I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Agricultural development flourish in most Midwestern states, including Missouri. But the Missouri Bootheel remains swampy and subject to flooding and remain heavily forested, remain underdeveloped, underpopulated. But, beginning in the 1880s, railroads opened up the Bootheel to logging. 1905, Little River Drainage District constructed elaborate ditches, canals, and levees to drain …
FL Ag Commissioner Simpson Opposes EU Deforestation Rule
Eighteen state agriculture commissioners, led by Florida Commissioner Wilton Simpson, have urged U.S. lawmakers to push for exemptions to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to take effect on December 30, 2025. The commissioners argue that the rule, intended to prevent deforestation, would impose unnecessary burdens on the U.S. timber and agricultural industries. In a letter addressed to U.S. …
Christmas Tree Industry Faces Climate and Economic Challenges
The U.S. Christmas tree industry is a vital and resilient sector, providing about $2.5 billion in annual revenue, according to Justin Whitehill, assistant professor at North Carolina State University and director of its Christmas Tree Genetics Program. With approximately 15,000 growers across the nation, Christmas trees are cultivated in every state, with key production areas in Michigan, Oregon, and North …
USDA Awards Grants to Support Private Forestland Management
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced awards of nearly $335 million to help strengthen financial incentives for private forest landowners to manage their forests sustainably and to permanently conserve private forests in partnership with states. Of the total funding, nearly $210 million was awarded as competitive grants to state agencies, for-profit entities and a broad array of non-profit organizations. These …
USDA Provides Additional Flexibilities to Respond to 2024 Hurricanes
Expedites Emergency Conservation and Disaster Recovery Payments for Producers in Nine States Impacted by Hurricanes in 2016 to 2023 (USDA-FSA/WASHINGTON/Dec. 5, 2024) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is taking steps to streamline and provide flexibilities for environmental compliance requirements for 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton allowing the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to expedite approval of payments …
Public Input Wanted on Conservation Practice Standards
Efforts continue to collect public input on how to improve conservation practice standards to maximize climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits. More specifically, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is asking for public input on improvements that can be made to conservation practice standards for?mitigation and adaption. This input is needed to help to maximize climate benefits for practice standards currently considered Climate-Smart …
USDA Announces Investment to Conserve Forestlands Nationwide
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service has committed over $265 million to conserve nearly 335,000 acres of important forestlands across 17 states. This investment, supported by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, is part of the Forest Legacy Program and aims to protect working forests that contribute to rural economies. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized that these forests provide …
USDA Seeks Public Input on Climate Benefits of Conservation Practice Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public input on how to improve conservation practice standards to maximize climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits, as supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature. Conservation practices providing climate benefits are delivered through existing USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation programs popular with producers, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Regional …
EQIP Sign-Up Continues in Georgia
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia (NRCS-GA) reminds agricultural and forest producers that sign-up for a fiscal year 2025 statewide federal assistance opportunity continues. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) sign-up runs through November 15, 2024. While applications are accepted year-round, this ranking date announcement is for all general EQIP, special initiatives, as well as the IRA-funded Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry mitigation activities that address …
USDA-NRCS in Georgia Announces EQIP Sign-Up
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia (NRCS-GA) announces a fiscal year 2025 statewide federal assistance opportunity for agricultural and forest producers, through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This sign-up that concludes on November 15, 2024, will utilize 2018 Farm Bill and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. While applications are accepted year-round, this ranking date announcement is for all general EQIP, special initiatives, …