bankers

Bankers Report an 8.1 Percent increase in Farm Bank Lending

Dan Agri-Business, Economy

Despite numerous headwinds in 2022, agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks increased by 8.1 percent in 2022 to $103.1 billion. The American Bankers Association’s annual Farm Bank Performance Report says the change is due to a 9.7 percent increase in outstanding loans secured by farmland and a 5.9 percent increase in agricultural and production loans. The report also says farmland …

trade mission

USDA Central America-Dominican Republic Trade Mission

Dan Agri-Business, Exports/Imports, This Land of Ours, Trade

USDA leaders visit Panama for a trade mission. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor arrived in Panama City Monday to launch a regional agribusiness trade mission. Taylor and the trade delegation on the trip look to develop stronger ties and build economic partnerships between the United …

funding

USDA Awards Funding to Protect U.S. Cattle from FMD

Dan Agri-Business, Beef, Cattle, Funding, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), USDA-APHIS

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) last week awarded the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) with $445,400 in funding to advance the Secure Beef Supply Plan. The plan would go into effect in the event of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the U.S. “NCBA is grateful for this critical funding to help continue defending the U.S. cattle herd from …

agriculture

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on National Ag Day

Dan Agri-Business, Education, General

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has a special message on this 50th Anniversary of National Agriculture Day. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released the following statement in celebration of the annual National Agriculture Day, Tuesday, March 21: “On this 50th National Ag Day, we recognize the contributions of American farmers, farmworkers, ranchers, forest landowners, and all agricultural producers in providing our nation …

afbf

AFBF Hails Bipartisan Effort to Freeze Wage Rate

Dan Agri-Business, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Labor and Immigration

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) urges Congress to pass legislation to freeze the 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate, or AEWR. AFBF says the rate distorts labor costs for farmers across the country who hire nearly 400,000 employees through the H-2A program. The bipartisan Farm Operations Support Act temporarily resets the AEWR at 2022 levels, providing much need wage relief …