The ag secretary discusses food as medicine. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack provides his views on the subject of “Food is Medicine” during a Health and Human Services Department summit of the same name. “My point of view is, I think, somewhat couched by the fact that I lost my parents at a …
Apple Genetic Collection Provides Avenues in Time
Apple Genetic Collection Provides Avenues in Time. Rod Bain has more coming up on This Land of Ours. One of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of apple cultivars and genetic materials can be found at a USDA agricultural research station in New York State. “There’s about 5000 unique accessions that we keep. And the composition really is 1400 …
Farmers Can Now Pay Farm Loans Online
An easier way to make your farm loan payments. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Farm loan borrowers will be able to make payments to their direct loans online. It’s through the new Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov that goes live in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline …
Shielding Agriculture from Cyber Attacks
Shielding agriculture from cyber attacks. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Two senators introduced legislation intended to boost the agricultural industry’s resilience against cyber attacks. The bipartisan measure from Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is backed by a number of agricultural groups. If passed, the bill would shield America’s supply chain from technological attacks. “America’s adversaries …
Large Family Farms Account for Bulk of Commodity Production
A look at what kinds of farms make up the majority of production. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Large-scale family farms accounted for a majority of the value of commodity production in 2022, according to a new report from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). Specifically, these farms accounted for 51 percent of cash grains and soybeans, 56 …
Newest Farm Bureau Location Shows Popularity of Urban Ag
It’s one of the nation’s largest cities, and now San Francisco is part of the farm bureau federation. It’s technically San Francisco County that is the newest part of the California Farm Bureau, but there’s only one city in that county – San Francisco. With the growing popularity of urban agriculture, it makes sense that the city by the bay …
USDA Reopens Signup for Continuous CRP
Another chance to sign up for continuous CRP. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA is again accepting applications for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program signup. The program from the Farm Service Agency provides ag producers and other landowners with conservation opportunities for their land in exchange for yearly rental payments. It also includes the Conservation Reserve …
WIC Program at Risk
Millions of people could lose their access to a federal nutrition program. The nation is now two months into fiscal year 2024 and Congress has yet to provide additional funding for nutrition programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or WIC. WIC provides nutrition assistance for almost 6.7 million pregnant women, new mothers, babies, and young …
Food Insecurity in U.S. Households with Older Adults
More older adults are facing food insecurity. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. In 2022, 9.1 percent of U.S. households with adults aged 65 and older were food insecure at some time during the year. The prevalence of food insecurity in households with adults aged 65 and older in 2022 was statistically significantly higher than the 7.1 percent …
Changing Climate Means More Pests for Almonds, Peaches, Walnuts
How a changing climate could mean more pests for some tree crops. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Department of Agriculture research shows climate change may increase the insect population that poses a threat to the specialty crops industry. Led by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the University of California, the research shows populations …