retired Army Col. Joe Ricker of Indiana is the inaugural recipient and will be honored at AFBF's 2025 Convention in San Antonio. Listen to an exclusive interview with Ricker as he shares his journey in agriculture and his passion for farming. Links & Resources:

This week, we welcome MOFB's Garrett Hawkins and Davin Althoff as a double feature. President Hawkins recaps the annual MOFB meeting and offers insight on the upcoming AFBF Convention. The cattle markets are seeing an uptick as producers build out their plans for 2025. Althoff explains the rise and the possibility of a herd expansion. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to have Digging In sent directly to your smart device each time it's released! Host: Janet Adkison, Missouri Farm Bureau Director of Public Affairs & Advocacy Guest: Garrett Hawkins, MOFB President & Davin Althoff, MOFB Director of Marketing & Commodities Producer: Janet Adkison

Vance Crowe interviews Jared Luhman host of Ranching Returns Podcast,Jared, is a cattle and crop farmer from Goodhue, Minnesota. His farm manages 230 registered Red Angus beef cows, marketing low-input, forage-developed bulls through Pharo Cattle Company. Jared hosts the "Ranching Returns Podcast," formerly known as the "Herd Quitter Podcast," where he discusses farming beyond just profitability, focusing on returns to land and lifestyle. His podcast, which has been listened to over a million times globally, was born out of a desire to better his own operation and create a sustainable, enjoyable business model.To learn more about Legacy Interviews visit: https://www.legacyinterviews.com/experience

Vance Crowe does a Thanksgiving Day special with a solo Ag Tribes Report.  This week he discusses the appointment of the new Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.  Vance explores her professional background and then makes his case for why the USDA needs to be moved out of Washington DC.Then Vance discusses Rep Thomas Massie taking aim at the Farm Bureau for advocating for policies that may hurt small farmers.  Then Vance discusses his nuanced opnion of ethanol mandates and then plays a clip with Marc Andreseen discussing the power of the government to debank individuals.Vance offers his own Peter Thiel Paradox and suggests and unorthodox worthy adversary.If you would like to learn more visit: www.legacyinterviews.com/experience