A new coalition of agriculture groups with a new focus. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Several industry associations launched the Ag Bioeconomy Coalition just days ago, to advance federal policy initiatives that foster growth toward a circular economy based on innovative products derived from agricultural commodities. Encompassing a broad range of technologies, the ag bioeconomy uses renewable, …
“Rock the Crop” Sweepstakes Deadline Approaching
A country star is partnering up for a concert for farmers. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Firestone Ag is partnering with country music star Dillon Carmichael to celebrate U.S. agriculture with its second annual Rock the Crop Concert Sweepstakes. U.S. farmers and ranchers must enter by July 25 for a chance to win a private, on-farm concert …
Borlaug Fellows Announced
A new team of fellows is advancing agricultural research. That’s today’s This Land of Ours. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has announced the 2022 Borlaug Fellows. Since 2004, the Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program has promoted agricultural productivity, food security, trade, and economic growth. Since the program’s inception, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has …
Improving E. Coli Tracking
Working toward better traceability during foodborne illness outbreaks. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, or ARS, is working to improve traceability during foodborne illness outbreaks. Scientists want to enhance the capacity of regulatory agencies to trace E. coli back to its source by studying how the DNA of a specific population of this …
Popcorn’s Effects on Gut Microbiomes
Eating popcorn may be good for your digestive health. That’s today’s This Land of Ours. A new study, published in the leading journal Frontiers in Microbiology, focuses on how popcorn can impact our personal microbiome. Americans eat more than 13 billion quarts of popcorn a year; an average of about 40 quarts per person. Nate Korth, a Ph.D. student at …
Family Farm Living Expenses
Inflation is hitting everyone, but what does it mean for the farm family? That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A study by the Kansas Farm Management Association shows that farm family living expenses jumped 14 percent higher last year to an average of $82,000. It’s significantly higher than the previous high of $74,000 in 2014 and the largest …
USDA Helping Issue Child Food Benefits for Summer
Helping keep kids fed during summer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The USDA is partnering with states and territories across the country to work with urgency to provide food benefits for the summer months to eligible children. As of July 8, 27 states and territories, including Puerto Rico, are set up to provide these benefits to an …
World Food Prices Fall in June
Costs may still feel high, but food prices are falling. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. World food prices fell for a third straight month in June. However, the United Nation’s food agency says those prices are close to record levels set in March. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index tracks the most globally-traded food commodities, …
Farm Bureau Foundation Awards Ag Literacy Grants
Farm Bureau is encouraging ag literacy. That’s today’s This Land of Ours. The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture awarded $9,400 in grants to recognize agricultural literacy programs of ten state and county Farm Bureaus. The grants are funded through the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education program, which acknowledges communities that are engaging with students on the fundamental role of agriculture …
USDA: Adult Obesity Increased During Pandemic
An additional effect on our health from the pandemic. That’s today’s This Land of Ours. USDA’s Economic Research Service reports behavior changes during the pandemic exacerbated an already existing adult obesity epidemic. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in 2020, studies using limited online surveys found evidence of weight gain among U.S. adults. However, because the pandemic surveys did not represent …