National Sorghum Producers Calling for Yield Contest Entries

National Sorghum Producers is calling for entries into the 2012 yield contest. Winners in several tillage and management categories will be announced at the 2013 Commodity Classic in Kissimmee Florida from February 28th through March 2nd. NSP has added two new categories this year with the southeastern producer in mind; double crop irrigated and double crop non-irrigated. South Carolina’s Jason Gamble scored in the top three in two categories in the 2011 contest. For more information on the sorghum production contest, click here

Trade Becoming Integral Part of Presidential Race
 

Trade is shaping up to be a key economic issue in the 2012 Presidential race. It’s a huge job creator and a staple for the U.S. farm economy.

President Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney both talk a big game on trade – responsible for over two of every five U.S. ag production dollars and over a million agriculture or ag-related jobs. Obama takes credit for concluding the Korea, Colombia and Panama free trade deals, advancing Trans-Pacific Partnership talks and moving to double U.S. exports by 2015. Romney charges Obama has only re-worked deals struck under former President Bush. He vows to seek new deals in Latin America.

Former Senate Finance Chair Chuck Grassley of Iowa – a member of the Agriculture Committee – says current negotiations are good – but they’re not good enough…

“We also have our trade representative currently working on a Trans-Pacific partnership, but we have to do a lot more. And we haven’t done anything during this administration to finalize any trade agreements.”

The Administration obviously disagrees – but Grassley points out the U.S. is party to just 13 deals worldwide out of over 300.

BPI Case against ABC News Now a Federal Matter

The defamation lawsuit against ABC News has been moved to federal court. Beef Products Inc. is suing ABC for its coverage of lean, finely textured beef. The company is seeking 1.2-billion dollars in damages. ABC News requested to move the case from the South Dakota state court system by filing a notice of removal. BPI could ask the federal court to send the case back to the state system with a motion for remand. ABC’s coverage of Lean, finely textured beef, which they called ‘pink slime’, closed two BPI plants and put 600 people out of work.

NC Commissioner and Gubernatorial Races Holding Steady in the Polls

With the election just over a week away, the pollsters are quite busy. Public Policy Polling, in its latest report shows the race for Agriculture Commissioner between Democrat Walter Smith and Republican Steve Troxler is seeing steady numbers with Smith coming in at 35% and Troxler coming in at 45%, with 21% undecided.

To hear the Ag Commissioner Candidates talk on the issues, click here.

In the North Carolina gubernatorial race, Pat McCrory's lead in the Governor's race holding steady. He's at 47% to 37% for Walter Dalton with Libertarian Barbara Howe at 5%. All the numbers in PPP’s latest survey are identical to what they were in the previous poll.