USDA Announces Funding to Help Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Businesses Invest in Renewable Energy Systems and Energy-Efficiency Improvements

Dan Agri-Business, Biofuels/Energy, Funding

President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act Lowers Energy Costs, Builds America’s Clean-Energy Economy in Rural America (USDA-RD/WASHINGTON, March 31, 2023) — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is accepting applications starting on April 1 for $1 billion in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses invest in renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements. …

USDA Announces Additional Help for Distressed Farmers

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Funding, This Land of Ours

There’s additional help for some farmers who need it. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Starting in April, the USDA will provide approximately $123 million in additional, automatic financial assistance for qualifying farm loan program borrowers who are facing financial risk, as part of the $3.1 billion to help distressed farm loan borrowers that was provided through Section …

Margin Protection for Corn and Soybean Farmers Expanded by USDA

Dan Agri-Business, Corn, Funding, Soybeans

(USDA-RMA/WASHINGTON/March 30, 2023) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding its Margin Protection insurance plan, adding more than a thousand counties to the insurance option that provides coverage against an unexpected decrease in operating margin for corn and soybean producers. This expansion, which is in direct response to growing interest among producers, will be available by June 30, 2023. Interested …

Farm Bill Listening Sessions Planned

Dan Agri-Business, Alabama, Farm Bill, Funding, Legislative

Congressman Barry Moore is hosting several Farm Bill Listening Sessions for Alabamians to attend regarding the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. The Alabama Peanut Producers Association says attendees are encouraged to bring a hard copy of their questions, comments, or concerns along with their contact information so Congressman Moore and his staff have an opportunity to follow up with attendees after …

Groups Call for Checkoff Reform in the 2023 Farm Bill

Dan Agri-Business, Cattle, Farm Bill, Field Crops, Industry, Legislative, Livestock, Regulation

This week, a coalition of 131 groups representing farmers, the food system, the environment, animal welfare, and antimonopoly advocacy called on Congress to restore accountability and transparency to commodity checkoff programs by supporting inclusion of the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act (S.557 and H.R.1249) in the 2023 Farm Bill. Checkoff programs are funded through mandatory fees on farmers and ranchers producing …

Is U.S. Losing Trade Competitiveness?

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

The U.S. remains the top exporter of a few commodities, but the competition is getting closer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) released a report on the competitiveness of U.S. exports, and it shows while we’re still top in some categories, the competition is getting hotter. The report says that export shares …

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 …