The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) announced the organization’s primary policy focus for 2023. NASDA members, the state commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture, hand-selected seven issues to focus on. The issues include the 2023 Farm Bill, which NASDA says must remain unified, securing a commitment to American agriculture and the critical food and nutritional assistance programs …
Rural Job Growth Shifting to High-Skill Workers
There’s a shift in rural jobs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Over the last two decades, the strongest rural job gains were in smaller industries that tend to employ high-skill workers. USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) reports the highest growth was in the real estate industry. According to experts like CALC job placement services, also showing rapid …
Ian Estimated Agriculture Damages Tops $1B
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/Jan. 18, 2023) — A soon-to-be-released report will estimate Florida’s agriculture industry sustained about $1.07 billion in damages from Hurricane Ian, with growers of citrus, vegetable and horticultural crops taking the biggest hits from the wind, rains and flooding. But citrus growers think the estimate doesn’t show the full damage from the storm. The pending report from the University …
Republican House Agriculture Committee Members Announced
We now know the Republican members of the House Agriculture Committee. Chair GT Thompson made the announcement this week. Fifteen Republicans are returning from last year, and there are 12 who are new to the committee this year. Notables from the Southeast who are returning are Austin Scott of Georgia, Kat Cammock of Florida, and Barry Moore of Alabama. There …
NASDA Conducts Vietnam Trade Mission
Exploring trade opportunities with Vietnam. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) members and leadership traveled to Vietnam last week. The delegation embarked on the organization’s first trade mission to explore global emerging markets through the Department of Agriculture Emerging Markets Program. NASDA President and Wyoming Department of Agriculture Director Doug …
Professional Athletes Buying Farmland
Some professional athletes are buying up farmland. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and longtime NBA player Blake Griffin are among some of the big-name athletes who are investing in Iowa farmland. They’ve joined up with more than 20 other pro athletes from the NFL, NHL, the NBA, and Major League Baseball to …
Combine Harvesters Finish Positive for 2022, While Tractor Sales Fall
Combine harvester sales finished 2022 with healthy gains in unit sales, but ag tractors ended with sales below 2021 levels. According to new data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), total U.S. ag tractor unit sales fell for both the month of December as well as the year as a whole compared to 2021. The sub-40hp segment lead the losses in …
DeSantis Outlines Second-Term Environmental Plans
(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/Jan. 10, 2023) — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans Tuesday to spend $3.5 billion in his second term on environmental projects such as restoring the Everglades and addressing water-quality problems. “This may be a bigger, more comprehensive executive order than we did four years ago. But I think that’s the right thing to do,” DeSantis, who was re-elected in …
Zippy Duvall Opens 2023 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention General Session
(AFBF/Puerto Rico/Jan. 8, 2023) — American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall Opened 2023 AFBF Convention General Session this morning with an inspiring speech highlighting some of the great work the Farm Bureau family is doing throughout the country. Thank you! Good morning! Welcome to San Juan! I hope you’re having a good time enjoying the beauty that God …
State Farm Bureaus Honored for Excellence in Programs and Membership Achievement
The American Farm Bureau Federation presented awards to state Farm Bureaus at the organization’s 104th Convention, which runs through Jan. 11. The awards recognize excellence in implementation of outstanding member programs and membership achievement in 2022. Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana and North Carolina earned the Pinnacle Award, the highest honor a state Farm Bureau can be awarded for program and membership …