The August congressional recess is a yearly break in the Washington schedules for elected officials to return to their districts. Tom Donnelly, Director of Grassroots Program Development, says August is the ideal time for farmers and ranchers to engage with senators and representatives about U.S. agriculture. “We hope that farmers and ranchers will take advantage of this time to schedule …
Farmer Sentiment Rises in July
The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer farmer sentiment index rose six points in July to a reading of 103. Producers were somewhat more optimistic about both their current and future economic conditions on their farms compared to June. Even though there was a slight increase in optimism, there’s still a lot of uncertainty in the agricultural economy. Key commodity …
Sugar Alliance Meeting Underway
Leaders from the U.S. sugar industry are meeting in Colorado this week for the 37th annual International Sweetener Symposium.?The Symposium is an annual event hosted by the American Sugar Alliance. Dr. Rob Johansson, Director of Economics and Policy Analysis for the American Sugar Alliance, talks about what farm leaders and industry experts will be discussing. “We know that rising input …
2022 Swisher/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year State Winners Announced
The Sunbelt Ag Expo has announced the state winners for the 2022 Swisher/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. This year’s winners include: Mark Byrd, Alabama Farmer of the Year Chris Sweat, Arkansas Farmer of the Year Jerry Dakin, Florida Farmer of the Year Scotty Raines, Georgia Farmer of the Year Wesley C. Parker, Kentucky Farmer of the Year Michael L. …
USDA Helps Schools and Childcare Providers Deal with Rising Food Costs
Helping schools manage rising food costs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA announced an increase in funding to help schools continue to serve healthy meals this coming school year and provided financial relief for schools and childcare providers. The reimbursement schools will get for each meal served will increase by 68 cents per free or reduced-price …
Ag Land Market Will Be Active During the Fall
Early indications are suggesting that land auction activity will be good both before and after the harvest in 2022. Farmers National Company (FNC) says land sales typically slow during the spring and early summer. However, the rate of late summer and fall auctions getting scheduled with Farmers National Company is picking up rapidly. The overall number of sales and amount …
Removing Barriers to Meet Growing Demand for Food
The American Farm Bureau is calling on USDA to take steps to make sure American farmers continue to have access to crucial fertilizer supplies. The organization submitted comments on USDA’s “Request for Information on Access to Fertilizer.” AFBF says many factors are combining to create shortages and drive up fertilizer costs. AFBF President Zippy Duvall says America’s farmers are getting …
Agricultural Tractor Unit Sales Fall in June
U.S. agricultural tractor sales fell in June, while harvester sales grew. This is according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). U.S. total farm tractor sales fell 8.2 percent for the month of June compared to 2021. The 100+ horsepower 2WD tractor segment was the only one in the black for the fourth month in a row, up …
Ag Groups Call for Swift Confirmation of New Chief Ag Negotiator
A coalition of almost 100 American food and agriculture organizations called for the prompt confirmation of Doug McKalip as the Chief Agriculture Negotiator in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office. In the letter to the U.S. Senate’s Finance Committee, the groups highlighted McKalip’s deep knowledge of the food and agriculture industry and his institutional, regulatory, and trade experience. The groups also …
2021 National Environmental Stewardship Winner to be announced July 26
The 2021 national winner of the Environmental Stewardship Program will be announced during the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in Reno, Nevada, July 25-27. The award, established by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) back in 1991, identifies outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry. Every year, seven families are recognized with regional Environmental Stewardship awards, with one getting honored …