Secretary Perdue Statement on EJC Ruling on Genome Editing

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding this week’s European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on newer mutagenesis methods, otherwise known as genome editing. “Government policies should encourage scientific innovation without creating unnecessary barriers or unjustifiably stigmatizing new technologies. Unfortunately, this week’s ECJ ruling is a setback in this regard in that it narrowly considers newer genome editing methods to be within the scope of the European Union’s regressive and outdated …

USDA Invites Comments on the Implementation of the e-Connectivity Pilot Program

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced USDA is inviting comments on the implementation of the e-Connectivity Pilot Program established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 on March 23, 2018. USDA is developing this pilot program to catalyze private investment and bring broadband to unserved rural areas of the country. The new program provides a unique opportunity to develop …

4-H Extracurricular for My Child? 10 Reasons Why

With so many extracurricular activities available these days, parents and kids are overwhelmed with choices. To choose the right one, know what to prioritize, says Heather Kent, associate director of the Florida 4-H youth development program, part of University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension. “The 4-H motto is ‘To make the best better.’ The research shows …

Conaway on Trade Meeting with President Trump

Wednesday afternoon, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway attended a meeting at the White House with President Trump to discuss the most recent events with regard to trade. Here are comments made by the chairman following the meeting. Conaway on Trade Meeting Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …

Celebrating National Scotch Day

Cathy Isom gives us a few facts, and tips, about celebrating an iconic beverage that is made from malted barley. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Celebrating National Scotch Day Every year on July 27th, we celebrate an aged whisky distilled from malted barley. Today is  National Scotch Day. This particular whisky, first and foremost, must be made …

NAFTA Back in the Spotlight

The Mexican negotiating team is back in Washington to continue the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation after talks among the U.S., Mexico, and Canada stalled two months ago. The Mexican Economy Minister will meet with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for the first time since the Mexican presidential election on July first to formally restart the talks. A …

Ag Committee Leaders Meet to Discuss Farm Bill

Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts, Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, House Ag Chair Michael Conaway, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson met about the farm bill conference. The meeting took place even though the Senate hasn’t voted to go to conference. The Hagstrom Report says, “The Big Four,” as they’re sometimes called, issued a brief joint statement that didn’t mention any …

USDA Preparing Alternative to WHO Antibiotic Guidelines

USDA officials are reportedly developing an alternative set of guidelines on antibiotic use in animal agriculture, rather than abide by those developed at the World Health Organization. The WHO recommendations first came out last November, proposing to end the use of medically important antibiotics in healthy animals to promote growth and prevent disease. The agency wanted the drugs only used …