A chance for farmers to improve viability. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. American Farmland Trust has opened applications for 2023’s Brighter Future Fund Program. It helps farmers nationwide improve farm viability, access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland or adopt regenerative agricultural practices. The last day to submit applications is July 15. The Brighter Future Fund provides grants …
USDA: SNAP Payment Error Rates Rise
The USDA is seeing more errors in SNAP payments. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The combined payment error rate for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments went from 7.3 percent in fiscal year 2019 to 11.5 percent in fiscal year 2022. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) says from 2022 to 2022, states were providing pandemic-related …
Farmers’ Share of July Fourth Food Dollar Continues to Shrink
That meal you enjoyed on the Fourth isn’t paying farmers what it used to. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The National Farmers Union (NFU) released the 2023 numbers for the Farmers’ Share of the Food Dollar Report covering several items typically found at a Fourth of July cookout. The NFU says every year, the troubling trend of …
Ice Cream Still a Summertime Favorite
Americans continue to beat the summertime heat with foods from the freezer section. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Every year, many Americans beat the summer heat with frozen treats and this year is no exception. July is National Ice Cream Month. President Ronald Reagan, in 1984, signed a Proclamation designating July as National Ice Cream Month, and …
Cherries Abundant for Independence Day
Great news for those adding cherries to the Fourth of July menu. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The summertime treat of fresh cherries is abundant for this Independence Day. The USDA forecast for sweet cherries this season is expected to be about 371 million tons, which is a 60 percent increase from last year. The USDA National …
Most Grilling Costs Stay Higher This Summer
We check on the costs of grilling this summer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cheeseburgers will cost more this year for an Independence Day cookout. USDA says that in May 2023, the ingredients for a home-prepared ¼-pound cheeseburger totaled $2.17 per burger, an increase of 10 cents from 2022. Prices for cheeseburger ingredients grew more slowly over …
USDA Announces Investment in Wildlife Conservation
The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing in wildlife conservation. That’s coming up on This land of Ours. The USDA this week expanded wildlife conservation investments by $500 million over the next five years. The effort leverages all available conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), through its Working Lands for Wildlife effort. The commitments will ramp up the …
USDA Approves Lab-Grown Chicken
Lab-grown chicken may soon be on the menu. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA gave two startup companies the go-ahead to sell the country’s first lab-grown chicken products. GOOD Meat, a subsidiary of food tech company Eat Just, Inc., and UPSIDE Foods will be allowed to sell their products that have been cultivated from real animal …
USDA Supporting American Producers, School Meals, and Emergency Operations
The USDA is putting more money in the pot for school meals. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA is providing $2.7 billion to support American farmers, students participating in school meal programs, and emergency food operations. Almost $1.3 billion goes to states to purchase food to be distributed to schools for their …
USDA Announces Investment for Underserved Producers
Investing in underserved producers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture Thursday announced its selection of 50 projects for potential award, totaling approximately $300 million, for underserved producers funding. The projects will help improve access to land, capital, and markets for underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. The funding comes from the Increasing Land, Capital, …