http://www.usagnet.com Your Daily Source for National & World Ag News, Markets, Weather, Auctions and Real Estate 180 http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=260 http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=260 The agriculture community took a number of important steps toward a 2012 Farm Bill this week, with commodity groups meeting in Washington to discuss the issues and the Senate Agriculture Committee announcing a hearing schedule. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 6:53:26 CST http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=261 http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=261 Amid reports that missing customer money from MF Global's bankruptcy has been found, the company's industry regulator, CME Group, took steps this week to shore up confidence in the market while Members of Congress continued their review on Capitol Hill. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 6:53:26 CST http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=262 http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=262 Young people and the contributions they make as members of farm and ranch families are vital to American agriculture, according to Missouri hog farmer Chris Chinn. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 6:53:26 CST http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=263 http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=263 Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC has agreed to pay a $10,150 civil penalty and spend at least $38,729 on a supplemental environmental project for failing to file a risk management plan and implement risk management regulations at its dry-mill ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 6:53:26 CST http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=264 http://www.usagnet.com/story-national.php?Id=264 Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and one of the richest men in the world, highlighted the relative lack of money devoted to agricultural innovation and research in his annual letter outlining the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's 2012 priorities. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 6:53:26 CST