Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited the USDA office in Kansas City, Missouri this week and addressed members of the press on a variety of ag issues, including the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), farm bill priorities, SNAP programs, staffing possibilities, the recent wildfires, and his priority for the USDA. Listen to the complete press conference: …
USDA Welcomes @SecretarySonny
Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tuesday and officially introduced his new Twitter handle – @SecretarySonny. Welcome to Twitter Secretary Perdue. After he took the oath of office, Perdue’s first order of business was to address employees at the USDA. During his address, Perdue explained the four main principles that will guide him while …
Trump Holds White House Farmers Roundtable
President Trump welcomed new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on his first day in office for a White House “Farmers Roundtable” and the signing of an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. Among the 14 farmers and ranchers invited to the White House session was American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Not only …
Sonny Perdue Confirmed as Ag Secretary
The U.S. Senate has formally confirmed the nomination of George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III to serve as the 31st Secretary of Agriculture. The final vote was 87 to 11. Perdue, an agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator, and former governor of Georgia, grew up working on his family farm in central Georgia, making him the fourth agriculture secretary who has worked as …
Senate Urged to Vote on USDA Secretary
As the agriculture industry continues to operate without leadership at the USDA, industry groups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), have been urging the Senate to vote this weekand confirm Sonny Perdue as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture before recessing for spring break. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) have also urged Congress …
Agriculture Secretary Nominee Hearing
The Senate Agriculture Committee held a confirmation hearing March 23 for former Georgia Governor Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III who has been nominated by President Trump to serve as Secretary of Agriculture. During the hearing, Perdue outlined his four overall goals as agriculture secretary – to maximize opportunity of agriculture to create jobs, prioritize customer service every day, ensure a safe …
USDA Ag Outlook Forum
The USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum was held this week in Arlington, Virginia. The distinguished speaker at this year’s event was former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who was recently nominated as ambassador to China. Branstad took time during his speech to praise incoming Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and share his thoughts on the future of agriculture and economic development in …
USDA Announces New GIPSA Rules
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced updated regulations under the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). The “Farmer Fair Practices Rules” outline “common sense protections to restore fairness and reduce the burden for farmers seeking justice under the Packers and Stockyards Act.” Joining Vilsack for the announcement were National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson and Mike Weaver, president of the …
General Mills, Xerces Society & NRCS Hit Milestone
The U.S. Department of Agriculture hosted an announcement between themselves, General Mills, and the largest and oldest pollinator conservation organization, the Xerces Society this morning. The three organizations are joining together to protect the habitats of pollinators on hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland. The project is a five-year, $4 million commitment to provide the technical assistance for planting …
U.S. Trade Enforcement Action Against China
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers today announced the launch of trade enforcement action against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The action challenges China’s use of “market price support” for three key crops (rice, wheat, and corn) in excess of China’s commitments under WTO rules. Congressional members …
#Biobased2016 Helps Build Demand for #Soybeans
The United Soybean Board held its 2016 Biobased Stakeholders’ Dialogue July 7 at USDA headquarters in Washington DC. The event featured the debut of a new soy biobased video and an address by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, as well as displays of biobased products, speakers who shared their success stories and information on USDA’s BioPreferred® Program. Because of the potential …
USDA Predicts Record #Soybean & More Corn Acres
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) planted acreage report for this year estimates record soybean plantings and increased corn acres over last year. The report estimates U.S. soybean planted area at a record high 83.7 million acres, up 1 percent from last year, while corn growers increased their acreage from last year by 7 percent to 94.1 million acres, making …
Vilsack Discusses 2017 USDA Budget
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack hosted a national media call to discuss the Obama administration’s 2017 budget request for USDA programs. “The President’s 2017 Budget request aims to ensure USDA’s programs continue to invest in agriculture research and development, target effective strategies to protect our natural resources, and expand markets and economic opportunity for our farmers, ranchers, and the people who …
Wetland Preservation Gets $9M from USDA
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the establishment of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Mitigation Banking Program, made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. The program will provide $9 million to help states, local governments or other qualified partners develop wetland mitigation banks that restore, create, or enhance wetland ecosystems, broadening the conservation options available to farmers and …
Vilsack Talks Trade, Climate & SOTU
USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack held a press call yesterday to discuss President Obama’s last State of the Union (SOTU) address. Vilsack, who has served in the capacity of Ag Secretary throughout Obama’s Administration, said he is very proud to have been part of an administration that has basically taken the country from a brink of an economic collapse to …