Distracted by holiday stress? E-mail hackers are banking on it

Citing fake messages that appear to come from Amazon, cyber-security specialists are warning shoppers to be on guard during the stressful holiday season against disguised e-mails from digital scam artists that put their bank accounts at risk.|
These “phishing” messages can look remarkably legitimate, aping the logos, language, and Web addresses of e-mails from shipping companies or shopping websites. But clicking on the wrong link can give hackers an opening to steal bank-account information or hold computers hostage until they collect a ransom.

Earlier this week, researchers from IBM identified a phishing campaign that appeared to come from an actual Amazon.com corporate e-mail address, with a subject line reading: “Your Amazon.com order has dispatched,” along with a fake tracking number. The messages contained an attachment that downloaded a program called Locky, a type of ransomware that renders someone’s digital files inaccessible until they cough up a payment, typically several hundred dollars’ worth of the cryptocurrency bitcoin, said Caleb Barlow, a vice president with Cambridge’s IBM security division.

Earlier this week, researchers from IBM identified a phishing campaign that

appeared to come from an actual Amazon.com corporate e-mail address, with a subject line reading: “Your Amazon.com order has dispatched,” along with a fake tracking number.

The messages contained an attachment that downloaded a program called Locky, a type of ransomware that renders someone’s digital files inaccessible until they cough up a payment, typically several hundred dollars’ worth of the cryptocurrency bitcoin, said Caleb Barlow, a vice president with Cambridge’s IBM security division. “The quality of these is really high. You’ve got to be paying attention to not fall victim,” he said. E-mail rip-offs are nothing new. But Barlow said their growing sophistication reflects the highly developed underground economies that have sprouted up around cybercrime. “What we’re dealing with here is not a bored teenager,” Barlow said. “We’re talking about organized crime on an epic scale. . . and they’re structured like highly legitimate businesses.” Like any other business, an e-mail scammer often exploits moments of high stress ….. (Read more @ Boston Globe)

(If you enjoyed this History Moment and have an idea of info for another 

intriguing history moment in the Machinery industry shoot me an email )

History Moment: The History of the Conveyor Belt

As early as the late 17^th century conveyor Belts became an
intricate part of making material transport. “In 1795 that conveyor belts became a popular means for conveying bulk materials. Initially conveyor belts were used for moving grain sacks to short distances”². (Qtd.EzineArticles.com²)  The
primitive conveyor belt was made with wood, leather bands and hand pulleys, and it wasn’t until 1892 that an American Inventor truly perfected the Conveyor Belt. At that time Thomas Robins
put into motion “a series of developments that ended with a conveyor belt which began to be used to carry coal, ores₂" and other materials.

By the beginning of the 20^th Century, Conveyor belts were well on their way to cementing their way into the history of production and making it easier than our ancestors ever imagined. In 1901 a Swedish Engineering firm, Sandvik, constructed the first steel Conveyor Belt. By 1905 a British Mining Engineer, Richard Suttcliffe, had designed the first Conveyor Belt specifically for mining coal, or any other underground mining”³.(qtd. Habetec.net³) By the 1920’s Conveyor Belts were common place, by this time they were constructed of multi-layers of cotton and rubberized covers. The longest Conveyor belt ever built is still in use in the Western Sahara and is actually visible from space. This belt can actually transport “2,000 metric tons of rock per hour from the mines of Bou Craa to the port city of El-Aaiun, where cargo ships full of phosphate rock depart for ports around the world”⁵. The Moroccan protest of 2011 actually blocked the Conveyor Belt because it ” blocked a railway linking phosphate mines and fertilizer plants”⁵.

“Viewed from space, it looks almost meaningless. But the world literally depends on its constant supply of phosphate. With only a bit of hyperbole, one could say this massive machine is what is feeding the billions of humans who inhabit this planet”⁶. Without this Conveyor belt we would be unable to mine Morocco’s biggest export, Phosphate or Phosphorus rock.

