USDA Network Protects Livestock

Dan Beef, Cattle, Dairy, Livestock, Pork, Poultry, This Land of Ours, USDA-APHIS

How the agriculture department works to keep animals healthy. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. USDA has a multi-layered approach to protecting our livestock industry from high-consequence foreign animal diseases. Dr. Julie Wallin with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), says that’s the key role the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). “That’s a network of …

USDA Publishes Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative, Regulation, This Land of Ours

Ensuring the integrity of child nutrition programs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Wednesday published a final rule on program integrity to ensure that child nutrition programs are properly operated and managed to protect federal funds and taxpayer dollars. The final rule impacts the National School Lunch …

California Continues to Lead U.S. Peach Harvest

Dan Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, USDA-ERS

What state is the leader in peach production? The answer may surprise you. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. While Georgia is on many consumers’ minds when it comes to fresh, juicy peaches, California is by far the largest peach-producing state in the United States. USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reports that last year, California’s harvest yielded 475,000 …

USDA Proposal to Strengthen Horse Protection Act

Dan Agri-Business, Equine, Legislative, Livestock, Regulation, This Land of Ours, USDA-APHIS

A proposed rule to strengthen horse protection. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) seeks public input on a proposed rule to strengthen Horse Protection Act (HPA) requirements. Announced last week, the proposed changes aim to eliminate horse soring, a practice that gives horse owners and trainers an unfair advantage in …

Ag Lenders Donate to Hawaii Relief Efforts

Dan Agri-Business, This Land of Ours

The ag lending industry is sending help to Hawaii. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Farm Credit Association, American AgCredit, rural banking partner CoBank, and The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, also known as Farmer Mac, are donating $40,000 to Maui Food Bank to help aid during the devastating wildfires that are wreaking havoc in Hawaii. AgCredit CEO Curt …

Adult Obesity Rates Increased During First Year of Pandemic

Dan This Land of Ours, USDA-ERS

If you gained a bit of weight during the pandemic, you weren’t alone. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. New data from USDA’s Economic Research Service shows that adult obesity increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Broad efforts to contain COVID-19 included travel, work, and social restrictions. Such behavioral adjustments disrupted the dietary and activity …

Study Shows Gen Z’s Relationship with Food is Complicated

Dan This Land of Ours

Gen Z is called the foodie generation, but recent research shows a darker side to their relationship with food. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A wide-ranging research study from global communications consultancy Ketchum shows 61 percent of Gen Z have felt pressure on them since childhood to eat a certain way to communicate their identity and beliefs, which has …

Free Online Training for Phosphorus Management

Dan Education, This Land of Ours

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 …