We spent more of our income on food in 2022. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. U.S. consumers spent an average of 11.3 percent of their disposable personal income on food in 2022, a level not observed since the 1980s, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). Disposable personal income is the amount of money consumers have left …
Free Online Training for Phosphorus Management
A new program aims to help farmers manage phosphorus. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A series of online training modules is now freely available to farmers, engineers, environmental consultants and others interested in designing on-farm systems to remove phosphorus from field runoff or subsurface drainage. Available on the Internet, the modules comprise seven narrated videos, starting with a …
Study Shows Positive Economic Impact of Soil Health
A new study links soil health and farm profitability. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Soil Health Institute (SHI) and the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the results of a nationwide study showing how improving soil health can improve a farmer’s profitability. The study shows farmers can build resilience across a diversity of soil types, …
AFBF Partners with Escoffier
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) announces a new collaboration with the largest culinary school brand in the United States. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee announced a collaboration with culinary school Escoffier. Committee Chairman Daryn Westergard says AFBF and Escoffier will collaborate on farm-to-table cooking events, the annual convention, and other …
Funding Available for Rural Broadband
An unprecedented amount of federal funding is available to expand broadband connectivity across rural America. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Rick Cimerman is vice president of state affairs for NCTA – The Internet and Television Association. He says federal investments can be used most wisely to help close the digital divide that still exists. “I think there …
National FFA Membership Reaches All-Time High
The FFA reaches a milestone. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The National FFA Organization Monday announced a record-high student membership of 945,988, an increase of 11 percent from last year. In addition, the number of FFA chapters continues to grow — increasing by 168 this year, resulting in 9,163 chapters in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the …
Farmland Growth Continues
Economic headwinds aren’t stopping farmland growth. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Value of U.S. farmland continues to grow, despite economic headwinds. USDA economist, Shawn Arita, says this year’s growth in farmland values is stronger than some had expected. “It’s still very, very strong growth. This is up again 7.4 percent. I think moving into this, there …
Producers Encouraged to Talk to Congress in August
The August recess isn’t break for lawmakers, and farmers are encouraged to remember that. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Lawmakers from the House and Senate are on the annual August recess and back in their respective districts and states. Tom Donnely, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Director of Grassroots Program Development, says lawmakers will spend that time …
USDA Research Identifies Moths that Slow the Spread of Invasive Fern
Using a moth to slow the spread of an invasive plant. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The invasive Old World Climbing Fern was introduced to Florida’s ecosystem from southeast Asia around 1965. It soon dominated the state’s native vegetation, infesting more than 100,000 acres in a short amount of time. The fern spreads quickly and has destroyed …
Report Reflects Continued Stress on U.S. Honeybee Colonies
Honeybee losses continue in the U.S. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A new USDA report on U.S. honeybee colonies shows continued high losses of those colonies. USDA’s Gary Crawford reports. It seems the nation’s honeybee colonies continue to be under siege. The latest USDA report shows the number of colonies is down from a year ago and the …