Some say millions, some billions, while other note trillions are coming. But as Mark Oppold reports, they will be noisy.
FDACS Announces 2024 Woman of the Year in Agriculture
(FDACS/TALLAHASSEE, FL/April 23, 2024) — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced Sandra Moore as the 2024 Woman of the Year in Agriculture. “I am so pleased to announce Sandra Moore as this year’s Woman of the Year in Agriculture, and I am even more excited to share that she is …
AFBF Urges USDA to Restore NASS Surveys
Last week, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) urged USDA to reverse its decision to cancel livestock and crop surveys that are crucial to the success of America’s farmers and ranchers. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently announced it would no longer provide a July cattle inventory survey, as well as county-level estimates for crops and livestock and the …
A Gathering of Youth – National 4-H Conference
Members of 4-H chapters across the U.S. and its territories gather in the U.S. Capital Region starting Friday for the annual National 4-H Convention. Rod Bain reporting with Annie Ceccarini of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Vilsack on Budget Priorities
The Senate Ag Appropriations Committee held a hearing Tuesday to examine the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack detailed several priorities for agriculture in the President’s budget request. “Clearly, we need to continue to look at ways in which we can focus on things like PFAS, HPAI and some of …
Large Tractor Sales Increase for Second Month in a Row
For the second straight month, unit sales of 100-plus horsepower ag tractors increased in the U.S. New data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) notes March sales jumped 3.2 percent compared to last year, following February’s increase of 2.8 percent compared to 2023. “Seeing the continued growth in 100-plus horsepower tractor sales is a welcome sight as 2024 progresses, despite the softness in …
2024 Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus Formed
Specialty crops are once again getting a special focus in congress with the bipartisan 2024 Congressional Specialty Crops Caucus. Co-chairs include Republicans David Valadao of California and David Rouzer of North Carolina, and Democrats Jim Costa of California and Elisa Slotkin of Michigan. Representative Slotkin, a former national security official, says U.S. specialty crops are vital to the nation. “So, …
FARMER Act Introduced to Help Agriculture and Beyond
New legislation aims to improve risk management in agriculture and supporters say it goes beyond the farm. Senator John Hoeven, a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, this week introduced the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act. Hoeven says the legislation will strengthen crop insurance and make …
APHIS Supports Projects to Control and Prevent Chronic Wasting Disease
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) this week announced the availability of more than $12 million to control and prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in wild and farmed deer and elk. CWD is an infectious, degenerative disease of cervids that causes brain cells to die, ultimately leading to the death of the affected animal. The incubation period can …
Farmers.gov Local Dashboard Now Available for Producers
Farmers can now access county specific farming data and USDA resources all in one place via the new farmers.gov local dashboard. Your farmers.gov local dashboard includes farming data and USDA resources including USDA news, commodity pricing, weather forecasts, historical climate data, past storm events, USDA service center locator and additional state resources for STATE and your county The dashboard transforms complex data sets into …