Biden to Nominate Xochitl Torres Small as USDA Deputy Secretary

Dan Agri-Business

President Joe Biden Wednesday announced his intent to nominate Xochitl Torres Small to serve as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture at the Department of Agriculture. The Senate confirmed Torres Small to serve as the Under Secretary for Rural Development on October 7, 2021. Before serving as Undersecretary, Torres Small was a Representative for New Mexico’s second congressional district, the fifth largest …

U.S. Tractor Sales Start 2023 Lower

Dan Agri-Business, Economy

U.S. ag tractor sales finished January 2023 in the negative, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Total U.S. ag tractor unit sales fell for January in all segments except one. 100-plus horsepower two-wheel-drive tractors actually grew 22.8 percent. U.S. combine sales continued its growth streak, climbing 132.7 percent year-over-year. Curt Blades of AEM says, …

USDA Designates Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Dan Agri-Business, Alabama, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), Drought, Funding, USDA-FSA, Weather

(ADAI/MONTGOMERY, AL/Feb. 15,2023) — Last week USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced a Secretarial natural disaster designation for 27 counties in Tennessee that also included four counties in Alabama that are contiguous to some of the Tennessee counties. This designation will extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from drought through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various …

IRA Funding for Climate-Smart Agriculture

Dan Agri-Business, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE), Climate Change, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environment, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), This Land of Ours, USDA-NRCS

Investing in climate-smart agriculture. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding for agricultural producers and forest landowners to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices. The Inflation Reduction Act provided an additional $19.5 billion over five years for climate-smart agriculture through several USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs. NRCS is …

Georgia Lawmakers See Agriculture Visitors During Week Five

Dan Agri-Business, Georgia, Legislative

Week five of the 2023 Georgia State Legislative Session has basically wrapped up, and according to Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley, it was another busy one. He told Southeast AgNet’s Randall Weiseman there were some visitors this past week. More information about the 2023 legislative session is available on the GAC Facebook page. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers …

Ian Florida Agriculture Losses Estimated at $1B

Dan Agri-Business, Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Fruits, Nursery Crops, Organic, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/February 9, 2023) — Hurricane Ian caused an estimated $1 billion in agricultural-production losses, with the biggest hits to the citrus industry, along with growers of vegetables and melons, according to a new University of Florida report. The report from the UF-Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences also doesn’t include damage to such things as buildings and equipment, which …

OTA on USDA Steps to Prevent Fraud in Organic Ag

Dan Agri-Business, Organic, This Land of Ours

The USDA is taking steps to prevent fraud in organic ag. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Organic Trade Association applauded the USDA and the National Organic Program for the new “Strengthening Organic Enforcement Rule.” Tom Chapman, CEO of the Organic Trade Association, says the new regulation will do a lot to detect organic fraud and protect …

House Agriculture Committee Announces Subcommittee Chairs

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative

House Agriculture Chairman Glenn GT Thompson recently announced subcommittee Chairs and jurisdictions for the 118th Congress. The Pennsylvania Republican says of the subcommittee chairs. “I’m excited to welcome this talented slate of subcommittee Chairs for the 118th Congress. Their expertise and partnership are essential to fulfilling this Committee’s mandate of delivering certainty and prosperity to American agriculture and its entire value …

DeSantis Pitches $114.8 Billion Budget

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Florida

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL) — Dubbing it the “framework for freedom,” Governor Ron DeSantis on Wednesday proposed a nearly 115-billion-dollar budget for next year that includes a variety of tax cuts and more money for such things as teacher pay. The budget for the current year, which started July 1st, totaled 110 billion after DeSantis signed it and issued vetoes. As he …