Around the State with Commissioner Pate

In our “Around the State with Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate”, the  Department of Agriculture and Industries touches the lives of each Alabamian every day. Commissioner, would you like to share about one of the services the department provides to farmers and home gardeners? That’s our weekly Around the State with Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) Commissioner, Rick Pate. …

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 …

AgNet Weekly: Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack

The Biden Administration this week announced the availability of nearly $11 billion in grants and loan opportunities to help rural energy and utility providers. They say the funding will help bring affordable, reliable, clean energy to communities across the country. Sabrina Halvorson talks with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to get more details. Each week we highlight essential legislative and …

NCBA Endorses Legislation Protecting Animal Health

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced its support of the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2023. The bipartisan legislation would continue making critical investments in foreign animal disease response programs currently overseen by USDA. “The threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak in the U.S. represents an existential threat to every cattle producer,” says …

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 …

Senate Ag Committee Advances Torres Small Nomination

The Senate Agriculture Committee Wednesday advanced to the full senate the nomination of Xochitl Torres Small to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, says, ” Ms. Torres Small has a proven track record and a wide-ranging background that make her an ideal candidate to help lead the nearly 100,000 public servants at USDA.” Ranking …

Livestock Producers Give Opinions on EPA Regulations

Representatives from livestock industries gave passionate responses when asked about Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations during a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing, Wednesday. “Can you speak to the detrimental effects these types of onerous rules have on livestock producers and how uncertainty in compliance costs trickle down to the American consumer,” asked Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04). The first response was from …

Interesting Developments in Grains

There are interesting developments in the grain trades. Mark Oppold has more. 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

BASF Fungicides Key for Peanut Producers Managing Diseases

By Clint Thompson Peanut planting is well under way across the Southeast. That means fungicide sprays should be applied not long after. Brianne Reeves, BASF technical service representative, said producers should begin applying fungicide treatments anywhere between 35 and 45 days after planting. BASF provides the best protection against diseases like early and late leaf spot, and white mold. “BASF …