Side Note: Thursday Dec, 01, 2016 will mark the 103^rd anniversary of Henry Ford and his accomplishment of making the “first moving assembly line for the mass production of an entire automobile. His innovation reduced the time it took to build a car from more than 12 hours to two hours and 30 minutes”⁷.

(If you enjoyed this History Moment and have an idea of info for another intriguing history moment in the Machinery industy shoot me an email )

Also I try 

1. http://wolverhamptonhandling.co.uk/history-of-conveyors/  

2. http://ezinearticles.com/?History-of-Conveyor-Belts&id=353910

3.http://www.habatec.net/HNet/HabaTEC.nsf/vwWebContent/B3AFDB9C92909C37C12578BE002BB553?OpenDocument

4. https://pauldorpat.com/2013/10/12/seattle-now-then-first-shovel-at-fifth-and-battery/

5. http://gizmodo.com/the-worlds-longest-conveyor-belt-system-can-be-seen-fro-1566742063

6. https://the-sieve.com/2013/12/19/the-worlds-longest-conveyor-belt/

7. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fords-assembly-line-starts-rolling

Florida Frontiers: The real first Thanksgiving was held in Florida

(Photo courtesy: Jon White) FloridaToday.com

Article from: FloridayToday.com Ben Brotemarkle10:43 a.m. EST November 22, 2016


Tradition holds that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, as English Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts shared a bountiful harvest with their Native American neighbors.
The first Thanksgiving celebration in North America actually took place in Florida.

Fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, colonists in St. Augustine shared a feast of thanksgiving with Native Americans.

“Not until 42 years later would English Jamestown be founded,” said eminent Florida historian Michael Gannon. “Not until 56 years later would the Pilgrims in Massachusetts observe their famous Thanksgiving. St. Augustine’s settlers celebrated the nation’s first Thanksgiving over a half century earlier, on September 8, 1565. Following a religious service, the Spaniards shared a communal meal with the local native tribe.”

Hosting the first Thanksgiving celebration in what would become the United States is one of many “firsts” for the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in America, founded 451 years ago.

“When the Spaniards founded St. Augustine, they proceeded to found our nation’s first city government, first school, first hospital, first city plan, first Parrish church, and first mission to the native populations,” Gannon said.

In 1965, Gannon was a priest and historian in St. Augustine, leading several projects to help celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city. He oversaw the erection of the Great Cross on the site of the first religious service and thanksgiving feast in North America. At 208 feet tall, the stainless steel structure is the largest freestanding cross in the Western Hemisphere.

“It was decided to build a cross, because that was central to the original ceremony, where Father Francisco López, the fleet chaplain, soon to be first pastor of the first Parrish, came ashore ahead of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the leader of the founding expedition, and then went forward to meet Menéndez holding a cross,” said Gannon. “Menéndez came on land, knelt and kissed the cross.”

Every year, the September 8, 1565 landing of Menéndez and the Catholic Mass that followed is reenacted in St. Augustine with dignitaries from around the world in attendance. For many years the role of Menéndez has been played by Chad Light.

Today, visitors to the first permanent European settlement in North America can see a statue of Father Francisco López in front of the Great Cross. The statue is placed on the approximate site where Father López held the first Catholic Mass in the city, which was attended by Native Americans. Following the service, the European settlers and the native people shared a Thanksgiving meal.

The statue of Father López is carved out of indigenous coquina stone, a sedimentary rock comprised of compressed shells. The rough surface of the coquina symbolizes the difficult journey the Spanish endured on their voyage to Florida.

“That statue was erected in the 1950s. It was executed by a distinguished Yugoslav sculptor, Ivan Meštrović,” said Gannon. “But it was placed in a copse of trees where it did not stand out against a dark background. The plan that the architects in 1965 came forward with was to move it to a site on open ground where the figure of Father López, with his arms in the air, would stand out against the sky. And now, at long last, the statue has been moved to that space. You can see the dramatic difference in the figure of Father López as he’s seen completely and clearly now against the sky, and directly in front of the Great Cross, which stands behind him.”

The Spanish had only just arrived in St. Augustine when their Thanksgiving dinner was served, and they did not have the benefit of having raised crops for a year as the English Pilgrims did more than half a century later.

