The Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program recently announced they have updated their training modules. The updates, called MBA NextGen, make it easier for a new generation of farmers and ranchers to share their stories and advocate for the beef industry. Manager of Communications for the MBA program, Paul Dybedahl, told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman this program is open to anyone. …
KC Fed: Fewer New Loans to Farmers
Fewer new loans to farmers continued to drive a pullback in agricultural lending activity. The Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank reported this week that stronger prices for agricultural commodities, alongside continued support from government payments, may have reduced financing needs for some farmers and contributed to the slower pace of lending. In the face of slowing agricultural lending activity, farmers …
Agriculture Better Prepared for Next Pandemic?
The agricultural production system was not prepared for the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crops were left in the field or plowed under because of decreased demand. Loads of milk were even dumped. Scott Angle, Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Florida/IFAS hopes farmers and agricultural leaders can learn from last season’s initial outbreak. …
Budget from Georgia Governor Includes Dollars for Agriculture
The 2021 Georgia State Legislative Session has a full week under its belt, as lawmakers met this week to kick off things in Atlanta. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman, early signs indicate there is money in the Governor’s budget for agriculture. To keep track of activities during the 2021 legislative session, go to …
Enjoying Your Garden during the Winter Months
How to enjoy your garden during the winter months. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t get outside and enjoy the garden. By now you may be feeling a little cabin fever. During the winter when many flowers are no longer blooming, and branches of trees are bare, there are …
Farm Bureau Establishes 2021 Policies
(AFBF) — Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 102nd Annual Convention adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2021. Key topics ranged from farm diversity to farm labor and dairy policy to livestock marketing. For the first time in AFBF history, delegates met and voted virtually due to COVID-19. “Our Farm Bureau delegates showed that …
Environmental Groups Challenge Permitting Change
(NSF) — A coalition of environmental groups Thursday filed a federal lawsuit challenging a potentially far-reaching move by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift permitting authority to Florida for projects that affect wetlands. The coalition, represented by attorneys from the Earthjustice legal group, contends that the EPA and other federal agencies did not comply with a series of laws …
2020 Crop Production Numbers
Tyron Spearman has a look at more numbers from this week’s crop production forecasts from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026
Pushing for Improved Dairy-Pricing
Many dairy producers have suffered losses due to the extreme price disruptions that have been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is calling for changes to the so-called Class I fluid milk price mover to help producers recover from those losses. They note dairy farmers may lose roughly $800 million in revenues under the current Class …
Stabenow Urges USDA to Prioritize Protections for Food Workers
Senator Debbie Stabenow, the incoming Senate Agriculture Committee chair, urged the Department of Agriculture this week to implement the bipartisan worker protection provisions in the COVID-19 assistance package. The Michigan Democrat says, “In order to repair our food supply and feed families in need, USDA must prioritize safety in addition to food purchases.” In the recently passed COVID-19 assistance package, …