Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22nd, and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) notes this will be a natural opportunity to highlight dairy’s commitment to environmental stewardship. NMPF Senior Director for Sustainability Initiatives and leader of Environmental Stewardship and Workforce Development for the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program, Nicole Ayache, says carrying for our natural …
Coalition Asks for Increased Conservation Funding
Seventy of the top agriculture, conservation, and wildlife groups delivered a letter to Congress last week asking for robust funding for conservation programs and technical assistance for the fiscal year 2022. In the letter, groups like the American Farmland Trust, the National Association of Conservation Districts, and many others called on House and Senate appropriators to provide necessary robust increases …
Petition Asks EPA to Regulate Large Livestock Farms
Two dozen environmental and consumer groups are asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate large dairy and hog farms under federal air pollution laws. Groups like the Sierra Club and the Government Accountability Project say in their petition that “The EPA has the duty and authority to regulate these methane super-emitters under the Clean Air Act as part of …
Feral Swine Control Program Launches in Alabama
Thanks to funding through the 2018 Farm Bill, the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (ASWCC) has launched a program to help property owners in certain areas of Alabama control feral swine. The Alabama Feral Swine Control Program, funded by a grant through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), allowed ASWCC to launch a three-year …
USDA-NRCS Extension for CSP Renewal Applications Closes April 7
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind producers they are accepting Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) renewal applications until April 7 for contracts set to end later this year. The original deadline was March 31, but last week they announced it had been extended one more week. So producers with existing CSP contracts that close Dec. 31, 2021, can benefit from recent program changes …
Vilsack Discusses Possible Creation of a Carbon Bank
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is a Government-owned and operated entity that was created to stabilize, support, and protect farm income and prices. CCC also helps maintain balanced and adequate supplies of agricultural commodities and aids in their orderly distribution. During an interview with farm broadcasters last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was asked if the CCC …
Deadline Extended for CSP Renewal on Contracts Set to Close
Wednesday, March 31 was the deadline that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) had set for accepting Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) renewal applications. But, that date has been extended one week, with the new deadline now being April 7. This is for participants with existing CSP contracts that close on December 31, 2021. Participants with existing CSP contracts that close at the end …
CSP Applications are Due April 2 in Georgia
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia reminds producers the deadline to apply for the fiscal year 2021 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) funding is April 2, 2021. While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline to ensure they are considered for 2021 funding. Through CSP, NRCS helps farmers, ranchers, …
UF Researchers Use AI Datasets to Track Feral Pigs, Minimize Disease Risk
University of Florida scientists are using artificial intelligence (AI) to track feral hogs’ reproduction and how they spread pathogens on Florida’s grazing lands. Feral pigs cost the agriculture industry at least $1.5 billion in damage, disease, and control costs around the United States annually. They run rampant on large swaths of grazing lands. The swine root in the soil and …
CSP Application Deadline in Florida is Friday
Here’s a reminder from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida that the deadline to apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is Friday, March 26. While applications are accepted year-round, those interested in CSP need to submit applications to their local NRCS office by the deadline to ensure they are considered for 2021 funding. Through CSP, NRCS helps agricultural producers and forest landowners …