A new bill would give farmers more incentive to use cover crops. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and several state representatives introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize farmers to plant cover crops to help boost environmental conservation. The Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program (COVER) Act would provide farmers who plant cover crops …
Mango Industry Seeing Unprecedented Growth
Big growth in the mango industry. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The mango industry is having record volume of high-quality fruit arriving in the U.S. this year. Mango volume for the past three weeks has topped the charts at 4.4M, 5.1M and 4.6M boxes per week. The National Mango Board has engaged its growers, importers, and retailers …
Food Spending Decreased Unevenly Across States in 2020
Trends in food spending across the U.S. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The COVID-19 pandemic in the United States disrupted the food industry in 2020, according to fresh data from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). Inflation-adjusted total U.S. food expenditures were 6.6 percent lower in 2020 than in 2019. However, individual states experienced varying degrees of food …
Socially Disadvantaged Farms Concentrated in South and West
Some areas of the nation are more likely than others to have socially disadvantaged farms. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Data from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) shows socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers tend to be more concentrated in southern and western regions of the country. USDA defines socially disadvantaged farmers as those belonging to groups subject …
Rodale Institute Applauds USDA Investments in Organic Farmers
The USDA gets a pat on the back for its investments in organic farming. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding opportunities for organic farmers, a welcome investment, according to the Rodale Institute. USDA announced the expanded opportunities last week. Through the newly-established Organic Market Development Grant Program (OMDGP), USDA’s Agricultural Marketing …
More Elected Officials Concerned About Lack of AM Radio in New Cars
Concern about the lack of AM radio in new vehicles continues to grow. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Representatives Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey sent a bipartisan letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding the future of AM radio in new vehicles. They expressed concerns over automakers’ decision to drop …
Apples and Oranges Top U. S. Fruit Choices
These are the top fruit choices in the United States. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Apples held the top spot for total fruit available for consumption in 2021 at more than 26 pounds per person after adjusting for losses. USDA’s Economic Research Service’s (ERS) loss-adjusted food availability data adjusts the data for food spoilage, plate waste, and …
EIA Expects Less Electricity Demand this Summer
You may use less electricity this summer, but that’s not necessarily completely good news. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects a slightly cooler summer in 2023 will lead to less demand for air conditioning than in 2022. The result will slightly reduce overall electricity demand this summer because of the installation …
AEM Offers Ways to Address the Industry’s Technician Shortage
It’s no secret to anyone working in equipment manufacturing the ever-growing technician shortage is a problem poised to get a lot worse before it gets better. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. According to a 2020 report, the ag equipment industry may need to fill as many as 73,500 heavy equipment technician positions by 2025. In addition, the …
Ag Exports in 2021 Generate Billions in Economic Activity
How much do ag exports contribute to the nation’s economic activity? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A new USDA report says exports constitute a significant market for American farm and food products and send ripples of activity through the nation’s economy. The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) says America’s agricultural exports, valued at $177.3 billion in 2021, …