The Spanish had to do the best they could with leftovers from their long voyage.

“The menu was a stew of salted pork and garbanzo beans, accompanied with ship’s bread and red wine,” said Gannon.

While Floridians should proudly proclaim ownership of the first Thanksgiving celebration held in what would become the United States, we may want to retain the traditional menu of turkey, stuffing, vegetables, and cranberry sauce.

Dr. Ben Brotemarkle is executive director of the Florida Historical Society. He’s also host of the weekly public radio program “Florida Frontiers,” broadcast locally on 90.7 WMFE and 89.5 WFIT. The public television series “Florida Frontiers” can be seen locally on WUCF-TV. More information is at www.myfloridahistory.org.

Florida Frontiers: The real first Thanksgiving was held in Florida

(Photo courtesy: Jon White) FloridaToday.com

Article from: FloridayToday.com Ben Brotemarkle10:43 a.m. EST November 22, 2016


Tradition holds that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, as English Pilgrims at Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts shared a bountiful harvest with their Native American neighbors.
The first Thanksgiving celebration in North America actually took place in Florida.

Fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, colonists in St. Augustine shared a feast of thanksgiving with Native Americans.

“Not until 42 years later would English Jamestown be founded,” said eminent Florida historian Michael Gannon. “Not until 56 years later would the Pilgrims in Massachusetts observe their famous Thanksgiving. St. Augustine’s settlers celebrated the nation’s first Thanksgiving over a half century earlier, on September 8, 1565. Following a religious service, the Spaniards shared a communal meal with the local native tribe.”

Hosting the first Thanksgiving celebration in what would become the United States is one of many “firsts” for the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in America, founded 451 years ago.

“When the Spaniards founded St. Augustine, they proceeded to found our nation’s first city government, first school, first hospital, first city plan, first Parrish church, and first mission to the native populations,” Gannon said.

In 1965, Gannon was a priest and historian in St. Augustine, leading several projects to help celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city. He oversaw the erection of the Great Cross on the site of the first religious service and thanksgiving feast in North America. At 208 feet tall, the stainless steel structure is the largest freestanding cross in the Western Hemisphere.

“It was decided to build a cross, because that was central to the original ceremony, where Father Francisco López, the fleet chaplain, soon to be first pastor of the first Parrish, came ashore ahead of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the leader of the founding expedition, and then went forward to meet Menéndez holding a cross,” said Gannon. “Menéndez came on land, knelt and kissed the cross.”

Every year, the September 8, 1565 landing of Menéndez and the Catholic Mass that followed is reenacted in St. Augustine with dignitaries from around the world in attendance. For many years the role of Menéndez has been played by Chad Light.

Today, visitors to the first permanent European settlement in North America can see a statue of Father Francisco López in front of the Great Cross. The statue is placed on the approximate site where Father López held the first Catholic Mass in the city, which was attended by Native Americans. Following the service, the European settlers and the native people shared a Thanksgiving meal.

The statue of Father López is carved out of indigenous coquina stone, a sedimentary rock comprised of compressed shells. The rough surface of the coquina symbolizes the difficult journey the Spanish endured on their voyage to Florida.

“That statue was erected in the 1950s. It was executed by a distinguished Yugoslav sculptor, Ivan Meštrović,” said Gannon. “But it was placed in a copse of trees where it did not stand out against a dark background. The plan that the architects in 1965 came forward with was to move it to a site on open ground where the figure of Father López, with his arms in the air, would stand out against the sky. And now, at long last, the statue has been moved to that space. You can see the dramatic difference in the figure of Father López as he’s seen completely and clearly now against the sky, and directly in front of the Great Cross, which stands behind him.”

The Spanish had only just arrived in St. Augustine when their Thanksgiving dinner was served, and they did not have the benefit of having raised crops for a year as the English Pilgrims did more than half a century later.

The Spanish had to do the best they could with leftovers from their long voyage.

“The menu was a stew of salted pork and garbanzo beans, accompanied with ship’s bread and red wine,” said Gannon.

