The USDA has released its final tally for agricultural exports in Fiscal Year 2013, showing a new record of $140.9 billion. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement on this news:

Product development firm Cambridge Consultants is using its expertise to design innovative, low-cost solutions for the farming industry. Its latest device draws on its background in advanced radar technology for a detection system to help agricultural vehicles avoid collisions.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has selected the 2013 inductees into the AEM Hall of Fame, which recognizes and celebrates outstanding individuals in the off-road equipment industry and their innovation, service and leadership. The list includes an on-farm professional.

Eighty years is a long time, in some cases too long – such as when agricultural fertilizer pollutes groundwater. That’s how long nitrates could leach into groundwater after their initial use, according to new research recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Over the past several months, Vermeer Corp. has made a number of strategic moves, which include Vermeer family succession and leadership planning along with an expanded biomass and dairy market focus.  

The company also restructured the forage solutions sales territories and developed a new training department to further support these opportunities moving forward.

Farmers in Central Valley, California, are trying something new: Overhead center pivot irrigation systems. The overhead system, popular in the Midwest and Texas, is considered a water-saving alternative to flood irrigation.

Latham Hi-Tech Seeds has named Tom Lizer of Reinbeck, Iowa, as its new general manager. Lizer will be responsible for growing the company’s overall sales organization, rebuilding its dealer network, improving efficiencies and supporting its mission and goals.

“This family-owned company has so much going for it," he says, "and I’m really excited about working with the team here to build a larger, stronger presence for Latham in the marketplace."

Juan M. Garcia, administrator for the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), says that the 2013 FSA County Committee Elections begin today, Nov. 4, with the mailing of ballots to eligible voters. The deadline to return the ballots to local FSA offices is Dec. 2.

The first-ever report on USDA's role in advancing agroforestry is now available. Agroforestry: USDA Reports to America details how agroforestry practices are helping farmers, ranchers and woodland owners enhance agricultural productivity, protect the environment and increase profits.

Ron Pidskalny has been hired as the new executive director of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association. Among other things, he brings to his role more than 25 years of entrepreneurial and multi-national experience in technology commercialization and analysis.