The location is new this year but the 17th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference has the same great line up of information and entertainment for peanut farmers and industry partners from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi. For the first time in 17 years, Georgia is the host state for the event that has always been held in Panama City Beach, …
NRCS Launches Conservation Gateway
Farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners can now do business with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through a new Conservation Client Gateway web portal. NRCS chief Jason Weller says the portal will allow producers will have the ability to work with conservation planners online to access Farm Bill programs, request assistance and track payments for …
USDA Announces Conservation Partnership Funds
In Colorado today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the availability of up to $235 million to improve conservation efforts through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Vilsack made the announcement in Denver at a ceremony for the Colorado Pressurized Small Hydropower Partnership Project, a 2015-funded project that focuses on water quantity resource concerns in Colorado. Listen to press conference with …
White House Climate Initiative Announced
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and presidential advisor Brian Deese visited Michigan State University Thursday to announce a comprehensive national strategy to partner with farmers, ranchers and forest land owners to address the threat of climate change. The new initiative, “Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture & Forestry”, will utilize voluntary, incentive-based conservation, forestry, and energy programs to reduce greenhouse gas …
Industry Addresses New H5N2 Outbreaks
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) provided an update on highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza outbreaks via a press conference this morning. This comes after the recent confirmed case on an Iowa egg farm. USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford, CDC Medical Officer Dr. Alicia Fry and USDA Southeast Poultry Research Director David Swayne …
USDA Official on the Road for Trade
USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Alexis Taylor has been meeting with agricultural stakeholders around the country to talk about the importance of Trade Promotion Authority for the president in expanding international markets for U.S. products. Taylor was in Florida this week and she’s also visited with producers in California, Oregon, Washington, and Pennsylvania. In this …
Reaction to Prospective Plantings Report
The 2015 Prospective Plantings released by USDA shows declines expected in corn, wheat and cotton acres this year, with only a modest increase in soybean acreage. Randy Martinson with Progressive Ag, who provided commentary on the report for the Minneapolis Grain Exchange crop call, was surprised by some of the numbers.
USDA Announces Ag Conservation Easement Funds
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Natural Resources Conservation Service chief Jason Weller have announced the availability of $332 million in financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).
USDA Extends ARC and PLC Deadlines
USDA has extended by one week the deadline for producers to choose between Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), the safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill. The final day to make the decision, update yield history or reallocate base acres will now be April 7, 2015. Val Dolcini, administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) …
USDA Under Secretary Talks Trade
The Missouri State University William H. Darr School of Agriculture hosted the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Michael Scuse at a luncheon with Missouri agriculture leaders on February 17. Scuse mainly discussed trade negotiations, the importance of Congress granting the president Trade Promotion Authority, and issues such as the current ban on poultry imports by China due …
USDA Encourages Use of REAP Funds
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced new funding under the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program under the 2014 Farm Bill. The more than $280 million in funds are open to rural agricultural producers and small business owners to install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Listen to the press conference that includes Secretary …
Farm Bill Celebrates First Birthday
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack outlined USDA’s progress in implementing the 2014 farm bill during a press conference Thursday. Joining Secretary Vilsack in the 2014 Farm Bill birthday recognition Wednesday was Ben LaCross, the Michigan fruit farmer who was at the signing of the bill last year; Michael O’Gorman, Executive director of Farmer Veteran Coalition; and Edgar Pruitt, an Alabama farmer …
USDA Share of Proposed 2016 Budget
On Monday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack outlined USDA’s $156 billion share of the $4 trillion Obama budget proposal, which is three percent more than last year.
Ag Coalition for Cuba Launched
More than 25 companies and organizations launched the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba (USACC) in Washington Thursday to liberalize trade and re-establish Cuba as a market for U.S. food and agriculture exports. Lawmakers Back Cuba Ag Trade Coalition
USDA Announces New Farm Bill Program
USDA is making plans to launch new Farm Bill program to help provide relief to farmers impacted by severe weather, including drought. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the Actual Production History (APH) Yield Exclusion, available nationwide for farmers of select crops starting next spring, allows eligible producers who have been hit with severe weather to receive a higher approved …