While Floridians should proudly proclaim ownership of the first Thanksgiving celebration held in what would become the United States, we may want to retain the traditional menu of turkey, stuffing, vegetables, and cranberry sauce.

Dr. Ben Brotemarkle is executive director of the Florida Historical Society. He’s also host of the weekly public radio program “Florida Frontiers,” broadcast locally on 90.7 WMFE and 89.5 WFIT. The public television series “Florida Frontiers” can be seen locally on WUCF-TV. More information is at www.myfloridahistory.org.

History Lesson of the Week: Origins of Hay Harvesting

Long before disc-mower's or discbine's there were Hay Knives, Sythe's, Sickle's and Machete's.

Can you imagine the back breaking labor it took to weild any one of these, even before Hay Knives became popular, Sythes and Sickles were a basic tool of ever farmer who had any sort of crop that needed to be harvested at the base, i.e. wheat, barley, etc. 

Sytheassociation.com tells us that by the 20th century that "Scythe grinding was  a vile occupation, and the  almost certain risk of silicosis,  meant that many scythe-grinders died by the time  they reached 40. However the scythe-grinders union was  strong, and very active in the Sheffield of the  1850s. Machinery was [eventually] destroyed, factory owners were shot at, and the secretary of the Scythe Grinders Union,  Michael Thompson, was accused by Joshua Tyzack, [who held a Monopoly on Scythe Grinding] of  paying men to blow up scythe grinding wheels with gunpowder.  The union hustled 14 scythe grinders out of the  country to avoid their prosecution." 

Believe it or not, WSJ¹ tells us that Scythes are starting to make a comeback, in their article from June 2012, "Who needs a Weed Wacker...." the article states that the reason for the comeback is the fact that they,  "don't use gas, don't get hot, don't make noise, do make for exercise, and do cut grass¹ .

To be Continued in the meantime enjoy the wonderful one 

of kind Paul Harvey tell us "So God Made a Farmer"

http://www.youtube.com/ram watch the video and support Future Farmers of America.

¹ http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304782404577490583379647566

USDA’S AGENCY REALIGNMENT IS A GOOD MOVE FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED FARMERS

Old Gjerpen Farm Founder Richard Larson
Photo Credit: USDA

Original Article: November 17, Sustainable Agriculture Blog

This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a major change, one for which many have been waiting for eight years. Established in the 2008 Farm Bill, USDA’s Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO) was intended to give beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers a stronger advocate within USDA, and to better connect with the agency’s programs and services.

Unfortunately, OAO has not always been adequately empowered to serve beginning, minority, and disadvantaged farmers to its fullest potential. The announcement this week that the office would now reside within and report directly to the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture is a big one because it underscores the historic and ongoing importance of OAO’s mission.

NSAC applauds this important change and the signaling by USDA of its rededication..(Read rest of article here)

$100 Ideas: A Shop Door That Opens Two Ways

The Prototype for Two-Way 14'x14'
Submitted by Gary Coles doors
Gary Coles
Idaho Falls
Idaho

$200 Double Your Money Winner: A Shop Door That Opens Two Ways

I built onto my 40'x40' shop, adding 50' on the north side with a 14'x27' door opening. Because space and money were limited, I built a door that opens two ways. The two 14'x14' doors hinge at 6', each with three large barn hinges. I used 2½"x4" rectangular tubing for the track and rollers from an old baler. I cut out 1½" on one side of the tubing for the rollers. I also cut a circle for the hinged door and roller to slide out of the rail to fold against the 8' section. When open, the doors only extend 22" from the shop. 

The total cost of the project was $750—much cheaper than a 14'x27' overhead door. 

Gary Coles farms with his sons, Tyson and Gregory. They
raise wheat, barley, alfalfa and beef cattle. 
Article Courtesy of http://www.agweb.com

Want to be a Winner.... Here's how to Enter

• Email: $100-Ideas@farmjournal.com
• Online: www.AgWeb.com/ideas
• Mail: Farm Journal $100 Ideas P.O. Box 1188 Johnston, IA 50131-9421

Submit your unpublished idea with a description, photo or sketch, address and phone number.

