The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing up to $15 million to support the development of new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. CIG partners use creative problem solving and innovation to address our nation’s water quality, air quality, soil health and …
Great Items to Use in the Garden Instead of Plastic
How to use less plastic in the garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. We use more plastic in gardening than we realize. For example, those little pots that plants come in from the garden store, and the plastic plant label tags, will take hundreds of years to fully decompose in a landfill. While it may be impossible …
New Update for Peanut Forecast
USDA has updated a few peanut production numbers for this year through the supply and demand program. Tyron Spearman looks at the new figures. 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 …
USDA Announces Key Leadership in Natural Resources and Conservation Areas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment of Meryl Harrell as Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) and the appointment of Terry Cosby as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Meryl Harrell most recently served as the Executive Director of the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards. She has also served as a consultant, advising non-profits, …
Biden Administration Asked to Utilize USMCA Enforcement Measures
A bipartisan group of Representatives sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack regarding dairy and the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement. They’re asking the administration to move ahead with enforcement measures negotiated in the USMCA to support U.S. dairy farmers. A key part of the USMCA agreement was the promise of new export opportunities for America’s …
May Report Shows U.S. Cattle on Feed Up 5 Percent
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released their May Cattle on Feed Report, and the new numbers show the number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head on May 1, 2021. The inventory was 5 percent above May 1, 2020 …
USDA Announces Plan for Black Farmer Payments
The USDA says it plans to make debt relief available to Black farmers. The announcement came one day before Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack participated in a roundtable discussion with Black farmers in Georgia. A spokesman says Vilsack will be traveling to other states to discuss the plan in the weeks ahead. Late last week, the Farm Service Agency published the …
Chickens are Amazing, Intelligent, and Affectionate Animals
Some of the things to love about chickens. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Chickens, which are descended from dinosaurs, are amazing, intelligent, and affectionate animals. Here are some things you might not have known about these adorable birds. They can solve problems, understand cause and effect, and anticipate and plan for the future. Mother hens begin to teach …
Livestock Market Report Week Ending 5-21-2021
Here are the weekly livestock market reports for Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, for the week ended May 21, 2021, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for all three states. AL Livestock Market Report: At Alabama Livestock Auctions for the week ending May 21, 2021, receipts at 21 markets totaled an estimated 13,600 head compared to 9,302 last week and …
Crew Leaders Backed in Overtime Fight
A federal appeals court sided with two crew leaders on Friday in a dispute about whether they should be paid overtime for driving farmworkers to accomplish tasks like buy groceries, go to the bank and do laundry. Crew leaders Jose Ramirez and Joel Santana filed the lawsuit in 2017 against Statewide Harvesting & Hauling, LLC, which is a Florida company …