Fifty members of Congress sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer this week, urging him to work swiftly on a Phase Two Agreement with Japan. The letter was also sent to Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue. They say the recent Phase One agreement with Japan made progress on several important issues, but American farmers and processors remain at …
USDA Announces More Than 1.2 Million Acres Accepted in Sign-up for Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2020 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the acceptance of more than 1.2 million acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands during the recent sign-up period that began March 16 and ended May 15. The number of acres offered during this signup period was 1.9 million acres, over …
Additional Commodities Eligible for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
Applications for New Commodities Accepted Beginning July 13 Washington, D.C., July 9, 2020 – Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced an initial list of additional commodities that have been added to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made other adjustments to the program based on comments received from agricultural producers and …
Crop Acreage Reports Due Next Week
Agricultural producers are being reminded the deadline to turn in 2020 crop acreage reports is July 15. According to Tyron Spearman, if you have yet to do this, then an appointment needs to be made with your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office before the deadline. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune …
Latest Numbers for CFAP
About a month ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it had processed more than 220,000 Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments to farmers and ranchers, with the department issuing $2.8 billion to farmers at that time. Since then, even more has gone out as Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Richard Fordyce has the latest look at payments made …
May Margin Triggers Dairy Margin Coverage Program Payment
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced this week that the May 2020 income over feed cost margin was $5.37 per hundredweight (cwt.), triggering the third payment of 2020 for dairy producers who purchased the appropriate level of coverage under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program. To date, FSA has issued more than $176 million in program …
Peanut Market Update
Tyron Spearman has this week’s peanut market update. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World Screwworm OverviewJune 19, 2026Verdant Robotics Offers Growers Targeted Application of Herbicides or Beneficials through SharpShooter™June 16, 2026
USDA Announces Initial Purchase of Vaccine for National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced the initial purchase of vaccine for the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB). APHIS will invest $27.1 million in foot-and-mouth disease vaccine, which the agency would use in the event of an outbreak to protect animals and help stop the spread of disease. …
High Whitefly Populations a Concern for Cotton Growers
By Clint Thompson Cotton growers in Georgia and Alabama need to be mindful of high whitefly populations. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension cotton entomologist Phillip Roberts said silverleaf whitefly populations have increased rapidly in some Georgia fields in the past 10 days. Since cotton is susceptible, producers need to scout and take appropriate action. “It’s extremely important that you know …
Ag Economy Barometer Shows Some Optimism
Farmer sentiment improved again in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose 14 points to 117. The barometer’s rise was fueled by improvements in both the Index of Current Conditions, which rose to a reading of 99, 19% higher than a month earlier, and the Index of Future Expectations, which climbed to 126, 12% higher than in …