What You Win

• All winners receive a hat, check and die-cast metal replica (1⁄16th scale) John Deere 8370R tractor, part of the collector’s edition Prestige line from Ertl, and are featured in Farm Journal and on AgWeb. 
• The Double Your Money winner receives $200 and is featured on “AgriTalk” radio.
• All other winners receive $100. 

3 Big Things Today, November 16

Child’s toy tells a story of a forgotten aspect of farm life

1. SOYBEAN, CORN FUTURES RISE OVERNIGHT ON STRONG DEMAND
Soybeans improved in the overnight session, building on Tuesday’s strength, amid strong demand for U.S. supplies and concerns about crops in South America. 

Private exporters reported sales of 121,500 metric tons of soybeans for delivery to China in the current marketing year, the Department of Agriculture said in a report. Exporters also sold 126,000 tons of soybeans to unknown buyers.

On Monday, the USDA reported sales of 324,000 tons of soybeans to China and 132,000 tons to unknown buyers. The agency also said exporters sold 175,000 tons of grain sorghum to China.

Extremely wet weather in Brazil and Argentina recently has left some farmers unable to plant fields in some areas and unable to harvest crops in others, according to weather forecasters.

Soybeans for January delivery rose 4 ¼ cents to $9.93 ¾ a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soy-meal futures for December delivery gained 20 cents to $310.30 a short ton and soy oil added 0.28 cent to 34.49 cents a pound. 

Corn futures for December delivery gained 1 ½ cents to $3.43 a bushel in...(READ MORE) @ Agriculture.com and find out what #2 and #3 are. 

Survey shows more farmers willing to give up land if cash rents don’t come down for the 2017 season

By Tyne Morgan @ US Farm Report

Farming the fertile Indiana ground is Jason Wykoff’s passion and livelihood. But in 2015, when the landlord of 1,200 acres he farmed changed key terms of his lease, Wykoff says he was forced to make one of the most difficult decisions of his career.

“We’d been previously farming on shares,” says Wykoff, whose operation is based near New Carlisle in northwest Indiana. “When the lease was up, the owner wanted to go to a cash rent agreement. We felt it was just in an area where we couldn’t survive long-term,” he says.

So, Wykoff decided to walk away. He had invested a lot in the acres he had farmed for eight years, including tile and irrigation.

Even so, nearly a year later, Wykoff says he doesn’t regret his decision.

“If we were still farming that farm in the current situation, I would have a lot of anxiety,” he says.

Wykoff isn’t alone. In Pro Farmer’s annual LandOwner survey, other farmers say if prices don’t come down next year, they might walk away, too.

In the survey of Pro Farmer member-farmers, 44% said they’re willing to walk away from a cash lease if it isn’t lowered going into 2017, says Mike Walsten, editor of LandOwner newsletter, which is part of ...(Read More @ FarmJounal.com)

The Secret Life of Marbles

Child’s toy tells a story of a forgotten aspect of farm life

Chris Kale and Granddaughter show Marble Collection.
Photo courtesy of Farm Journal/Chris Bennett

Childhood secrets are hiding in the dirt. Months after crops are harvested, the slanted rays of morning or evening sunlight fire large circular patterns of crushed glass spread across farmland. The shining glass along field edges is all that remains of sharecropper and tenant farmer sites once dotting Southern farmland. The shotgun houses and clapboard shacks are gone, but a child’s toy waits patiently, lingering in the rows. Time, tillage and rainfall reveal the sharecropper’s last testament: forgotten clusters of magnificent clay, agate and glass marbles.

On a clear day in early May, Bernie Wright is walking rows, eyes down and head moving gently back and forth. A single inch of rain has parked Wright’s cotton planters, but it hasn’t kept him out of the fields. “There’s something special about the marbles in these fields, and I love finding them. They meant a lot to somebody long ago and maybe that’s why I enjoy looking,” he says.

Bernie Wright, farm manager at  Longino Planting Co., in  Jonestown, Miss., checks a field  for marbles prior to cotton  planting.

