(WASHINGTON, June 24, 2021)Â — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to aid recovery efforts for residents, farmers and ranchers affected by the devastation across the Southeast caused by Tropical Storm Claudette. USDA staff in regional, state, and county offices are ready to respond and are providing a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance …
Four Florida Counties Designated as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of …
Florida Judge Blocks Aid to Minority Farmers
(TALLAHASSEE, FL/June 24, 2021) — Siding with a white farmer from North Florida, a U.S. district judge has blocked a federal plan to provide loan relief to Black and other minority farmers who historically faced discrimination. U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard, who is based in Jacksonville, issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday against the plan, which was part of the …
U.S. Senate Passes Growing Climate Solutions Act
In a bipartisan effort, the U.S. Senate passed the “Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2021”. The bill, S.1251, basically creates a new program to self-certify technical assistance providers and third-party verifiers for the agriculture and forestry sectors for voluntary actions that are intended to reduce the amount of air and carbon pollution and for processes to naturally store carbon. It directs the U.S. Department of …
Floridians Consider Farming Important
An overwhelming 98% of Floridians consider farming and ranching important, according to the findings of a survey recently conducted by the Tyson Group among registered voters statewide. “We’re humbled to see the overwhelming support from Florida voters for the hard work and commitment of our farmers,” said Gene Adams, chair of the Florida Ag Coalition. “These survey findings indicate that Florida families …
NCBA Concerned with EPA Revising Navigable Waters Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two weeks ago their intent to repeal and rewrite the definition of the Trump-era Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), which of course replaced the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. A review of the rule, requested by President Joe Biden, claims stakeholders are seeing destructive impacts to critical water bodies. Various farm groups …
WHIP-Plus Payments Going Out to Eligible Producers
More than $1 billion in payments are being released over the next several weeks for ag producers with approved applications for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program and for those who have already received payments through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Farm Service Agency Administrator, Zach Ducheneaux, notes this second round of WHIP+ payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is …
Senators Introduce the Define WOTUS Act
Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, along with Indiana’s Mike Braun, introduced the Define WOTUS Act this week. The bill legislatively defines “waters of the United States,” and makes a definition of the term permanent. Grassley and Ernst recently sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to express concerns over the Biden administration’s decision to roll back the …
Republicans Launch Conservative Climate Caucus
House Republicans Wednesday launched the Conservative Climate Caucus. The caucus includes more than 50 representatives from every committee with jurisdiction over climate policy and various ranking members. Utah Representative John Curtis chairs the caucus, stating, “We do care about climate – and we already have solutions and plan to find more.” The goal of the Conservative Climate Caucus is to …
Best Disease-Resistant and Easiest Roses to Grow
Some of the best disease-resistant and easiest roses to grow. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The easiest roses to grow are disease resistant and produce an abundance of flowers throughout the summer and into fall. Perhaps the best-known rose is the ‘Knock Out’ rose. It bears long-lasting masses of cherry-red blooms that have a very light fragrance. This high …