Blackwater River State Forest Expands

Thanks to funding from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Navy, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that the Blackwater River State Forest will expand by 800 acres due to the acquisition of the Florida Forever Project Area Wolfe Creek Forest. The Florida Forest Service partnered with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Santa Rosa County, the Naval …

U.S. Government Fiscal Year Ends September 30

All of agriculture continues to wait for news from the farm bill conference committee concerning a new bill, knowing the current one expires at the end of the month. But National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Colin Woodall, notes September 30 is also the end of the government’s current fiscal year, meaning all appropriation bills …

Canning or Freezing-Preserving the Harvest

Your harvest is in. Time to think about preserving. Cathy Isom tells you how to save your summer harvest so you can enjoy it this winter. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Canning or Freezing-Preserving the Harvest In the later months of summer sometimes the harvests are just too bountiful to eat. So instead of wasting, save your homegrown …

Farm Bill Passage On-time Uncertain

Time to finish the farm bill before the September 30th deadline is running out. House and Senate ag leaders are working to quickly iron out differences between the two versions of the bill, but many believed the conference committee needed to wrap up this week to get a bill on-time. The Senate adjourned Wednesday night until Monday, and the House …

Trump Administration Seeking China Trade Talks

The Trump administration proposes a new round of trade talks between the U.S. and China to stop an additional round of tariffs on Chinese exports. The Wall Street Journal reports the invitation comes as the Trump administration senses new vulnerability—and possibly more flexibility—among Chinese officials pressured by U.S. tariffs imposed earlier this year and threats for more. Treasury Secretary Steven …

China Cuts Soybean Import Forecast

China this week lowered its forecast for the 2018-2019 import season for soybeans due to the trade conflict between the U.S. and China. Farmers are reducing their use of soybeans in animal feed in China as China has placed massive tariffs on U.S. soybeans. Imports of soybeans in the crop year that starts on October first will be 83.65 million …

Global Hunger Continues to Increase

New evidence continues to signal that hunger is rising globally. A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates the number of hungry people in the world is growing, reaching 821 million in 2017 or one in every nine people. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 report released this week …

USDA Details Trade Damage Estimate Calculations

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released a detailed accounting of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calculated estimated damage from trade disruptions.  USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist developed an estimate of gross trade damages for commodities with assessed retaliatory tariffs by Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico, and Turkey to set commodity payment rates and purchase levels …

EWP Available for Landowners Affected by Natural Disasters

While Hurricane Florence won’t affect all areas of the Southeast, it will some. But no matter when a natural disaster may strike, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to landowners to know if your area suffers damage, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) can help relieve imminent hazards to life and property. This includes damage caused by hurricanes, floods, …