Wright doesn’t need sun on the horizon to fire glass reflections because he already knows where the old homes stood. Most of the tenant houses were torn down in the 1960s and Wright, farm manager at Longino Planting Co., in Jonestown, Miss., remembers the locations from childhood.

Before the advent of heavy machinery, the flat vista of Mississippi Delta was heavily pocked with houses lining turn rows and county roads. The tenant system required on-site workers, and the accompanying logistics translated to a range of housing layouts, from an isolated handful of dwellings on a back road to scores of homes concentrated around a commissary and schoolhouse. Necessity dictated tenants live and work at the same location. “People have forgotten how many houses used to cover farm ground,” Wright says. “Sharecroppers had to live on their parcel of land.”

The old house sites offer a mix of glass shards, stoneware chips, bricks, buttons, coal, mangled cutlery and cork-top bottlenecks—the detritus of a farming day long since passed. Yet, in stark contrast to the other crushed remains, time has been kind to marbles.... (Read More) @ FarmJournal 

The Sweet Spot for Good Winter Weather

Will the cooling Tropical Pacific
become a La Niña? Source: NASA

Oct 31, 2016
RSS By: Evelyn Browning Garriss and James J. Garriss, Browning Media, LLC

Right now, there are a lot of scientists arguing. Their models are tied up in knots. It looks like cattle raisers and corn farmers will be the real winners of this debate.

Will the cooling Tropical Pacific become a La Niña? Source: NASA

Here’s what they are fighting about. The Tropical Pacific is cold. Will it be a La Niña, a neutral Pacific or a really weird event called a La Niña Modoki? (It’s also called a Central Pacific La Niña, but a Modoki sounds like a rather nice cocktail.)

It matters because a La Niña cools one-tenth of the Earth’s surface and alters weather all around the world. A strong La Niña causes drought in Texas and the Midwest. The temperatures in the tropics warp air pressure, which in turn shapes wind and weather. When the tropical waters turn cold, less tropical moisture flows north to the US. When they are warm, huge streams of moisture, called atmospheric rivers, flow north and bring rainfall. The ones that hit Texas and then flow north into the Midwest are called the Mayan Express. The ones that hit California are the Pineapple Express.

Atmospheric rivers from the tropics bring heavy US rainfall that can be good for crops and pastures.

So, what does this have to do with the climate model battle? Basically, the location of the warm spot in the Tropical Pacific determines where tropical moisture will fall. Right now, scientists are discussing whether we are experiencing Central Pacific La Niña (Modoki) or standard La Niña conditions. One creates a dry winter and the other lets Texas have rain. Notice how the two La Niñas are different.

Modokis are cold in the center of the Tropical Pacific but the area by South America is warm. History suggests that that make Mayan Expresses and Gulf storms more common. When scientists discuss the Modoki, they say its impact is felt more heavily in Asia and it only produces weak La Niña effects in North America.

Weak La Niña produce very different weather than moderate La Niñas.

A weak La Niña is good for Texas and bad for California while the Midwest gets to have normal weather. So, whether it is a cocktail or a weather event, let’s sit back and enjoy a Modoki.

James Garriss and Evelyn Browning Garriss are part of Browning Media which publishes the Browning World Climate Bulletin™ that has provided accurate regional climate information and forecasts for over 40 years. The information in the Browning Bulletin provides useful.....(Read More...@ AgWeb Farm Journal)

Do You Live in a Competitive Congressional District?

By Ben Potter
AgWeb.com -Social Media
and Innovation Editor

There are several house races in the Midwest this election
that will be close, according to the Cook Political Report.
Img Courtesy AgWeb.com

 

AgWeb.com NOVEMBER 4, 2016 01:44 PM

Do You Live in a Competitive Congressional District? It’s mere days from the 2016 presidential election, but that’s far from the only race on the ballot. And some of these down-ticket House of Representatives races are currently running neck-and-neck. Thanks to a pair of online resources, you can easily find out where all the close races are happening. 

