New Staff Members for Alabama Cattlemen’s Association

We told you recently that Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Executive Vice President Dr. Billy Powell had announced he would be leaving that post next year. But there are various other staff changes taking place in the association, as Dr. Powell explains. Download Audio Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …

Japan Moving Forward with TPP

Japan’s parliament Friday ratified the Trans-Pacific Partnership despite the deals likely dismissal by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal called the move by Japan a “mostly symbolic step” because of Trump’s opposition to the trade agreement. Trump repeated campaign promises in a video last month saying he would Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board …

Most U.S. Farms are Family Operated

A new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture released last week shows 99 percent of U.S. farms were family farms in 2015. Family farms, according to USDA, are classified as a farm where the principal operator and his or her relatives owned the majority of the business. The report shows that small family farms—those with less than $350,000 in …

New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced they will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). This includes new CRP practices to protect water quality and adds an additional 1.1 million acres targeted to benefit wildlife, pollinators and wetlands. The new conservation Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement …

Weekly Livestock Market Report

Here are the Alabama and Georgia cattle market reports for the week ending December 9th, compiled by the Livestock Market News Service for both states. AL: Download Audio GA: Download Audio 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 …

Cotton Production Forecast Up 2% from November

USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service released their December crop reports today, and Bianca Pruneda with NASS in Washington D.C. says 2016 cotton production is expected to be up two percent from the November forecast. Download Audio Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher Discusses New World …

USDA Designates 3 More Counties in Alabama as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2016 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Baldwin, Conecuh and Escambia counties in Alabama as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought. Farmers and ranchers in Butler, Clarke, Covington, Mobile and Monroe counties in Alabama also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Farmers …

Tuesday is Deadline to Return County Committee Election Ballots

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind farmers and ranchers that next Tuesday, Dec. 13, is the deadline to submit ballots for the 2016 County Committee Elections. Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the County Committee election. FSA Administrator Val Dolcini says after the ballots have all been counted, …

Discussions on Tightening Estate Tax Rules

The Obama Administration is racing to finalize as many new rules and regulations as it can before January 20th. But one of those that could hang over into the new administration would tighten estate tax rules. The American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and other farm groups argue the Internal Revenue Service proposal would end or reduce discounts …

Continuing Resolution Includes FSA Loan Funding

A continuing resolution budget bill to keep the U.S. government funded through April includes language to provide the Department of Agriculture money for farm loans and summer feeding programs. The Further Continuing and Security Assistance Appropriations Act, which covers Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, 2026FL Cattle Enhancement Board Wraps up Funding YearJune 30, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Awarded Researcher …