(NPPC) — Thanks to continued vigilance by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. pork industry, the United States has so far prevented an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), an animal disease affecting only pigs with no human health or food safety risks. To ensure the U.S. swine herd …
USDA and EPA Announce Continued Commitment to Support Rural Water Systems
(USDA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that will help rural water systems face the challenges of aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, increasing costs, limited management capacity and declining rate bases. Through this MOA, USDA and EPA will conduct joint activities to help rural water systems continue …
Secretary Perdue Announces New Innovation Initiative for USDA
The Agriculture Innovation Agenda is a Solution for Farmers, Consumers, and the Environment (USDA) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, a department-wide initiative to align resources, programs, and research to position American agriculture to better meet future global demands. Specifically, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will stimulate innovation so that American agriculture can …
What is Salsify, and Why You Should Grow it
What is salsify, and why you should grow it. Cathy Isom explains this and more. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Imagine a parsnip and a dandelion root had a baby that looked like a brown stick. That’s salsify. Unlike beets, sweet potatoes, onions, and parsnips, salsify is a lesser-known root vegetable. It shouldn’t be – it’s totally worth …
E-Verify Sponsor Says Change Makes ‘Mockery’
(NSF) — A key Republican lawmaker who is pushing to require all Florida employers to do federal immigration background checks on new hires said Tuesday his bill has become a “mockery” of what the proposal should be. Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, wants his proposal to require all public and private employers in the state to use E-Verify, a federal program …
New Test Identifies Poisonous Mushrooms
(USDA/ARS) — A simple, portable test that can detect the deadliest of the mushroom poisons in minutes has been developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their colleagues. Eating toxic mushrooms causes more than 100 deaths a year, globally, and leaves thousands of people in need of urgent medical assistance. Amanitin is the class of mushroom toxins that cause …
Pine Needle Uses Around the Farm, Home and Garden
Cathy Isom reviews some of the different ways for pine needle uses around the farm, home and in the garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you have an abundance of pine needles, you might be surprised to know there are a number of uses for them around the home and garden. One way to put them …
Deadline for Conservation Reserve Program General Signup is Feb. 28
(USDA/FSA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds agricultural producers interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 2020 general signup that there is less than two weeks before the enrollment deadline of February 28, 2020. This signup is available to farmers and private landowners who are either enrolling for the first time or re-enrolling for another 10- to 15-year …
Questions Remain Over Hurricane Timber Money
(NSF) — Florida’s timber industry remains amid tons of strewn trees from Hurricane Michael as talks continue over the distribution of a $380 million federal-recovery grant allocated in November for the 2018 storm. State officials expressed concern Tuesday that more than a quarter of the money may go unused as negotiations continue with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on eligibility …
Growing the Golden Child of the Vegetable World
Cathy Isom tells you what you need to know about the golden child of the vegetable world. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Parsnips seem to be underrated. If they’re in the produce aisle, they’re often hidden. But parsnips are actually the golden child of the vegetable world. Parsnips are actually superior to carrots. Tasty parsnips are chock …