First is The Cook Political Report, an independent, non-partisan newsletter that analyzes elections, campaigns and various U.S. political trends. The group has identified several House races it categorizes as either “likely,” “lean” or “toss-up.” For the lean category, races are considered competitive, but one party has an advantage. For toss-ups ..........(Read More) @  http://www.agweb.com

2015 Farmer Veteran Stakeholders Conference
Img Courtesy AgWeb.com
OCTOBER 24, 2016 01:06 PM

America’s military veterans are revered for their service but still often struggle to find stateside employment when they return home.

The Farmer Veteran Coalition would like to change that. The national nonprofit organization is hosting its third annual Farmer Veteran Stakeholders Conference next month at Michigan State University.

It’s the largest gathering of its kind and promises to feature educational tracks, farm visits, guest panels, featured speakers, community building and more.

“Our national conferences have been invaluable to building this important farmer veteran movement,” according to FVC executive director Michael O’Gorman. “We’ve seen dialog launched between our federal partners turn into national policy. We’ve seen important insight into what makes farming healing for veterans turn into valuable research. And  we've seen more ..........(Read More) @ http://www.agweb.com

Solar panels at California-based Merrill Farms.- Img courtesy of © Merrill Farms via AgWeb.com

By Ben Potter
AgWeb.com
Social Media and Innovation Editor

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the USDA is investing more than $200 million towards rural businesses – including farms and ranches – to help them save energy costs via renewable energy. The money comes in a variety of loan and grant options.

"Cutting our energy waste is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to help families save money on their energy bills while reducing harmful carbon pollution. Over the course of nearly eight years, the Obama Administration has taken strong actions to advance energy efficiency in our homes and businesses," Vilsack says. "Through efficiency upgrades and private-sector partnerships, America has been able to cut its carbon emissions, create jobs and save families hundreds of dollars at the pump and on their utility bills every year.”

A total of 423 businesses are the latest benefactors of USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). A series of grants and loans will be used to install various renewable energy systems or used to make energy efficiency improvements to their operation. Click here to see the full list of recipients. USDA estimates that REAP has helped reduce energy costs for about 15,000 farms and rural businesses since 2009.

Examples of eligible projects in agriculture include solar panel installation, switching from .....(Read rest of article at AgWeb.com)

How Might Next Week's Election Affect the Markets?

Image Courtesy of Agweb.com

Are the markets prepared for either eventual outcome
of the 2016 presidential election?

With the most unconventional election in modern American history drawing to a close, the global financial markets are betting on more of the same -- a Democrat in the transparent House kept in check by Republicans in Congress. Given all of the October surprises, investors may be ill-prepared for another on Nov. 8.

Renewed controversy over Hillary Clinton’s e-mails “is not likely to cause a fundamental shift in the presidential race,” analysts at Evercore ISI said in a report dated Oct. 30. The biggest shock would be a victory by Republican Donald Trump or a sweep by the Democrats. Either could send investors running for cover into the safest government bonds, U.S. dollars and the yen and fleeing from riskier equities and emerging markets, much like the aftermath of the U.K.’s June vote to leave the European Union. Beyond that, both candidates want to increase spending and cut taxes which would be bullish for stocks and bearish for fixed income.

All the Ways This Election Day Will Be Different: QuickTake Q&A

[Follow the link below] for a look at potential winners and losers depending on who wins and loses. But first, a caveat. vestors’ immediate reaction to U.S. elections often doesn’t last, ......  Find the Chart and more at AgWeb.com

Ag Industry Keeping Watchful Eye on Financial Health

By: Ashley Davenport - Farm  -Journal Broadcast - Multimedia Editor

The Ag industry is keeping a close eye on the financial health of the entire ag sector as November gets underway. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City says farm lending at commercial banks fell in the third quarter, but is still high. The volume of farm loans starting in Q3 fell 19 percent from 2015, but remained elevated by historical standards.

Operating loans continue to make up a large number of requests, counting for 60 percent of all loans in 2016.Banks have also been increasing their use of farm real estate as collateral for these loans.

A third of all operating loans are now being backed by farms.
Read more related articles at AgWeb.com