Disease Mortality Gap Growing Between Rural and Urban Areas

Dan This Land of Ours, USDA-ERS

The difference between rural and urban is growing when it comes to disease mortality. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Over the last two decades, disease-related mortality rates have widened between rural and urban areas, especially for the prime working-age population, aged 25–54. Researchers with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) compared natural-cause mortality in rural and urban areas …

Vilsack Announces Clean Power Projects

Dan Biofuels/Energy, Energy, This Land of Ours

New Investments in clean energy. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Wednesday announced $2.3 billion in projects to expand clean power in rural communities. USDA is moving forward on clean energy investments in 23 states to reduce pollution and strengthen rural America’s power grid. The announcement includes the first five awards totaling $139 million …

USDA: Expiring Estate Tax Provisions Would Increase Taxes for Farm Estates

Dan Economy, Legislative, Regulation, This Land of Ours, USDA-ERS

An expiring estate tax could be very costly for farm estates. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly changed federal individual income and estate tax policies, though some were temporary. In 2018, the legislation increased the estate tax exemption amount from $5.49 million to $11.18 million. This increase expires at the …

USDA Announced Bobwhite Pilot Project, General CRP Signup

Dan Conservation, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environment, This Land of Ours, USDA-NRCS

A new conservation initiative from NRCS. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is launching a new conservation initiative, the Working Lands for Wildlife’s Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project. NRCS has also announced the signup dates for USDA’s General Enrollment signup in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which opens March 4. Both conservation opportunities give …

Mentorship Program for Women in Food and Agriculture

Dan This Land of Ours

Continuing mentorship opportunities for women in ag. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Alltech is proud to continue partnering with the “Women in Food & Agriculture Program.” Applications are open for new mentors of either gender and for female mentees from across the global food and agriculture sector. Now in its fourth year, the free-to-join program is dedicated …

Catastrophic Losses Ahead After Texas Wildfires

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Forestry, This Land of Ours

Catastrophic losses from the Texas wildfires. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller announced his agency’s commitment to providing support to the state’s producers as they deal with the aftermath of devastating wildfires in the Texas Panhandle. The Smokehouse Creek Fire has burned through almost 1,700 square miles of land, making it the largest …

Nearly 20% of Shoppers Purchase Groceries Online

Dan Economy, This Land of Ours

Checking in on who’s checking out groceries online. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Are you turning to online shopping for your groceries? More people are these days. Nearly 20 percent of shoppers bought their groceries online in 2022. That’s according to newly released data from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). Of that 20 percent, nearly half bought …

Nature Connects Us Campaign Launches

Dan Forestry, This Land of Ours

A new campaign to connect us to nature. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The National Forest Foundation and USDA’s Forest Service Monday announced the launch of “Nature Connects Us.” The outreach campaign aims to awaken and strengthen our connection to national forests and grasslands. The campaign is grounded in honoring ancestral tribal homelands through respectful and mindful …

Funding Announced for Renewable Tech in Ag

Dan Agri-Business, Funding, Technology, This Land of Ours

Funding the future of ag tech. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Department of Agriculture and the Energy Department this week launched a new initiative to help farmers cut costs and increase income using underutilized renewable technologies. Through the Rural and Agricultural Income & Savings from Renewable Energy initiative, USDA is setting an initial goal of helping …

Next Gen Cultivating Agriculture’s Future Leaders

Dan This Land of Ours

A USDA program designed to build up the next generation of food and farm leaders and workforce participants provided an example of its efforts during this year’s Ag Outlook Forum. Rod bain has more in today’s This Land of Ours. Listen to Sabrina Halvorson and Rod Bain’s This Land Of Ours program here. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundJuly 15, …