Genex Cooperative, Inc. Holstein bulls derived from the GENESIS Cooperative Herd lead the industry in genomic accuracy. These 54 Co-op prefix bulls averaged a mere $1 drop in Lifetime Net Merit (LNM) as they transitioned from genomic-only genetic evaluations in August 2010 to daughter-proven genetic evaluations in December 2011 (minimum of 40 daughters). The average change among the 1,879 bulls industrywide over the same time period was a $22 decrease.

Click here to see photos and more information about the Today's Agriculture display. PennAg Industries Association, on behalf of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Livestock Care and Well-Being and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, received valuable feedback from the Today’s Agriculture exhibit from its target audience – Farm Show visitors – thanks to a series of interviews conducted by the Animal Agriculture Alliance, a non-profit national animal agriculture organization based in Washington, D.C. On Thursday, Jan. 12 and Friday, Jan. 13, Alliance staff filmed 32 visitors and interviewed an additional 100 visitors after they toured the 10,000 square foot Today’s Agriculture exhibit at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry has agreed to help migrant workers with limited English language skills understand rights and protections. The deal is part of a larger agreement reached in December with the Environmental Protection Agency that arose after some workers said they could not communicate about repeated exposure to pesticides.

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has added butter to the product list it will assist members in selling overseas, starting in January. Analysis of market fundamentals by CWT/NMPF economists indicated that the time was right to provide assistance to CWT member cooperatives interested in expanding sales of U.S. butter in foreign markets.

Illinois farm groups are joining forces with law enforcement to improve security related to agriculture. They have created the "Agro-Security Working Group" and will educate farmers on preventing crime and terrorism.

The Nebraska Legislature's Agriculture Committee is set to debate the creation of a panel to study whether schools are effectively teaching children about agriculture and where their food comes from. Sen. Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids introduced a bill that would create an Agriculture Literacy Task Force to study whether agriculture plays an adequate role in school curriculums across the state.